Johnson enjoys old-fashioned meals

Sandy Johnson prefers cooking foods in a more old-fashioned style, like frying potatoes in an iron skillet and using a Betty Washington cast iron wood burning stove to prepare meals in the winter. 

“The food is so delicious,” Johnson said. “The food from the stove really has a different flavor.” 

Johnson was born and raised in Philadelphia and has lived here her whole life. She currently lives in the Fairview community near the Neshoba County Fairgrounds with her husband Dewayne Johnson and enjoys spending time with her son Kasey and his wife Courtney, and another son Jake and his wife Brittany.

Johnson also has two grandchildren, Ezra and Micah, and another grandchild is expected in December. 

She said she got into cooking at a young age watching her mother and grandmother, both were excellent cooks. She recalls making macaroni and cheese with her sisters while standing in a chair at the stove. 

Her favorite parts of cooking are how relaxing it is and watching her family enjoy what she prepares. 

“I like to find a recipe and then tweak it to my liking,” she said. “Sometimes recipes just need something extra. I cook food old-style, such as fried potatoes in an iron skillet. I use cast iron mostly.” 

Johnson said she also enjoys preparing casseroles and using her Betty Washington wood burning cook stove, especially during the colder months. 

THE BEST 

CHEESECAKE 

1 box honey graham crackers, crushed 

1 cup pecans or walnuts, chopped 

2 sticks melted butter (sweet cream or salted) 

(Mix all together and place in an 11-inch non-stick pan)

1 1/2 cups of sugar

3 packs cream cheese 

3 eggs 

(Mix well and pour on top of pie crust. Put a sheet of aluminum foil under the cheese cake and bake for 50 minutes at 350 degrees. Five minutes before taking the cheesecake out of the oven, mix one pint of sour cream and 1 can of sweetened condensed milk and pour the mixture over the top of the cake. Bake for an additional 20 minutes. 

After baking, cover the cake with aluminum foil and refrigerate overnight. 

RUBY SOUP 

4 chicken breasts or 10-12 legs or thighs 

10 cups of water 

1 stick of sweet cream or salted butter 

1 can cream of chicken soup 

5 chicken bouillon cubes 

Pepper to taste 

Boil chicken until tender. Remove chicken from stock and debone. Add the chicken back to the pot and heat on medium until just before boiling. Reduce heat to low. 

In a bowl, add 3/4 cup of cornmeal, 2 cups whole milk, and 2 cups of water. Mix well and add to the chicken pot. Add a stick of butter, stir, and cover for 20 minutes. Stir every couple of minutes until ready to serve. 

JOHNSON CORNBREAD 

2 cups self-rising cornmeal 

2 cups self-rising flour 

1 heaping tablespoon mayo 

2 eggs 

2 cups whole fat buttermilk 

Mix all of these ingredients in a bowl and preheat the oven to 425 degrees. After mixing cornbread batter, prepare an iron skillet. Add a couple tablespoons of oil and cornmeal to the skillet and heat. When cornmeal is browned enough to your liking, add cornbread batter to the skillet. Bake in the oven for around 45 minutes until the top is browned.