Sandy Wright

It is not unusual for Sandy Wright to find a recipe that someone has left on her desk for her to make and bring back to work for them to try, and “they will eat it up,” she said.
When she cooks, to make something her own, she usually is what she calls a “this and that” cook.
She makes a lot of stir fry, likes to grill and bake, and, “I try to stay away from sweets. I like anything and I just like to cook. But not clean up. I hate the mess.”

Her lasagna comes from two recipes that she combined. Daughter SaDeana requests the lasagna most often. Bowtie pasta is a dish she might carry somewhere, and another favorite that friends request is her mom’s chicken and dumplings.
Cheesecake with different toppings and sauce is also something she likes to take places.

Sandy has been cooking since a young age and remembers cooking peas and cornbread around age 10 or 11 since her mother, the late Pauline Smith, worked at night. “She was an excellent cook, and she taught me all I know.”
Her favorite of her mom’s was chicken and dressing, which Sandy continues to make for the holidays. “Taste as you go and satisfy your taste,” are two things her mother told her about cooking. And she never remembers seeing her measure anything while cooking.

Sandy likes to cook in the winter, making soup and chili, because they are soothing. “I like comfort food,” she said. They used to have a Birthday Club at work and she recalls making chili for about 30 people. To her chili she likes to add Hershey’s cocoa, coffee, meal, sugar and a can of beer. And the trick to vegetable soup, she said, is a tablespoon or two of Worcestershire sauce.
  Lasagna
1/2 lb. ground or Italian sausage
1/2 lb. ground beef
1 clove minced garlic
1 Tbsp. basil
1/2 tsp. salt
1-1 lb. can diced tomatoes
1-6 oz. can tomato paste
1-8 oz. can tomato sauce
1 pkg. dry McCormick spaghetti sauce mix
1 box lasagna noodles
3 cups cottage cheese
1/2 cup grated Romano or Parmesan cheese
2 Tbsp. parsley flakes
2 eggs, beaten
2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 lb. pkg. shredded Italian cheese
1 lb. Mozzarella cheese, sliced
Brown meat, drain. Add next seven ingredients. Simmer uncovered 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Cook noodles as directed on box. In medium size mixing bowl, combine remaining ingredients, except Mozzarella cheese. Place half Mozzarella cheese and half meat sauce. Repeat layers. Top with shredded Italian cheese. Bake in preheated 375° oven about 45 minutes. Let stand about 10 minutes before serving. (I like to make this the day before, put in fridge, and cook the next day. This freezes well, also.)

Cast Iron Skillet Apple Pie
1/2 cup butter (which is one stick)
1 cup brown sugar
5 or 6 Granny Smith apples–peeled, cored, quartered and thinly sliced. If apples are small, use 6 or 7
3-9” refrigerated pre-rolled pie crusts (Pillsbury are best)
1 cup white sugar, divided
2 tsp. ground cinnamon, divided (or apple pie spice)
1/4 cup white sugar
1 Tbsp. butter, cut into small chunks
Small amount of milk
Preheat oven to 350°. Place butter in heavy cast iron skillet and melt butter in oven. Remove skillet and sprinkle with brown sugar. Return to oven while preparing apples. Remove skillet and place one refrigerated pie crust on top of the brown sugar. Top crust with half of sliced apples. Sprinkle apples with 1/2 cup sugar and one tsp. cinnamon. Place second pie crust over apples, and top with remaining apples. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup sugar and one tsp. cinnamon. Top with third crust. Brush top of crust with milk, sprinkle with 1/4 cup sugar and dot with one Tbsp. butter. Cut four slits into top crust for steam. Bake until apples are tender and crust is golden brown, about 45 minutes. (Be sure to place a baking sheet or aluminum foil under pie because it will spill over while cooking.) Serve warm. (I have also used frozen peaches in place of apples and it is just as delicious, just leave out cinnamon or apple pie spice.)

Bowtie Pasta Salad
16 oz. bowtie pasta
1 chopped bell pepper
1 chopped red onion
1 medium size jar pimentos, drained
1 small can chopped black olives
1 Tbsp. Accent
1 Tbsp. Season-All
3 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 cup mayonnaise
Cook pasta. Rinse in cold water. Mix everything together. Chill in refrigerator about four hours or overnight before serving.

One-Pan Beef Stroganoff
2 lbs. ground chuck
1 onion, chopped
1 Tbsp. garlic, chopped
1-2 Tbsp. Dale’s Low Sodium Marinade seasoning
2 cans beef broth
1 can or jar mushrooms, not drained (mushrooms optional)
1-1 1/2 cups sour cream
Medium egg noodles
Salt and pepper
In deep skillet, brown ground chuck with Dale’s Seasoning sauce, onion and garlic. Drain. Return meat mixture to skillet. Add beef broth, mushrooms with juice. Depending on how many noodles you like, add about 4-6 oz. uncooked medium egg noodles. Add more if you like. You can add more beef broth if it gets too dry. Once noodles are done, add sour cream and cook a few more minutes.