Haynes enjoys bringing people together
Tamara Haynes enjoys cooking because it brings everyone together.
“I enjoy family time with cooking, mostly with my kids helping out,” Haynes said. “To me, everyone comes together, especially when we cook for everyone, so that family aspect stands out to me.”
Haynes was born and raised in Neshoba County and runs a small business called Southern Mae’s. She also enjoys spending time with her husband Nick and kids, Allie May and Conner.
Haynes first began cooking when she was around 12 years old after learning how to make homemade biscuits from her grandmother. She likes to always have a Southern edge in whatever she cooks.
“From there I learned how to make things like chicken and dumplings,” Haynes said. “Nowadays my favorite thing to make is taco soup, and for the kids, I like to make cheesy ranch potatoes. We also grill a lot and make things like pork tenderloin, pork chops, deer steaks, and deer sausage since hunting is big in our family.”
For dessert, Haynes makes homemade peach cobbler, which is a family-favorite sweet dish.
“We mostly get together with family and cook around the holidays, but we also get with them during the summer and go to cookouts at my parents’ house since they have a pond and we like to go fishing,” Haynes said. “Keep cooking traditional, and jot down family recipes. It’s great for the kids to learn from their grandparents so they can pass those recipes down.”
HOMEMADE BISCUITS
Two cups of self-rising flour
Crisco
Three cups of buttermilk (whole or whatever is preferred)
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. In a large bowl, mix the flour and buttermilk until the dough comes together. Add one or two tablespoons of milk if the dough seems dry or not coming together.
Lay a baking sheet down and sprinkle flour across the sheet, and pour the dough down. Pat and roll your dough a couple of times until it is no longer sticky, and spread out an even layer around a half an inch thick.
Grab a mason jar or any cup to cut your biscuits. Rub Crisco in an iron skillet and place biscuits in the skillet.
Cook for 13-16 minutes or until the top of the biscuits are light golden brown on top.
CHICKEN AND DUMPLINGS
One whole cooked and shredded chicken
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 container of chicken broth
2 cups of self-rising flour
Crisco
Pepper to taste
Heat chicken broth on medium to high heat until it starts to gently boil. Add the cream of chicken soup and stir. Then add your shredded chicken. Mix your flour and cup of milk in a large bowl until it reaches doughy consistency.
Use a tablespoon and scoop little ball-sized dough pieces and drop them into the pot. Allow to simmer for 5-10 minutes.