About me
HI! MY NAME IS TREKESSA HAGAN I AM FROM LAKE CHARLES, LA. AND HAVE RESIDED HER FOR TWENTY-SEVEN YEARS. I LOVE TO COOK, LOVE EVERYTHING ABOUT COOKING AND LOVE TRYING NEW RECIPES. ONE OF MY FAVORITE THINGS TO DO IS TO TUNE IN ON THE FOODNETWORK (RACHAEL RAY, PAULA DEEN, THE NEELY'S, BAREFOOT CONTESSA, DRIVE IN--DINE IN, IRON CHEF, ETC.). MY FAVORITE DISHES ARE CHICKEN AND SHRIMP TORTELLINI, SEAFOOD CHOWDER, STUFFED POBLANO PEPPERS. I OFTEN LET MY TASTE BUDS EXPLORE NEW THINGS, BUT I MUST SAY ITALIAN IS MY FAVORITE ALONG WITH SOUL-FOOD OF COURSE.
Cooking Influences
WELL MY COOKING INFLUENCE COMES FROM EVERY DIRECTION IN MY FAMILY. I HAVE A EXTREMELY LARGE FAMILY THAT ALL HAVE SPENT MASSIVE YEARS IN THE COOKING AND CATERING INDUSTRY. FIRST RECOGNITION GOES TO MY GRANDMOTHER ( MY MOTHER'S MOTHER) SHE PRACTICALLY RAISED ME BECAUSE MY PARENTS WOULD WORK LONG HOURS; SO I WOULD SPEND ALOT OF TIME WITH HER AND MY GRANDFATHER, WHICH HAVE BEEN MARRIED FOR 60 YEARS (WOO HOO) I REMEMBER WHEN SHE USED TO MAKE ME FRIED CHEESE STICKS I THOUGHT THAT WAS THE BEST THING IN TH THE WORLD. AND PLENTY OF TIMES DURING THE COLD WINTER MONTHS SHE WOULD MAKE ME TOMATO SOUP ALONG WITH A GRILLED CHEESE SANDWICH...OMG! I TASTED SO GOOD NOT REALIZING THAT IT WAS JUST TOMATO SOUP OUT OF THE CAN WITH JUST A TOUCH OF LOVE ADDED AT THE FINAL INGREDIENT. AND THERE WERE TIME AND STILL ARE TIMES SHE WILL COOK A BIG MEAL THAT ONLY A PERSON WOULD GO GRANDMA'S HOUSE TO EAT. ( FRIED CHICKEN, SMOTHERED CHICKEN WITH OKRA, MUSTARD GREENS, CORNBREAD, POTATO SALAD, RED BEANS AND SAUSAGE AND HOT WHITE RICE ALONG WITH A COLD GLASS OF ICE TEA AND SWEET POTATO PIE FOR DESSERT.
SECOND RECOGITION GOES TO MY NANNY (MAYOLA JOHNSON THOMAS) SHE WORKED FOR ONE OF LAKE CHARLES LOCAL PUBLIC SCHOOLS FOR MANY YEARS DURING THE TIME WHEN EVERYTHING WAS MADE FROM SCRATCH. WHEN EVERYTHING WAS REAL FOOD NOT PROCESSED FOOD. WE ALWAYS WOULD TEASE HER ABOUT HOW SHE COULD TAKE A SMALL AMOUNT OF SOMETHNG AND FEED A MILLION PEOPLE AND EVERYONE WOULD NEVER WORRY ABOUT SECONDS BECAUSE THEY WERE FULL FROM THE FIRST HELPIING. IT WOULD ALWAYS AMAZE ME HOW SHE COULD MAKE THE ODDEST ITEMS AND THE APPEARNCE PROBABLY WASNT TO APPEALING, BUT THE TASTE WAS A KNOCK-OUT. NO MATTER WHAT KITCHEN SHE WORKED IN SHE NEVER WAS A STRANGER TO FINDING HER WAY AROUND IT. SOME OF MY FAVORITE DISHES SHE COOKED THAT SEEMS TO STILL BRING MEMORIES TO ME WERE CATFISH SAUCE PICANTE, TUNA CASSEROLE WITH CORNFLAKES, CHEF SALAD, CHICKEN DUMPLIN, RED BEANS, SAUSAGE AND RICE. THIRD RECOGNITION GOES TO MY FATHER (THOMAS HAGAN) EVER SINCE I WAS A YOUNG GIRL HE ALWAYS MADE SURE I WAS IN THE KITCHEN WHEN HE WAS COOKING BREAKFAST, LUNCH OR DINNER; SO WHENEVER THE TIME WOULD COME AND I DECIDE TO MOVE OUT I KNEW HOW TO SURVIVE AND BE INDEPENDENT BECAUSE I KNOW WHAT IT MEANT TO WORK, COOK, CLEAN, AND SURVIVE WHATEVER THE WORLD HAD TO OFFER. AND I LOVE HIM ALWAYS FOR THAT. HE WOULD ALWAYS TELL ME THE STORY ABOUT HOW HE WOULD STAY IN TROUBLE AS A YOUNG BOY FOR BEING IN THE KITCHEN ALL THE TIME BECAUSE HIS DAD BELIEVE A MAN'S PLACE WAS NOT IN THE KITCHEN (LOL).
MY FOURTH RECOGNITION GOES TO MY GRANDMOTHER (MY DAD'S MOM) BERNICE HAGAN. SHE LIVE IN COLFAX, LA. HER WHOLE LIFE AND WHEN I SAY COLFAX I AM REALLY SAYING COUNTRY LIVING. EVERYTHING THERE WAS HOMEGROWN. HER YARD CONSISTED OF PEACH PLUM AND PECAN TREES, WHICH SHE CANNED THE FRUITS EVERY YEAR. SHE SHELLED THE PECANS EVERY YEAR DURING HARVEST TIME. EVERY HOLIDAY SHE MADE HOG HEAD CHEESE (WAS NOT MY FAVORITE), JELLY CAKES FROM SCRATCH, SWEET POTATO PIES AND TEA CAKES FOR ALL THE CHILDREN (11) AND GRANDCHILDREN. I STILL CAN SEE HER IN THE KITCHEN DURING THE HOLIDAYS' WHIPPING UP A BATCH OF HE MIX FROM SCRATCH AND USING HER BEST PLATES TO USE AS TRAYS FOR THE CAKES. EVERY CHILD AND GRANDCHILD HAD A CAKES AND PIES TO BRING HOME WITH THEM AND CAN YOU BELIEVE AFTER SHE PASSED AWAY TWELVE YEARS AGO NO-ONE FOLLOWED THROUGH WITH THAT TRADITION.
I HAVE A LONG LINE OF INFLUENCE PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE AND AM EXTREMELY EXCITED TO LEARN NEW THINGS.
Follow her
United States Chef
September 30, 2012
September 30, 2012Hey Trekessa! Welcome! I enjoyed your comprehensive bio and 'meeting' the fam:) I look forward to you sharing some more of your recipes in the future! Family is first to me too!! I share recipes and stories about my large family on my blog, Food's Fan Club, feel free to drop by anytime!!
August 16, 2011Glad you joined Trekessa. I hope you enjoy the recipes here and I look forward to trying some of your favorites!
August 15, 2011T - Great to connect with you on C-E-S! We have much in common and I'll enjoy sharing recipes & ideas with you. I look forward to hearing what you think of some of my dishes and will certainly try yours - our sugar pumpkins are on the vine! Best regards, Amos
August 14, 2011BTW....would love your chowder recipe with the fish & sausage...please post. Thanks
