The Co-op Pantry

The Co-op Pantry
The Co-op Pantry

On a special stool made just so she could reach the stove, 6-year-old Judy Lou Allen stood in her grandmother’s kitchen learning a love for cooking that would stay with her for life, and Judy said her grandmother taught her food doesn’t have to be fancy to be delicious.

In the years that followed, Judy kept the words of her grandmother Eula Osborn in mind as she continued to cook.

"One thing I will always remember she told me was that when you have a new recipe make it just like it says, but next time put your own spin on it," reminisced Judy.

"I never really appreciated until I was older how much her patience meant when I was learning to cook," said Judy.

Now a grandmother herself, Judy practices a kindly patience of her own with her four-year-old grandson Matthew.

"One of his favorite things is for us to roll out refrigerated sugar cookie dough and make Hand Cookies. He’ll lay his hand over the dough and I’ll trace it with a small knife to bake cookies in the shape of his hand. We’ve decorated them like turkeys and peacocks and with all kinds of edible decorations, and he tells people his Nanna makes the best hand cookies ever," Judy said, adding pleas from Matthew to stay with Nanna and Papaw are the most precious sounds she’s ever heard.

Judy and husband Mack have two children, and Judy said they both enjoy cooking.

"My son Chris shares some of my passion for cooking and is very good at the grill. My daughter Sarah didn’t share my love for cooking when she was growing up," said Judy, but added Sarah (now living in Washington state with her husband who serves in the U.S. Navy) e-mails mom with low-carb recipes she likes.

Judy and Mack are proof that opposites attract, and their attitudes about cooking reflect the sentiment.

"There is no good reason for me to have to cook when there is a Hardee’s and a steak house just right down the road," said Mack.

Judy stayed home to raise her children when they were young, but has been driving buses for Lawrence County Public Transportation and the Lawrence County School System since 1993. In addition to making her regular routes, Judy also delivers Meals on Wheels, and she said every part of her work is personally rewarding.

Even though they have jobs off the farm, Mack raises cattle and hay on their small farm south of Moulton, and Judy still enjoys cooking even though she cooks less often than she once did.

Judy still doesn’t like complicated recipes anymore than her grandmother did, and she favors what she calls "true Southern traditional dishes" but keeps an eye out for recipes with just a bit of a twist. Judy said the recipes she chose to share this month are simple and so easy.

"So many recipes you see on TV and the Internet call for things you just can’t find in the local grocery stores. You won’t find any complicated recipes in my collection; just ‘good old comfort food’ everybody will love. They are recipes of my most requested dishes stored in my recipe library on my computer for easy access when family and friends call and ask for one of them," she said.

Kellie Henderson is a freelance writer from Troy.

Turnip Green Soup

1 smoked turkey sausage link, cut into small chunks
1 package mild Italian sausage
1 onion, chopped
1 bag frozen turnip greens
1 (32 oz) box chicken broth
1 (15 oz) can black beans
1 (10 oz) can Rotel tomatoes
1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes
1 envelope Knorr vegetable soup mix

Take sausages out of casings and crumble into a skillet; sauté with onions and turkey links over medium heat until done.

Transfer sausage mixture and remaining ingredients to a pot and bring to a boil. Simmer for about one hour. Serve with cornbread. Enjoy.

Note: After browning sausages and onion, all ingredients may be added to a slow cooker if desired.

Southern Cornbread Salad

1 batch cornbread, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 (14.5 oz) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (15 oz) can niblet corn, drained
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 medium red onion, chopped
1 large green bell pepper, finely chopped
1 cup celery, chopped
3 boiled eggs, chopped
1 jar pimentos, drained
1 cup sweet pickle relish
2 cups sharp Cheddar, grated
1 (8 oz) bottle ranch dressing
1 pound bacon, fried crisp and crumbled

In the bottom of a large glass bowl, place cornbread cubes. Layer beans, corn, onion, bell pepper, celery, eggs, pimento and then pickle relish in that order on top of cornbread.

Add cheese on top of this then spread ranch dressing evenly over cheese. Cover. Refrigerate for at least two hours, even better if refrigerated over night. Top with bacon when ready to serve.

Salmon Patties

1 (14 ¾ oz) can Pink Salmon
4 Tablespoons self- rising flour
4 Tablespoons corn meal
4 tablespoons buttermilk
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 small onion, finely chopped
Salt & pepper to taste
2 cups bread crumbs
4 Tablespoons vegetable oil

Mix salmon with flour, meal, buttermilk, egg, onion, salt and pepper. Chill mixture for an hour. Shape into patties. Dredge patties in bread crumbs. Cook in preheated skillet in vegetable oil. When crispy, turn over and brown on the other side.

Old-fashioned Meatloaf

1 pound ground beef
1 pound ground turkey
1 ½ teaspoons salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
¾ cup onion, chopped
½ cup bell pepper, chopped
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 (15 oz) can diced tomatoes with juice
1 cup quick-cooking oats
1/4 cup BBQ sauce

Preheat oven to 375^o. Mix all ingredients well; shape into a loaf. Place in a large baking dish.

Topping:
¼ cup BBQ sauce
¼ cup ketchup
2 Tablespoons brown sugar
1 Tablespoon prepared mustard

Mix ingredients for topping and spread over loaf. Bake for one hour.

Okra and Tomatoes

4 slices bacon
1 cup yellow onion, sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 tablespoon chicken bouillon or base
1 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground
1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon hot sauce
2 cups frozen sliced okra

Render bacon in a large saucepan, cooking until crisp. Remove from pan and dice into small pieces, reserving drippings in pan. Add onions and garlic to the skillet with bacon drippings and sauté over medium heat until tender. Add all remaining ingredients, except okra, and bring to a boil, stirring to avoid burning. Reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add okra and let stew until the bright green color begins to fade. Serve hot.

Gumbo

¾ cup flour
½ cup oil
1 bag frozen seasoning blend (or ½ to 1 cup each of diced onion, celery and peppers)
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 (32 oz) box chicken broth
1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes
1 (10 oz) can cream of chicken soup
1 (10 oz) can tomato soup
2 cups chicken breasts strips, diced
½ to 1 (14 oz) bag medium ready-to- eat shrimp
2 smoked turkey sausages
1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce
1 (16 oz) bag frozen sliced okra
1 Tablespoon gumbo file’
1 Tablespoon Old Bay seasoning
1 dash Worcestershire sauce
Pinch red pepper
Salt and pepper to taste

Mix flour and oil over medium heat to make a DARK roux. Stir continuously about eight to 10 minutes. Cook seasoning blend (or diced veggies) in roux for about four or five minutes. Add garlic and cook two minutes more. Add chicken broth, tomatoes and soups, stirring to combine. Add all remaining ingredients into four quart pot. Place on low heat and cook for approximately one hour.

Cola Chicken

4 skinless boneless chicken breasts
1 cup ketchup
1 (12 oz) can diet cola
½ cup onion, diced

Sauté chicken in nonstick skillet until lightly brown. Pour catsup, onions and diet cola over the top. Bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes.

Uncover, increase the heat slightly and continue to cook until the sauce becomes thick and adheres to the chicken and chicken is completely cooked through.

Cake Balls

1 (18 oz) box strawberry cake mix
1 can cream cheese frosting
1 package chocolate bark (regular or
white chocolate)
Wax paper

Prepare cake according to package directions for a 9 by 13-inch sheet cake. After cake is cooled completely, crumble into large bowl. Mix thoroughly with cream cheese frosting. (It may be easier to use fingers to mix together, but be warned it will get messy.) Roll mixture into quarter-size balls and lay on cookie sheet. Should make 45-50 by hand or use a mini-ice cream scoop to yield slightly more. Refrigerate for several hours or freeze to reduce chill time. Melt chocolate in microwave per directions on package or use a double boiler. Using a spoon or fork, roll balls in chocolate and lay on wax paper until firm.

Note: Judy recommended melting only a few pieces of chocolate bark at a time in a double boiler because it keeps the chocolate warmer and easier to work. She also suggested the following cake and frosting combos: fudge cake mix and frosting, butter pecan cake mix and caramel frosting.

Blue Baby Shower Punch

¾ cup sugar
2 (1/4 oz) packages unsweetened blue Kool-Aid powdered drink mix
1/2 gallon water
1 (64 ounce) can Hawaiian Blue Punch
1 (10 ounce) can frozen Pina-Colada mix, thawed
2 liters 7-up or Sprite (to taste)
½ gallon vanilla ice cream

Mix together sugar, Kool-Aid and water according to the package directions. In a punchbowl, combine punch, prepared Kool-Aid, thawed Pina Colada mix, and 7-Up or Sprite. Add scoops of vanilla ice cream. Serve and enjoy!

Beef Stroganoff
(15-minute meal)

1 pound ground beef
1 pound ground turkey
½ teaspoon garlic salt
1 medium onion, chopped
½ teaspoon pepper
2 Tablespoons dried parsley flakes
1 (10 oz) can cream of chicken soup
8 ounces sour cream
1 (12 oz) package wide egg noodles, prepared by package directions

Brown beef and turkey with garlic salt, onion and pepper; drain. Add parsley and continue cooking until meat is richly browned. Add soup and mix well. Simmer 10 minutes. Add sour cream and stir until heated through. Serve over hot cooked noodles.

Judy’s Easy Potato Soup Recipe

1 (16 oz) bag frozen hash browns, shredded or Southern style
1 medium onion, diced (about 1 cup)
1 (32 oz) box chicken broth
1 (10 oz) can cream of chicken soup
1 (10 oz) can cream of celery soup
3 cups milk
Salt and pepper

Simmer hash browns, onion and chicken broth for about an hour. Add the undiluted cans of soup, milk, salt and pepper. Heat through.

It’s as easy as that! If you want it thicker, you can throw in some instant mashed potato flakes or buds, and the amount of milk may be adjusted to reach desired consistency. Serve with bacon bits and shredded cheddar cheese.

Note: Judy prefers the Southern style hash browns because they make a chunkier soup.

Judy’s Cabbage Soup

1 ½ pounds ground beef
1 (14.5 oz) can stewed tomatoes
1 (16 oz) can tomato juice
1 envelope onion soup mix
1 cup carrots, finely chopped
1 cup celery, chopped
1 large green pepper, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
1 large head cabbage, washed and roughly chopped

Brown beef; drain fat. Put tomatoes, juice, onion soup, carrots, celery, peppers, onions and cabbage in a large kettle or Dutch oven along with the beef. Simmer one hour on medium heat.

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