COTW: Rebecca Akridge

Rebecca is the 16 year old daughter of Joe and Rachael Akridge. She is the granddaughter of Cynthia Davis,   Don and Audrey Sherrod and M.D. and Ann Akridge. Rebecca is a junior at Portal High School and is a star honor roll student. Rebecca is employed by Tiny Treasures Learning Academy in Statesboro where she is the instructor in the toddler classroom. Rebecca expressed her love for cooking at the young age of 5 years old. She enjoys trying new recipes and experimenting with new foods and cooking techniques. Along with cooking, Rebecca loves to play with her dog, Cedric.

Spinach Dip

• 1 cup mayonnaise

• 1 (16 ounce) container sour cream

• 1 (1.8 ounce) package dry onion soup mix

•  ½ (10 ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained

• 1 (1 pound) loaf round sourdough bread

In a medium bowl, mix together mayonnaise, sour cream, dry leek soup mix, water chestnuts and chopped spinach. Chill in the refrigerator 6 hours, or overnight. Remove top and interior of sourdough bread. Fill with mayonnaise mixture. Tear removed bread chunks into pieces for dipping.

Parmesan Crusted Chicken

Breading

• • 1/2 cup all purpose flour
• • 2 eggs
• • 2/3 cup seasoned Italian bread crumbs (I use Progresso)
• • 1/3 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
• • 1/4 teaspoon salt
• • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• • 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh herbs, such as thyme, parsley, chives or rosemary
•  
• Chicken

• • 3-4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 1-1/2 pounds), pounded 1/4"-thick*
• • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• • 1/4 cup olive oil
• • Lemon wedges, for serving

1.  
2. Set up three large shallow bowls in an assembly line. Put the flour in the first bowl; beat the eggs in the second bowl; and mix the bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, salt, pepper, and chopped fresh herbs in the third bowl. Season chicken breasts with salt and pepper. Dredge the first chicken breast in the flour and shake off the excess until just a light coating remains. Next, dip the chicken in the egg mixture and turn to coat evenly, letting any excess egg drip off. Finally, dredge the chicken in the bread crumb mixture, turning a few times to coat well. Set breaded chicken on a plate and repeat until all of the chicken breasts are breaded. Heat the oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the chicken breasts to the pan and cook for 2-3 minutes until the first side is golden brown. Flip and continue cooking until done, 2-3 minutes longer. Serve immediately with lemon wedges. *If chicken breasts are large (8 or more ounces), you can cut them in half once they are pounded out.

1. Sour Cream Pound Cake Recipe

• • 1 cup real butter, no substitutions, (I like this)
• • 3 cups granulated sugar
• • 6 large eggs room temperature
• • 8 ounces sour cream room temperature
• • ½ teaspoon salt
• • 1 teaspoon baking powder
• • 3 cups all-purpose flour (I use this)
• • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract (I use this)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Coat a 10-inch tube pan or bundt pan with solid vegetable shortening and sugar or cake release spray. In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream butter, and sugar until fluffy. Add eggs one at a time beating each one in before adding the next. Stir in sour cream. Combine flour, salt, and baking powder in a small bowl then add to batter 1/2 cup at a time until combined. Stir in vanilla. Spoon batter into prepared pan. Bake 325 degrees for 80 to 85 minutes. I always like to start testing at 75 minutes. Carefully insert a long wooden pick into center of cake. Cake is done when dry crumbs or no crumbs stick to the pick. Allow cake to cool on a wire rack or 1 to 20 minutes before inverting on a tray to cool completely.