Stuart enjoys cooking with her children

Amy Stuart’s cooking journey started with her mom's guidance growing up. 

However, after tying the knot, both Amy and her husband, Brad, share the kitchen responsibilities and opt for homemade meals most of the time instead of dining out.

“We enjoy a lot of home-cooked meals,” Amy said. “Mealtime is very important to us. We sit around, eat together, do a lot of talking, and have a lot of family time.”

They have two teenage boys, Caden and John Brady. These two active kids are all about baseball and football, representing Winston Academy.

Their younger son, John Brady, has recently taken an interest in whipping up homemade pies, adding his own touch to family dinners.

“The boys love me to cook homemade chicken nuggets,” she said. “Brad does most of the grilling and I do the sides like homemade potato salad, mashed potatoes, and a lot of vegetables.”

One of Amy's specialties is Poppy Seed Chicken Casserole, but she's not limited to that.

“I made White Chicken Chili the other day that was really good and my boys really loved that,” she said. “They will eat anything you put in front of them. They love cabbage, rutabagas, turnip greens, they don’t care.”

Cooking and bonding in the kitchen with her sons is what Amy holds dear.

Holidays with the Stuarts involve a supper with the entire family. During Christmas, they enjoy a hearty breakfast featuring ham and homemade biscuits prepared by Brad, although Amy admits she's still working on mastering that particular recipe.

Beyond their love for cooking, the Stuarts usually maintain a big garden and take pride in canning their own homegrown vegetables.

“Cooking something homemade is special to me versus just going out and buying it. If I can cook it, I would rather do that if I have the time,” Amy said. 

The Stuart’s Sundays are spent at Mars Hill Pentecostal Church outside of Philadelphia.

CORN CASSEROLE

1 can cream corn

1 can whole corn (drained)

1 box Jiffy corn muffin mix

8- oz. sour cream

1 stick melted butter

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Combine all ingredients except cheese

(Be sure to drain the whole kernel corn)

Pour into a greased 9x13 casserole dish or 10-inch cast iron skillet

Bake uncovered for 45 min.

Top with shredded cheese. Bake an additional 10-15 min. until the top begins to brown. Let stand for 5 min.

HOT CHOCOLATE

1 11- oz. coffee creamer

1 16- oz. can nesley’s quick

1 9- oz. (medium size) powdered milk

1 9- lb. box confectioners sugar

Mix well in large container and store in a gallon jug

To serve, mix ¼ or ½ cup with boiling water

WHITE CHICKEN CHILI

1 15- oz. can black beans

1 15.25- oz. can corn (undrained)

1 10- oz. can Rotel tomatoes (undrained)

1 package ranch dressing mix

1 tsp. cumin

1 Tbsp. chili powder

1 tsp. onion powder

1 8- oz. package light cream cheese

2 chicken breasts

Drain and rinse black beans. Place chicken at the bottom of crock pot, then pour out the whole can of corn (undrained), Rotel tomatoes, and black beans on top of chicken.

Top with seasonings and ranch dressing mix. Stir together.

Place cream cheese block on top. Cover with lid and cook on low for 6-8 hours.

After cooking time is over, take chicken breasts from crock pot and shred and add back to the chili. Stir together and enjoy!