8/19/2009 6:00:00 PM COOK/Crystal Chesney enjoying being a mom
New beginnings come with each new school year, and so it was for Crystal Chesney who recently began her new job in the superintendent's office for the Neshoba County School District.
"I love it. I'm really glad to be there," said Crystal, who took over as the business manager for the schools two weeks ago.
A certified public accountant with bachelor and master's degrees from Mississippi State University, Crystal worked with Watkins, Ward and Stafford CPA's for eight years doing tax returns and audits.
While she enjoyed her job, the hours were not "kid-friendly" for this new mom as she would often work long days and travel out of town for audits.
"I want to be a mom that works," she said, instead of being at work more than she was home with her 10-month-old son, Tyler.
Her new job does have an air of familiarity about it, though, as she personally worked on the school's audit while at Watkins, Ward and Stafford; now she's just on the other end of it, she laughed.
Though considering Neshoba County home, Crystal and her family moved to Florida when she was less than a year old, moving back when she was 15.
Crystal and her husband, Stevie, now live in the Burnside community next door to her parents, Danny and Suzanne Lewis, aka Paw and Nana to Tyler who stays with them while his parents are at work.
With Crystal settling into her new job, Stevie works with East Mississippi Pole Company as a timber buyer.
The Chesneys have been married for six years, celebrating their anniversary just this past weekend.
But it wasn't until their son's birth last year did they get a taste of how fun being parents can be.
"He just totally changed us," Crystal said. "He's the best thing that's happened to me."
Tyler will celebrate his first birthday in October and has been busy crawling and seeing just what all he can get into.
"Every day is something different. He's so much fun," his mom said.
While Crystal enjoys reading and Stevie hunting and fishing, like many new parents, much of their free time is devoted to their son.
They enjoy playing outside with Tyler, strolling him at the park and taking him to see the horses at his grandparents' house.
And being a busy working mom, Crystal's cooking must be "quick and easy."
She likes to try new recipes and change them up to suit their tastes, and anything with cheese and potatoes is always a favorite.
With family close by, they often get together for meals, whether it's a fish fry or Stevie cooking something on the grill.
Crystal has handpicked a few recipes to share with the readers below.
MEATLOAF
1 pound ground chuck
1 egg
Onion
1/4 cup ketchup
1 slice toast, crumbled
Dash of worcestershire sauce
Salt and pepper
Mix all ingredients together and shape into a loaf. Put in casserole dish making sure loaf does not touch sides of dish. Pour ketchup on top and smooth over entire loaf, like icing a cake.
Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes to 1 hour.
POPPY SEED CHICKEN
3-4 pounds deboned chicken (4-5 breasts)
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can cream of celery soup
1 small carton sour cream
1 stick butter
3 tablespoons poppy seeds
Ritz crackers
Cut chicken into pieces and brown in butter. Mix soups and sour cream with mixer then combine with chicken. Pour into casserole dish.
Melt butter (1 stick) and crumble crackers until butter is soaked up. Top casserole with cracker mixture and sprinkle with poppy seeds.
Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes.
CHEESY SCALLOPED POTATOES
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can cheddar cheese soup
3-4 medium potatoes
Bacon pieces
Shredded cheese
Peel and wash potatoes. Slice potatoes and layer in casserole dish. Mix soups together and pour over potatoes. Bake 35-45 minutes at 350 degrees.
Remove from oven. Sprinkle with bacon pieces and shredded cheese. Place back in oven to melt cheese topping.
TACO DIP
1 can refried beans
1 jar picante sauce
1 packet taco seasoning
Ground beef
Guacamole
Sour cream
Picante sauce
Shredded cheese
Fritos
Mix first four ingredients and heat on stove.
Layer bean mixture, then guacamole, sour cream, picante sauce and top with shredded cheese. Serve with Fritos.
EASY PEACH COBBLER
1 can peaches, diced
1 stick butter
1 cup milk
1 cup sugar
1 cup flour
Pour peaches into a casserole dish and dot with butter. Mix remaining ingredients and pour over top. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.
