By ANDREW M. ARMSTRONG / Recipe Columnist

We are at the time of year where our freezers are stuffed with leftover chicken and turkey. Here are some ideas on how to use it in new and yummy ways.

My cousin, Kenny Johnson of Chelsea, passed away in the last week. This truly pained my heart. Kenny gave me the two of the first cookbooks I ever owned. I was about 9 years old, and it was Christmas 2003.

My favorite of the two books was called “Alpha-Bakery.” It was published in 1997 by the company Gold Medal Flour. It was a cookbook specifically designed for children. The recipe for fudge brownies was one of my favorites, and I’m sharing that recipe in hopes that one of my readers will cook it with a child and pass on my legacy.

I didn’t know back then that I would be writing for the wonderful people of Shelby County, even though Chelsea is where I spent most of my time. I spent my time at a little white house off a county road with my great-granny Bessie Johnson – the woman who cooked fried chicken and biscuits fit for a king.

Follow Andrew M. Armstrong Recipe Columnist Leeds on Facebook then send your recipes to PO Box 693 Leeds, Alabama 35094 to be featured in future additions.

• Baked Macaroni and Cheese

½ cup of sliced green onions

¼ cup of butter

2 cups of macaroni noodles, cooked

2 cups of cottage cheese

2 tablespoons of pimento, minced

2 cups of milk

4 eggs, gently beaten

1 cup of olives

1 tablespoon of parsley

1 teaspoon of the following salt, ground black pepper and celery seed

Preheat the oven at 350 degrees. Sauté the onions in the butter. Once onions are sautéed, mix together all the remaining ingredients. Grease a glass or ceramic casserole dish and pour in the mixture. Bake at 350 degrees for one hour. Garnish the top with paprika, before serving if desired.

• Doll’s Chicken Spaghetti

1 whole chicken, boiled

1 package of thin spaghetti, (10-ounce)

1 can of cream of mushroom soup

1 can of cream of celery soup

1 jar of pimento, drained

Parmesan cheese

Preheat the oven at 350 degrees. Boil one chicken in salted water, then remove from water once cooked. Let it cool and debone the chicken. Cook the noodles in the chicken stock, then drain the noodles. Mix the chicken, noodles and other ingredients in a bowl except the parmesan cheese. Top with the cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes.

• Southern Chicken Casserole

3 cups of chopped chicken (such as a cooked rotisserie chicken from the deli of Publix or Walmart)

3 cups of celery, chopped

1 cup of cheddar cheese, grated

½ cup of slivered almonds

½ cup of sour cream

½ cup of mayo

1 large can of cream of chicken soup (10 ¾ ounce)

1 can of water chestnuts, drained

1½ cups of French Fried Onions

(OPTIONAL)

1 cup of onions, chopped

1 jar of mushrooms, drained (4 ounces)

1 jar of pimento (4 ounces)

1 can of black olives, chopped

1 cup of bell pepper, chopped

½ cup of butter milk

1 teaspoon of thyme

1 teaspoon of garlic powder

Preheat oven at 350 degrees. Mix all of the ingredients including any of the chosen optional ingredients, but reserve the French fried onions. Bake in a greased casserole dish at 350 degrees for 40 minutes. Remove from the oven and top with French fried onions. Bake again for 5-7 minutes.

• Fudge Brownies

¼ cup of butter

1 package of semisweet chocolate chips (6 ounces)

¾ cup of sugar

2/3 cup of all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon of vanilla

¼ teaspoon of baking powder

¼ teaspoon of salt

2 eggs

½ cup of nuts, chopped

Preheat the oven at 350 degrees. Grease the bottom of a square pan. Heat the butter and chocolate chips in a sauce pan until melted, over low heat and stirring constantly. Once melted remove from the heat. Add the remaining ingredients. Beat hard with a wooden spoon and stir smooth. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until the center is set. Let them cool completely, before cutting.