In the Kitchen with Loretta Battle

Loretta Battle spends many hours on the highway making her way to a rewarding job with Pediatrix Medical Group located at Baylor Health Care System, but coming home to see the smile of her beautiful angel, Briona, is what brings her the greatest joy. Cooking for others is her other passion in life.

“I love to cook and make people smile,” she said. “I find it a joy to cook and watch people eat and enjoy what I have prepared.”
Like most women, Loretta learned to cook from a loving female role model. “My godmother inspired me to cook. She taught me how to cook without using measurements,” she recalled. “I always stayed in the kitchen when the cooking was going on. I would always ask questions about what they were putting in the pot to make the food smell and taste so good.”

OKRA AND SQUASH MEDLEY
1 pkg. fresh okra
1 yellow squash
2 fresh tomatoes
1/2 onion
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. pepper
1/2 cup water
Cut okra, squash and tomatoes into round shapes
and place them in a medium skillet. Add onions and
olive oil. Add salt and pepper. Pour in water, cover
and let simmer for 30 minutes.

SWEET CANDIED YAMS
3 medium yams
2 1/2 cups water
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 stick butter
1 tsp. vanilla flavor
1 Tbsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
Peel yams; cut into square shapes. Wash and poor
into medium pot. Add water and boil for 10 minutes;
drain water. Place yams back into pot; add sugar,
butter, vanilla, nutmeg and cinnamon and stir them
together. Place top on pot and simmer until tender.

TASTY COLLARD GREENS
1 Tbsp. vinegar
1 smoked turkey leg or wing
4 bunches collard greens
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1/2 onion, chopped
1 Tbsp. minced garlic
2 Tbsp. Creole seasonings
Fill a large pot half full of water; add vinegar and
smoked turkey leg or wing. Bring to a boil; let boil
several minutes. Wash collard greens and add to
pot; cover. Let collard greens cook for 15 minutes;
stir. Add olive oil, onions, garlic and seasonings.
Stir and let simmer on medium until tender. (You
may have to add more water.)

HOT WATER CORN BREAD
4 cups water
2 cups yellow corn meal
1/3 cup flour
1 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. sugar
3/4 cup cooking oil
Bring 4 cups of water to a boil in a medium pot. In
a separate medium bowl mix corn meal, flour, salt
and sugar. When water is hot, pour into dry
mixture (a little bit at a time) until all the mixture
is completely wet and is like a thick paste. Preheat
oil in a medium skillet. Wet hands with cold water,
and scoop batter with a spoon. Pat into a round form
and drop into hot cooking oil. Cook until golden brown.

SWEET LO’S PEACH COBBLER
2 16-oz. cans sliced peaches
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 stick butter
2 Tbsp. vanilla flavor
2 Tbsp. nutmeg
1 tsp. cinnamon
2 pkgs. Pillsbury pie crust
Preheat oven to 350 F. Pour peaches into a
medium-size pot. Add sugar, butter, vanilla, nutmeg
and cinnamon; bring to a boil. Let peaches cook for
15 minutes. Pour into baking dish or pan, unfold pie
crust; cut into 4 pieces and place over cooked peaches.
Place in oven; bake until golden brown.

SMOTHERED PORK CHOPS AND LUMP FREE GRAVY
6 thick pork chops
Lawry’s Seasoned Salt, to taste
Creole seasoning salt, to taste
black pepper, to taste
1 small onion, chunked
1 small bell pepper, sliced
1 Tbsp. garlic, minced
1/2 cup flour
1/3 cup oil
2 cups hot water
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
Preheat oven to 375 F. Wash pork chops; add
seasonings on both sides of meat. Line pork chops
in a baking dish with onions, bell pepper and garlic
on top of meat. Cover with foil and place in oven
for 45 minutes. Bring meat from oven and set
aside. In a medium skillet, combine flour and oil;
mix over medium heat. Stir continually until flour
is golden brown and then add the water, salt and
pepper. Bring to a boil; let simmer for 10 minutes.
Poor over pork chops, cover with foil and bake for
1 hour and 15 minutes for the best tender chops on
this side of town.

— By Faith Browning

Recent Entries

• Midlothian Resident Sculpts Yard Art
• Ennis Residents Star in IMPACT Ennis Campaign
• Save Money with Multiple Policies
• July is Crape Myrtle Time
• In the Kitchen with Mary White

Related Entries -->

Comments