By Kellie Henderson
Nita Smith of the Liberty City community near Notasulga said she knows she’s been very, very fortunate to have such a wonderfully loving family, and her good food continues to bring them closer together.
"I enjoy cooking, and my two sons could eat plenty when they were young, which means I got plenty of practice in the kitchen," Nita said.
While her sons now have families of their own, Nita said she still cooks Sunday dinner at her house for her children and grandchildren, a tradition she carried down from her Big Mamma, Erma King.
"When I was a girl, everybody went to Big Mamma King’s for lunch on Sunday. She’d get up Sunday morning and cook a full meal, and 30 minutes after church she’d have supper ready for a slew of folks, over 30 people sometimes. I still don’t know how she did it. I’d have been frantic," said Nita.
In addition to carrying on dinner table traditions, Nita and her husband, Mitchell, run King Brothers Pecan Company, a business started by her grandfather and his brother.
"After them, my dad and uncle ran the business, and then my husband and I took it on, so it’s been our family business for a long time," she said.
"Our sons worked with us when they were in college, and when their Daddy needs help, they still help him out when they can," Nita added, a mother’s pride evident in her voice.
According to Nita, they have about 500 trees, and her husband manages the orchards, beginning harvesting in early November. "From there we ship to shellers who in turn sell to candy companies," said Nita.
Despite this year’s drought, they are looking forward to a good harvest. "We’re optimistic. The trees look like they have a lot of pecans on them this year, but when they open up, we’ll see if they filled out or not," she said.
Nita also has the Guys and Gals Beauty Salon, a business she opened with her mother 30 years ago. "I have some very special customers," she added.
Nita also has family ties to AFC. Her niece, Julia, works at Taleecon Farmers Co-op in Notasulga, and her father, Waymon King, was a district manager for AFC.
"He worked a long time with the Farmers Co-op, and it was more to him than just a store," she said.
The recipes Nita shares this month are sure to suit a holiday sweet tooth, and she includes recipes from her Big Mamma.
"The Strawberry Cake and Icing were her recipes, and so was the Coconut Icing. She was a good cook, and she made wonderful cakes," said Nita.
Her Pecan Pie recipe didn’t come from the family of pecan growers, though; Nita said it was actually given to her by a customer at the beauty salon.
Kellie Henderson is a freelance writer from Troy.
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Buttermilk Pie
2 cups sugar
1 cup buttermilk
1 stick butter, melted
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 Tablespoons flour
2 unbaked pie shells
Preheat oven to 375°.
Mix all filling ingredients together. Pour into unbaked pie shells. Bake at 375° until center of pie is firm.
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Mandarin Orange Cake
1 (18.5 oz) box butter recipe cake mix
4 eggs
½ cup oil
1 (6 oz) can mandarin oranges with liquid
Preheat oven to 350°. Grease and flour an 11 by 13-inch baking pan.
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Mix all ingredients together for 2 minutes. Pour into prepared pan and bake for 30 minutes. While cake is baking prepare icing. Frost when cake is cooled.
Icing:
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Big Mamma’s
Coconut Icing
1 (8 oz) container sour cream
3 (6 oz) packages frozen coconut, thawed
2 cups granulated sugar
Combine all ingredients and let stand until sugar has dissolved.
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1 (6 oz) box instant vanilla pudding
1 (20 oz) can crushed pineapple
1 (9 oz) frozen whipped topping, thawed
Mix instant pudding with pineapple and its juice; refrigerate. Fold in whipped topping just before frosting cake.
Fruit Salad
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Pecan Pie
1 stick butter
1 cup sugar
4 large eggs
1 cup white corn syrup
2 cups pecans, ground
1 unbaked pie shell
Preheat oven to 350°.
Melt butter and cool slightly. In a mixing bowl, combine butter and sugar. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each. Add corn syrup. Stir in pecans. Pour into pie shell. Bake at 350° for 35 to 45 minutes until center of pie is set.
 Big Mamma’s
Strawberry Cake
1 cup fresh or (drained) frozen strawberries
1 (18.5 oz) white cake mix
1 (3 oz) box strawberry gelatin
¾ cup vegetable oil
4 eggs
Empty cake mix and gelatin into a mixing bowl. Add oil and eggs. Beat 3 minutes. Add strawberries and beat 1 minute. Pour into 3 or 4 oiled and floured round cake pans and bake at 350°. Cool and frost.
Big Mama’s
Strawberry Icing:
1 stick oleo
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1 (16 oz) package shredded cabbage
½ (16 oz) package golden raisins
1 (12 oz) package dried cranberries
2 cups pecans, chopped
1 Granny Smith apple, chopped
1 teaspoon white vinegar
Salt to taste
Mayonnaise to taste
Mix all ingredients together. Keep refrigerated.
 Banana Pudding
1 ½ cups sugar, plus more for meringue
4 Tablespoons flour
Pinch of salt
4 eggs, separated
2 cups milk
1 stick margarine
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 box vanilla wafers
4 bananas
Mix together first 3 ingredients. Beat egg yolks with milk and combine with dry ingredients in the top of a double boiler. Cook until thick, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Add margarine and vanilla.
Line a baking dish with vanilla wafers, alternating with a layer of bananas, then more wafers. Pour pudding over all.
Beat egg whites for meringue, adding sugar until meringue holds. Spread over pudding. Brown in a 350° oven.
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1 (1 pound) box powdered sugar
½ cup strawberries
If using frozen berries, drain off all liquid. Cream oleo and sugar gradually. Add strawberries. Spread between layers and over top and sides of cake when layers are cool.
Chocolate Pie
½ cup flour
½ cup sugar, plus more for meringue
3 eggs, separated
½ cup chocolate syrup
2 ½ cups milk
1 partially baked pie shell
Preheat oven to 350°.
Combine flour and ½ cup sugar in a mixing bowl. Add yolks and syrup and beat until smooth. Gradually add milk, beating mixture constantly to keep smooth. Transfer to a saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring constantly until thick. Remove from heat. Pour into crust and bake at 350° until crust browns.
Meanwhile beat egg whites, gradually adding sugar until meringue holds. Top pie and brown as desired.
Happy Thanksgiving!
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Easy Sheet Cake
1 (18.5 oz) box yellow cake mix
½ cup chocolate syrup
1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk
1 (9 oz) frozen whipped topping, thawed
Bake yellow cake according to package directions using an 11 by 14-inch pan.
When cake is cooled, punch holes in the cake with the handle of a wooden spoon. In a bowl combine chocolate syrup and condensed milk. Pour over cake. Top with whipped topping. Keep refrigerated.
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