Cynthia Tedford

“I cook like it’s Thanksgiving!” said Cynthia Tedford of Bruce, about getting ready for gatherings of her family.

“They definitely want my baked beans if we’re having a barbecue,” she said, “I add extra brown sugar.”

Cooking for her dad Frank’s side of the family, she always has one of her “creative meals” –a pasta dish that she “randomly made up,” she said. “The stuff she makes up on the spot is better than what she’s been cooking all her life,” her brother Lamar says.

She started cooking with her mom, Mamie, when she was seven years old, and the first thing she made was cornbread. Her mother’s advice to her was “Never serve anything without tasting it first.” 

Cynthia likes casseroles, but her kids are not as fond of those. They like simple–pizza, spaghetti, chicken. She has a daughter, Jakayla, and three sons, Justice, Dontae and Malachi, who is “the cook of the family” she said, and he wants a food truck. 

“The rest of them feel like they don’t have to cook, but I tell them they all need to learn how. They’ve gotta learn. You’ve gotta learn how to take care of yourself,” she said.

At her store she has what she calls carnival food–snow cones, cotton candy, funnel cakes and fried Oreos. She worked at Bruce Elementary School cafeteria for 3 1/2 years, where she and her co-workers shared recipes all the time.

“My first time tasting the broccoli bread was at a Christmas gathering at Mrs. Patricia Cook’s house. I had to get the recipe and try it. It is awesome with potato soup,” she said.

Cynthia also likes to decorate cakes. “I like everything. I just love food and I love trying new stuff.”

Meat Lovers Omelet Baked

12 oz. breakfast sausage

1/4 cup chopped yellow onion

1 cup diced ham

10 slices bacon, cooked and chopped

8 large eggs

1/3 cup milk

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

Salt and pepper

2 cups shredded cheese

Topping: Chopped chives and bacon

Preheat oven to 400°. Cook breakfast sausage with onions until fully cooked. Once done, drain off excess grease. Spray 9×9 baking dish with cooking spray. Start by putting layers of sausage, ham and bacon into dish. Cover evenly with cheese. In large bowl, whisk together eggs and milk. Season with salt, pepper and garlic powder. Pour eggs over cheese. Bake uncovered for 22-25 minutes until eggs are set.

Mixed Vegetable Casserole

2-15 oz. cans mixed vegetables, drained

1 small onion, diced

1-10.75 oz. can condensed cream of chicken soup

1 cup mayonnaise

1 cup shredded cheese

36 Ritz crackers, crushed

Preheat oven to 350°. In medium bowl, combine mixed vegetables, onion, soup, mayo and cheese. Mix well and spread mixture into 9×13” baking dish. Top with cracker crumbs. Bake about 30 minutes or until browned and bubbly.

Optional: I add a pack of dry Ranch dressing, chopped bacon, Velveeta cheese, Rotini pasta, and cooked and drained ground beef. I also melt a stick of butter with a dash of garlic powder and mix it with Ritz cracker crumbs before adding it as topping.

Easy Broccoli Bread

1-10 oz. package chopped broccoli, thawed and drained

1 small chopped onion

4 eggs, beaten

3/4 cup melted margarine

3/4 cup cottage cheese

2-8 1/2 oz. boxes Jiffy corn muffin mix

Combine all ingredients in the order listed. Pour batter into greased 9×13” baking dish. Bake at 375° for 25-30 minutes.

Million Dollar Pie

2 graham cracker pie crusts

1-14 oz. can Eagle Brand condensed milk

1-10 oz. can crushed pineapple

9 oz. Cool Whip

3 Tbsp. lemon juice

3/4 cup pecans

Mix all ingredients and pour into crusts. Refrigerate two hours before serving. Garnish with extra pecans if you wish. Other options: add coconut, vanilla extract and cream cheese.

My options: I add vanilla extract and drizzle caramel syrup over top for garnish, with extra pecans.