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April 27, 2020

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April 27, 2020

In the Kitchen with Jack Witherspoon

Jack Witherspoon

For many young people, discovering what you want to be when “you grow up” comes much later in life. But for Jack Witherspoon, he’s already found his calling.

At a 11 years old, Jack is a “seasoned” chef, who taught himself to cook at the tender age of 6, while undergoing treatment for leukemia. Bored with cartoons, he started watching cooking shows and soon began developing his own recipes.

According to Jack, it didn’t take long for him to realize he wanted to have his own cooking show. So, with the support of his parents, he helped develop a fundraising event in which he hosted a cooking demonstration called “Cooking Up Dreams.” Proceeds from the fundraiser at benefitted pediatric leukemia research at Miller Children’s Hospital in Long Beach, Calif.

Since then, has gone on to appear on a number of TV shows, including “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno,” and has caught the attention of such celebrity chefs as Bobby Flay and Paula Deen. Most recently, he released his first cookbook, “Twist it Up.”

With cooking playing such an important role in Jack’s recovery from leukemia, he understands the importance of eating together as a family.

“It’s a good time to talk about the day and for everyone to be together,” he says. “Sharing a good meal together with family is a great comfort to me and it makes me feel loved.”

At his home in Redondo Beach, Calif., where he lives with his parents and brother, Jack says dinnertime is the event of the day. And when it comes to preparing meals together, the Witherspoons make it a family affair.

“During the week, I try to help out in the kitchen as much as I can, but it kind of depends on how much homework I have,” says Jack. “The weekends are more relaxing, though, and everyone gets involved. When the weather is nice, my dad barbecues and he is awesome at it! I like to help with seasoning and flipping the meat, especially ribs, which are my favorite.”

Looking back at special memories of meals shared with his family, Jack remembers last Thanksgiving, after he had been in the hospital off and on for most of the summer.

“When I got home at the end of September, I was still feeling pretty tired. By November, I was getting my energy back and by Thanksgiving, I had gotten my appetite back enough to really enjoy the meal,” he recalls. “I appreciated being able to be with my family again. I never knew how much the normal, everyday things in life are what really make you happy. I never take anything for granted now.”

Easy Chicken & Pesto Pizza

Serves 4

1 12-inch pizza crust, such as Boboli

1 cup pesto sauce, store-bought or homemade

1 cup shredded cooked chicken

1/2 red onion, chopped

1 Roma tomato, seeded and chopped

2-1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

2 tbsp. chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Place the pizza crust on a large baking sheet. With a spatula, spread the pesto sauce evenly on the crust, then top with the chicken, onion,

tomato, and cheese. Sprinkle with the parsley. Bake until golden and bubbly on top, 15 to 18 minutes. Cut into 8 wedges and serve hot.

Jack’s Stuffed Mushrooms

Serves 10

1 lb. cremini mushrooms

2 tbsp. unsalted butter

2 tbsp. olive oil

1 large shallot, minced

7 cloves garlic, minced

3/4 cup freshly grated

Parmesan cheese, plus 1 tbsp. for garnish

3/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

1/4 cup dried breadcrumbs

1/4 cup minced fresh flat-leaf parsley, plus 1 tbsp. for garnish

1/4 tsp. kosher salt

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Remove the stems from the mushrooms, set the caps aside, and finely chop the stems. In a large skillet, melt the butter with the olive oil over medium heat. Add the shallot, chopped mushroom stems, and garlic and sauté until tender, about 5 minutes. In a large bowl, combine the 3/4 cup Parmesan, mozzarella, breadcrumbs, 1/4 cup parsley, salt and cooked mushroom mixture. Stir well with a fork. Using your hands or a small spoon, put about 1 tablespoon of the mixture into each mushroom cap. Place the stuffed mushroom caps on an ungreased baking sheet and bake for about 20 minutes, or until the cheese has melted and the filling is lightly browned. Sprinkle on the remaining Parmesan cheese and parsley. Serve warm. Makes about 35 stuffed mushrooms.

Twist it Up: The best thing about making stuffed mushrooms is that you can add your favorite flavors to the mix. Try using 1/3 cup minced fresh spinach instead of the parsley and subbing feta for the Parmesan cheese.

Old-Fashioned Apple Pie

Serves 8

3-1/2 lbs. (about 8 cups) Gravenstein, Pippin, or Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and thinly sliced

1 tbsp. fresh lemon juice

1 cup packed light brown sugar

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1-1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp. ground ginger

1 package (two 9-inch rounds) store-bought piecrust at room temperature

2 tbsp. unsalted butter

2 tsp. water

1 tbsp. granulated sugar

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees and position a rack on the middle shelf of the oven. In a large bowl, combine the apples, lemon juice, brown sugar, flour, cinnamon and ginger. Stir to blend well, then set aside. Unroll the piecrusts and place one in a 9-inch glass pie

plate. Press the crust firmly against the sides and bottom, then trim the bottom crust even with the edge of the pie plate. Pour in the apple filling and dot the top with the butter. Lay the second crust on top of the mixture. Trim the top crust to a 1-inch overhang and fold the edges under the edges of the bottom crust. Using your forefingers and thumbs, crimp the crust to make a scalloped edge. Brush the top lightly with the water and sprinkle with the granulated sugar. With a small knife, cut 4 slits in the center of the top crust in a circular pattern. To prevent the rim from browning, wrap it with a 2- to 3-inch-wide strip of aluminum foil. Place the pie on a rimmed baking sheet on the middle rack of the oven. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for 20 to 30 minutes longer, or until the apples are fork-tender. Let cool on a rack.

Twist it Up: For a treat that’s hard to beat, top off this warm pie with some vanilla ice cream. The only thing that makes it taste better is having friends and family to share it with.

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