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Myra Christopher and her daughter Branden Christopher were finalists in a cooking contest on Rachael Ray’s television show.
Spending time in the kitchen is a natural extension of Myra’s relationship with her family, which includes her husband of 38 years, Truman; another daughter, BK Christopher; and 10-year-old grandson, George Story, the son of BK and her husband, Shelby Story.
For Branden, spending time with her mother planning a meal is just as enjoyable as making it with her. “My mom and I have a lot of fun cooking together,” she says. “It’s bonding time with my mom. She shares stories and cooking techniques with me.”
Residence: Fairway
Occupation: President and CEO, Center for Practical Bioethics in Kansas City
Special cooking interest: Fresh, seasonal ingredients
How were you chosen to cook on Rachael Ray’s show? We have crazy, wacky fun in the kitchen, and it was Branden’s idea to enter this contest. We had to make dishes based on original recipes that used 10 ingredients.
The 10 ingredients Rachael gave were beef, rosemary, puff pastry, dried apricots, mint, ricotta cheese, mushrooms, blueberries, bacon and green beans. From that list, we made a meal of Pinwheel Steak With Mushroom Pate and Wine Sauce, French Green Beans With Blueberry Dressing and the apricot dessert recipe we’re sharing. The video we submitted to the show was the most hysterical Fellini-style film of us cooking.
Did you learn to cook from your mother? My mother was a wonderful person but a horrible cook. There were always people at our house and she would always say there’s room for one more at the table.
What inspires your cooking? I love fresh produce; the colors and textures are so appealing. Branden and I will go to farmers markets and plan what we’re going to cook based on what is available.
What are you going to do for Mother’s Day? Cooking for us is a family thing. BK has a fabulous kitchen and the girls will probably cook for me. I think everyone ought to cook with kids and grandkids. Our grandson, George, is a wonderful young man who has the cooking gene. Nobody can flip a pancake like he can.
I enjoy cooking, but I’m not a baker and don’t like following recipes. My mother used to say, ‘Having the address of a really good bakery is far better than all the cookbooks in the world.’
1 cup dried apricots
2 cups lukewarm water
1 cup ricotta cheese
2 tablespoons sugar
Zest of 1 lemon
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 (17.3-ounce) package frozen puff pastry containing 2 (9-inch square) sheets, defrosted
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup fresh mint, cut into thin ribbons
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place apricots in a small bowl and cover with water. Let fruit plump 15 minutes.
Drain excess water from apricots and chop fruit into bite-size pieces. In a small mixing bowl, combine chopped apricots, ricotta, sugar, lemon zest and salt. Using a sharp knife, cut pastry sheets into 8 (4 1/2 -inch) squares.
Drop a rounded tablespoon of apricot mixture in the center of a pastry square. Take hold of each corner of the square and twist pastry together above the filling. The pastry should resemble a pouch with all four corners sealed together. Prepare all squares in same manner. Place on ungreased baking sheet and bake until golden brown, about 15 minutes.
Remove from oven and drizzle pastry pouches with honey while they’re still warm. Garnish with mint.
Per serving: 512 calories (48 percent from fat), 28 grams total fat (6 grams saturated), 16 milligrams cholesterol, 60 grams carbohydrates, 9 grams protein, 219 milligrams sodium, 3 grams dietary fiber.
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