Winstead loves family fellowship

Brittany Winstead’s favorite aspect of cooking is being able to sit down with her family and friends to eat with them and hang out. 

“I love the fellowship part of cooking,” Winstead said. “We cook all sorts of appetizers and dips whenever family and friends come over.” 

Winstead grew up in Carthage and lives there now with her husband Clay, who is from Philadelphia. She became the director of the Neshoba General Hospital Pharmacy in the fall of 2022 and has worked at the hospital for the past six years. 

Winstead said she enjoys spending time with her husband and their four-year-old son, Henry. They are expecting a daughter within the next few weeks. 

Winstead said she first learned to cook from her mother and still consults her when making certain foods. 

“My mom is a good cook and she can whip up anything,” Winstead said. “My grandmother on my dad’s side was a good cook as well, but I learned the most from my mom. When I want to cook something now I use her recipes and I’ll still call her from time to time and ask for help on how to make some things.”

Winstead recalls making basic dishes for supper such as baked chicken, spaghetti, and other traditional things. 

“Mom would cook supper for us every night growing up,” she said. “Nowadays, Clay does our grilling and I put together the sides. We enjoy making things like grilled chicken, pork chops, deer sausage, mac and cheese, green beans, brown rice, and a lot more. When family and friends come over, we do a lot of dips and appetizers like buffalo chicken dip, sausage and cheese trays, and summer pasta with vegetables. Desserts are usually pretty simple, like chess squares, brownies, and cookies.”

“The best part is sitting down, eating together, and hanging out,” she said. 

MILLION DOLLAR BROWNIES 

First layer: 

1 box butter pecan cake mix 

1 stick melted butter 

1 egg 

1 cup chopped pecans 

Mix butter and eggs and stir intp cake mix. Add pecans and press into a greased 9x13 pan. 

Second layer: 

1 stick butter 

8 oz cream cheese 

1 tsp vanilla 

1 box powdered sugar 

1 cup chopped pecans 

2 eggs 

Beat butter, cream cheese, eggs, & vanilla with a mixer. Add powdered sugar and pecans, and spread on top of first layer. Bake for 1 hour at 300 degrees. 

SHRIMP APPETIZER 

Bottom layer – mix and spread in thin layer on large platter

16 oz cream cheese

2 ½ tbsp Worcestershire sauce

1 ½ tbsp lemon juice

3 tbsp mayonnaise

½ small onion, chopped fine

Dash garlic powder

Dash hot sauce

Dash Tabasco

Second layer – mix and spread on the bottom layer

 ½ bottle of chili sauce

 ½ bottle zesty cocktail sauce

1 tsp lemon juice

1 tbsp horseradish

Top layer:

2 pounds boiled shrimp – peeled and deveined

Optional – top with parsley

Chill and serve with Scoops. 

PHYLLO SAUSAGE CUPS

1 pound cooked hot sausage, drain and crumble

1 ½ cup grated sharp cheddar cheese

1 ½ cup grated Monterey jack cheese

1 cup prepared Ranch Dressing

1 can chopped ripe olives

½ cup finely chopped red bell pepper

Phyllo pastry cups

Combine ingredients and fill Phyllo cups. Bake 15-20 minutes at 350° until bubbly.