Some of the best cooks don't follow a recipe; they just throw things together and it usually results in delicious meals.

Donna Cheatham is one of those cooks.

"I just throw everything together and it's good food, not junk food," she said.

Her motivation is her husband, Frank.

"I cook what my husband likes," she said. "He's the one I cook for, to satisfy."

While it may be true that Cheatham spends most of her time in the kitchen to satisfy her husband. everyone likes her lazagna.

"She makes the absolute bast lazagna -- ever," said her neice Susie Fincher, who nominated Cheatham for the "Cook Of The Week" honors.

Fincher said her aunt makes great pot roast, homemade lemon cake and more. The Statesman is including two of Cheatham's favorite recipes in this weeks "Cook Of The Week" feature, including Savory Meat Loaf and Sweet Pea Casserole.

Cheatham said she learned how to cook at an early age. She learned from her mother and from trial and error -- like most good cooks.

Married 35 years, Cheatham has lived in Brownsboro all of her life. She graduated from Brownsboro High School in 1974 and briefly worked in the home health care industry for eight years. She is a member of the Rock Hill Baptist Church in Brownsboro.

She and Frank raised two sons, Brandon and Justin Blake, and she has two grandchildren, including Alexis and Jarred. She said she enjoys her young nephew and nieces, Balye, Cate and Jackson.

Cheatham has a few secret ingredients for many of her recipes. Among those secrets are the use of peppers and "lots of hot stuff."

Her renown lazagna includes both sausage and beef, and if someone is really interested in her "throw together" recipe, she said they can call her and she will try to talk them through it.

Savory Meat Loaf 2 lbs. ground beef 1 can Rotel tomatoes

2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

2 tsp. Heinz 57 steak sauce

1 8-oz. can tomato sauce 1 c. chopped onion

Salt to taste

Combine, mix well and place in 9"x13" pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. May spread catsup on top last 10 minutes of baking.

Sweet Pea Casserole

1 14-oz. frozen sweet peas, cooked as directed

1/2 lb. Cheddar cheese, cubed

4 boiled eggs

1/4 to 1/2 cup mayonnaise

1 4-oz. jar sliced pimientos

Cook peas, combine remaining ingredients, mix well.