Tewkunzi Marks

“A lot more cooking went on before Andrew,” who is now two years old, said Tewkunzi Marks of Bruce.
She likes being in the kitchen and “before Andrew” she used to cook a bunch for some of her family members she calls, “The Crew”–Latrell Marks, Tamica Stephens, Span Ingram, Girraud Mingo and Rashad Turner. Among their favorites were greens with onions and bell peppers, and breakfast casserole.

Tewkunzi said she mostly learned to cook on her own and could “not really cook” when she and Yarnell married. Her first try at dry pinto beans did not turn out like her aunt Ella Ree’s, she said. And “Mama (Ernestine Stephens) always said get a big piece of fat back meat and oil (in your water) and bring it to a boil before adding your pinto beans.”
Andrew loves spaghetti, and she likes to add mushrooms, onions and peppers to her sauce. One of her favorite dishes is Chicken Dorito Casserole with Rotel, cream of mushroom soup and olives.

She gets many recipes from friends on Facebook, and will sometimes use Google for one. Her favorite cookbook is 100 Easy Hamburger Recipes, and she loves to use oregano seasoning.
“Bea Hall and Denise Williams are the reasons I don’t cook now because they always invite us to come eat with them!” she said. And her mother also cooks full course meals every day and invites them to eat.

She always makes a Gooey Butter Cake around Christmas time and loves to fill it with pecans. Her mother makes strawberry cake and pecan pie, and also chicken and dressing, to which she adds walnuts. Tewkunzi loves the crunch they add to the dressing. When the family gets together every holiday, the one thing they always have is turnip greens with smoked neckbone and cornbread.
Gooey Butter Cake
1-18 1/4  oz. pkg. yellow cake mix
1 egg
1 small bag pecans
16 Tbsp. butter, melted, divided
1-8 oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1-16 oz. box powdered sugar
Preheat oven to 350°. Combine cake mix, egg, pecans and 8 Tbsp. butter. Mix well with electric mixer. Pat mixture into bottom of lightly greased 13×9” baking pan. In large bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth. Add eggs, vanilla and 8 Tbsp. butter. Beat together. Add powdered sugar. Mix well. Spread over cake batter. Bake  40-50 minutes. Make sure not to overbake, as center should be a little gooey.

Cheddar Burger Mashed Potato Bake
2 lbs. ground beef
1 medium onion, chopped
1-16 oz. jar Ragu Cheese Creations (double cheddar sauce)
2 tsp. dry mustard
4 cups prepared Idaho mashed potatoes
Preheat oven to 425°. In 12” skillet, brown hamburger meat over medium-high heat. Drain. Add onion and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, two minutes. Stir in Ragu Sauce and mustard. Add salt and pepper to taste. Simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally, 3 minutes or until heated through. Pour mixture into a 2-qt. casserole dish. Evenly top with mashed potatoes. Bake uncovered  25 minutes or until potatoes are lightly golden.

Chicken Fajita Bubble-Up Bake
1 can (7.5 oz.) Pillsbury Country Style refrigerated biscuits
1 pkg. Old El Paso fajita seasoning mix
1/2 cup diced red bell pepper
1/2 cup diced green bell pepper
1/2 cup diced onion
1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
1/2 cup water
2 cups shredded Colby-Monterey Jack cheese blend
Heat oven to 375°. Lightly spray 13×9 glass baking dish with cooking spray. Separate dough into 8 biscuits. Cut each biscuit into quarters. Place in medium bowl. Sprinkle with 1 Tbsp. fajita seasoning mix. Toss to coat. Set aside. Heat 10” skillet over medium heat. Add bell peppers and onion. Cook 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until peppers and onion blister and char slightly or until cooked to your liking. Remove peppers and onion from skillet. Keep warm. Return same skillet to medium heat. Add oil and chicken. Cook on each side until browned and no longer pink in center. Sprinkle remaining fajita seasoning mix over chicken. Add water. Cook and stir until sauce thickens. Return peppers and onion to skillet. Stir to coat. Spoon chicken, peppers and onion into baking dish. Top with seasoning-coated biscuit pieces. Bake 20 minutes or until biscuit pieces are thoroughly baked and light golden brown. Sprinkle cheese over top. Bake 5 minutes longer or until cheese is melted.