Family is the focal point of Judy Shovlin’s cooking. From getting ideas to constructive criticism, Judy’s family is her ultimate resource for what to make in the kitchen. “Don’t be afraid to try things,” Judy encourages. “Your family is your guinea pig. Trust me, they’ll tell you what works.”
Judy’s start in the kitchen wasn’t exactly hands-on. “I followed my mother around the kitchen all the time. I kept asking questions. Then, when I got older, I took home economics in school.” After she got married and started to cook every day, she’d follow recipes. But soon she got bored with being so rigid in her cooking.
As her experience in the kitchen grew, inspiration came from other sources.
“Whenever I travel, I get as many ideas as I can. Also, other family members are great for inspiration.”
Judy is also a collector of cookbooks; she claims about 30, in total. Her favorite source of inspiration, though, is her Taste of Home cooking magazine. “There are recipes sent in from all over and they are great!”
Judy’s husband, Joe, is quick to give feedback on any new dish Judy tries. “He is great with constructive criticism,” she says. “He’ll tell me if there’s too much of something or not enough of another. That way, I know what works and what doesn’t.”
Judy has a few essentials in her kitchen that help her a great deal.
“You must have a good knife! I use my chef’s knife, a Henckel, every day. Garlic is also a must! I also love my KitchenAid mixer.”
A resident of Greene, Judy is a busy stay-at-home mom. She has three daughters: Vicki, age 21; Alyssa, 15; and Stephanie, 18 months. Judy also is a stepmother to Heather, 20, who had Landon, Judy’s first grandchild, on July 5. And her daughter Vicki is expecting twins in October.
In whatever spare time she has, Judy enjoys reading, singing in the church choir and spending time in her garden, where she grows tomatoes, squash, pumpkins, cucumbers and, this year for the first time, corn.
Chicken spinach deluxe
Ingredients:
1 package of chicken tenders (8 to 10 strips)
1 box sage dressing
1 can of cream of chicken soup
1/3 cup sour cream
1/3 cup water
1/3 cup milk
1 box frozen spinach (thawed completely)
1/4 cup sliced fresh carrots
1/4 cup chopped celery
1/3 cup sliced mushrooms
Half an onion, diced
One 8-ounce bag Monterey Jack cheese
Method:
In a skillet, sauté onion, celery, mushrooms and carrots in 1 teaspoon of oil. While these are cooking, spray the bottom of a casserole dish with cooking spray, then line bottom with chicken tenders. Empty box of dressing on top of chicken. Sprinkle with half the cheese.
Once the onion mixture is cooked (about 5 minutes) add the spinach and heat just to warm. Pour mixture in strainer, then place strained mixture on top of cheese. The next step is to pour the can of soup in the skillet, add milk, sour cream and water. Whisk to mix it, then pour over spinach mixture. Add remaining cheese to top. Bake in 350-degree oven for 35 to 45 minutes, until cheese has nice light brown top. Serves 6 to 8.
Arroz con pollo (Spanish chicken and rice)
Ingredients:
2 pounds chicken parts
2 tablespoons salad oil
1 12-ounce can chicken broth
1 12-ounce can stewed tomatoes
½ cup chopped onions
2 medium cloves of garlic, minced
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
¼ teaspoon saffron or turmeric
1 bay leaf
1 package frozen peas (10 ounces)
1 cup uncooked white rice
¼ cup sliced black olives or pimento stuffed green olives
Method:
In a skillet, brown chicken in oil. Pour off fat when meat is lightly brown. Return chicken to skillet and add broth, tomatoes, onion, garlic, salt, pepper, saffron and bay leaf. Cover and cook over low heat 15 minutes. Add remaining ingredients, cover and cook 30 minutes more or until chicken and rice are tender, stirring occasionally. Remove bay leaf before serving. Makes 6 servings.
Fruit pizza
Ingredients:
1 package of pre-made cookie dough, sugar cookies or chocolate chip
6 ounces Cool Whip
6 ounces cream cheese, softened
2 kiwis peeled and sliced thin
1 package fresh strawberries
2 bananas, sliced
Method:
Lightly spray a round pizza pan or a regular cookie sheet. Flatten out the cookie dough on sheet and bake about 10 to 12 minutes in a 325-degree oven. (You really don’t want the cookie base to be too crisp!) After the cookie is done, let it sit on the counter for 15 to 20 minutes to cool.
Place softened cream cheese in mixing bowl and add half the whipped cream. Whip until blended well. Once cookie is cool, spread whipped cream mixture on it. Place in refrigerator a least one hour. Just before serving, decorate with kiwi slices, strawberries and bananas.
Judy’s note:
Start by mixing together equal amounts of the Cool Whip and softened cream cheese and then add more of one or the other, to taste.
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