This week’s featured Cooks of the Week are newlyweds, Bryan and Pam Akridge, who recently married on October 23, 2020. They love spending time together - cooking, fishing at the river, and sharing time with family and friends. Bryan is an avid pool player and enjoys hunting, and Pam loves spending time restoring furniture and baking. They share four children, Brandon, Harley, Clayton, and Adalyn; and one grandson, Heston. Pam has been employed at Queensborough National Bank & Trust Co. in Swainsboro for 20 years and Bryan works in construction with CTC Construction of Swainsboro. Here are some of their favorite recipes.
Tater Tot Casserole
Brown ground beef and drain. Return to pan and add cream of chicken soup. Mix thoroughly. Place in a 9”x9” casserole dish and line top with frozen tater tots. Place in a 375 °F oven and bake for around 10 minutes to brown tater tots. When tater tots are browned, sprinkle cheese on top and place back in the oven for 2-5 minutes to melt. Recipe can be doubled.
Fluffy Pumpkin Cheesecake Pie
In a large mixing bowl, beat cream cheese on medium speed with electric mixer until fluffy. Add sugar and spice. Beat until combined. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing until just combined after each addition. Stir in pumpkin. Pour into crust. Bake at 350°F in oven for 35-40 minutes or until center is almost set. Cool for one hour on wire rack. Refrigerate for at least three hours. Garnish as desired. Store in refrigerator. Yields 10 servings.
Deer Jerky (in dehydrator)
Combine all ingredients together in Ziploc bag, except for meat, and mix thoroughly. Add meat slices, making sure to cover every surface. Marinate at least two hours, or up to three hours. Lay out slices on racks without overlapping. Set dehydrator to 160°F and let run for 4-6 hours or up to 10 hours for thicker pieces. When testing doneness, jerky slices should be dry throughout but still slightly pliable.
