Food editor tells all as last Cook of the Week

Aug. 2—TUPELO — At the urging of co-workers and my family, I am the last Cook of the Week I will feature in this space.

If you're a regular reader, you know a lot of my background already from my column. But here are some things I don't think I've shared before.

First, unlike many young girls, I didn't grow up cooking in the kitchen with my my mother, who was an outstanding Southern cook. Now and then, she'd let me watch, but the kitchen was pretty much off limits to my sister, Donna, and me.

What I did learn from my mother, I learned over the phone. I made many a late-night call from Oxford, Vicksburg, Little Rock, Monroe, Louisiana, and Tupelo to get Mama to recite recipes for me. That's how I learned to make her spaghetti — the dish I prepared for this feature today.

If the truth be told, my husband, Charlie, is actually a much better cook than I am, and he's definitely the baker in the family. Charlie has a knack for knowing when a dish is done, or when it needs a little splash of something. He gets that instinct from my mother-in-law, Roye, who is also an excellent cook.

I often ask the Cooks of the Week I'm interviewing what their favorite cookbooks are and if they watch anyone in particular on the Food Network.

So, I'll answer those questions. My favorite cookbook author, hands down, is Ina Garten, aka The Barefoot Contessa. I have all her cookbooks, and I use them regularly. Some people think she's too fancy or snooty, but her recipes are actually very basic and always delicious.

As to the Food Network, if I'm watching a "teaching" show, I like Ina, Valerie Bertinelli and Trisha Yearwood. If I'm watching a "competition" show, it's going to be "Chopped," "Guy's Grocery Games" or "Beat Bobby Flay."

When my kids — Jennifer, Mary and Patrick — were growing up, I probably cooked six nights a week. Now that they're grown and gone, I'm in the kitchen maybe three nights a week. And after Charlie retired in 2021, he started doing a lot more of the day-to-day cooking (but neither of us is too good for a Marie Callender's pot pie or a Nathan's hotdog).

Have I ever had any disasters in the kitchen? Too many to count. Have I ever set my kitchen on fire? Once. Have I ever had a serious accident in the kitchen? Yes. I didn't know I could lose that much blood and still live.

I have four signs in my kitchen. One says, "Dinner is ready when the smoke alarm goes off." Another says, "This kitchen is for dancing." The third reads, "One martini, two martini, three martini, floor." And the last one says, "No Sniveling."

So, there you have it. My life is an open book. Until that book is closed.

MAMA'S SPAGHETTI

2 pounds ground chuck

1 onion, chopped

1 medium green bell pepper, chopped

3 ribs celery, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

3 (8-ounce) cans tomato sauce

1 (28-ounce) can whole or diced tomatoes

1 to 2 cups water

2 bay leaves

1 tablespoon ketchup

2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon dried oregano

Salt and pepper

In a Dutch oven, saute the ground beef, onion, bell pepper and celery until meat is brown and onions are translucent. Add garlic and saute 1 minute more. Spoon some of the grease off the mixture and discard (if you drain the mixture through a colander, you lose a lot of flavor).

To the pot, add the remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a low simmer and cook all day, adding a bit of water along the way if necessary. Occasionally skim the grease from the top. Serve over hot, cooked vermicelli with a green salad and crusty bread.

Note: To make Baked Cheese Spaghetti, make the sauce as directed. In a bowl, combine desired amount of sauce with cooked vermicelli and 1 cup grated Cheddar cheese and stir to combine. Pour mixture into a large greased casserole, top with 1 cup grated Cheddar cheese and bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes, until heated through.

FRUIT TART

1 1/2 sticks butter, softened

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 2/3 cups white chocolate or vanilla chips

1/4 cup whipping cream

1 (8-ounce) block cream cheese, softened

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1/2 cup pineapple juice

1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

Assorted fruit

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. In a small mixing bowl, beat butter and powdered sugar until smooth; blend in flour. Press mixture onto and up the sides of a 12-inch round pizza pan. Flute edges, if desired. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool completely.

For the filling, place white chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl and stir in whipping cream. Microwave on high 1 to 1/2 minutes or until chips are melted and mixture is smooth when stirred vigorously. Beat in softened cream cheese. When crust is cooled, spread this mixture on top to the edges and refrigerate.

For the fruit topping, stir together granulated sugar, cornstarch and fruit juices in a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thickened. Cool.

Remove tart from the refrigerator and arrange fruit on top. Carefully brush or pour glaze over the fruit. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Makes 8 to 10 slices.

TURKEY HASH

1 quart chicken broth

4 medium red potatoes, peeled and diced

3 ribs celery, chopped

1 medium onion, chopped

3 cups cooked, chopped turkey

Salt and lots of black pepper

1 tablespoon cold water

1 teaspoon corn starch

Cooked white rice

Bring chicken broth to a low boil. Add potatoes, celery and onion. Let cook about 10 minutes and add turkey.

Season with salt and pepper. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook until potatoes become tender, another 20 minutes or so. Combine cold water and corn starch to make a slurry. Add it to bubbling hash and stir. Continue stirring until mixture thickens a bit. Serve over cooked white rice. (You can use cooked, chopped chicken, beef roast or pork roast instead of turkey.)

BAKED CHEESE GRITS

4 cups water

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup quick-cooking grits

1 1/2 cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese, divided

1/2 stick butter

1 cup milk

4 eggs, beaten

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

Combine water and salt and bring to a boil in a saucepan. Stir in grits, reduce heat to low and cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Remove pan from heat. Add 1 cup cheese and the butter and stir until melted. Add milk, eggs, pepper and garlic powder and mix well. Pour mixture into a greased 2-quart baking dish. Sprinkle with remaining cheese.

Bake in a preheated 350-degree oven for 1 hour or until golden brown. Let sit 10 minutes before serving. Serves 8.

PORK TENDERLOIN WITH PAN SAUCE

1/2 cup olive oil

1/3 cup soy or teriyaki sauce

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

Juice of 1 lemon

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

2 teaspoons dry mustard

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced

2 (1-pound) pork tenderloins

1/2 cup chicken broth

1 tablespoon butter

Combine oil, soy or teriyaki sauce, vinegar, lemon juice, Worcestershire, mustard, pepper and garlic in a large ziptop bag. Reserve 3 tablespoons. Place tenderloins in the bag with the marinade, turning to coat, and marinate at least 3 to 4 hours in the refrigerator.

In a cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat, sear each side of tenderloin for 2 minutes. Place skillet in the oven and cook at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes or until the meat has reached 160 degrees. Let rest for at least 5 minutes before slicing.

While meat is resting, make the pan sauce. Place the skillet back on the stove over medium heat. Add the chicken broth and scrape up all the browned pieces from the bottom of the pan. Add the reserved marinade and let it boil down for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the butter and remove from heat, stirring until butter has melted. Pour over the pork tenderloin.

BAKED SALMON WITH GARLIC AND DIJON

4 (6-ounce) salmon fillets, skin removed

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

3 garlic cloves, finely minced

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 lemon, sliced in 4 rings

Arrange salmon fillets on a greased foil-lined baking sheet.

In a small bowl, whisk together parsley, garlic, olive oil, lemon juice, Dijon, salt and pepper. Spread the mixture over the top and sides of the salmon, then top each piece with a slice of lemon.

Bake at 450 degrees for 12 to 15 minutes or until just cooked through and flaky. Do not overcook. Serves 4.

PARMESAN THYME CRACKERS

1 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature

4 ounces freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme leaves

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter for 1 minute. With the mixer on low speed, add the Parmesan, thyme, salt, and pepper and combine. With the mixer still on low, add the flour and combine until the mixture is in large crumbles, about 1 minute. If the dough is too dry, add 1 teaspoon water.

Dump the dough onto a floured board, press it into a ball, and roll into a 9-inch log. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or for up to 4 days.

When ready to cook, cut the log into 3/8-inch-thick rounds with a small, sharp knife and place them on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Bake for at 350 degrees for 22 minutes, until very lightly browned. Rotate the pan once during baking. Cool and serve at room temperature.

PIMIENTO CHEESE

1 (8-ounce) block white Cheddar cheese, shredded

1 cup mayonnaise, such as Hellmann's

1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

1/2 (12-ounce) jar roasted red bell peppers, drained and diced

1/4 cup chopped toasted pecans

1/4 cup chopped scallions

1/4 teaspoon hot sauce

1/4 teaspoon Creole seasoning

1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

Stir together all ingredients in a large bowl. Cover and store in refrigerator.

COLD CHICKEN PASTA

1 pound vermicelli pasta, cooked and drained

1 cup Italian dressing

2 jars chopped artichoke hearts

6 cups cooked, shredded chicken

1 1/2 cups mayonnaise

3 tablespoons chopped parsley

1 cup sliced green onions

2 teaspoons oregano

2 teaspoons basil

Salt

Lemon pepper

Combine all ingredients. Eat at room temperature or refrigerate overnight.

SOUR CREAM BISCUITS

1 cup self-rising flour

1 stick butter, softened

1/2 cup sour cream

In a large bowl, whisk together the butter and sour cream. With a wooden spoon, add the flour and stir until well mixed. The dough will be thick and sticky.

Divide and scoop into greased mini muffin tins.

Bake at 400 degrees for 15 to 18 minutes or until the biscuits are brown on top.

MEXICAN RICE

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 cup long grain rice, uncooked

1 teaspoon minced garlic

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon cumin

1/2 cup tomato sauce

1 (14-ounce) can chicken broth

Heat oil in a large sauce pan over medium heat. Add the rice and gently stir until rice begins to lightly brown. Add the garlic, salt, and cumin and stir the rice until it looks golden.

Add the tomato sauce and chicken broth and turn the heat up to medium high. Bring the mixture to a boil, then turn the heat to low and cover the pan with a lid. Simmer for 20 to 25 minutes.

Remove from heat and fluff with a fork.

ginna.parsons@djournal.com