Clemons finds peace with cooking

Peace and comfort are the biggest things Shundrell Clemons gets out of preparing food, and she always thinks of her grandmother whenever she cooks. 

“Cooking relaxes me and I find comfort in it,” Clemons said. “My grandmother, Barbara, taught me how to cook, and whenever I cook now, it reminds me of her since she’s no longer here and I find comfort in doing something she taught me.” 

Clemons was born in Gulfport and grew up in the Philadelphia area. She works as a corrections officer at the Neshoba County Detention Center and enjoys spending time with her children, Jaelon and Jada. Their favorite things to do are travel to places like Disney World and visit family. 

Clemons said she was around 12 years old when she first began cooking with her grandmother. 

“I remember cooking soul food, and first learned how to prepare multiple types of vegetables,” Clemons said. “Nowadays I like to cook food such as greens, fried chicken, butter beans, peas, and more. I can cook any kind of vegetable, and I bake a lot of cakes. I make a Butterfinger cake that everyone seems to love, and I’ll make pound cakes every now and then. Sometimes banana pudding.” 

Clemons said she also experiments and throws things together. 

“This morning I did a yogurt parfait bar with chopped fruit and granola spread out to make your own parfaits,” she said. “It was a hit. Cooking is relaxing and comforting and it reminds me of my grandmother.” 

BUTTERFINGER CAKE 

1 pkg Devil’s Food cake mix 

2/3 cup water 

2 large eggs 

1/2 cup oil 

Sweetened condensed milk 

1/2 jar hot fudge topping 

1/2 jar caramel topping 

1 (16oz) container of Cool Whip 

3 oz crushed Butterfinger candy 

2 oz crushed Heath Bar candy 

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9 x 13 inch baking pan. Mix cake mix, water, oil, and egg together until smooth and add to baking pan. Bake in the oven for 28-30 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. 

Remove from the oven and immediately poke holes in the cake using a straw. Pour condensed milk over the cake and add hot fudge and caramel. Allow the cake to cool for one hour. 

Spread whipped topping over cooled cake and sprinkle with crushed Butterfinger and Heath Bar. Refrigerate for one hour before serving.  

LEMON PEPPER BAKED CHICKEN

1 1/2 pound chicken breast (boneless, skinless, sliced in half) 

1/4 teaspoon onion powder 

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder 

1 tbsp lemon pepper seasoning 

1/4 teaspoon salt 

3 tbsps unsalted butter 

Lemon slices 

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Mix together melted butter, salt, lemon pepper seasoning, garlic powder, and onion powder. Rub onto chicken breast. 

Place chicken into the oven and bake for 18 minutes. Remove the chicken, place in aluminum foil, and bake for another 4-5 minutes. 

Remove from the oven and allow chicken to cool and rest for five minutes. Garnish with parsley and serve. 

SOUTHERN STYLE

COLLARDS 

1 lb bag of collard greens 

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes 

1 tbsp hot pepper juice 

1 1/2 cups chicken broth

1 cup onion, chopped 

3 garlic cloves 

1 smoked turkey leg package, fully cooked 

Soak and wash greens. In a 6 quart electric pressure cooker, add turkey, onion, garlic, red pepper, and chicken broth. Add greens on top and place the lid on the pressure cooker. Cook for 35 minutes on high pressure. 

Open lid to remove turkey legs from the cooker and shred the meat. Return meat to the greens. Add pepper juice, stir, and serve.