Kimberly Ruth

Sausage balls, corn dip and Tink Massey’s chocolate chip pound cake are three things Kimberly Watkins Ruth of Calhoun City takes most often for tailgating at Mississippi State.
Their group is State fans countywide and former countians and their families. They have a tailgating website on which they post what food they plan to bring.
Besides tailgating, she says Tink’s pound cake is a good one to take for her 20th Century Club meetings and meals at church.
She also has a recipe for her grandmother’s pound cake that she makes a lot.
Even though Kimberly doesn’t cook as often as she would like, it is important to her for the family to sit together at the table for a meal.

“I have my parents (Wanda and Richard Watkins of Bruce)  and grandparents to thank for that. My mother cooked for us daily. Mama loves to cook,” she said.
The Chicken Pie recipe is something Kimberly’s family considers home-cooked Southern food, and that is what they like.
She says all of her recipes are simple and that her family (husband Tony, son Jacob, 21,  and daughter Sarah Grace, 15) is not picky and will try things, including casseroles.

Christmas brunch at Kimberly’s has become a tradition, and their meal includes the cream cheese Danish and sausage balls.
Sarah Grace has an interest in cooking and has been in the kitchen with Kimberly since she was a toddler. “She is a much better cook than I was when I married!”
Kimberly makes cornbread by Tony’s grandmother, the late Thelma Ruth’s recipe, and says it doesn’t taste quite the same. But Sarah Grace can make it.”

For years she has wanted to be able to make dressing like her mother and chicken and dumplings like her mother-in-law, Patricia Marshall. “I have been surrounded by some really good cooks.”
Her family loves anything grilled and Tony and Jacob hunt and fish. Their favorite is bacon wrapped deer, and she also mentioned fried turkey and crappie.
“I watch tons of Food Network,” and she collects cookbooks, many of which her mother has given to her as gifts. “I love recipes!” she said.

Cream Cheese Sausage Balls
1 lb. hot sausage, uncooked
1-8 oz. block cream cheese, softened
2 cups Bisquick baking mix
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Mix together sausage and cream cheese in stand mixer. Add Bisquick and mix well, then add in cheese. Stir until combined. Scoop meat mixture and form into 1” balls. Place on greased baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes in a 350° oven.

Chicken Pie
(Wanda Watkins)
4 chicken breasts, cooked and  deboned
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can chicken broth
Salt and pepper
1 stick butter, melted
1 1/2 cups self-rising flour
1 1/2 cups milk
(A can of mixed vegetables can also be added.)
Place chicken pieces in the bottom of a 9×13 casserole dish. Mix can of cream of chicken soup with can of chicken broth and pour over chicken. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. In a bowl, mix flour and milk. Add melted butter to flour mixture. Stir well and pour over chicken. Sprinkle top with pepper. Cook for 30-45 minutes on 350°.

Tink’s Chocolate Chip Pound Cake
(Tink Massey)
1 box butter cake mix
1 box chocolate instant pudding
4 eggs
1-8 oz. sour cream
1/4 cup water
1 cup vegetable oil
6 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips
Mix first six ingredients together in mixer, then fold in chocolate chips. Pour into greased bundt pan. Bake on 325° for 45 minutes.

Corn Dip
2 cans Mexicorn (drained)
3-4 green onions, chopped
3/4 cup mayonnaise
1 cup sour cream
1 Tbsp. Accent
1 tsp. garlic powder
12 oz. shredded cheddar cheese
Mix all ingredients together and pour into small baking dish. Bake at 350° for 20 minutes. Serve with corn chips or crackers.

Ma’s Pound Cake
1 lb. butter, softened
8 eggs
3 cups sugar
3 cups cake flour, sifted
Mix all ingredients in mixer. Pour into large, greased bundt pan. Bake for one hour in 300° oven. Do not preheat oven.