OPINION —
With her love of cooking from a young age, Melinda Johnson has enjoyed cooking for her family over the years. After the children were grown and her husband Bobby passed away, Melinda began using her gift for cooking at Wednesday night suppers at Pepperell Baptist Church. Melinda, who has a doctorate, also has a love of being a school teacher and taught for 20 years.
Melinda grew up in Eldridge, a small town in North Alabama. Her parents had a garden every summer, and her mother cooked big family meals, especially on Sundays. Melinda began cooking at age 12 and learned to make homemade biscuits.
“I discovered that I really liked to cook on one sunny summer day when I was about 12 years old,” Melinda said. “It was the first day of summer vacation. I jumped up, got all my chores done and sat down to look at a cookbook Mother had bought me from the Home Economics fundraiser.
“As I flipped through the pages I thought about the recipes and whether or not I had the ingredients on hand. The Fresh Apple Cake sounded delicious, so I made that cake. When Daddy and my grandfather wandered in from chores they had been doing outside, I offered them a slice and a cold drink. That cake must have been mighty good because, except for a slice for me, they ate that whole cake.
“I had been cooking the usual breakfast and supper foods for the family for a couple of years,” she added, “but this was my first cake and the first of many.”
When Melinda graduated from high school, she moved to Opelika to attend Auburn University. She was planning on being an attorney, but her father wanted her to attend pharmacy school. She tried it but discovered it was not “her cup of tea.”
After Melinda and her husband, Bobby, were married, she later went back to Auburn University and received a degree in early childhood education, a master’s degree and education specialist in early childhood education and a PhD She also received certifications in reading education and administration.
Bobby grew up in Pepperell Village and worked at the drug store and grocery store where he delivered groceries on his bike throughout the village. He joined the Army and afterwards worked at a couple of places, including Duke’s Clothing Store.
“His mother, Katie Bell Johnson Bennet, was an amazing cook,” Melinda said. “An invitation to her house for a meal was an invitation to a banquet. Every dish would be delicious. I learned to make a happy medium of his Mom’s recipes and the ones I had learned from my Mom.”
After working at various places, Bobby and Melinda owned a family clothing store, BJ’s, on Railroad Avenue in downtown Opelika. Melinda’s office as a tax practitioner was at the store. When Bobby was not able to work anymore because of rheumatoid arthritis, they closed the store and moved the tax business to their home.
Melinda began teaching elementary school in Chambers County, as Lee County didn’t have an opening. She loved the work and would decorate her classroom with subjects the children were studying. Bobby would help her with some design projects such as making a life size kangaroo and joey from paper mache.
Melinda has three daughters. Dee Dee Brenneman and her husband Ryan reside in Charlotte, North Carolina, and have two children, Belle and Blythe. Rachel Allgood and her husband Chris live in Marietta, Georgia, with their two children, Jack and Quinn, while the youngest daughter, Jackie Johnson of Opelika has two children, Kayla Haga and Blake Fitzerald.
“My favorite times to cook were when we had family over,” Melinda said. “I would cook all of Bobby’s favorite foods. The laughter, the comradery and pure love poured out on those days motivated me to have more of them. Now, those days are gone as most of our older family members have passed on, and Bobby, after 51 years as my soulmate, joined them in heaven about a year and a half ago.”
After Bobby passed away, Melinda began attending Pepperell Baptist Church and noticed on Wednesday nights, there were not many children attending.
“I thought if we could have supper at the church,” she said, “then the parents could attend and get the children fed without having to do that at home. The Lord laid that on my heart that if the meals started back everyone who participated would benefit.”
Melinda shared the idea with Jean Randolph and Rachel Elrod, who oversees the kitchen at the church. Both ladies thought it was a good idea, and Rachel went through proper channels to make it happen three months ago. The supper starts at 5 p.m. and cost is $5 for those 7 and older.
While Melinda had lost interest in cooking for just herself, she is enjoying cooking for the church suppers.
“Now I find myself looking back at memories of family dinners as I cook and participate in the church suppers. I enjoy the fellowship among everyone from the cradle to some in their 80s. I always try to go early to help set up.
“My heart fills to full and overflowing as everyone begins to arrive, with the smells, sounds of chatter and laughter and the babies who have been in carriers now beginning to walk and toddle around. Helping hands care for those who need help, and the college students enjoy a good meal. One thing for sure is that God is in this place.”
Melinda takes vegetables every week and also helps prepare the main dish one week a month.
“I think it draws us closer to share a meal together,” she said. “It feels like family, and that is what a church is supposed to be.
“Some of the benefits we have seen have been the fellowship and comradery of our diners as we get to know one another better and learn how we can support each other more. Now, I am finding my love for cooking again.
“As I enter this new season in my life,” Melinda added. “I am more committed to serve the Lord. My goal is to walk through this season in a humble and positive manner. I want to encourage and serve others whether it be in my church at Pepperell Baptist, Opelika Community-Wide Widows Hope, Trinity Stitchers, the Walk to Emmaus ministry or wherever the Lord leads.”
Fresh Apple Cake
4 Tbsp. butter, room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 egg, well beaten
1 cup plus 2 Tbsp. sifted self-rising flour
½ tsp. soda
½ tsp. cinnamon
½ tsp. nutmeg
1 tsp. vanilla flavoring
2 cups peeled, cubed apples (Use your favorite for cooking. I prefer golden delicious a.)
¼ cup chopped pecans, optional
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream together butter and sugar. Add beaten egg. Sift together self-rising flour, soda and spices. Add dry ingredients to butter and egg mixture. Add vanilla, apples and nuts.
Pour into a 9×13-inch cake pan that has been coated with nonstick cooking spray or lightly greased with shortening and lightly sprinkled with flour.
Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until a toothpick or knife inserted in the middle comes out clean. Serve warm with ice cream or whipped topping.
Coconut Cake and Icing
Cake:
Prepare your favorite white cake recipe (I prefer yellow, but my family prefers white). Cool. Split layers in half to have four layers.
Icing:
This recipe is not a quick one. You have to place the mixture in the freezer for at least an hour. It tastes better if you store it in the refrigerator overnight. The finished cake should be stored in the refrigerator several hours or overnight before serving.
- 2 cups sugar
- 16 oz. pkg. sour cream
- 12 oz. coconut (Katie Bell preferred frozen coconut. My mom, Lillie Mae, preferred to grind fresh coconut.)
- 1 ½ cups Cool Whip
- Mix sugar, sour cream and coconut together and cover the mixture. Place mixture in the freezer for at least 1 hour or preferably store in the refrigerator overnight.
When you take the mixture out of the refrigerator, measure out 1 cup and mix it with Cool Whip; set aside.
Spread remaining mixture between layers of the cake. Spread Cool Whip mixture over the top and around the side. Store in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
Potato Soup
1 small onion, chopped
½ cup diced celery
3 cups milk
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. black pepper, optional
2 lbs. cut up or diced potatoes (about 6 medium potatoes) The size of the potato determines cooking time.
2 Tbsp. butter
1 Tbsp. A-1 sauce
2 Tbsp. self-rising flour
1 cup whipping cream
1 tsp. parsley (½ for soup and ½ for garnish), optional
In a skillet, melt butter and add onion and celery. Cook about 2 minutes or three at the most to soften onion and celery: set aside.
In a soup pot or double boiler add milk, potatoes, salt and pepper. Cook on low to medium for about 10 minutes or until potatoes start to get tender. Stir often as milk tends to stick to the bottom of the pan and can cause a scorched taste to your soup if you do not stir often.
In the skillet, warm onion and celery mixture. Whisk together flour, A-1 sauce and a pinch of salt. Add flour mixture to the skillet and stir or whisk so there are no lumps. Slowly add cream. Make sure potatoes have cooled a bit. Simmer potato mixture and slowly add the flour mixture to avoid lumps until soup smooth. Stir constantly and thoroughly.
Let simmer, still stirring, for about 5 minutes or longer. Serve with your favorite crackers or my favorite, buttermilk cornbread.
Cocoa Brownies
¾ cups self-rising flour
1 cup sugar
¼ tsp. salt
¼ cup cocoa
½ cup softened butter
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
½ cup chopped pecans or walnuts, optional
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix flour, sugar, salt and cocoa (dry ingredients). Stir ingredients until they are thoroughly mixed and smooth.
Add softened butter, eggs and vanilla. Stir until thoroughly mixed. Add chopped nuts, if desired. Stir. Pour into a 9×12-inch pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted one inch from the side comes out clean. Cool 15 minutes.
Cut into squares. Cool about 30 more minutes before removing brownies from the pan with a spatula.
Chicken Pot Pie
1 premade refrigerated pie crust
2 cups cooked chicken
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can cream of celery soup
1 small can of carrots, drained, optional
1 small can of sweet peas, drained optional
1 or 2 sliced boiled eggs, optional
Salt to taste
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Lay out pie crust so that it will be at room temperature when you are ready to place in dish.
Chop chicken into small bite size pieces. Boil, peel and slice boiled eggs. Put chicken in the bottom of a casserole dish (9x9x4-inchs).
Mix soup, vegetables, salt and broth. Pour mixture over chicken. Unroll pie crust. Lay crust over top of the dish. Use fingers to press crust firmly around the top of dish. Can brush top of the crust lightly with milk or melted butter, if desired. Cut 3 or 4 slits or shapes in several places in the crust.
Bake 35 or until crust is golden brown.
Marinated Beef Tenderloin
2 to 6 lb. tenderloin
Marinade:
½ cup Worcestershire sauce
¼ cup lemon juice
¼ cup soy sauce
2 Tbsp. minced garlic
Marinate tenderloin for at least 8 hours (longer can be better allowing the marinade to flavor the meat more thoroughly). Mix marinade ingredients in a gallon sized (or larger if needed) in plastic bag. Mix well.
Add tenderloin to bag. Seal the bag, pressing out as much air as possible. Massage the marinade into the tenderloin for about two minutes. Place the marinated tenderloin in the refrigerator for at least 8 hours.
Take the marinated meat out of the refrigerator and massage it for a minute.
When ready to prepare. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Take marinated tenderloin out of the refrigerator one to two hours before cooking to allow it to come to room temperature. Remove meat from marinade and place it in a metal baking pan approximately 13x17x3-inches. Do not put the marinade in the pan.
Cook approximately 10 to 12 minutes per pound.
Use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature
- Rare: 120 to 125 degrees
- Medium-Rare: 130 to 135 degrees
- Medium:140 to 145 degrees
When tenderloin has reached desired doneness, remove from oven. Cover tenderloin (not the pan, just the meat) with a tented piece of aluminum foil from end to end; do not close the ends of tent. Let tenderloin stand in the tent for 10 minutes before slicing.
Cut in thin slices (¼ inch or size desired) across the length of the tenderloin.
Santa Fe Soup
2 lbs. ground beef
Two 5 oz. pkg. ranch dressing
Two 1¼ pkg. taco mix
16 oz. can black beans, drained
16 oz. can kidney beans, drained
2 cups water
15 oz. can diced tomatoes
15 oz. can white corn
10 oz. can Rotel
16 oz. can pinto beans, drained
Brown ground beef in a skillet. Add taco mix. Stir well (about 2 minutes). Pour into a 6 to 8 quart pot. Set aside ranch dressing mix (you will add this when the soup is almost done.)
Add other ingredients, except ranch dressing mix, stirring as you add each ingredient. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat. Simmer approximately 2 hours; stirring occasionally Add ranch dressing and cook for 5 more minutes.
Crockpot: You can also cook this soup in a large crockpot. Cook on low 4 to 6 hours. Stir occasionally.
Waffles
2 cups Bisquick
1 egg
½ cup oil
1 1/3 cups club soda
Mix all ingredients together. Cook on waffle iron.
You can freeze the leftovers and pop them in the toaster to reheat.
Easy No Bake Banana Pudding
1 small box instant vanilla pudding
1 ½ cups milk
1 can sweetened condensed milk
16 oz. container Cool Whip
4 or 5 bananas
1 box vanilla wafers
First, prepare the filling. Mix vanilla pudding with milk. Stir until smooth (about 2 minutes). Add sweetened condensed milk and blend thoroughly. Fold in Cool Whip.
Slice bananas. In a 9×13-inch dish, make a layer of vanilla wafers, then a layer of bananas and top with a layer filling (about half of the mixture). Repeat with another round of vanilla wafers, bananas and then filling.
If you have any vanilla wafers leftover put them on top and sprinkle crumbs across the top as well.
Simple Cheese Ball
8 oz. pkg. cream cheese, room temperature
12 oz. pkg. shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
½ tsp. cayenne pepper
1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
2 tsp. garlic salt
1 to 2 Tbsp. dried parsley, optional
1 black olive, optional
1 stem fresh parsley, optional
Mix all ingredients well. Roll the mixture into a ball. Cover and refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours. Remove ball from refrigerator. Roll the ball in dried parsley.
For garnish: Shortly before serving, make a small indentation in top of the cheese ball. Put one black olive in the indentation/hole. Put a stem of fresh parsley in the black olive.
Buttermilk Cornbread
2 large eggs (lightly beaten with a fork)
1¾ cups buttermilk
¼ cup vegetable oil
2 cups self-rising cornmeal
1 Tbsp. shortening or baking spray
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Place the pan you are going to use in oven as it preheats (If you warm your pan before you spray or grease it is less likely to stick. You need to spray it while it is still warm — not hot, just still warm.) I use an iron skillet. Set pan aside.
In a medium to large bowl, thoroughly mix cornmeal, buttermilk and eggs. Stir in vegetable oil.
Spray or grease warm pan.
Pour mixture into pan. Shake the pan to evenly spread mixture.
Bake at 450 degrees for 25 minutes or until a knife stuck in the middle of the pan comes out clean. Take cornbread out of the oven. Shake the pan to loosen the bread from the sides and turn the cornbread onto a serving dish.
