BY ANN CIPPERLY
Thirteen years ago, I featured Carol Pridgen as she was preparing Valentine treats for her 5-year-old son, Cade, and older son, Trace. While Cade is still helping his mother bake, Carol is now baking Valentine treats with her grandson, Grant, the 3-year-old son of Trace and Annie Pridgen. Just as years ago, Carol has decorated her front door with large Valentine hearts, with her continuing love of crafts, as well as cooking for her family.
Carol and her husband, Keith, a financial planner with the Wilson Investment Group, both grew up in Opelika. Trace is the worship pastor at Grace Auburn Church, while Annie is a veterinarian at Tiger Town Veterinary Hospital.
Growing up, Carol attended Jeter School, and after graduating from Auburn University, she taught first grade at the school for 20 years.
When the Pridgens’ son Trace was in high school, Carol learned she was expecting another child after she had been told it would be impossible.
“When Cade was born, I decided I wanted to stay home with my miracle child,” said Carol. She began tutoring students in her home during the afternoon.
She still homeschools Cade, who is now a junior in high school. Carol started a homeschool co-op, Arrows’ Homeschool Community, that is housed at First Baptist Church but not connected to the church. More than 100 children attend from kindergarten through 11th grade.
Carol is the secretary of the board for First Baptist Academy, a new school at the church. Kindergarten started this year, and first grade will be added next year. The school will continue to expand into other grades.
Although she has busy days, Carol keeps Grant three afternoons a week.
“It has been really fun having a little one in the house again,” she said. “I can dig up some of the fun easy recipes for him to help me make. If he is not here, and I have made a dessert, it is fun seeing his face when he sees what I made for him.”
With her mother, Becky Stillwell, and her maternal grandmother being good cooks, Carol developed an interest in cooking at an early age. When she was a senior in high school, she would have dinner prepared when her parents came home from work. Her interest in cooking, especially baking, has grown over the years.
“My time is more limited now, so I don’t get to bake as much as I like,” Carol said, “but I do bake every chance I get. I prepare a lot of sweets and share with friends. I love to cook, but baking is my favorite.”
When tutoring students, sometimes she doesn’t finish until 6:30 or so at night. She has come up with main dishes that are quick and easy. Sometimes she prepares dishes a day ahead. On weekends, Keith grills chicken and hamburgers to serve throughout the week, and she prepares different sides each night.
Carol and Keith enjoy having Trace, Annie and Grant living here now. They moved back to the area last April.
While Keith and Trace both adapt grilling recipes, Carol will Google quick and easy recipes and then adapt them to suit their taste. She tries to write down the changes to remember for the next time she prepares the dish.
“None of us go strictly by a recipe,” she said.
Carol makes easy cookie recipes and other desserts that Grant can help her prepare. He loves being with her in the kitchen. She also uses cooking as a class with Cade, as they talk about measuring the ingredients. She feels it is a good lesson in math for homeschoolers.
Along with cooking desserts with the kids, she believes it is important for family to be together for meals. She plans menus ahead. She is sharing two pork chop recipes and others that can be prepared quickly for dinner.
One of her easy recipes for a holiday snack is the Valentine Party Mix, which combines Chex mix with assorted candies. She will change the candies according to the season and holiday. The snack is kept in a large glass canister.
Her favorite Sugar Cookie recipe is easily prepared shaped into balls or cut into shapes, and then dipped into the colored icing after baking. The tops of the cookies are garnished with colored sugar. These are fun for children to help make using a heart cookie cutter. She makes these in other shapes for different holidays.
The Hot Vanilla beverage goes well with the Sugar Cookies. It is enhanced with a yummy chocolate whipped topping. For Valentine’s Day, the drink can be garnished with sprinkles or colored sugar.
For the Fruit Salsa and Nutella Dip, she serves heart-shaped Cinnamon Sugar Tortilla Chips made from corn or flour tortillas. She cuts the tortillas into heart shapes for Valentine’s Day and other designs for different holidays.
Along with preparing holiday desserts, Carol enjoys decorating in seasonal decor. “I like all four seasons,” she said, “and I enjoy decorating my home with each season. I received my creativity from her paternal grandmother, Opal Stillwell, and my Dad, as he could do anything.”
Carol and Jan Lawerence, owner of the Farm at Rocky Top, had a dream for many years of starting an arts and crafts show. They are co-chair of the Spring Market Days and Holiday Market at the Rocky Top Farm. The Spring Market will be held the third weekend in May 9 a.m. until 4 p.m., with over a 100 vendors.
Select from Carol’s easy and delicious recipes for treating your family on Valentine’s Day, and let children and/or grandchildren help prepare a scrumptious dessert.
Easy Chocolate Covered Strawberries
Fresh strawberries
12 oz. bag semi-sweet or milk chocolate chips
Cupcake liners
Wash and slice strawberries; pat dry, then set aside.
Melt chocolate chips in a microwave safe bowl, stirring every 30 seconds until melted.
Pour 1 to 1½ tsp. melted chocolate into cupcake liners. Place sliced strawberry in chocolate.
Chill 10 to15 minutes in refrigerator.
Pop out of cupcake liner and enjoy!
Chocolate Covered
Ice Cream Hearts
1 pint strawberry ice cream
3 oz. chopped chocolate
3 oz. coconut oil
Lay a pint of strawberry ice cream on its side and cut into 1-inch-thick rounds with a large, serrated knife; peel off the carton. Cut out hearts with a 2-inch cookie cutter; place on a rack set on a baking sheet and freeze 30 minutes.
For the coating, combine chopped chocolate with coconut oil in a microwave safe bowl. Microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring, until smooth.
Pour over the ice cream hearts. Freeze until set, then drizzle with melted candy melts.
Heart Shaped Cinnamon Sugar Tortilla Chips with Nutella Dip
Corn Tortilla Chips:
6 corn tortillas
Cinnamon/sugar mixture to taste
Olive oil, avocado oil or vegetable oil
Heart shaped cookie cutter
Preheat oven to 400.
Brush both sides of tortillas with oil.
Place tortillas in a stack and use cookie cutter to make heart shaped pieces.
Place tortillas on baking sheet. Make sure they don’t overlap. Sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar.
Bake until golden brown 7 to 10 minutes; rotate the pan once. Watch closely. They will burn quickly.
Cool completely. Chips will crisp as they cool.
Eat plain or serve with a dip.
Nutella Dip:
1/4 cup Nutella
1/4 cup Greek yogurt
Whisk Nutella and yogurt together. Serve immediately
Fruit Salsa with Cinnamon Sugar Flour Tortilla Chips
Fruit Salsa:
2 kiwis, peeled and diced
2 golden delicious apples, diced
8 oz. raspberries, optional
1 lb. strawberries, chopped
2 Tbsp. white sugar
3 Tbsp. fruit preserves, any flavor
In a large bowl, mix fruit, sugars and preserves. Cover and chill at least 15 minutes. Serve with Cinnamon Sugar Tortilla Chips.
Cinnamon Sugar Four Tortilla Chips:
10 (10-inch) flour tortillas
Butter flavored cooking spray
1/2 cup cinnamon sugar
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Coat one side of each tortilla with butter spray. Cut into wedge shapes.
Arrange on single layer on cookie sheet. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.
Spray again with butter spray. Bake 8 to 10 minutes. Can cut tortillas into shapes for holidays. I cut heart shape tortillas for Valentines and Pumpkin tortillas for the fall.
Valentine Party Mix
9 cups Corn Chex cereal
1½ cups dry roasted peanuts
1 cup packed light brown sugar
½ cup butter or margarine
½ cup light corn syrup
1 tsp. vanilla extract
½ tsp. baking soda
1 bag Valentine M and M’s
1 pkg. Valentine candy corn
1 pkg. Flipz white fudge covered pretzels
Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Grease large roasting pan.
Mix cereal and peanuts. Pour into prepared pan.
Combine brown sugar, butter and corn syrup in
medium heavy-duty saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat.
Stir constantly. Boil without stirring for 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in vanilla and baking soda. Mixture will bubble.
Pour evenly over cereal mixture. Stir to coat evenly.
Bake for 45 minutes, stirring every 10 to 15 minutes.
Cool completely in pan, stirring frequently to break apart mixture.
When cool, stir in M and M’s, Flipz and candy corn.
Store in airtight container. Can change candy according to the holiday or season.
Sugar Cookies
Cream well:
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup powdered sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
Add:
2 well-beaten eggs
Stir in:
1 cup cooking oil
2 tsp. vanilla
Combine:
1 tsp. baking soda
Pinch of salt with 5¼ cups plain flour
Add to other ingredients.
Roll in small balls and place on cookie sheet. Press flat with glass dipped in sugar.
Bake at 325 to 350 degrees for about 10 minutes or until light brown.
Ice with Sugar Cookie Dipping Icing.
Sugar Cookie Dipping Icing
Dries hard and shiny
12-24 cookies
1 cup powdered sugar
2 tsp. milk
2 tsp. light corn syrup
¼ tsp. vanilla or almond extract
Food coloring
Stir the powdered sugar and the milk until smooth.
Beat in corn syrup and vanilla until icing is smooth and glossy.
If too glossy, add more corn syrup.
Divide icing into separate bowls and stir in food coloring as desired. Cookies can be dipped or spread on with a knife.
Hot Vanilla Drink
Good with sugar cookies
For each cup of hot vanilla:
Microwave 1 cup milk and 2 or more tsp. sugar in a mug until hot (about 90 seconds). Stir in 1/2 tsp. vanilla. Top with a dollop of chocolate cream (recipe below) and a drizzle of chocolate syrup.
Chocolate Cream:
In a medium bowl beat 1/2 cup whipping cream until frothy. Add 1 Tbsp. chocolate syrup. Continue beating until peaks form. Makes enough to top about six drinks.
Tortilla Heart Pizza
Let children help make these.
Tortillas
Store bought or homemade pizza sauce
Shredded cheese
Pepperoni
Using a heart cookie cutter- size of your choice, cut heart shapes from tortillas. Place on a baking pan, and bake at 450 degrees for about 5 minutes.
Top each one with sauce, cheese and pepperoni. Bake for an additional 6 to 7 minutes until cheese is melted and edges are crispy.
Green Salad with Mandarin Oranges and Caramelized Almonds
Red leaf lettuce
1 Tbsp. chopped parsley, optional
1 can mandarin oranges, drained
Caramelized almonds (recipe follows)
Caramelized Almonds:
2 Tbsp. sugar in a heavy pan.
1/4 cup slivered almonds
Stir over low heat until sugar melts, turns brown and collects on almonds for about 5 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat and break apart.
Dressing:
1/4 cup oil
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
2 Tbsp. sugar
2 Tbsp. vinegar
Few dashes of Tabasco
Combine all ingredients.
To assemble salad, place red leaf lettuce, parsley (if using) and oranges in a large bowl. Add caramelized almonds and toss salad, adding dressing.
Baked Spanish Pork Chops
4-6 pork chops
1-2 bell peppers, sliced
1-2 onions, sliced
14.5 oz. can petite diced tomatoes
At least 2 cups partially cooked rice
Brown pork chops lightly; season with salt and pepper. Place in 9 by 13-inch casserole dish. Slice peppers and onions into rings. Place one slice of pepper and one slice of onion on top of each pork chop. Fill each ring with large helping of partially cooked rice. Pour can of tomatoes with juice over all, covering well. Season with ground pepper.
Bake, covered, between 375 and 400 degrees for one hour.
Slow Cooker Creamy Ranch Pork Chops
6 boneless pork chops, about 1/2 inch thick
1 can (10 oz.) cream of chicken soup
1 can (10 oz.) cream of mushroom soup
1 packet (1 oz.) ranch dressing/ seasoning mix
Freshly chopped parsley, optional
Grease the insert of a slow cooker with cooking spray. Place pork chops in the slow cooker.
Pour the cream soups over the pork chops; then sprinkle top with ranch seasoning mix.
Cover with lid and cook on low heat for 6 hours or cook on high heat for 4 hours.
When ready to serve sprinkle with chopped parsley, if desired.
Easy Cheesy Cauliflower
Whole head of cauliflower
¼ cup water
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
1 cup mayonnaise
1 Tbsp. mustard
Wash cauliflower and place whole in round glass baking dish. Pour in about 1/4 cup of water. Cover with Saran. Cook in microwave until tender.
Mix together grated cheese, mayonnaise and mustard. Pour over cauliflower. Cook one more minute in microwave until cheese is warm.
Scalloped Pineapple
4 cups bread, cut into cubes
½ cup butter, softened
2¼ cups sugar
4 large eggs, beaten
1 cup milk
20 oz. can crushed pineapple with juice
Chop soft bread into cups making 4 cups. You can include the crust. Whisk together eggs, sugar softened butter and pineapple with juice. Whisk until smooth; then add the bread.
Transfer to a greased 9 by 13-inch dish. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes at 350 degrees until custard is set and the top is golden brown in spots.
Easy Barbecue Chicken
4-6 chicken breasts
Salt
1 small Coke
1 cup ketchup
Season chicken with salt and place in a large skillet. Add Coke and ketchup. Bring to a boil and simmer for 1 hour or longer.
