Suzanne Oakley
Chocolate Chip cookies were the first thing Suzanne Oakley learned to cook without supervision and are still her favorite to “bake and take.”
Her first attempt at cookies was a mishap created by herself and Reba Young at about age 10–sugar cookies in which they accidentally used cornmeal instead of flour. Brother, Robert, 4, ate them anyway, and her mother, Charlotte, commented about the gritty floor for a while. Her father, Robert Edward, joked for years about her only being able to make chocolate chip cookies and Rotel dip.
She says she has gotten better since then, and “experiments” with cooking and it is a hobby for her, “an adventure, rather than a chore.” She likes the philosophy of her Nanny (the late Viola Beckett), “If you mess up, you can start over.”
Suzanne is Calhoun City High School counselor and besides extracurricular activities there, she is involved in Tupelo Community Theatre, pianist at Lewis Memorial Church, member of Calhoun City New Century Club, who has just published a new cookbook celebrating the club’s 75th anniversary, and a former cheer coach, so she is not home much for cooking.
But Margherita Pizza is one thing makes for herself. For a Christmas brunch, she made Paula Deen’s French Toast Casserole for the first time and said it looked and tasted good. She usually only looks for a recipe when she wants to try something new, so she is usually looking for something specific or for a healthier version of something, and likes to use the internet. She also calls her mom a lot when she’s cooking. “She’s an excellent cook!” and has taught a lot of people to cook.
Master Mix biscuits are a favorite breakfast at her mother’s, and she describes the mix as a “homemade bisquick” that her mother’s class uses at Ole Miss for breads and pastries, which she keeps made up now.
Among her favorites of Nanny’s was coconut cake, and in an attempt to make it this past Christmas, Suzanne and Charlotte used Mrs. Viola’s basic yellow cake recipe, but said it took them three cookbooks to get the icing, and they got pretty close. Nanny’s yellow cake recipe is: 3/4 cup shortening, 2 cups sugar, 4 eggs, 3 cups self-rising flour, 1 cup milk, 1 tsp. vanilla. Combine shortening, sugar and eggs. Alternately add in some milk, then flour, then milk, etc. until all have been added. Add vanilla. Bake at 350° until toothpick inserted in cake’s center comes out clean. Ice with favorite frosting. Yield: 3-10” layers.
Suzanne got Frannie’s Beans from Frann Womble via Beverly Frederick, two of her teacher friends from Water Valley. Among the kitchen tips she has gotten from her mother was you can cut sugar into pepper if you get too much, because Suzanne said she once did that when making Frannie’s Beans.
Her Chocolate Chip Milk Dud Brownies are featured in the new “Are You Ready?” cookbook by the University of MS Department of Nutrition and Hospitality Management, available at Jeffery’s in Bruce.
Chocolate Chip Cookies
3/4 c. white sugar
3/4 c. brown sugar
1 c. shortening
2 eggs
1 t. vanilla
2 1/2 c. self-rising flour
12 oz. bag chocolate chips
chopped pecans (optional)
Preheat oven to 350. Cream sugars, shortening, eggs, and vanilla. Gradually mix in flour. Finally add in chocolate chips and pecans (if desired). Scoop out onto lightly greased cookie sheets. (Too much cooking spray on a non-stick sheet will over-brown bottoms of cookies.) Bake 12-15 minutes. The longer you leave them in, the crispier they get. Yield: 36-72, depending on size of your scoop.
Frannie’s Beans
Large can Showboat pork and beans
Regular can Bush red kidney beans
Regular can baby gem limas
1 1/2 lb. browned, drained ground chuck
1/2 lb. cooked, chopped bacon
1/2 c. white sugar
1/3 c. brown sugar
1/4 c. ketchup
1/4 c. barbeque sauce
2 T. prepared mustard
2 T. honey
1/4 t. black pepper
Mix all ingredients together and heat until ready to serve. It’s ready after being cooked on low all day in the crock pot or for about 30 minutes on medium on the stovetop. Great over Mexican cornbread!
Master Mix
5 lb. self-rising flour
2 lb. Crisco
5 c. dry powdered milk
Mix flour and dry powdered milk together, then cut Crisco into the dry mix using a pastry cutter. Store at room temperature in an airtight container if mix will be used within 30 days or so. If not, store in refrigerator.
Biscuits (with Master Mix)
3 c. Master Mix and 2/3 to 1 c. water. Mix just until blended. Knead 15 strokes. Pat out onto floured pastry mat (or really clean counter) and cut with biscuit cutter or small drinking glass. Bake at 450 for 10-12 minutes (brown on top).
Waffles (with Master Mix)
3 c. Master Mix, 1 1/2 c. water, and 1 egg. Mix just until blended. Pour onto hot, buttered (optional) waffle iron. Close iron and cook until the lid “puffs”. (This MM combination is also good for pancakes!)
Margherita Pizza
Commercially prepared pizza crust, ready to use. (I like Boboli thin crust)
Extra virgin olive oil
Roma tomatoes
Red onion
Basil leaves (or dried sweet basil flakes)
Shredded mozzarella cheese
Red pepper flakes
Preheat oven according to directions on crust packaging. Brush pizza crust with olive oil. Slice Roma tomatoes and partially drain slices on paper towels. Slice red onion into rings. Arrange tomatoes and onion on crust, sprinkle basil and cheese over veggies. Heat until crust is crispy and cheese is melted. Remove from oven and sprinkle with red pepper flakes.
Chocolate Chip Milk Dud® Brownies
1 pkg. brownie mix, mixed according to package directions
24 unbaked chocolate chip cookies
Milk Duds® or bite-sized Reese’s Peanut Butter cup® candy
Preheat oven to 350°. Mix brownie batter as directed on package. Set aside. Grease muffin pans or line with cupcake liners. Press one chocolate chip square on bottom of each prepared muffin cup. Place 1-3 Milk Duds or 1 Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup on top of each cookie square. Spoon brownie batter over candy to fill tins. Bake as you would brownie. Allow brownies to cool complete before removing from muffin tins so melted candy will set.
