Drake enjoys retirement adventures
Debbie Drake began her career as a registered nurse in 1994 because she cared about taking care of others. In 2017, Drake retired and began and exciting traveling adventure.
Debbie Drake grew up in Philadelphia and attended Neshoba Central High School. She furthered her career at MCC in nursing. Drake grew up with 7 siblings and a mother who loved to cook. Drake's mothers love of cooking rubbed off on her family as well as she and her children and grandchildren.
"My daughter Mandi McDonald and her husband Stevie always have amazing meals when I visit, he's our grill master" Drake said. "My niece Breana Land is often at my house and is always helpful with my pound cake recipe."
Drake loves to travel. She started her traveling adventure with cruises, but since the COVD-19 pandemic she has begun driving around the great states. Drake spends a lot of time in the Gulf Shores visiting with friends. She owns a condo near Miami where she enjoy's spending time. Her nieces and family also come and visit.
She recently started a spontaneous road trip.
"In the past four-weeks I have been from south Florida to Gulf Shores, Alabama to Mississippi, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Colorado and the corner of Arizona." she said.
Drake mentioned that she has felt safe during her travels during the COVID-19 pandemic and has worn her mask and took the precautions set by CDC on social-distancing.
Her love of cooking has turned her into a food expert. When she travels every meal she eats she can taste the different flavors. She even mentioned that she could be a food critic. When she is on the road she does not cook a lot, but instead likes to try new food.
Drake now enjoys baking more than she does cooking and loves to have sweets around the house.
"I want to thank Tiffany Durant and her daughter Ali Durant who is 11 for letting me come bake this week in their kitchen in Daphne, Alabama." Drake said.
POUND CAKE
Prep time: 20 min: Bake: 1 hour and 20 minutes: Cool: 2 hours and 20 minutes (24 servings)
2 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup butter or stick margarine, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla or almond extract
5 large eggs
3 cups all-purpose flour**
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk or evaporated milk
Powdered sugar, if desired
1. Heat oven to 350. Grease bottom and side of angel food cake pan (tube pan), 10 x 4 inches, 12-cup bundt cake pan or 2 load pans, 9 x 5 x 3 inches, with shortening, lightly flour.
2. Beat sugar, butter, vanilla and eggs in large bowl with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds, scraping bowl constantly. Beat on high speed 5 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Mix flour, baking powder and salt. Beat flour mixture into sugar mixture alternately with milk on low speed, beating just until smooth after each addition. Pour into pan(s).
3. Bake angel food or bundt cake pan 1 hour 10 minutes to 1 hour 20 minutes, loaf pans 55 to 60 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean. Cool 20 minutes; remove from pan(s) to wire rack. Cool completely, about 2 hours. Sprinkle with powdered sugar.
BEST BROWNIES
1/2 cup butter or margarine, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs
1/2 cup unsifted all-purpose flour
1/3 cup HEYSHEY'S Cocoa
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional)
CREAMY FROSTING
3 tablespoons butter or margarine, softened
3 tablespoons HERSHEY'S Cocoa
1 tablespoon light corn syrup or honey
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1 to 2 tablespoons mil
Blend butter, sugar and vanilla in large bowl. Add eggs; using a wooden spoon, beat well. Combine flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt; gradually blend into eggs mixture. Stir in nuts (if you chose to use nuts.)
Spread in greased 9-inch square pan. Bake at 350 for 20 to 25 minutes or until brownie begins to pull away from edges of pan. Cool; frost with Creamy Brownie Frosting. Cut into squares. (About 16 brownies.)
For frosting put cream butter, cocoa, corn syrup and vanilla in small mixer bowl. Add confectioners' sugar and milk; beat to spreading consistency. (About 1 cup of frosting.)
***Instead of frosting, top with 4 Hershey's bars as soon as the pan comes out of the oven.
CHOCOLATE CHIP PEANUT BUTTER PIE
8 oz. cream cheese
16-oz tub whipped topping (thawed)
1 cup peanut butter
2 Tbsp. Kahlua
8 oz. powdered sugar (1 cup)
3/4 cup miniature chocolate chips
1 Oreo pie shell
Mix cream cheese, peanut butter, Kahula and powdered sugar together. Add whipped topping and blend well. Fold in chocolate chips. Pour into pie shell. Should be mounded high in the middle. Note: Keep refrigerated. Serve with a dollop of whipped cream.