Self-taught cook in Brewer not afraid to make recipes her own
Oct. 27—BREWER — When Vicky Burleson was growing up in Plantersville, it was her job, as the oldest of five children, to help her mother get meals on the table.
But she didn't actually get to do much cooking.
"My job, after Mother got everything on the stove, was to watch it and not let it burn," Burleson said. "So as far as cooking goes, I guess you could call me self-taught."
She had a copy of "The Good Housekeeping Cookbook" when she and her husband, Roy, first married, and she'd clip recipes from the newspaper.
"If I ever went to a luncheon or dinner and had something good, I'd ask for the recipe, and usually I'd get it," she said.
Along the way she had a few disasters. She burned stuff. She threw some food she'd made out. But the worst mistake she made happened one Thanksgiving.
"It was right after we married, and I wanted to do the whole meal for family," she said. "Everybody ate and left. Nobody told me you weren't supposed to leave turkey out for an extended time. Roy and I both got food poisoning and had to go to the hospital."
For a long time afterward, neither of the Burlesons would eat turkey.
"That's probably why I have a hard time eating leftovers today," she said.
Burleson, 65, who attends Brewer United Methodist Church, is the administrative and financial secretary for Wesley United Methodist Church in Tupelo, a job she's had for 20 years. She and Roy have two sons, Chris and his wife, Cheri, of Collierville, Tennessee; and Stuart and his wife, Constance, of Brewer; and four grandchildren — Cooper, Carly, Luke and Avery.
She makes Sunday lunch every week for Stuart and his family at her home in Brewer. They might have roast with potatoes and carrots, or taco salad with all the trimmings, or barbecued pork tenderloin with baked beans and slaw, or even breakfast for lunch.
"When it comes to desserts, they don't like meringue, so if a recipe calls for meringue, I use Cool Whip," she said. "I substitute a lot. If I find a recipe, and I know my family doesn't like an ingredient, I leave it out, and you wouldn't even know it was supposed to be there."
About four years ago, Burleson started a tradition with her granddaughter, Avery: making Christmas candy.
"We make Peanut Butter Blossoms and Chocolate-Covered Peanut Butter Ritz about a week before Christmas," she said. "As she gets older, we may add something else. I love that we do this together."
»PREVIOUS COOKS OF THE WEEK:
— CATHY EATON: Retired teacher finds small bites hit the spot
—
LAUREN and FRANK GAY: Ripley couple embraces keto lifestyle to shed COVID pounds
—
MIMI VanDEVENDER: Tupelo transplant enjoys sharing traditional Jewish fare
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.
TACO SOUP
2 pounds ground beef
1 package taco seasoning mix
2 cans Ro-tel tomatoes
2 cans mild chili hot beans
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (10-ounce) steamable bag frozen whole kernel corn
1 package dry ranch buttermilk dressing mix
Shredded cheese and tortilla chips, for serving
Brown ground beef and drain. Add remaining ingredients, except cheese and chips. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer about 30 minutes. Ladle into bowls and top with shredded cheese. Serve with tortilla chips.
POTATO SOUP
1 bag frozen shredded hash browns
2 cans cream of chicken soup
1 (32-ounce) box chicken broth
4 ounces whipped cream cheese
Combine ingredients in a Crock-Pot and heat for 3 to 4 hours or until potatoes are done. This may also be cooked on the stove over medium heat for 30 to 45 minutes. Good topped with shredded cheese and bacon bits.
VEGETABLE BEEF SOUP
1 to 2 pounds ground beef
1 large bottle tomato juice
1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste
1 large can pureed tomatoes
1 package frozen mixed vegetables
1 to 2 cans diced potatoes
1 to 2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon dried minced onion
Brown beef in a large pot. Drain. Add remaining ingredients to beef in pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until vegetables are tender. Serve with hot cornbread or Mexican cornbread.
MEXICAN CORNBREAD
1 egg
1 package Martha White Mexican-Style Cornbread & Muffin Mix
1/3 cup buttermilk, or more
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 (11-ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained
1 cup shredded cheese
Coat an 8-inch ovenproof skillet with non-stick cooking spray. Wipe off excess with a paper towel. Place skillet in a 425-degree oven to heat.
Whisk egg in a medium bowl. Stir in cornbread mix, buttermilk and cumin just until evenly moistened. Stir in corn and cheese. Pour into the hot skillet. Bake 17 to 20 minutes or until golden brown.
SAUSAGE AND CHEESE MUFFINS
1 (16-ounce) package ground pork sausage
3 cups all-purpose baking mix
1 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
1 can condensed cheese soup
3/4 cup water
Cook sausage in a large skillet, stirring until it crumbles and is no longer pink. Drain and cool.
Combine sausage, baking mix and shredded cheese in a large bowl; make a well in the center of the mixture. Stir together the soup and water and add to sausage mixture, stirring just until dry ingredients are moistened. Spoon into lightly greased muffin cups, filling to the top of cups. Bake at 375 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes or until lightly browned.
GREEN BEAN BUNDLES
2 to 3 cans whole green beans, drained
2 (15-count) packages pre-cooked bacon
1 stick butter, melted
1 cup dark brown sugar
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 tablespoon garlic powder
Wrap 6 to 8 beans in each slice of bacon. Place bundles in a greased 9x13-inch baking dish. Combine melted butter, sugar, soy sauce and garlic powder and pour mixture over bundles. Marinate several hours or overnight in the refrigerator. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.
Note: To make the bacon easier to wrap around the beans, heat each complete package (open some to vent) in the microwave for 10 to 15 seconds.
HASHBROWN CASSEROLE
1 (28- to 30-ounce) bag frozen shredded hashbrowns
2 cans cream of chicken soup
1 (16-ounce) container onion dip
2 cups shredded cheese
1 teaspoon pepper
For easy cleanup, put a Crock-Pot liner in a Crock-Pot. Spray liberally with cooking spray. Combine all ingredients, and pour into Crock-Pot. Cover and cook on low about 4 hours.
CRANBERRY SALAD
2 (15-ounce) cans whole cranberries in sauce
2 (14-ounce) cans mandarin oranges, drained
1 cup chopped walnuts
Combine all ingredients. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
CHOCOLATE PIE
2 cups sugar
4 tablespoons cornstarch
4 tablespoons cocoa powder
4 eggs, beaten
2 (12-ounce) cans evaporated milk
1/2 cup water
4 tablespoons butter
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2 baked pie crusts
Whipped topping
Sift sugar, flour and cocoa together. Add beaten eggs, milk and water, and mix well. Cook mixture in a large saucepan over medium heat, stirring slowly and constantly, until the mixture begins to thicken. Remove from heat and add butter and vanilla, stirring until butter had melted. Pour into two baked pie crusts. Let cool, then top with whipped topping.
CHOCOLATE-COVERED PEANUT BUTTER RITZ
1 cup smooth peanut butter
24 Ritz crackers
Chocolate almond bark
Spread peanut butter on one side of 12 crackers. Place the remaining crackers on top of the peanut butter and sandwich them together. Melt almond bark according to package directions. Use a fork to dip the peanut butter cracker sandwiches into the chocolate to coat. Shake off any excess and place onto a wax paper-lined cookie sheet. Let chocolate harden at room temperature. Decorate with sprinkles, colored sugar, etc., if desired.
SOUR CREAM POUND CAKE
CAKE
1 box Duncan Hines butter recipe cake mix
1 cup all-purpose flour
3 eggs
3/4 cup sugar
1 stick butter
8 ounces sour cream
1 teaspoon almond flavoring
1 teaspoon lemon flavoring
2 teaspoons butter flavoring
1 cup milk
GLAZE
3/4 cup confectioners' sugar
2 tablespoons sour cream
1/4 teaspoon vanilla flavoring
1/2 teaspoon water
For the cake, combine cake mix and flour and set aside. Beat eggs, sugar and butter; add sour cream and flavorings. Alternating the flour mixture and milk, add to wet mixture, beating slowly. Pour batter into a greased and floured Bundt or tube pan and bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour or until golden brown.
For the glaze, combine sugar, sour cream, vanilla and water. Pour over cooled cake.
PEANUT BUTTER BLOSSOMS
48 Hershey's kisses
1/2 cup shortening
3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
1/3 cup granulated sugar, plus more for rolling
1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
1 egg
2 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
Heat oven to 375 degrees. Remove wrappers from chocolates.
Beat shortening and peanut butter in a large bowl until well blended. Add 1/3 cup of granulated sugar and brown sugar; beat until fluffy. Add egg, milk and vanilla; beat well. Stir together flour, baking soda and salt; gradually beat into peanut butter mixture.
Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Roll in additional granulated sugar; place on an ungreased cookie sheet.
Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Immediately press a chocolate into the center of each cookie; cookie will crack around edges. Remove from cookie sheet and onto a wire rack. Cool completely.
