Amy Parker

Amy Gaskin Parker of Big Creek gets a lot of cooking from her grandmother, Betty Ward. She likes “from scratch” cooking–like her grandmother’s chocolate strawberry cake recipe.

The first time she made the cake was a success, even though she worried because the batter was so delicate.

Amy Parker

Once when she made it on a rainy day, the cake collapsed when she iced it, so she just turned it into a trifle. She also makes her grandmother’s from scratch apple cake.

Amy wants to make her chocolate dumplings that she doesn’t have the recipe for yet. And she said her grandmother uses a country hambone to make a “really good” ham dressing that calls for lots of black pepper.  Their family all likes

Grandmother’s pecan pie at Christmas, and the pork chop bake made by her mother and grandmother.

Amy’s favorite meal is one that her grandmother cooks–quail, biscuits, gravy and molasses.

She added that she could eat breakfast food three times a day. She started cooking about age 12 when her mother worked night shift, and loves it, but not washing the dishes.

She and husband, Jesse, like to experiment with cooking. She likes to try Mexican and Italian, and would like to learn more about Chinese. She has never attempted biscuits yet, and would like to start trying to make candy.

She watches Food Network, but Jesse says, “You never cook anything from there,” even though her favorite enchilada recipe was tweaked from some she got from Food Network.

Chocolate Strawberry Cake
2/3 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar, divided
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 cup milk
4 egg whites
1 cup sliced fresh strawberries
Frosting:
7 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar
1 1/2 cups baking cocoa
3/4 cup butter, softened
1 cup milk
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 cup sliced fresh strawberries
8 whole fresh strawberries
In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and 1 1/4 cups sugar. Beat in vanilla. Combine flour, baking powder and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with milk. In a small mixing bowl, beat egg whites on medium speed until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in remaining sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, on high, until stiff peaks form and sugar is dissolved. Fold into batter. Fold in strawberries. Pour into two greased and floured 9” round baking pans. Bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely.
For frosting, in a large mixing bowl, combine confectioner’s sugar and cocoa. Beat in butter and milk until smooth. Beat in vanilla. Spread frosting over bottom cake layer; top with sliced strawberries. Top with remaining cake layer; frost top and sides of cake. Dip whole strawberries into frosting; arrange around and on top of cake. Refrigerate leftovers. 16 servings.

Toasted Coconut Pecan Pie
Topping: 1 cup chopped pecans
7 oz. flake coconut
1/2 stick butter
Melt butter in skillet, add coconut and pecans and slowly toast until light brown. Pour onto paper towel to absorb excess. Pour onto paper towel to absorb excess butter and to cool completely.
Base: 16 oz. Cool Whip
8 oz. softened cream cheese
1 can Eagle Band milk
1 jar caramel topping
3 graham cracker crusts
Soften cream cheese. Mix with mixer until creamy. Slowly add Eagle brand milk and then Cool Whip. Mix until well blended.?Pour 1/4 of base in crust. Sprinkle toasted coconut mixture over base and drizzle with caramel. Repeat for second layer. Makes 3 pies. You can freeze, and thaw before eating.

Chicken and Cheese Enchiladas
1 red onion, halved
1 1/2 lbs. tomatillos, husked and rinsed
3-4 fresh jalapenos, stemmed and seeded
1/2 cup chicken broth
Salt to taste
Pinch of sugar
8 flour tortillas
3 cups shredded rotisserie chicken
2 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella and Monterey Jack cheese
1/3 cup fresh cilantro
2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil or vegetable oil
3/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
Preheat broiler. Slice half the onion into thin rings and set aside. Place other onion half, tomatillos, and jalapenos on foil-lined baking sheet and broil until vegetables are soft and slightly brown, 7-10 minutes, turning as needed. Transfer vegetables and any liquid to blender, add chicken broth, and puree. Season with 1/2 tsp. salt and the sugar. Stack tortillas, wrap in damp paper towel and microwave just until warm and soft, one minute; keep covered. Toss chicken with two cups shredded cheese in bowl. Spoon portion of chicken mixture down middle of each tortilla.
Add a few cilantro leaves and roll up. Place enchiladas side by side in lightly oiled 9×13 dish and brush with 2 Tbsp. oil. Broil until crisp and golden, three minutes. Pour tomatillo sauce over enchiladas and top with remaining 1/2 cup shredded cheese. Return to oven and broil until cheese is bubbly and golden brown, 3-5 minutes. Garnish with onion rings, feta cheese, and any remaining cilantro.

Southern Pork Chop Bake
4-6 pork chops
Flour
Salt and pepper to taste
5 large potatoes, sliced
1 large onion, sliced
2 cans cream of chicken soup
Season flour and dredge pork chops with flour. Brown pork chops, but don’t cook completely. Slice potatoes and place in bottom of a 9×13 dish. Slice onion and place on top of potatoes. Place pork chops on top of onions.Pour the two cans of soup over pork chops. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and bake on 350° for one hour and 30 minutes.