COOK OF THE WEEK: Smithville teacher shares weight-loss journey

Jun. 16—SMITHVILLE — Jan. 4, 2020, marked the start of a journey for Maggie Harp Edwards of Smithville.

Edwards, a math teacher at Smithville High School, had put on some extra pounds and was miserable.

"I started feeling horrible, and I looked even worse," Edwards said. "I was not happy with who I'd become. I decided to make a change — a 100% lifestyle change."

She started by cutting back on calories and making better meal decisions. Next she cut out most processed foods, and added exercise to her day.

"I didn't cut entire food groups," said Edwards, 37. "I ate what I wanted to eat. I just tried to make what I wanted to eat healthy."

By Christmas, she had shed 90 pounds.

"I had to completely reprogram my brain," Edwards said. "If I eat a doughnut, wonderful. I haven't blown my diet. I eat it and move on. So many people have a bad day and backslide. I don't do that anymore."

What makes Edwards' story even more amazing is that for the majority of the time she's been on her journey, she and her husband, Scott, and their two children, Emma Reese and Berkley, have been living in Edwards' parents' 600-square-foot pool house while they build their own house.

"The kitchen has a fridge and a sink," Edwards said. "I'm the dishwasher. I bought a hotplate and an InstaPot and a little toaster oven. My cooking has gotten creative."

She still cooks her family's favorite meals, even if they're not super healthy. She either modifies her portion, or eats less of the real stuff.

"They're going to get the food they like to eat," she said. "I didn't want my lifestyle change to affect them. Because of our set-up, I don't fix extravagant meals anymore. We might have a protein and one side."

Dinner might be a grilled chicken breast and skillet roasted vegetables with cauliflower rice, or she might make fried pork chops, mashed potatoes and green beans, and just eat a smaller portion.

"I cook at least five nights a week," Edwards said. "I think it's important for families to eat dinner together. My friends think I'm weird because we have a full home-cooked meal every night, but that's what my mama did for us. I enjoy cooking every night, and I don't think it has to be stressful. I'm not a fancy cooker. My food usually tastes pretty good, but it may not look pretty."

SALMON IN CREAM SAUCE

Skinless salmon fillets

2 lemons, divided

Salt and pepper

Tony Chachere's Creole seasoning

Olive oil

1/2 stick butter

1 small onion, diced

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1 jar sun-dried tomatoes, drained

2 cups fresh spinach

1 3/4 to 2 cups heavy cream or half-and-half

1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

Season both sides of salmon with juice of one lemon, salt and pepper, and Tony's. Pour a little olive oil in a skillet and cook salmon over medium-heat until cooked through, about 5 to 7 minutes on each side. Remove salmon from skillet.

To the skillet, add butter and diced onion. Once the onion is soft, add garlic and sun-dried tomatoes and cook until fragrant. Add spinach and let wilt; and add cream and Parmesan and stir until all is incorporated. Taste and add salt and pepper, if needed, then return salmon to coat and come back to temperature.

ONE-SKILLET TACO MAC AND CHEESE

1 pound ground beef, turkey, chicken or deer

1 can of Ro-tel tomatoes, undrained

1 cup chicken broth

1 cup milk

1 (8-ounce) can of tomato sauce

1 package of taco seasoning

1 1/2 cups elbow macaroni

1 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese

1/2 cup shredded pepper Jack cheese

In a large skillet, brown ground beef and drain; add Ro-tel, chicken broth, milk, tomato sauce and taco seasoning, and bring to a boil. Add elbow macaroni and cook for 15 to 20 minutes, until noodles are soft. Add cheeses and stir to combine.

ONE-PAN CAJUN SHRIMP WITH SAUSAGE AND VEGGIES

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 medium zucchini, sliced in half moons

2 medium squash, sliced in half moons

1/2 bunch of asparagus, cut in thirds

2 bell peppers, cut in chunks

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1 package smoked sausage, sliced in coins

1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined

2 tablespoons Tony Chachere's Creole seasoning

Salt and pepper

In a large skillet, heat olive oil. Add zucchini, squash, asparagus, bell peppers, garlic and sausage and cook until vegetables are almost tender, about 5 to 10 minutes. Add shrimp and Tony's seasoning, and cook until shrimp is cooked through. Season with salt and pepper.

Note: You can add whatever vegetables you like. Mushrooms and tomatoes are also good.

GREEK PASTA SALAD

1 box bowtie pasta

1 (4-ounce) jar pimientos, drained

1 (4-ounce) can sliced black olives, drained

1 (5- to 6-ounce) bag shredded Parmesan cheese

Chopped pepperoni (optional)

1/2 cup olive oil

Juice of 1 lemon

Cavender's Greek seasoning

Boil pasta according to package directions and drain. Toss pasta with pimientos, black olives, Parmesan cheese and pepperoni, if using. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice and Cavender's seasoning. Pour dressing over pasta and stir to combine.

NO-BAKE CARAMEL PECAN CHEESECAKE

1 box Jell-O no-bake cheesecake

Caramel sauce

Chopped pecans

1 cup sugar

1 (8-ounce) block cream cheese

Make the crust according to directions on the box. On top of the crust, spread some caramel sauce and some pecans. Mix cheesecake according to the directions on the box, adding the sugar and cream cheese to the mixture. Pour over crust; top with more caramel and pecans. Refrigerate.

TUSCAN SMOTHERED CHICKEN

3 to 4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves

Salt and pepper

Tony Chachere's Creole seasoning

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1 jar of artichoke hearts (drained)

1 jar of sun-dried tomatoes (drained)

2 to 4 cups fresh spinach

2 cups shredded Mozzarella cheese

In a 9x13-inch dish, season chicken with salt, pepper, Tony's and garlic. Top with artichoke hearts, sun-dried tomatoes, spinach and cheese. Bake at 375 degrees uncovered, for 20 minutes. Loosely cover pan with foil and cook another 20 to 25 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through.

Note: This can also be cooked on the grill. Season the chicken and grill it. Once chicken is almost finished, place tin foil on grill, put chicken on the tin foil, top with all the toppings and finish cooking.

SHRIMP FAJITAS WITH JALAPENO RANCH SAUCE

JALAPENO RANCH SAUCE

1 cup sour cream

4 tablespoons chopped cilantro

1 jalapeño, seeded and chopped

2 teaspoons fresh lime juice

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon garlic powder

MARINADE

1/4 cup olive oil

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

1 tablespoon Tony Chachere's Creole seasoning

1/2 teaspoon salt

FAJITAS

2 bell peppers, any color

1/2 medium onion

1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined

1/2 tablespoon olive oil

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

2 to 3 teaspoons fresh lime juice

For the ranch sauce, combine sour cream, cilantro, jalapeño, lime juice, salt, onion powder and garlic powder in a food processor or blender until smooth. Set aside.

For the marinade, in a small bowl, combine olive oil, garlic, lime juice, Tony's and salt. Set aside.

For the fajitas, slice bell peppers nd onions the same 1/3-inch thickness and place vegetables in a medium bowl. Pour half of the marinade over the top, then toss to combine. In a second medium bowl, pat shrimp dry with a paper towel; add remaining marinade and stir to combine.

Heat a large heavy pan over medium heat and add oil. When hot, add shrimp in a single layer and sauté 1 to 2 minutes per side or just until cooked through and no longer translucent; transfer to a plate. In the same pan, add marinated vegetables and sauté until soft and golden brown at the edges, about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, then turn off the heat. Add shrimp back to the pan along with chopped cilantro. Squeeze fresh lime juice to taste over the mixture and toss to combine. Serve fajitas with warmed or toasted tortillas and jalapeño ranch sauce.

SAUSAGE AND CHEESE MUFFINS

1 pound ground sausage, cooked

3 cups Bisquick

2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese

1 cup of buttermilk

1 can of Nacho Fiesta Cheese soup

Combine all ingredients; do not over mix. Grease a muffin pan and fill each cup 3/4 full. Bake at 375 degrees for 15 to 18 minutes. (If you use mini muffin pans, cook for about 10 minutes.) These are good reheated for breakfast or to take to gatherings.

DO YOU KNOW A GOOD COOK? Send your nominations to Ginna Parsons, Cook of the Week, P.O. Box 909, Tupelo, MS 38802. Or you can call (662) 678-1581 or email them to ginna.parsons@journalinc.com.