Boler unwinds through cooking meals

For Keshia Boler, cooking isn’t just about making meals—it’s how she unwinds after the hustle and bustle of a long day in the classroom.

“After teaching ninth and tenth graders all day, cooking is my way to wind down,” Boler said. “That’s my time to myself where I can decompress.”

She credits much of her kitchen knowledge to her mother, Kawanna Moore, and grandmother, Martha Moore, who taught her everything from baking to frying chicken and fish.

“My grandma was always cooking something,” Boler said. “I guess that’s why I wanted to learn how to cook, because I didn’t want to live off Wendy’s and McDonald’s, and she had been cooking me all of that good food.”

Boler teaches biology at Philadelphia High School and loves cooking for her son, Kane, after school. She and her family attend Mt. Ary Missionary Baptist Church.

Her signature dishes include her famous fried chicken, a rich and cheesy macaroni and cheese, and her personal favorite—marry me chicken pasta.

She makes the pasta every two weeks, starting with fresh chicken tenders cooked in sundried tomato oil before cutting them up and adding sundried tomatoes and spinach. She then makes a homemade cheese sauce and combines everything with noodles.

“I’m trying to get really good at baking,” Boler said. “Some things are a hit, and some things are a miss, but I’m going to keep going until I get it right.”

Since becoming a homeowner, she’s been cooking even more, recently perfecting a strawberry cake that’s been a big hit.

This past Thanksgiving was the first time she got to bring a dish, and her macaroni and cheese remains a family favorite.

Boler’s one piece of kitchen advice is to invest in a deep fryer. “They change your life,” she said.

When she’s not cooking or teaching, Boler enjoys reading true crime books, spending time with her son, and rearranging her home.

CREAMY LASAGNA SOUP

2 tbsp. Olive Oil

1/2 Sweet Onion, chopped

3 Garlic Cloves, minced

1/2 lb. Ground Beef

1/2 lb. Spicy Italian Sausage

3 tbsp. Tomato Paste

1 tbsp. Dried Italian Herbs, or fresh oregano and parsley leaves

24oz. Marinara Sauce or Tomato Sauce

1/4 cup Heavy Cream

4 cups Chicken or Vegetable Broth

3 cups Pasta (broken lasagna noodles or your favorite pasta)

2 cups Fresh Spinach, chopped

3/4 cups Whole Milk Ricotta

1/2 cups Freshly Grated Parmesan Cheese

Fresh Basil, for garnish

In a large soup pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat, add the olive oil. Add the garlic and onion to sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the ground beef and ground sausage.

Break up the meat with a wood spatula and cook until browned, about 7-8 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and dried herbs. Stir in the marinara sauce, broth, and heavy cream. Bring to a boil.

Add the pasta noodles and spinach. Stir so that the broth covers the pasta. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook until pasta is al dente, about 6-8 minutes. Add more broth to desired preference. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.

In a small bowl, mix the ricotta and parmesan cheese together. Serve the lasagna soup warm with a generous dollop of the ricotta mixture and freshly chopped basil. Enjoy

KESHIA’S FAMOUS FRIED CHICKEN

6 pieces Chicken or one 3-pound chicken cut into pieces

48 oz. vegetable oil

2 cups All-Purpose Flour divided

2 tbsp Cornstarch optional for increased crunch

1 1/2 tbsp. Garlic Powder

1 1/2 tbsp. Onion Powder

1 1/2 tbsp. Paprika

3/4 tbsp. Red Pepper (Chili pepper)

1 tbsp. Poultry Seasoning All-Purpose Seasoning

1 1/2 tbsp. Salt

3/4 tbsp. Black Pepper

1 Egg

1/2 cup Buttermilk

5-10 splashes of hot sauce

Mix the poultry seasoning, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Rub the seasoning mixture all over each piece of chicken. Pour the peanut oil (preferred) or vegetable oil into a deep fryer, 6-quart skillet, or Dutch oven until the oil is 1-inch deep

Heat the oil over medium heat or until it reaches 350 degrees F. While you’re waiting for the oil to heat up, place 1 cup of the divided flour, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, and red pepper in a medium-size mixing bowl or 1-gallon resealable food storage bag. 

Shake (or mix) the sealed bag to combine the ingredients for a homemade poultry seasoning and set the flour mixture aside. Pour the second cup of flour into a second resealable bag (or medium-sized mixing bowl) and set it aside.

Whisk together the buttermilk and egg in another medium-sized bowl and set that mixture aside. In a third bag or bowl, mix the remaining flour and the optional cornstarch and set this mixture aside. The chicken will go through a 3-step process from here.

First, place the chicken in the bag (or bowl) of seasoned flour and shake or toss to coat the chicken evenly. Second, shake off the excess flour and dip the chicken into the buttermilk mixture. Third, transfer the chicken to the last bag (or bowl) of flour and shake or toss until it’s very well coated. 

Place the coated chicken into the pre-heated oil, skin-side down, and be careful not to overcrowd the chicken in the oil. You can fry a second batch, if need be, to avoid overcrowding by frying all the chicken at once. Just make sure the hot oil remains at 350 degrees F.

Cook the chicken pieces for 10 to 12 minutes, occasionally turning to prevent excessive browning. As the chicken batter turns golden brown. Then remove it from the hot oil and allow it to drain in a closed container (to keep the fried chicken warm) with a paper towel under the chicken.