Sabrina McCoy is a very busy woman. Between working two jobs, being a single mom and assisting her grandfather, she seldom has any free time.

“Sometimes it’s a bother cooking,” admitted McCoy, “but I know it’s a job I have to do.”

McCoy began cooking at the age of 13. “Both of my parents worked so my sister and I would cook supper for them,” she explained. “It was always easy stuff like Hamburger Helper.” McCoy said her mother began teaching her the basics when she became a teenager and developed her cooking abilities throughout the years.

When McCoy became a mom herself, she continued to expand her cooking skills. Now that her son, Ace, is 15, he admitted his favorite food that his mom made was her homemade macaroni and cheese.

“When I make it, I have to get myself a small portion out,” said McCoy, “if I don’t, he eats all of it!”

Her son is not the only family member impressed with her cooking either. “My grandmother passed away in 2002. Sometime last year, I had made some beef stew to take to my granddad and after eating it, he told me ‘this almost tastes like your granny’s.’ I cried because it was a proud moment for me,” shared McCoy. “Any time I make granddad happy, I’m proud.”

McCoy spends her time off at with her granddad, taking care of him and taking him to chemo treatments. During football season, you can always find her in the stands supporting her son at Sonoraville High School on Friday nights. She also helps with the “Feed the Pheonix” program, feeding the SHS football players before the games. McCoy always does the best she can to support her son any way that she can.

Today, McCoy is sharing her favorite football player’s recipe of homemade macaroni and her crowd pleasing broccoli casserole.

Homemade Mac & Cheese

Box of elbow noodles

Shredded cheddar cheese

1 can evaporated milk

½-1 cups of water

Butter

Salt and pepper to taste

Cook elbow noodles. Cover bottom of baking dish with a layer of noodles (not excessively). Put

4 small pats of butter if you are using a 8 x 8 dish, 6 small pats if you are using an 8 x 13 dish.

Cover with shredded cheddar cheese (usually about 2 cups). Put another layer of noodles on top of the cheese. Add the pats of butter again on these noodles.

Cover with shredded cheddar cheese again. Pour 1 can of evaporated milk over the whole dish. Add half a can of water to an 8 x 8 dish; or a whole can of water to an 8 x 13 dish. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Cook at 350 degrees until cheese melts and starts to turn brown (usually about 40-45 mins)

Broccoli Casserole

2 cups uncooked white rice

1 jar Cheeze wiz

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1 pk 10oz frozen chopped broccoli

Cook rice and broccoli as directed on packages. Drain off any excessive water from broccoli.

Mix all ingredients. Cook at 350 degrees for 45 mins or until top starts to brown.