Page sees kitchen as heart of home

Laurie Page enjoys a life surrounded by faith, family, and a love for cooking. 

“I’ve always loved cooking,” she said. “It’s a great way to show people you love them and care about them.”

She is married to Ronnie Page, and together, they’ve embraced the joys of raising two sons, Casie and Caleb, and delighting in the laughter of four grandchildren, Randi Jo, Briar, Ettalyn, and Coen.

Throughout their marriage, Ronnie's 36-year career at Mississippi Power has led them from Philadelphia to various corners of Mississippi including living in Forest, Union, Meridian, Wiggins, Newton, and Biloxi, to eventually moving back home to Philadelphia. He currently serves as president of Beachview Energy Storm Restoration Service.

“We moved around a lot, but it was fun, and we made a lot of great friends,” Page said. “We still have those friends today.” 

The Page’s Sundays are spent at First Baptist Church, where Laurie is actively involved in teaching mission friends on Wednesdays and loves the company of the little ones there. 

She learned to cook from her parents, Travis and Lillian Tidwell, and grandmother, Odie Tidwell, who were “fabulous cooks.”

“I remember being at my grandmother’s house watching her cook,” she said. “Momma and Daddy did a lot of cooking together and loved to make gumbo. I liked watching them because you always felt love in the kitchen.”

Now, her own kitchen is the heart of family activities. Both her sons share her love for cooking, creating cherished memories over the years.

When her sons visit for family gatherings, the Page house includes steak nights and traditional holiday feasts featuring dressing, ham, and veggies.

Her grandchildren's favorites include millionaire candy, peanut butter balls, Oreo balls, and fruit loop treats, and she loves to make Christmas cookies, date balls, and lady fingers with them during the holiday season.

Her culinary expertise extends to a variety of homemade cakes such as caramel, Italian cream cheese, red velvet, and coconut topping her favorites. 

“I love to cook sweets, but Ronnie won’t eat them,” she said with a laugh. “I end up cooking them and giving them away to somebody, but it’s always fun to bless someone with a surprise.”

While Ronnie enjoys cooking on the grill, Laurie's grandchildren, especially three-year-old Ettalyn, joins her in the kitchen. From learning to make biscuits to understanding the art of flour, Ettalyn is a budding chef.

For Laurie Page, love, family, and a well-cooked meal are the ingredients for a rich and fulfilling life.

BLUEBERRY DELIGHT

1 stick butter

1 ½ cup all-purpose flour

1 cup chopped pecans

2-8oz. packages cream cheese (softened)

2 cup powdered sugar (can use 1 cup sugar and 1 cup powdered)

2-8oz. containers Cool Whip

2-21oz. cans blueberry pie filling (can also use cherry or strawberry)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix butter, flour, and pecans together. Press down into bottom of 13x19 dish. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes. Let cool completely. Mix cream cheese and sugar together with mixer. Add 1 container Cool Whip. Spread mixture over cooled crust. Add both cans pie filling on top of cream cheese mixture. Top with remaining container Cool Whip sprinkle with chopped pecans. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

CHICKEN LAS VEGAS

½ pt. sour cream

6 chicken breast (deboned)

6 slices ham (or corned beef)

6 slices provolone cheese

6 slices bacon

½ stick butter

1 can cream chicken soup

Seasoning as desired

Wrap each deboned chicken breast with ham, cheese, and bacon. Secure with a wooden toothpick. Mix sour cream, soup, and butter and pour over chicken. Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for one hour.

GOOEY SURPRISE

1 crescent roll

8 small milky way bars

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Wrap each bite size milky way in each crescent roll triangle. Bake until very lightly brown.

CAKE MIX COOKIES

Chocolate chip cookies

Duncan Hines no butter recipe cake mix

3 medium eggs

½ cup sugar

½ cup oil

12 oz. chocolate chips

Mix well. Drop onto cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes (do not overcook). 

Chocolate cake mix- add peanut butter chips

Spice cake mix- add raisins, dates, nuts

Orange cake mix- add orange slices (chopped)

White or yellow mix- add m&m’s or butterscotch