By Andy Bedwell
“Mama was my great teacher, a teacher of compassion, love and fearlessness. If love is sweet as a flower, then my mother is that sweet flower of love.” – Stevie Wonder
Over the next few weeks this column will continue honoring our wonderful mothers and the delicious dishes they lovingly prepared for their families. I requested that readers of this column, friends, and family send me the favorite dish or recipe that they enjoyed the most that was prepared by their mother. I hope that you enjoy reading and preparing these beloved recipes that are real treasures.
Wanda Jenkins’ BBQ Sauce
2 cups ketchup
1 cup vinegar
4 tablespoons
Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon Tabasco
1 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons
yellow mustard
Dash of red pepper
Juice of 1 lemon
½ pound butter
Dash of Liquid Smoke
Melt butter in a saucepan, add vinegar and stir until combined. Then add other ingredients and bring to a boil. This is the recipe from my mother that I use the most. We slather it on pork chops, hot dogs and any kind of pork. Daddy and I just eat it on plain bread with the grilled pork.
Submitted by her daughter: Pamela Jenkins Lauyans
Donna Bates’ Sweet Potato Casserole
3 cups sweet potatoes (mom always used the Bruce’s canned yams).
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
½ cup butter or margarine melted or really soft
1/3 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
Topping:
1 cup light brown sugar
1 cup chopped pecans
1/3 cup flour
1/3 cup cold butter, sliced
Mix topping ingredients until crumbly.
Mix first six ingredients well and pour in a greased 13×9 casserole dish. Mix topping ingredients and crumble on top. Bake 25-30 minutes at 350 degrees. Note: She always made this every Thanksgiving and some other special holiday. She always said it could double as a dessert!
Submitted by her daughter: Jennifer Bates Davis
Dot McCleskey’s Lemon Apricot Nectar Cake
1 lemon cake mix
1 small package lemon instant pudding mix
1 cup apricot nectar
½ cup vegetable oil
4 large eggs
Glaze:
1 cup powdered sugar
2 tablespoons lemon juice (or milk instead)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees, grease and flour a bundt pan. Mix together the cake mix, lemon pudding mix, apricot nectar, oil and eggs. Combine on low then switch to medium and mix for two minutes. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 40-45 minutes. Allow to cool for about 10 minutes, then place serving platter over the cake and invert onto the platter.
For the glaze, combine the powdered sugar and lemon juice in a small bowl. Drizzle over the warm cake. Note: This is an easy cake that my mother often made in the spring and summer. It’s so moist and we loved it.
Submitted by her daughter: Jane McCleskey Cosby
I hope you enjoy these wonderful recipes!
Happy Cooking, Andy
“Southern Cooking with Andy Bedwell” can be purchased at The Messenger newspaper located at 1957 Rainbow Drive in Gadsden.