Carla Blackwelder

Carla Cannon Blackwelder made a New Year’s resolution a few years ago to cook something new once a week, and said that is when she got her start cooking more.

She is constantly looking for new things to try–things with a new twist–and she likes crockpot cooking. She gets a lot of recipes from magazines, friends, Pinterest and cookbooks, which she loves to read.

She says she and friend, Ashley Clements, share a lot of recipes. Another source of recipes and advice is her mother, Pat Welch, and her step-mother, Anne Cannon. She says she cooks mostly from recipes and doesn’t venture much from them.

The meatballs, potato salad and cheesepie are three of husband, Allen’s favorites. She usually makes the meatballs for special occasions or holidays, and the BLT  dip is one of their favorites.
Carla made up the potato salad recipe, which she says is better served warm. She likes to make it for Christmas and in the summer.
She likes dips and finger foods, which her family enjoy  for their Christmas gathering, and tailgating.

Her favorite is baked corn dip and one dish she likes to make is sausage and cream cheese spread on pressed crescent rolls, with more crescent rolls on top, that you cut in squares to serve.
Another favorite of hers is Trisha Yearwood’s baked spaghetti. “It is fantastic–so good,” and she likes to make it when she has time, saying that it is time-consuming.
She loves fresh vegetables but doesn’t feel like she seasons them well and she says she’s not a good griller. Allen cooks some, does a lot of grilling and marinading, and she says he seasons the vegetables better. She also says she is not a baker.

Carla likes for the family to sit down at the table together at night for a meal, and commented that son Hayden likes the meatballs because he is and meat and potato eater, no casseroles, and if you can’t put ketchup on it he won’t eat it, but that son Bryce, their vegetable eater, will try anything.

Sweet ‘N Sour Meatballs
1 lb. ground beef
1/2 cup cracker crumbs
1/4 cup chopped onions
1/4 cup catsup
1 egg
Salt and pepper
Sauce:
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup mustard
1/2 cup catsup
Mix and form into balls. Place in uncovered casserole dish. Mix sauce and pour over meatballs. Cook at 350° for 45 minutes.
Loaded Potato Salad
1 bag red potatoes
Butter
Ranch dressing
Shredded cheese
Real bacon bits
Green onions
Salt/Pepper
Cut up potatoes, boil and drain. Pour half into dish and add butter, salt and pepper. Sprinkle cheese, bacon and green onions. Drizzle with Ranch dressing. Add second layer of potatoes and repeat with cheese, bacon, and onion. Better served hot.

BLT Dip
1 cup mayo
1 cup sour cream
1 can diced tomatoes
2 packs real bacon bits
Mix all together and serve with favorite crackers or chips.

Easy Chocolate Lover’s Cheesepie
3 pkgs. (8 oz. each) cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup sugar
3 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 cups (12 oz. pkg.) Hersey’s Mini Chips Semi-Sweet Chocolate, divided
1 extra-serving-size packaged graham cracker crumb crust (9 oz.)
2 Tbsp. whipping cream
Heat oven to 450°. Beat cream cheese and sugar in large bowl with mixer until well blended. Add eggs and vanilla; beat well. Stir in 1 2/3 cups small chocolate chips; pour into crust. Bake 10 minutes. Without opening oven door, reduce temperature to 250°F; continue baking 30 minutes or just until set. Remove from oven to wire rack. Cool completely. Cover; refrigerate until thoroughly chilled. Place remaining 1/3 cup chips and whipping cream in small microwave-safe bowl. Microwave at high (100%) 20-30 seconds or just until chips are melted and mixture is smooth when stirred. Cool slightly; spread over top of cheesepie. Refrigerate 15 minutes or until topping is set. Cover; refrigerate leftover cheesepie. Ten servings.

 Trisha Yearwood’s Baked Spaghetti
6 slices bacon, cut into 1/2” pieces
1 clove garlic, minced
1 medium onion, chopped
1 bell pepper, chopped
Three 14 1/2-oz. cans diced tomatoes with liquid
One 2 1/4-oz. can sliced black olives, drained
1 to 2 tablespoons dried oregano
1 lb. ground beef, browned and drained
12 oz. thin spaghetti, cooked and drained
2 cups grated cheddar (5 oz.)
One 10-oz. can cream of mushroom soup
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
Preheat oven to 350°. Grease a 9x13x2” baking dish with cooking spray. In large skillet, cook bacon until slightly crisp. With slotted spoon, transfer bacon to paper-towel-lined plate to drain. Saute garlic, onion and bell pepper in bacon drippings until tender. Add tomatoes, olives, oregano, bacon and  cooked ground beef and simmer, uncovered, 10 minutes. Place half of spaghetti in prepared baking dish; top with half of vegetable-beef mixture, and sprinkle with 1 cup of cheddar. Repeat layers. In a bowl, stir together  cream of mushroom soup and 1/4 cup water until smooth, and pour over casserole. Sprinkle with Parmesan and bake, uncovered,  30-35 minutes, or until heated.