Weems enjoys bringing people together

For Angel Weems, bringing people together is her favorite part of cooking tasty dishes. 

“I enjoy spending time with my husband, children, nieces, nephews, and other family members,” Weems said. “They always like to come over and ask what we’re cooking. I like the togetherness that cooking brings, and it doesn’t matter if you’re a family member or friend. If I’m in the kitchen, you will get a task and everyone will be doing something.” 

Weems, a lifelong resident of Philadelphia, enjoys spending time with her husband Matthew and their four children, Calleigh, Hunter, Kaybree, and River. She also works as a nurse at the new Neshoba Neurology Clinic. 

Weems said she has been cooking her whole life and first learned to make food like cornbread from her grandmother. 

“My grandmother raised me since my parents died when I was 8 years old,” Weems said. “I learned by watching her and doing what she did. She taught me to make things like cornbread, but I could never master the biscuits. I learned other southern staple things like pork chops, peas, butter beans, and more.” 

Weems still enjoys making similar dishes today, and experiments by making casseroles and dishes that can be made in the crock pot. 

“We try to eat healthy and not fry as many things as we used to,” she said. “When you have four kids, you have to learn, and they’re in the band, after school stuff, and with the Ellis stuff restarting, it’s been crazy. It makes sense to make more crock pot recipes so you can throw everything in there and it’s ready when you get home.” 

Weems said her favorite meals to make for her kids are meat and potato casserole, spaghetti, and deer roast. 

“Occasionally I’ll make sweet dishes like cinnamon rolls,” she said. “Overall I don’t make a lot of desserts, but it’s a family recipe that’s been passed down.” 

DEER IN GRAVY 

Deer steaks

Flour

Salt and pepper

1-2 cans of cream of mushroom soup

1 package dry onion soup mix

Lightly flour the deer steaks. Brown on each side and place in the crockpot. Combine cream of mushroom soup and dry onion soup mix and a can of water. Pour over meat.

Cook on low for four to six hours or until tender. Serve with rice.

ROAST

Deer or beef roast

1 package of Ranch dressing mix

1 package of Au Jus gravy

2 sticks of butter

Pepperoncini peppers

Carrots

Onion

Potato

Brown roast on each side and place in the crockpot. Add carrots, peppers, and onion (cut into smaller pieces), and top with ranch dressing mix and Au Jus. Add butter and cook on low for six to eight hours or until tender.

MEAT AND POTATO CASSEROLE 

2 lbs of ground meat (beef or deer)

1 onion, diced

1 pepper, diced

3-4 potatoes, sliced

2 cans of cream of potato soup

1 can of cream of mushroom soup

1 can of cream of chicken soup

1 can of whole kernel corn, drained

1 can of Rotel tomatoes, drained

Salt and pepper

Brown meat with onion and pepper and drain. Mix meat with canned items.

Layer meat mixture and sliced potatoes, and cover with foil. Place in the oven at 400 degrees until the potatoes are soft (around 45 minutes). 

Remove foil, top with shredded cheese, and return to the oven for another 10-15 minutes.