Willis masters savory, sweet dishes

Tammy Willis is a talented cook and baker who embraced her husband’s grandmother, the late Hazel Willis’s, love of baking after she got married.

“I really love sweets and homemade cakes,” Willis said. “Her cakes were always the best, so I started practicing making them. I just enjoy cooking and baking.”

Willis has mastered specialties like red velvet cake, carrot cake, and fresh apple cake, and she also has a passion for making casseroles. Among her most popular casserole dishes are a hashbrown casserole and a Mexican casserole.

Her mother, the late Brenda Cumberland Nowell, passed down many family recipes, including a simple baked chicken and rice dish that has become one of Willis’s favorite meals to prepare for her family.

She has been married to Brian Willis for 35 years, and they have three children: Corey, Caleb, and Emalee. For the past 28 years, Willis has worked in the lab at Neshoba Medical Associates. She and her family attend church at Macedonia Revival Center.

When it comes to family favorites, hamburger steaks, potatoes prepared in various ways, fresh vegetables, and, of course, grilled or fried chicken and chicken spaghetti top the list.

“I make my chicken spaghetti a little differently than some people,” she said. “I don’t use Velveeta. I prefer sharp cheddar or a Mexican blend, and I always add mushrooms.”

As the designated dessert maker for family gatherings and holidays, Willis usually prepares sweet potato rolls and an assortment of cakes. Baking is her true passion.

“At every event, each member of my family has a specific cake they love,” she said. “On my husband’s side, they always want red velvet cake at reunions and gatherings. Others ask for apple cakes or carrot cakes. I also make a Hershey cake.”

Willis’s kitchen staples include salt, pepper, and spices like KFred, which she adds to almost everything she cooks, from vegetables to meats.

“I just love cooking for my family and others and seeing the joy it brings them,” she said. “Cooking is relaxing for me. I really enjoy it.”

In addition to cooking, Willis enjoys fishing and spending time with her family. She is especially excited about becoming a grandmother in March.

HASHBROWN POTATO CASSEROLE

1 pkg. southern style hashbrowns

1 stick butter (cut in-not melted)

1 16 oz. sour cream

1 8 oz. shard cheddar shredded cheese (can use more)

1 can cream of chicken soup

Topping:

2 sleeves Ritz crackers (crushed)

1 stick butter

Mix all ingredients well and spread in 9x13 baking dish. Top with crushed crackers and butter. Bake at 350° for about an hour.

BROCCOLI SALAD

2 heads of broccoli cut up

1 pkg. real bacon bits

½ cup chopped red onion

½ cup white raisins

Diced jalapeno to taste

Dressing:

1 cup mayo

2 tbsp. apple cider vinegar

¼ cup sugar

Combine all ingredients well. Mix up dressing and pour over top. Stir together, add salt and pepper to taste. Let chill for a couple hours or overnight. You can also add cherry tomatoes and cheese to this recipe.

FRESH APPLE CAKE

2 cups sugar

½ cups oil

3 large eggs

2 ½ cups self-rising flour

1 tsp. vanilla

3 cups chopped apples (I use gala)

1 cup chopped pecans

1 tsp. cinnamon

Mix sugar and oil then add eggs, vanilla, cinnamon, and flour. Fold in apples and pecans. Pour in bundt pan at 325° for one hour.

Icing:

1 cup chopped pecans

¾ cup sugar

1 stick butter

1 small can pet milk

Melt butter, sugar, and milk over low heat until boiling stirring often until thick. Add pecans and stir. Pour over top of cake.