Cake baking Pat Beadle also loves her soul food

By Published On: March 20, 2019

“Cake baking is my favorite thing,” says Pat Beadle of Bruce. “I will tackle any kind of cake.”
She first took a cake decorating class at Sears in the 60’s, then later a refresher class from Lisa Norwood.
Starting by trial and error, she made all kinds of birthday cakes and many others.
“Always start with fresh flour and baking powder,” are her tips for baking.

A huge wedding cake was the biggest challenge she says she ever faced. She recalls her late husband, Gene, cutting the dowels for it.
Pat likes to make coconut, Butterfinger, strawberry pecan cakes, and a two-layer chocolate with a cream cheese-Cool Whip mixture in-between, and Hershey icing.
Pat enjoys cooking for her family and for company.
Buckaroo Beans is one of her favorite dishes especially when her children are here. She always serves the beans with Mexican cornbread, coleslaw and a dessert.
“The cornbread is a meal in itself, and we have to have dessert! We are all sugar fiends!” she said.
“I don’t use Splenda for anything. I always use sugar.”

German chocolate cake is one she has often for them, and two other favorites are coconut cake and chocolate delight.
Chicken and dressing, and vegetable soup are family favorites as well. She makes her dressing in a big dishpan and puts it in smaller pans to bake.
Pat also took a candy making class in Memphis, and she used to make a lot of candy, especially divinity for the holidays.
She remembers learning to cook around age 12 from her grandmother and mother.

She started off with fresh potatoes and a cream sauce. And her grandmother always let her make the slaw because she could cut the finest pieces.
Pat says she is mostly a soul food cook. She loves mustard and turnip greens, but is not much on pasta.
Her recipes are ones that have really been used. She got the bean recipe from a friend and has been using it at least 50 years.
“The vanilla ice cream cannot be beat!” she said, and she loves ice cream. It’s old fashioned tasting, passed down from an aunt.

Buckaroo Beans
Pinto beans
Water to cover
1 large onion
2 cloves of garlic
1 bay leaf
2 cups canned tomatoes
1/2 cup green pepper
2 Tbsp. chili powder
2 Tbsp. brown sugar
1/2 tsp. dry mustard
1/4 tsp. oreganbo
1/2 lb. ham
Salt
Soak beans overnight, or not. Put all ingredients except tomatoes in pot and boil until beans are tender.During the last 30 minutes or so, add the tomatoes.

Mexican Cornbread
1 1/2 cups self-rising meal
1 small can whole kernel corn
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
Dash garlic salt
3 pods jalapeno hot pepper, chopped
3 eggs
1/2 cup wesson oil
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup milk
Bake at 350° in well-greased pans. Makes two skillets.

Vanilla Ice Cream
2 cans Eagle Brand milk
1 can Pet milk
8 oz. Cool Whip
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
Pour in freezer. Add milk to fill line.

Swiss Steak
Cut sirloin steak into serving size pieces. Tenderize in pressure cooker. Put in casserole dish with chopped onion and bell pepper. Add 2-3 cans of tomato sauce. Bake 30 minutes. Serve with mashed potatoes.

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