Rivers Miller has a dream of someday owning bakery

Although cakes have been the most challenging to Rivers Miller so far, she does like to bake, and dreams of someday owning a bakery.
Granny (Virginia Ray) McCormick has always told to make sure and use a lot of the cooking spray that has flour in it.
Ally’s Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cake is her favorite, and that is the one she always makes for her grandmother, Ann Morris, on her birthday.
Rivers, 16, was taught to cook by her mom, Leah McCormick, and “then I took over,” she said.
“She is a fabulous cook!” Leah says.

She recalled the first thing she ever cooked being a grilled cheese.
She has been cooking about 10 years now, and first started when her mother was diagnosed with cancer.
Rivers spent a lot of time with her grandfather Bubba Burgess when she was young, and they would cook for her grandmother.
She is open to try new things–eating and cooking, and says Chinese food is something she wants to make. She has made homemade salsa, and she prefers for hers to be chunky.

She cooks often at home, especially for their supper meal.
“Our newest thing is grilled chicken salad,” adding that they do a lot of grilling, too.
Chicken quesadillas are also a favorite at their house.
Her submitted recipes are among her favorites to cook.
“Pinterest has saved my tail a lot,” when looking for a recipe, she said, but she also likes cookbooks.
Her grandmother Morris often sends her recipes to try, and when Rivers does, she shares with her.

Easy Banana Pudding
6 bananas
1 large container Cool Whip
1 can sweetened condensed milk
2 small pkg. instant vanilla pudding mix
Vanilla wafers
Mix instant pudding according to directions. Mix pudding, Cool whip and sweetened condense milk together. Layer bananas, pudding mix and vanilla wafers. Chill and then serve.

Butter Roll
Self-rising flour
Water
Shortening
3/4 to 1 cup sugar
1 stick real butter, chipped
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
Mike a pastry with flour, water and shortening. Work until stiff and roll into a sheet approximately the size of pie crust. Sprinkle with sugar and butter. Roll into roll and cut into approximately 2” rolls. Stand upright side by side in baking dish. Cover with milk mixed with vanilla. Bake in oven at 350° until brown. If it becomes dry, add more milk. Serve hot.

Boiled Oatmeal Cookies
2 cups sugar
4 Tbsp. cocoa
1/2 cup milk (can use Pet milk)
1 stick margarine
1 Tbsp. Karo syrup
1/2 cup peanut butter
2 1/2 cups oatmeal
1/4 cup chopped nuts
In a boiler, mix sugar, cocoa, milk, margarine and syrup. Boil two minutes. Remove from heat and stir in peanut butter, oatmeal and nuts. Spoon cookies onto greased waxed paper. Let cool completely before service and storing.

Ally’s Chocolate Chip Pound Cake
1 (18.25 oz.) yellow cake mix
1 (3.9 oz.) instant chocolate pudding
1/4 cup water
1 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs, beaten
1 cup sour cream
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup chocolate chips
Mix ingredients together and bake 45-50 minutes in a 350° oven.

Mini Cheesecakes
2 pkgs. (8 oz. each) cream cheese, softened
2/3 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp. McCormick Pure Vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. McCormick Pure Almond extract
12 vanilla wafers
Beat cream cheese and sugar in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add eggs and extracts. Beat well. Place a wafer in bottom of 12 paper-lined muffin cups. Spoon batter into each cup, filling each 2/3 full. Bake in preheated 325° oven 22-24 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Cook in pan on wire rack. (Mini cheesecakes will deflate in center upon cooling.) Refrigerate four hours or overnight. Top with desired toppings such as fresh fruit, lemon curd, melted chocolate and confectioners sugar. Makes 12 servings .

EDITOR’s NOTE: If you have a suggestion for a “Cook of the Week,” please email us at calhouncountyjournal@gmail.com or call 983-2570.