McDill loves baking for friends, family

Abbie McDill found her love for cooking as a child, spending afternoons baking cakes for fun with her sister Clancy at the home of their late grandmother, Agnes Sistrunk.

“That’s where I started baking and enjoying being in the kitchen,” McDill said. “Later, as I moved out, I had to fend for myself.”

Although she was still young when her grandmother passed away, McDill fondly remembers her delicious tea cakes and homemade vegetable soup.

“I love to bake and make sweets the most,” she said. “Everyone knows me for my chocolate chip pound cake.”

McDill’s signature chocolate chip pound cake is not only her best-loved dessert but also a favorite of her husband. He’s also a fan of her “easy lasagna.”

She has been married to Mason McDill for nearly three years. The couple attends Trinity Baptist Church, and she works as an occupational therapist at Neshoba General’s Outpatient Therapy Department.

“I also get a lot of compliments on my chess squares,” she said. “Some people call them ooey gooey bars—it has a crust bottom, and the top is a lot of sugar.”

McDill says she doesn’t stray far from the tried-and-true, often sticking with recipes passed down from her mother, the late Lyn Scott. One exception is her take on her mom’s sausage ball recipe, which she’s tweaked to suit her own taste.

“She was always cooking something good too and was known for a few classic dishes that to this day, I still don’t know how to replicate,” McDill said.

McDill is the go-to dessert maker for family gatherings and holidays. Her holiday staples include sweet potato casserole and green beans, but the desserts are always the highlight.

Every Christmas, the women on her mom’s side of the family come together for a full day of candy making—a tradition filled with sweet treats, shared stories, and the kind of moments McDill says she will always treasure.

Her advice for fellow bakers is to take your baked goods out of the oven about three minutes before the time listed on the box and always use the classic toothpick test—if it comes out clean, your dish is done.

“I love sharing my food with others,” McDill said. “It makes me happy when other people enjoy it as well.”

Outside the kitchen, McDill enjoys riding horses and spending quality time with friends.

CHOCOLATE CHIP POUND CAKE

1 box Duncan Hines Golden Butter Cake Mix

1 box Jello brand Instant Chocolate Pudding Mix

4 eggs

1 cup sour cream

1/2 cup Vegetable Oil

1/2 cup water

1/3 cup sugar

3 tbsp. All Purpose Flour

Mix the above listed ingredients with a mixer for 6 minutes. Then stir in 6-8 ounces of semi-sweet chocolate chips. Pour into a greased Bundt pan & bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

BREAKFAST CASSEROLE

2 lbs. ground breakfast sausage

2-3 cups shredded mild cheddar cheese

2 cans crescent rolls

Brown and then drain the grease from the 2 pounds of sausage. Grease a 9x13 pan. Spread one can of crescent rolls along the bottom of the pan. Pour the sausage in and spread evenly.

Top with cheese evenly to your preference. Spread the last can of crescent rolls on top. Bake in the oven on 350 degrees until the top layer of crescent rolls is golden brown.

EASY DECONSTRUCTED LASAGNA

2 lbs. ground beef

1 jar of your favorite Alfredo sauce (Our preferred is Classico Four Cheese Alfredo)

1 jar of your favorite red pasta sauce (Our preferred is Paesana Tomato Basil or Rao’s Tomato Basil)

32 oz. cheese tortellini

2 cups Parmesan cheese shredded

Season ground beef to taste with salt, pepper, & Italian seasoning & brown. Drain grease & return meat to boiler. Pour in jar of Alfredo sauce & red pasta sauce & stir.

Allow to cook on low to medium heat until warm throughout. Meanwhile, cook tortellini as directed on package & then pour into sauce mixture. Pour into a 9x13 pan & top with Parmesan cheese. Bake at 350 degrees until cheese is melted.