Kayla Bennett Clanton of Bruce says she will not be attempting to learn to make dressing or helping her sister, Nicole, cook a Thanksgiving meal, because she will be eating her dressing at Mamaw (Frances) Bennett’s.

But one thing she will be trying to learn to make is Mamaw Bennett’s coconut pie that she makes each Thanksgiving and Christmas. Kayla is precise with measuring ingredients, and only remembers one dish she made that “had to be dumped”--a peach cobbler that may have failed someone told her due to using old flour. She hopes for better luck with Mamaw’s pie.
When Kayla was about to get married two years ago, she realized she would have to learn to cook, but said, “It’ll be o.k., I’ll figure it out.”
She started looking through cookbooks and learned to cook mostly from them, but  sometimes calls her mom, Linda Bennett, if she has a cooking question.
Although she does like to cook now, she always chooses recipes with less ingredients, and says, “There are a lot of chicken recipes out there.” Husband Jay is not a picky eater and is just glad she cooks, but says the chicken casserole is getting a little old.
He likes to grill, and to fry porkchops, and would like to have some beef now and then. She hopes their child, due in April, likes chicken.

Cracker Barrel’s Grilled Chicken Tenders
1 lb. chicken breast tenders
1 cup Italian dressing
2 tsp. fresh lime juice
3 tsp. honey
Mix dressing, lime juice and honey together. Place chicken tenders in casserole dish and pour mixture over top. Make sure all chicken tenders are covered. Marinate one hour (works best if you let marinate overnight.) Grill to light golden brown. Can also be braised in nonstick pan.

Hash Brown Casserole
2 lbs. frozen hash browns, thawed
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 pt. sour cream
2 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese
1/4 cup butter
Mix all ingredients together and pour into buttered 9x13 casserole dish. Pour melted butter over the top. Bake at 350° for 45 minutes to an hour.

Monkey Bread
4 tubes refrigerated buttermilk biscuits
1 cup sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup margarine
Cut biscuits into quarters. Mix sugar and cinnamon. Dip biscuit pieces into sugar mixture or shake in a plastic bag. Put pieces in well greased angel food or Bundt pan. Melt brown sugar and margarine (do not boil). Pour over pieces in cake pan. Bake at 350°  about 30 minutes. Turn upside down on  a plate. Tear off pieces or cut into slices.

Chicken and Broccoli Alfredo
3 chicken breasts, sliced into strips
1 medium onion, chopped
Broccoli (I use the broccoli in the steam bags)
1 large whipping cream
1 pkg. Fettucini noodles
1 cup Parmesan cheese
2 Tbsp. butter
Salt and pepper to taste
In a medium pan, brown chicken strips and onion in the butter. When fully cooked and brown, add whipping cream, broccoli, and Parmesan. Cook until desired consistency. You may choose to use a little less or a little more whipping cream as well as the Parmesan. Serve with Fettucini noodles.