Walton loves to cook with her daughter
Crystal Walton learned to cook at a young age, standing by her grandmother Jan's side as she filled the kitchen with the aroma of spaghetti, homemade macaroni and cheese, or a roast served with rice and gravy.
"She made a really good dressing for Thanksgiving," Walton said. “Some of my favorite memories I always like to look back on are helping her with Thanksgiving lunch.”
Those early days spent in the kitchen led to a love of cooking that Walton now gets to share with her five-year-old daughter, Aurora.
"I love the memories I get to make when Aurora and I are cooking together,” Walton said. “She loves helping to cook and bake with me."
For family gatherings and holidays, the mother-daughter duo take charge of whipping up delicious desserts, from baking cookies to making pistachio pudding.
Walton said her tacos and brownies are a some familial favorites in her home as well, much to Aurora’s delight.
“My best dish, though, is probably my spaghetti,” she said. "I love cooking spaghetti just like my mamaw used to.”
Walton describes her cooking style as “Southern cooking with a twist” and says she often adds her own touch to the recipes she gathers.
In her kitchen, a few essentials include garlic, white pepper, bell peppers, and a trusty crockpot. Her advice to aspiring cooks is: "Whenever you find a recipe, make sure to flavor it to your own liking and do what tastes best to you."
Beyond cooking, Walton said she also really enjoys working as a nurse at CenterWell Home Health, a position she’s held for the past two years.
Through every meal she prepares and smiles shared with her daughter, Walton continues to ensure that her knack for cooking is passed down with lots of love.
BREAKFAST CASSEROLE
1 package of crescent rolls
1 lb. mild sausage
6 eggs, beaten
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9x13 pan with Pam. Brown sausage in skillet. Spread crescent rolls in bottom of 9x 13 pan. Add sausage. Pour eggs over sausage. Top with cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.
3-PACKET POT ROAST
1 cup water
1 (1 oz.) package ranch dressing mix
1 (.7 oz.) package dry Italian-style salad dressing mix
1 (75 oz.) packet dry brown gravy mix
1 (3 lb.) boneless beef chuck roast
Chopped onion to taste if desired
Whisk water, ranch dressing mix, Italian dressing mix, and brown gravy mix together in a bowl until smooth. Place the beef roast into a slow cooker; pour the dressing mix on top. Cook on low until the roast is easily pierced by a fork, 6 to 8 hours.
AURORA’S FAVORITE BROWNIES
2 cups white sugar
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup butter
4 eggs
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9x13-inch pan.
Mix sugar, flour, melted butter, eggs, cocoa powder, vanilla, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl until combined. Fold in chopped walnuts. Spread the batter into the prepared pan.
Bake in the preheated oven until top is dry and edges have started to pull away from the sides of the pan, about 20 to 30 minutes; cool before slicing into squares.