This week’s Cook of the Week is Penny Porcel. A native of Swainsboro, she is a graduate of Swainsboro High School and East Georgia State College. Porcel now lives in the Atlanta area and is a happy mom to five amazing kids, Brittany Hall, 27; Megan Thompson, 25; Matthew Thompson, 24; and Jayce Thompson, 17, all of Swainsboro; and Kailey Thompson, 16, of Atlanta. She is also a loving “Mimi” to her grandchildren, Nolan Williams and Millie and Mason Watkins. When asked what sparks her interest most when preparing meals for her loved ones, here’s what Porcel had to say.
“I love to cook. It's my therapy. One of my favorite things is to come up with new recipes and flavor profiles. Food feeds the soul. Like most southerners, if you come to my house, the first thing I'm going to do is try to feed you. I hope you enjoy these recipes, from my kitchen to yours.”
Pepper Steak
1 lb. steak (sirloin, ribeye or your favorite cut)
1 onion (slice into strips)
1 bell pepper (slice into strips)
1 container sliced baby Bella mushrooms
4 cloves of garlic
1 Tbsp. parsley
1/2 Tbsp. Rosemary (or 1 bunch fresh)
Salt and pepper to taste
1 stick butter
White wine (optional)
Olive oil
Cut steak into 1 inch cubes. Drizzle pan with olive oil to lightly coat pan (preferably cast iron) and heat over stovetop. Once the pan is very hot, add steak and season with salt and pepper. Sear for two minutes then turn on other side and sear for another two minutes. Lower heat and remove steak. Add another drizzle of oil to the pan, along with butter and let melt. Then, add garlic, onions and peppers and sauté for about three minutes. Add mushrooms and rest of ingredients except wine. Stir well. Once mushrooms are thoroughly heated (about 3 to 4 minutes) , add a pour of wine if you choose and turn heat back up until it starts to bubble. Remove from heat, add steak back into pan and toss to coat steak with sauce. Serve with your favorite veggie or our favorite pasta salad recipe below!
Easy Pasta Salad
Tri-colored Rotini
1 Cucumber
1 Sweet onion
1 container of grape tomatoes
3 green onions
1 small can sliced black olives
1 Bottle of Italian dressing
1 container crumbled feta (or cheese of choice)
Cook noodles according to package directions. Cut cucumber and onion into bite size pieces, half tomatoes and add all to a large bowl with rotini and dressing. Toss all ingredients together. Serve chilled.
Pecan Pie Bars
Shortbread crust
1 3/4 c. all-purpose flour
3/4 c. powdered sugar
3/4 tsp. kosher salt
3/4 c. (1.5 sticks) unsalted butter, cold
Pecan pie filling
3 eggs, large
1/2 c. dark brown sugar (light brown can be substituted)
1/3 c. honey
1/3 c. pure maple syrup
1/4 c. unsalted butter, melted
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. kosher salt
2 c. pecan pieces
Preheat oven to 350℉ and line a 9”x13” pan with parchment paper. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, powdered sugar and salt. Cut in cold butter until only pea-sized pieces remain. Transfer mixture to prepared pan, pressing it into an even layer. Bake for 20 minutes or until set.
Whisk eggs, brown sugar, honey, maple syrup, melted butter, vanilla and salt together in a large bowl. Fold in pecans and pour mixture over partially baked shortbread crust (it's ok if the crust is still hot). Bake pecan pie bars until filling is set (20 to 25 minutes). Cool completely, run a thin knife around the edges to loosen, then remove to a cutting board to cut into squares.
