Fortenberry's family inspired cooking

Jennifer Fortenberry’s love for cooking was sparked by watching her mother and grandparents work their magic in the kitchen during her childhood.

“They were the type of cooks who never followed recipes, even if they had them,” Fortenberry said. “I learned by watching. It was always a pinch of this and a pinch of that.”

Fortenberry said she loved it when her mother always made chicken spaghetti and that both of her grandmothers made “the best biscuits.”

“I loved my granny on my dad’s side’s biscuits and gravy,” she said. “It didn’t matter what time of day it was—if I showed up, she made me biscuits and gravy.”

Shortly after starting college, Fortenberry moved back to Philadelphia from Oklahoma and discovered a collection of old church cookbooks.

These books, which contained recipes for classic pies like banana, coconut, and chocolate cream, became her foundation for learning through trial and error—much to the delight of her in-laws.

Fortenberry has been married to her husband, Jay Fortenberry, for 22 years. They share two sons: Clayton, a freshman at East Mississippi Community College, and Jackson, a ninth grader at Neshoba Central. Fortenberry herself has taught third-grade math at Neshoba for 22 years.

Her cooking has become a family favorite. Her youngest son loves her chicken nuggets, and her deviled eggs are always a hit when she cooks at the family deer camp.

Fortenberry’s personal favorite, however, is her chicken and dumplings, a recipe she learned from her friend Penny Sharp. For dessert, she often makes apple dumplings.

“My husband is a steak-and-potatoes person, so he loves it when I grill steaks,” she added.

Fortenberry said she follows recipes exactly the first time she cooks them but likes to tweak them to her taste after that.

At Arlington Baptist Church, where she and her family attend, she often brings creamed corn, peas, butterbeans, and Mexican cornbread to potluck dinners.

Her go-to seasonings include onion and garlic powder, creole spices, Cavender’s, and Montreal Steak or Perfect Pinch Steak for grilling.

“I like for people to enjoy what I cook,” Fortenberry said. “That’s the best part.”

Beyond cooking, she enjoys reading and hunting with her family at their deer camp.

MEXICAN CORNBREAD

1 ½ cup yellow cornmeal

½ tsp. salt

1 cup chopped onions

1 cup sharp cheddar cheese

3 eggs

½ cup vegetable oil

4 tbsp. Chopped jalapenos (more if you like it hot!)

1 can of creamed corn

½ cup milk

Combine all ingredients. Pour into a greased pan. Bake at 350° for 1 hour.

CHICKEN CASSEROLE

(Basically poppy seed chicken w/o the poppy seeds)

6 to 8 cooked and deboned chicken breast

1 can of cream of chicken soup

1 can of cream of mushroom soup

1 pint of sour cream

Ritz crackers

2 sticks of butter

Salt 

Pepper

Crush one sleeve of Ritz crackers and pour into the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish. Melt one stick of butter and pour evenly over the Ritz crackers.

Combine cream of chicken soup, cream of mushroom soup, and sour cream—mix well. Shred chicken and blend into mixture. Add salt and pepper to taste.

EASY CANDIED SWEET POTATOES

4 medium sized sweet potatoes

1 stick of butter

1 cup of sugar (May need more sugar depending on amount of potatoes)

Dash of salt

1 tbsp. flour

¼ cup water

Peel and cut potatoes like thick French fries. Place into a 9x13 baking dish. Cover potatoes (liberally) with sugar and a dash of salt.

Cover with pats of butter. Sift flour evenly over potatoes. Add water. Cover and bake for 1 hour at 400°.