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Marsha Donaldson uses four different fresh herbs in her spatchcock chicken. See her recipes, Page 9A.
Marsha Donaldson uses four different fresh herbs in her spatchcock chicken. See her recipes, Page 9A.
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TUPELO – Forty years ago, because of some autoimmune issues, Marsha Heberling Donaldson started preparing and eating healthier meals. Along the way, she's added techniques to help her stay on track, like canning and dehydrating.
Now, she doesn't eat anything with wheat or gluten in it, and she tries to eat, grow or buy organic produce and products. She also only eats grass-fed beef and pastured chicken.
"I use lots of fresh herbs and spices in my food," said Donaldson, 73. "I think that's what makes a good cook."
Donaldson was born in Pennsylvania and moved to Tupelo when she was 6. She graduated from Tupelo High School in 1967 and then went on to Mississippi State University, where she majored in medical technology – now called clinical laboratory science.
She and her husband, Chris, lived in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, for many years before moving to Belden in 2017. After he died, she moved home to Tupelo in 2020.
"When I moved back here, I felt like the Lord wanted me to serve, and I knew I could serve by cooking," Donaldson said. "I started out cooking for friends who were shut-ins and people who had just had surgery. Then I moved to faith-based recovery groups. I also cook for the homeless at the Salvation Army on Saturdays."
Donaldson likes to invent new recipes, and she's always concocting something in her kitchen.
"Every now and then, I'll have a failure," she said. "My problem is I don't write things down."
About 30 years ago, she started water-bath canning, but recently she's gotten into pressure canning.
"I still do water-bath jams and jellies, but now I pressure-can beef stew, pork in a spicy broth, lamb, chicken, mushrooms, peas, tomatoes," she said. "I've probably spent 300 hours reading about canning. I want to do it right, otherwise you can get botulism."
About 10 years ago, she got her first food dehydrator. In her kitchen are jars of dehydrated herbs, Ro-tel tomatoes, rice, frozen mixed vegetables, zucchini chips, bell peppers and kale. She even dehydrates mushrooms and grinds them into a powder to use as a substitute for bouillon in recipes.
"My bucket list is so different from anybody else's," said the Lee County Master Gardener. "Hatching chickens was on my list, and I did that. I learned to make my own yogurt. I should have been born a hundred years ago. I like the old way of doing things."
DO YOU KNOW A GOOD COOK? Send your nominations to Ginna Parsons, Cook of the Week, P.O. Box 909, Tupelo, MS 38802. Or you can call (662) 678-1581 or email them to ginna.parsons@journalinc.com.
Thinly slice cucumber and sprinkle with sea salt salt. Allow to sit for 20 to 30 minutes. Rinse well with water and drain. Mix the remaining ingredients in a small bowl and then add the cucumber, gently stirring to combine. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
2 cans chickpeas (one drained, one with liquid)
Place all ingredients in a high-speed blender and process until smooth. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Drizzle with a little more olive oil and serve with pita chips or vegetable crudites.
1 (4- to 5-pound) whole organic chicken
2/3 cup chopped fresh herbs (such as parsley, sage, thyme, rosemary)
Butterfly the chicken by placing the whole chicken (patted dry) with the breast side down on a large cutting board. Using a pair of kitchen shears or a very sharp knife, cut down each side of and remove the backbone. Flip the chicken with the breastbone up and then press down on the breastbone until the chicken is flat.
Combine olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic and herbs. Using your fingers, gently separate the skin from the flesh and stuff the herb mixture underneath the skin and spread evenly with your hands. Season the outer flesh on both sides as well. Tuck the wings underneath the breast. Drizzle with the juice of the lemon. Allow the chicken to marinate 30 minutes before roasting, or overnight if time permits.
Place the chicken, breast side up, on top of a wire rack over a large sheet pan. Additional vegetables such as onions, carrots and potatoes may be added to the pan to be roasted along with the chicken. Roast at 425 degrees (400 degrees for a convection oven) for 45 to 50 minutes or until the breast meat reaches 150 degrees and the thigh meat reaches 175 degrees using a meat thermometer. Remove from the oven and let the chicken rest for 10 minutes before carving.
1 pound smoked sausage, sliced, then quartered (nitrite-free if available)
1 1/2 pounds baby gold potatoes, cut in 1-inch pieces
1 pound fresh green beans, whole or cut in pieces
Sauté sausage, then place in a large bowl. Add remaining ingredients and mix with hands. Line a large sheet pan with parchment paper and dump everything from the bowl onto the pan. Roast at 425 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes, or until potatoes are tender, stirring after about 15 minutes. Serves 8.
Note: If desired, you can add or substitute quartered onions, baby carrots, Brussels sprouts and broccoli florets in this recipe.
4 tablespoons sugar or Stevia blend
Place the chocolate in a blender. Whisk the half-and-half, egg yolks, sugar (or Stevia blend) and salt in a heavy-bottomed medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring constantly until the mixture is thick enough to coat the spoon and almost boiling, 5 or 6 minutes. Immediately pour the mixture over the chocolate in the blender. Cover and hold the lid with a kitchen towel; blend until combined and smooth, scraping down the sides of the blender as needed. Divide the chocolate mixture among ramekins or small cups and refrigerate until set, about 2 hours. Serve topped with whipping cream. Serves 4 to 6.
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
2 medium zucchini, sliced and quartered
Brown ground beef with minced garlic, salt and pepper. Cook over medium heat until meat is browned.
Add tomatoes and remaining spices. Cover and simmer on low heat for another 10 minutes.
Add the zucchini. Cover and cook for about 10 more minutes until zucchini is cooked, but still firm.
8 (1/2-inch-thick) lamb loin chops (about 2 pounds)
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Season the lamb with salt and pepper, and sprinkle lightly with thyme.
In a very large skillet, heat oil until shimmering. Add the lamb chops and garlic and cook over moderately high heat until the chops are browned on the bottom, about 3 minutes.
Turn the chops and garlic and cook until the chops are browned, about 2 minutes longer for medium meat. Transfer the chops to plates, leaving the garlic in the skillet.
Add the water, lemon juice, parsley and crushed red pepper to the pan and cook, scraping up any browned bits stuck to the bottom, until sizzling, about 1 minute.
Pour the garlic and pan sauce over the lamb chops and serve immediately. Serves 4.
1 pound boneless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large pan on medium-high heat. When oil is hot, add chicken. Season with salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder and paprika. Mix well and sear chicken all over until browned and cooked through, about 5 to 6 minutes. Transfer cooked chicken to a plate; set aside and keep warm.
Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in the same pan with 1 tablespoon of butter. Add the mushrooms and cook, while stirring, until just beginning to brown and soften, about 3 to 4 minutes.
Add the remaining 2 tablespoons butter to pan. Let melt and sauté shallots and bell peppers until just soft and fragrant, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
Add the chicken back into the pan along with any juices released while resting. Mix through all of the ingredients to evenly coat in the pan juices. Continue cooking until all vegetables are soft and the chicken is cooked through, about 1 to 2 more minutes. Garnish with parsley. Serves 4 to 6.
3 pounds ground pork, turkey or chicken
In a large pot, brown the meat; when halfway done, add onions and saute until onions are translucent and meat is cooked through.
Add carrots and garlic and sauté 2 minutes more.
Add stock, coconut aminos, ginger and coleslaw mix and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes. Add vinegar, and salt to taste.
*Note: Low-sodium soy sauce can be used if you can't find coconut aminos.
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