Haston finds joy in faith, family, food

Haston finds joy in faith, family, food

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Dawn Haston, the daughter of Joseph and Linda Stevenson, met her husband, Jason Haston, in 2000 under unexpected circumstances. On her way to work at Neshoba General, she ran out of gas after deciding to postpone filling up until after her shift.

Jason, who was visiting from Tennessee, crossed paths with Dawn at a stop sign while heading back from the landfill. At the time, his parents were preparing to move their log home business to Mississippi, but Jason had intended to stay in Tennessee and work at the post office with his uncle. However, there were other plans.

Just a week after their chance meeting, the two went on their first date. By November, Jason proposed to Dawn at the Chapel on the Hill in Legion Park in Louisville. On June 16, 2001, they were married and settled in Philadelphia.

“This was God at work, orchestrating everything,” Dawn said. “I will always be grateful and know that all things work together for good to them that love God.”

The Hastons have two children. Their daughter, Keeley, graduated from Ole Miss in 2024 and is pursuing a master’s degree in education, which she is set to complete in May 2025 at just 22 years old. Their son, Blake, is a fourth grader at Neshoba Central Elementary, where Dawn says he has “the most awesome teachers.”

Dawn is a graduate of East Central and Colorado Technical University, and Jason has been a technician at Nissan North America for 21 years. They attend New Bethel Church, where Dawn enjoys teaching Bible school and leading classes. Over the years, she has also been invited to deliver messages at other churches.

“Each day, we are on a mission for our Lord to spread His love and ours to others,” she said. “Life is a gift from God as we all are, and we are gifts to one another by the love and care we give.”

Although Dawn says she’s “better at eating than cooking,” she holds fond memories of a few family recipes. Her mom’s hamburger potato casserole was a childhood favorite and remains a source of comfort.

Early in her marriage, she made Snickers pie every Christmas for gatherings with her parents and in-laws. One recipe, however, holds a particularly special place in her heart: her dad’s Brussels sprouts.

“I never would eat them growing up, not even in my 20s, but in my 30s, I fell in love with his Brussels sprouts for the first time,” Dawn said. “I thought, ‘Why have I denied myself this deliciousness all those years?’”

Dawn said she got to enjoy her dad’s Brussels sprouts for eight years before his passing in 2018 following a battle with cancer.

“I am thankful for every memory of laughter in the kitchen with my parents, all the love we shared, the way good food brings everything full circle, and now these years with my family,” she said.

“We all have our favorite foods, and may we always be thankful for the blessing God gives us to share with others,” Dawn added. “May we be lovers of light and givers of it!”

HAMBURGER POTATO CASSEROLE

Hamburger meat (1 lb. lean ground beef)

1 can of condensed cream of mushroom soup

¾ cup milk

Potatoes (3 to 4 thinly sliced or thicker if you choose)

Salt and pepper for seasoning

1 cup shredded cheese

Cook lean ground beef and drain any grease. Mix cream of mushroom soup and add salt and pepper. Add ground beef into your baking dish, layer your potato’s, cover with cream of mushroom soup, shredded cheese

Place aluminum foil atop of your dish and cook for one hour. You can also then cover with shredded cheese and place back in the oven to melt additional cheese and make sure your potatoes are tender Serve with love always.

SNICKERS PIE

8 oz. cream cheese softened

1 ½ cups powdered sugar

½ cup creamy peanut butter (or you can choose to use ½ cup chunky peanut butter)

3 regular size snickers candy bars

16 pinches Cool Whip thawed out

2-6 oz. graham cracker pie crusts

In a large sized mixing bowl, you will beat your cream cheese, powdered sugar, and peanut butter until you have a creamy mixture. Stir in your three chopped snickers candy bars.

Fold Cool Whip gently until mixed. Pour all into your pie crusts and allow to sit overnight in the refrigerator or at least for 8 hours. Serve with love always.

SIMPLY ROASTED BRUSSEL SPROUTS

Brussel sprouts

Parmesan cheese

Salt and pepper

Olive oil

Shredded onion bits

Roast on a non-stick or sprayed pan (or on parchment paper). Slightly douse layered Brussel sprouts with olive oil. Add a small amount of salt and pepper for initial flavor.

Sprinkle parmesan cheese. (Optional) add shredded onion bits. Flip to coat evenly. Roast at 400 degrees for around 18/20 minutes or until you reach a lightly golden-brown texture of your choice.

Add additional coating of parmesan cheese. Serve with love always.






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