8/12/2009 6:00:00 PM COOK/Life stays busy for mother of three
With three young children, all age 10 and under, life never slows down for Victoria and Jason Gentry.
Softball, T-ball and vacation have kept the Gentrys - and children, Brooklyn, 10, Dylan, 5, and Preston, 3 - on the go this summer.
But they won't be slowing down any time soon with the new school year getting in full swing this week. Brooklyn started the fifth grade at Neshoba Central Elementary while Dylan began his first day in kindergarten.
"They keep us real busy," Victoria said.
The Gentrys live in the Burnside community where Jason has lived for the past 15 years.
Victoria, a native of Carthage, met her husband while working at Pearl River Resort and they have been married for six and a half years.
While Jason started his own air conditioning and electrical business earlier this year, Victoria works in the maintenance department at the resort, taking the 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. shift which allows her time in the afternoon for her kids.
Much of the Gentrys' free time is spent with their children, whether it's inside playing games or outside riding four-wheelers, fishing and swimming.
They also recently got back from a trip to the Smoky Mountains, taking in the sites in Gatlinburg, Tenn. and Cherokee, N.C. Brooklyn also got her first taste of whitewater rafting.
The Gentrys also love to travel to visit family as Victoria's parents live in Carthage and Jason's in Alabama.
And like many busy families, quick-cooking meals are a must.
"We like it simple and easy," said Victoria, who prefers one-dish meals.
Many of her recipes have been handed down to her from her mom and grandmother, and she still often swaps recipes with family and friends when she finds one worth sharing.
Victoria takes on much of the inside cooking while Jason enjoys manning the grill outside.
Also being a big hunter, her husband always has plenty of deer meat for Victoria to use in many of the family's dishes.
Victoria has shared a handful of her family's favorite recipes with the readers, including her Grandma's Iron Skillet Chocolate Pie and the kids' top pick, Beef Enchiladas.
GRANDMA'S IRON
SKILLET
CHOCOLATE PIE
1 cup sugar
3 egg yolks, save egg whites for topping
1 cup milk
2 rounded tablespoons flour
2 rounded tablespoons cocoa
2 rounded tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 pie crust
Mix sugar and flour. Then add cocoa and mix well. Add milk, butter, egg yolks and vanilla. Cook in iron skillet on top of stove until thick. Pour in baked pie shell. Beat egg whites until stiff and mix 1/2 cup to 3/4 cup sugar and pour on top of chocolate mixture. Bake slowly in oven at 250 degrees and remove when topping browns.
DEER SAUSAGE VELVEETA CRESCENT BAKE
1 pound deer sausage
1/2 box velveeta cheese
2 cans crescent rolls
1 egg
Brown sausage and mix with velveeta cheese. Open one can of crescent rolls and spread into baking dish. Bake at 375 degrees for 8 minutes and remove. Pour sausage and cheese mixture on top and open remaining can of crescent rolls and spread on top of mixture. Beat egg and spread on top of crescent rolls and bake until crescent rolls are done.
MAMMA'S CHICKEN ENCHILADA BAKE
1 3-pound chicken
1 can cream of mushroom
1 can cream of chicken
4-ounce can chopped green chilies
1 teaspoon chili powder
Minced onion, to taste
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 drops Tabasco sauce
1 cup chicken broth
4 cups cheese Doritos
8 ounces grated cheddar cheese
Cook and debone chicken. Reserve one cup chicken broth. Combine soups, green chilies, onion, spices, Tabasco sauce and chicken broth. Blend well and heat over low heat; do not boil. Cover the bottom of a 2 1/2 or 3 quart casserole dish with 2 cups crushed Doritos. Spread half the chicken over Doritos then add half of the soup mixture and grated cheese. Repeat ending with cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes.
CRESCENT ROLL CHICKEN
2 cans crescent rolls
2 cups cooked and chopped chicken breast
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 cup milk
Combine 1 cup of cheese with the chicken. Fill crescent rolls with this mixture and seal edges of rolls. Mix the remaining cheese, soup and milk. Pour half of this mixture into a casserole dish. Add the filled rolls. Pour remaining soup mixture over the rolls. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes or until lightly browned and bubbly.
BEEF ENCHILADAS
1 pound ground chuck
1 large can enchilada sauce
1 bag cheddar cheese
1 bag mozzarella cheese
8 burrito size tortilla shells
Brown ground chuck and drain well. Stir in half can of enchilada sauce and heat on stove. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spoon mixture in tortilla shells and sprinkle with mozzarella and cheddar cheese. Roll up tortillas. Repeat until beef mixture is gone. Cover with as much mozzarella and cheddar cheese as you like and cover with remaining enchilada sauce. Bake until all cheese is melted and enjoy with your favorite toppings.
