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Nov/Dec 2009
For Twyla Spears of Henagar, cooking runs in the family.
Twyla's mother Jackie Clifton-Smith, who passed away in 2001, managed Sylvania Lake and ran the restaurant there for almost 20 years. “She started off just cooking breakfast for me and my brother and sisters,” Twyla recalls. “Then, hungry fishermen began asking if they could buy plates of food and it just took off.”
Twyla, along with her siblings, Anthony Clifton of Sylvania, Kristi Bailey of Scottsboro and Sonya McGullion of Kennesaw, GA, grew up helping their mother in the restaurant. “We all learned to cook by watching her,” Twyla says.
“Most of the time, money was tight and Mom was tired when she came home from a busy day at work,” remembers Twyla. “It always amazed me how she could take just a few ingredients and make a meal for our entire family.”
Today, Twyla is a busy wife and mother. She and her husband Michael have two children, Laura, a Freshman at NACC, and Dylan, a 9th grader at Sylvania.
“Everyone is always on the go!” says Twyla. “But, Mom taught me to cook simple yet tasty meals on a budget. That allows me to cook for my family even after a long day.”
This month, Twyla shares some of her favorite family recipes, including her mother's banana pudding and candied yams, served at her restaurant.
She also shares a couple of quick and easy soup recipes. “Noodle soup is an old favorite,” she says. “Mom served it at every holiday gathering, and my kids love it.”
RECIPES
Noodle Soup
1 package elbow macaroni
1 large can tomato juice
Cook elbow macaroni and drain. Add tomato juice. Heat. Add salt to taste. Serve with corn bread.
Easy Beef, Noodle and Vegetable Soup
1 lb ground beef
1 can mixed vegetables
1 can diced tomatoes
1 large can tomato juice
1 package elbow macaroni
Brown ground beef and drain. Cook macaroni and drain. Combine all ingredients and heat. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Chicken and Dumplings
1 cut up chicken
Black pepper
1 stick butter
2 1/2 cups plain flour
1/8 cup vegetable shortening
Ice water (stir enough into flour mixture to make a stiff dough)
Broth
Wash and place chicken in Dutch Oven with plenty of water to boil. Add butter, and salt and pepper to taste. When chicken is tender and well done, remove from bone. Simmer.
Dumplings
Place flour, shortening, and ice water on floured surface and knead, making sure dough is stiff. Roll out with floured rolling pin until about 1/8 inch thick. Cut into 1 inch strips and let dry for a few minutes. They should be partially covered with flour.
Slowly drop long dumplings into boiling broth. Temperature should not be any higher than medium. Turn down heat as dumplings cook. Place lid on pot and cook until dumplings become somewhat translucent.
Banana Pudding
4-5 bananas
1 box Vanilla Wafers
4 egg yolks (beaten)
4 cups whole milk
3 heaping Tbsp flour
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup sugar
1/2 tsp salt
Add milk to beaten egg yolks; stir until mixed well. Add vanilla. In a separate bowl, mix together flour, sugar, and salt. Pour into milk/egg mixture. Heat in saucepan on low-medium heat, stirring frequently, until pudding begins to thicken. (Pudding will coat spoon)
Place bananas and box wafers in a medium-large bowl or casserole dish, alternating layers. Pour cooked pudding mixture over bananas and wafers.
For Meringue (optional):
4 egg whites
2 Tablespoons sugar
Beat egg whites until stiff, add sugar and beat until stiff again. Pour over pudding and broil in oven until brown.
Candied Sweet Potatoes
5 medium sweet potatoes
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
1/2 stick butter or margarine
Dash of salt
Peel and slice sweet potatoes into 1/4 inch pieces. Cook in water, sugar and salt until tender. Stirring carefully, add margarine and continue cooking until "syrup" thickens.
Sand Mountain Kitchens: Twyla Spears
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Twyla Spears
For Twyla Spears of Henagar, cooking runs in the family.
Twyla's mother Jackie Clifton-Smith, who passed away in 2001, managed Sylvania Lake and ran the restaurant there for almost 20 years. “She started off just cooking breakfast for me and my brother and sisters,” Twyla recalls. “Then, hungry fishermen began asking if they could buy plates of food and it just took off.”
Twyla, along with her siblings, Anthony Clifton of Sylvania, Kristi Bailey of Scottsboro and Sonya McGullion of Kennesaw, GA, grew up helping their mother in the restaurant. “We all learned to cook by watching her,” Twyla says.
“Most of the time, money was tight and Mom was tired when she came home from a busy day at work,” remembers Twyla. “It always amazed me how she could take just a few ingredients and make a meal for our entire family.”
Today, Twyla is a busy wife and mother. She and her husband Michael have two children, Laura, a Freshman at NACC, and Dylan, a 9th grader at Sylvania.
“Everyone is always on the go!” says Twyla. “But, Mom taught me to cook simple yet tasty meals on a budget. That allows me to cook for my family even after a long day.”
This month, Twyla shares some of her favorite family recipes, including her mother's banana pudding and candied yams, served at her restaurant.
She also shares a couple of quick and easy soup recipes. “Noodle soup is an old favorite,” she says. “Mom served it at every holiday gathering, and my kids love it.”
RECIPES
Noodle Soup
1 package elbow macaroni
1 large can tomato juice
Cook elbow macaroni and drain. Add tomato juice. Heat. Add salt to taste. Serve with corn bread.
Easy Beef, Noodle and Vegetable Soup
1 lb ground beef
1 can mixed vegetables
1 can diced tomatoes
1 large can tomato juice
1 package elbow macaroni
Brown ground beef and drain. Cook macaroni and drain. Combine all ingredients and heat. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Chicken and Dumplings
1 cut up chicken
Black pepper
1 stick butter
2 1/2 cups plain flour
1/8 cup vegetable shortening
Ice water (stir enough into flour mixture to make a stiff dough)
Broth
Wash and place chicken in Dutch Oven with plenty of water to boil. Add butter, and salt and pepper to taste. When chicken is tender and well done, remove from bone. Simmer.
Dumplings
Place flour, shortening, and ice water on floured surface and knead, making sure dough is stiff. Roll out with floured rolling pin until about 1/8 inch thick. Cut into 1 inch strips and let dry for a few minutes. They should be partially covered with flour.
Slowly drop long dumplings into boiling broth. Temperature should not be any higher than medium. Turn down heat as dumplings cook. Place lid on pot and cook until dumplings become somewhat translucent.
Banana Pudding
4-5 bananas
1 box Vanilla Wafers
4 egg yolks (beaten)
4 cups whole milk
3 heaping Tbsp flour
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup sugar
1/2 tsp salt
Add milk to beaten egg yolks; stir until mixed well. Add vanilla. In a separate bowl, mix together flour, sugar, and salt. Pour into milk/egg mixture. Heat in saucepan on low-medium heat, stirring frequently, until pudding begins to thicken. (Pudding will coat spoon)
Place bananas and box wafers in a medium-large bowl or casserole dish, alternating layers. Pour cooked pudding mixture over bananas and wafers.
For Meringue (optional):
4 egg whites
2 Tablespoons sugar
Beat egg whites until stiff, add sugar and beat until stiff again. Pour over pudding and broil in oven until brown.
Candied Sweet Potatoes
5 medium sweet potatoes
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
1/2 stick butter or margarine
Dash of salt
Peel and slice sweet potatoes into 1/4 inch pieces. Cook in water, sugar and salt until tender. Stirring carefully, add margarine and continue cooking until "syrup" thickens.
