Sharp enjoys spending time cooking for family

Sharp enjoys spending time cooking for family

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Dana Sharp of Philadelphia started cooking meals for her family when she was 12 years old. 

“My brother was about 10 or 11, and my parents told us we could start getting off the bus by ourselves, and I could babysit us,” Sharp said. “That's when I started cooking.” 

Sharp’s mother, Joyce Fulton, worked at the Tax Collector’s Office, and when she got off work Sharp would have supper on the table for her. 

Sharp said her mother taught her everything she knows about cooking. Sharp prides herself on her cooking ability and has even come up with some of her own recipes. 

One of these recipes is her Crawfish Casserole, a family favorite that Sharp said her children, Dalton and Denver, always ask her to cook. 

Sharp and her sons bond over many things, but cooking is something that the boys and their mother love to do together. Anytime the boys come to visit they will cook together.

Sharp owns Williamsville Auto Sale Inc. and Haggard's Candle & Gift, selling candles, clothing, purses and more. Her candle company started from home until 2005 when she bought the store. In 2010, Sharp opened Williamsville Auto Sale Inc. 

“I enjoy my job, and I enjoy cooking,” Sharp said. 

Sharp and her husband, Nick Sharp, love traveling the country. They have been to the Caribbean twice and hope to plan another getaway in the near future. They have six children and four grandchildren. The Sharp's attend North Bend United Pentecostal church. 

Sharp enjoys hunting, fishing, traveling and spending time with her children. 

"We love riding the four-wheelers and side by side," Sharp said.

CRAWFISH CASSEROLE

8-ounce package cream cheese 

1 stick margarine 

2 tablespoons margarine 

2 pounds crawfish tails (2 packages) 

1 large onion, chopped 

1 large bell pepper, chopped 

8-ounce package fresh mushrooms, sliced 

10.5-ounce can cream of mushroom soup 

2 cups cooked white rice 

1 tablespoon garlic powder 

½ teaspoon red pepper 

3 dashes white pepper 

2 cups grated Velveeta cheese 

1 large can fried onion rings 

Melt 1 stick of margarine in a small pot and add cream cheese; stir on low heat until melted. In a separate pot, melt 2 tablespoons of margarine, crawfish tails, onion, bell pepper and mushrooms until the mixture is well blended and sauteed for about 5-7 minutes. Add cream of mushroom soup and rice into the crawfish mix. Stir in garlic powder and pepper. Add cream cheese mixture to crawfish mixture; mix well and taste for the seasonings that you may want to add yourself. (I add Tony’s Seasonings at this point for my taste). Pour into a casserole dish and top with grated cheese and fried onion rings and bake at 350 degrees for about 30-45 minutes. Serves 8-10. 

SWEET POTATO PIE

2 or 3 small sweet potatoes 

4 eggs

3/4 stick butter

2 cups sugar

1 can sweetened condensed milk

2 tsp. Vanilla flavoring 

Boil sweet potatoes until tender. Drain potatoes. Mix all other ingredients together with potatoes and blend well. Pour in pie crust and bake 30 to 40 minutes depending on how brown you like them. Should make two pies. 

ROCKY ROAD 

BROWNIES

1 fudge brownie mix

1 container Duncan Hines milk chocolate icing

Mini marshmallows 

Toasted pecans

Prepare brownies as directed on the brownie box. When brownies are done sprinkle as many mini marshmallows on them as you’d like and broil just until they start to brown. Melt milk chocolate icing in the microwave(this shouldn’t take long at all). Drizzle as much icing as you’d like over the marshmallows (I use half of it). Top with toasted pecans. I toast my pecans in a cast-iron skillet with butter and salt until they start to brown (butter and salt make these). These are delicious! 






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