VAN VLEET – Cindy Belcher isn’t seriously positive how she acquired to cook dinner. She figures her expertise might lie in her genes.
“My mom was a wonderful cook dinner,” she stated. “My grandmother labored at the cafeteria at college, and my aunts were being all great cooks. I guess it just operates in the family members.”
Belcher, 59, was born and raised in Brookland, Arkansas, the oldest of 4 girls. By the time she was 12, she was planning the family’s foods.
“When your mother’s a nurse at a doctor’s office, and you you should not know when she’s going to occur dwelling, you study to prepare dinner,” she reported. “I was cooking dinner for my loved ones every night.”
Belcher and her spouse, Nolan, married right out of superior school. She was about to flip 19, and he was practically 20.
“My husband would almost certainly tell you we ate a large amount of frozen pizzas when we initial married, but if we did, it was since that is what he desired,” she said. “It was not due to the fact I could not cook.”
Belcher worked at Okolona Car Company for 13 many years ahead of starting off at Chickasaw Container in 1999, wherever she’s a profits rep. Even though functioning for the box producer, she began using employment as a caterer.
“I started cooking for drug reps,” mentioned the mom of two and grandmother of four. “I would get almost everything all set at evening, and the subsequent early morning, my partner or son would get every thing warm and produce it whilst I was at operate.”
Just after 20 yrs of catering, Belcher at last hung up her apron.
“I did not make catering my entire-time task mainly because I like my shoppers at Chickasaw Container too a lot,” she explained. “My husband suggests I don’t work – I just socialize all day long.”
But she continue to helps buddies and loved ones when specific situations arise.
“When it is the grandchildren’s birthdays, they get to choose the theme of the party,” she claimed. “I make the cake and cookies and whatever they want for the food. When I was rising up, I generally selected steak and gravy, mashed potatoes, yeast rolls and a ding dong cake for my birthday. I guess I received carrying out the birthday factor from my mama.”
Belcher isn’t going to just restrict her cooking to birthdays. Her little ones and grandkids often come by for the duration of the week to try to eat with her, and she enjoys cooking for her church relatives and her prospects.
“I check out to make some style of cake and choose it to my buyers at the holidays to exhibit I take pleasure in their business,” she mentioned. “Sunday, I manufactured hen and dressing and a sweet potato casserole for the Christmas lunch at Okolona To start with Methodist. I just like cooking.”
DO YOU KNOW A Great Cook? Deliver your nominations to Ginna Parsons, Prepare dinner of the Week, P.O. Box 909, Tupelo, MS 38802. Or you can get in touch with (662) 678-1581 or electronic mail them to [email protected].
SWEET POTATO CASSEROLE
3 cups cooked, mashed sweet potatoes
1 1/2 sticks margarine, divided
1/2 cup self-mounting flour
In a bowl, merge sweet potatoes, granulated sugar, 1 adhere margarine, eggs and vanilla. Blend perfectly and pour into a greased casserole.
For the topping, mix brown sugar, pecans, flour and remaining 1/2 adhere margarine. Combine very well and unfold in excess of potato combination. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.
Fresh new APPLE CAKE
3 cups peeled, chopped apples
1 tablespoon gentle corn syrup
For the cake, defeat the sugar, oil and eggs perfectly. Include cinnamon, vanilla and flour, and blend perfectly. Stir in chopped apples.
Pour batter into a greased 9×13-inch pan. Bake at 300 degrees for 55 to 60 minutes. Punch holes in the top rated of the cake when it can be warm and pour glaze in excess of.
For the glaze, deliver all components to a boil and prepare dinner till the soft ball stage. Pour more than cake though it is really warm.
Be aware: Chopped nuts may possibly be included to the glaze just after it is cooked and appropriate prior to it is really poured more than the cake.
POPPY SEED Hen CASSEROLE
5 cups cooked, cubed rooster breasts
2 cans cream of chicken soup
2 sleeves Ritz crackers, crushed
Position cubed rooster in the bottom of a greased 9×13-inch casserole dish. Stir collectively sour cream and condensed soups. Pour above the hen.
In a different bowl, stir collectively the crushed crackers and melted butter. Sprinkle around the hen and sauce. Sprinkle the poppy seeds on top. Bake at 350 levels for 20 to 30 minutes, until eventually the top of the casserole is browned and the sauce is bubbly. Serves 8.
Notice: If wished-for, layer some cooked rice on the base of the casserole, before the layer of chicken.
LEMON PUDDING PIE
1 (8-ounce) block product cheese, softened
2 cups confectioner’s sugar
1 (16-ounce) container whipped topping, thawed and divided
1 can sweetened condensed milk
Chopped pecans (optional)
For the crust, blend melted butter, flour and chopped pecans. Combine effectively and pat into the bottom of a 7×11-inch pan. Bake at 350 levels until lightly browned. Neat wholly.
For the initial layer, combine cream cheese, confectioner’s sugar and 50 percent of the whipped topping. Combine properly and distribute around cooled crust.
For the 2nd layer, incorporate sweetened condensed milk, egg yolks and lemon juice. Combine very well and pour over the first layer. Best with the remaining whipped topping. If ideal, sprinkle with chopped pecans. Refrigerate until eventually completely ready to serve.
CROCK-POT Sweet
1 (16-ounce) jar salted peanuts
1 (16-ounce) jar unsalted peanuts
1 (12-ounce) bag semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 (12-ounce) bag milk chocolate chips
1 (10-ounce) bag peanut butter chips
2 (1-pound) offers vanilla candy coating
Pour both of those jars of peanuts into a 6-quart Crock-Pot. Increase the semi-sweet chocolate chips, milk chocolate chips and peanut butter chips. Break the vanilla sweet coating into blocks and layer on leading. Cook on very low for 2 hrs.
Take out lid and stir very well. If chocolate combination requirements much more time to soften, enable it to prepare dinner on low for 15 to 20 minutes much more, then stir once more. Repeat as necessary.
Spoon the mixture on to wax paper or parchment paper and permit to interesting fully.
Observe: A small teaspoon or cookie scoop will work very well for scooping. If you need to have the candy to great extra immediately, area it in the fridge for 30 minutes to 1 hour. Retailer candy in an airtight container for up to 2 months.
HONEY BUN CAKE
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup confectioner’s sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 tablespoons melted butter
In a bowl, defeat jointly the cake mix, oil, eggs and sour cream till mixed, about 2 minutes. Spread half of the batter into a greased 9×13-inch pan.
In a little bowl, combine the brown sugar and cinnamon. Sprinkle around the batter in the pan. Distribute the remaining batter evenly more than sugar cinnamon combination.
Bake at 350 levels for 45 to 50 minutes or until the cake is golden brown.
For the glaze, in a small bowl, mix the confectioner’s sugar, milk, vanilla and melted butter. Stir until finally thick.
Use a fork or skewer and prick holes in the surface of the cake though it’s even now heat, then distribute the glaze around cake. Allow cake to neat ahead of slicing.

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