Guess rebuilding recipes after fire

Mandy Guess learned to cook classic home-cooked Southern meals as a child from her grandmother and great-grandmother, who made everything from scratch.

“When I was a little girl, I would go spend a week or two every summer with my great-grandmother, Eva Luke, in Nanih Waiya,” she said. “My fondest memories were there with her learning how to make homemade biscuits.”

Over the years, Guess has developed a passion for baking cakes, cookies, and pies, while her family loves just about anything she makes.

“I don’t think I’ve ever heard any of them complain about anything,” she said.

Guess has worked at the Post Office for 25 years. She is married to Brian Guess, and together they have four daughters and two sons.

Guess said her signature dish is chicken and dumplings, though her fried deer meat has also received many compliments from friends and family.

“The whole family hunts,” she said. “We hunt around our house and have some leased land that we hunt on.”

Tragically, three years ago, their house caught fire, and they lost everything. Guess said they are in the process of rebuilding but have since had to downsize from a 5,000 sq. ft. home to a 730 sq. ft. home.

“I barely have a kitchen, so I cook quick meals right now until we can get our house finished,” Guess said.

The fire destroyed all her collected recipes, so to rebuild her collection, she sent out Christmas cards two years ago with her grandma’s recipes attached, requesting recipes in return.

Guess and her family attend The Sanctuary of Philadelphia, where she also cooks for the children during Bible School.

“Mostly, it’s just Southern home cooking,” she said. “I can pretty much make a meal if I have flour, cornmeal, a little oil, and milk. It might not be the best meal in the world, but I can usually make something out of it.”

Guess said she never measures ingredients or follows recipes exactly, so her meals are always unique and never taste the same. Her advice to young cooks is to watch their grandparents or family members who cook a lot.

“Cooking is a stress reliever for me,” she said. “If I’ve had a really stressful day, going home to the kitchen and starting to cook makes the night go by a lot easier.”

MEXICAN TRASH

1 bag Doritos crushed

2 cups shredded chicken

2 cups shredded cheese or more

1 can cream of chicken soup

1 can Rotel

1/2 c sour cream

1/2 c milk

1/2 package of taco seasoning

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 2-quart casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray.

Mix all ingredients but Doritos. Layer half the Doritos on the bottom. Spread half the chicken mixture over the Doritos. Repeat layers and top with extra cheese. Bake at 350° until bubbly and cheese is melted.  

CORN CASSEROLE

1 can cream style corn

1 can whole kernel corn

2 eggs beaten

8 oz sour cream

1 box jiffy cornbread mix

1/2 stick butter

Shredded cheese 1 cup or more

Mix all these together and pour into a casserole dish. Bake at 350° until done.

CRACK CHICKEN LASAGNA

12 lasagna noodles cooked

3 cans evaporated milk (12 oz each)

2 packets ranch seasoning mix (1 oz each)

8 oz cream cheese cubed

3 cups chopped cooked chicken (about 1 rotisserie chicken)

1 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese shredded

1 1/2 cups sharp cheddar cheese shredded

3 oz chopped bacon bits

Chopped green onions or fresh parsley for garnishing

Boil lasagna noodles according to package directions. Drain and set aside.

In a saucepan, heat the evaporated milk and ranch seasoning over low heat. Whisk constantly, and heat for 5 minutes until the mixture starts to thicken. Add the cream cheese cubes and mix until melted and smooth.

Spray a 9 x 13" baking pan with cooking spray. Preheat oven to 350.

Pour 3/4 cup of white sauce in the bottom of the baking dish. Place layer of pasta over the sauce. Sprinkle half of the chicken over the pasta. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup each of mozzarella and cheddar cheese. Drizzle 1 cup of sauce over the cheese. Repeat layers: pasta, remaining chicken, 1/2 cup each cheese, 1 cup of sauce.  

Layer the last layer of pasta, remaining sauce and top with remaining cheese and chopped bacon.  

Cover and bake for 20 minutes. Then uncover and bake another 10 minutes or until bubbly and heated through. Allow the lasagna to rest for 10 invites before service. Sprinkle with green onions or parsley if desired.

STRAWBERRY NECTAR CAKE

1 box strawberry cake mix

1 cup canola oil

1/2 cup sugar

1 cup strawberry nectar

4 eggs beaten 1 at a time

Mix cake mix, oil, sugar, and nectar together. Add eggs one at a time mixing well after each. Pour in a greased and floured bundt pan. Bake at 325° for 1 hour.