A Sunday recipe, finally

Fri., December 25, 1936 - I finished the holders while Howard baked peppernuts.  Were over home for dinner.  All the kids there.  Got some lovely presents.  Spent the evening at home eating nuts & candy.
Sat., December 26, 1936 - Cleaned up the house.  Invited to Jo's for supper.  Those there:  Rews, Iversen kids, Clara's, Margaret's, Alma & John.  Ate too much as usual.  Jean & Marjorie came home with us.
Sun., December 27, 1936 - We got up late.  Between spells we played 500 Rummy.  We all played tonite.  Irene went back to Sunol today.

How fun to imagine Grandpa baking peppernuts so Grandma could finish her handiwork.

I do not recall Grandma or anyone else making this recipe, but it's in her book and in her handwriting.  I'll gladly be corrected if she did make it often and I'm just not remembering.  It certainly is a possibility.  Also possible it was made for Christmas once or twice.

Fudgie Scotch Ring

1 cup (6 oz. pkg) semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup (6 oz. pkg) butterscotch chips
1 can Borden Eagle Brand Condensed milk
1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 c. walnut halves
Maraschino cherries, if desired

Melt chips and condensed milk in top of double boiler over hot (not boiling) water.  Stir occasionally til morsels melt and mixture begins to thicken.  Remove from heat -- add chopped walnuts and vanilla.  Blend well.  Chill 1 hour til mixture thickens.  Line bottom of 9" pie pan with a 12" square of foil.  Place 3/4 cup walnut halves in bottom of pan, forming a 2" wide flat ring.  Spoon chocolate mixture in small mounds on top of nuts to form a ring.  Decorate with remaining nuts.  Add maraschino cherries if desired.  Chill in refrigerator until firm enough to slice. Cut into 1/2 inch slices.

I am guessing once the mounds are in place, you spread the mixture out a bit to also make a 2" wide flat ring.

The lovely 1936 Christmas card is from:  https://the-light-keeper.blogspot.com

Cornstarch pudding?

Sun., January 26, 1936 - Slept until 9:30.  Edwin here for breakfast.  He's been staying here this last week.  Howard came in tonite and took me out to Nieman's.  We built a fire at the schoolhouse.
Mon., January 25, 1936 - Had a ride to school in the lumber wagon.  Clear this afternoon.  Copied program parts this evening.
Tues., January 26, 1936 - Cornstarch pudding for hot lunch.  Cloudy and snowing at times today.  Corrected papers after supper.

I do not believe I have ever had cornstarch pudding.  There are several recipes, but I found this one at cooks.com.  I may have to make it just to check it out.

1 c. sugar (scant)
3 tbsp. rounded cornstarch
2 1/2 c. milk
Dash of salt
1 tsp. vanilla

Mix sugar and cornstarch. Add milk, salt and vanilla. Cook until thickened. Be careful of scorching. Serve hot or cold.

The comments to the recipe were rather fun.  Many people reminisced that it was what their grandmother made for them and they considered this pudding real comfort food.  Some said this particular recipe was too sweet, others said they used to have it served over ham and green beans.  Raisins, cinnamon and peaches are probably the mentioned add-ins that I would prefer, however.  One said she was pretty sure her grandmother never added salt nor vanilla, leaving it at just the three ingredients.  The photo provides yet another version.

Paddlefish

Wed.,October 30, 1935 - Washed and waved my hair tonite.  Didn't do a bit of studying.  Colder tonite.
Thurs., October 31, 1935 - Sleeted during the night, cold today.  Mr. Goodling had to push the car tonite to get it started.
Fri., November 1, 1935 - Card club at Iversen's tonite.  Howard took me out there.  Ray went to a dance at Hoskins tonite.

I wonder how good a dancer Uncle Ray was.

I haven't done a Sunday recipe in a very long time.  But I must say I baked some of Dale's paddlefish this weekend with potatoes, garlic and rosemary and it was mighty tasty.

From wikipedia, a treasure trove of information about paddlefish:

"The American paddlefish (Polyodon spathula) is a species of basal ray-finned fish closely related to sturgeons in the order Acipenseriformes. Fossil records of paddlefish date back over 300 million years, nearly 50 million years before dinosaurs first appeared. American paddlefish are smooth-skinned freshwater fish commonly called paddlefish, but are also referred to as Mississippi paddlefish, spoon-billed cats, or spoonbills. They are one of only two extant species in the paddlefish family, Polyodontidae. The other is the critically endangered Chinese paddlefish (Psephurus gladius) endemic to the Yangtze River basin in China. American paddlefish are often referred to as primitive fish, or relict species because they retain some morphological characteristics of their early ancestors, including a skeleton that is almost entirely cartilaginous, a paddle-shaped rostrum (snout) that extends nearly one-third their body length, and a heterocercal tail or caudal fin, much like that of sharks. American paddlefish are a highly derived fish because they have evolved with adaptations such as filter feeding. Their rostrum and cranium are covered with tens of thousands of sensory receptors for locating swarms of zooplankton, which is their primary food source.

American paddlefish are native to the Mississippi River basin and once moved freely under the relatively natural, unaltered conditions that existed prior to the early 1900s. They commonly inhabited large, free-flowing rivers, braided channels, backwaters, and oxbow lakes throughout the Mississippi River drainage basin, and adjacent Gulf drainages. Their peripheral range extended into the Great Lakes, with occurrences in Lake Huron and Lake Helen in Canada until about 90 years ago. American paddlefish populations have declined dramatically primarily because of overfishing, habitat destruction, and pollution. Poaching has also been a contributing factor to their decline and will continue to be as long as the demand for caviar remains strong. Naturally occurring American paddlefish populations have been extirpated from most of their peripheral range, as well as from New York, Maryland, Virginia, and Pennsylvania. The current range of American paddlefish has been reduced to the Mississippi and Missouri River tributaries and Mobile Bay drainage basin. They are currently found in twenty-two states in the U.S., and those populations are protected under state, federal and international laws."

Photo also from wikipedia.

Quilt in progress

Tues., May 21, 1935 - Sunshiny this morning and rainy this p.m.  Sewed on my quilt.  Mom got some tomato and sweet potato plants tonite from Carl Wolf.
Wed., May 22, 1935 - Rainy and cloudy all day.  Mom went down town and mailed order for Broken Star quilt.  Worked on my Flower Garden quilt.
Thurs., May 23, 1935 - Clear all day for a change.  A big colored ring was around the sun this noon.  Mom went down to Schellenbergs this p.m. to sew.  Florence came up here.  I walked home with her, had lunch and she brought us home in the car.

I could not find an image of a Broken Star quilt pattern.  I thought it was like the one Grandma made for Dale, but I'm not sure.  This is what I know as the Flower Garden pattern, but there may be more than one.  I can't say that working with those hexagons would be pleasurable for me.  I would steer towards something with less wonky corners.

I haven't done a Sunday recipe for a very long time.  Since Ms. Reichert has been popping up recently, here is a recipe in Grandma's cookbook with credit to Ms. Reichert.

Cookies

1/2 c.margarine
1/2 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. white sugar
1-1/4 c. sifted flour
1 egg
1 c. coconut
2 c. corn flakes
1/2 tsp. soda
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. vanilla
1/4 tsp. butter flavoring

Chill dough for a short time.  Roll in balls, do not flatten.  Bake on ungreased cookie sheet at 350 degrees.

We are a little short on details here as to mixing instructions and time for baking, but still worth sharing.

Contest? And a recipe

November 25, 1932 - Mom, Ray and I went with Irene Gaebler and Mrs. Unger to Wayne this morning to vote in the contest at Wayne.  I baked a cake this afternoon.  Ray and I went to the surprise party for Florence S. this evening [her birthday].  She was surprised.  We danced in the dining room and front room. I had a good time.  

November 26, 1932 - We went to Norfolk this morning and did our Xmas shopping.  I went to the library this p.m. and read awhile.  Tonite 35 young people went to Wayne in one of Ed Granquist's trucks to vote in the contest.  We were crowded but it was fun just the same.  Ella Eckert Willers' birthday.

November 27, 1932 - Ray worked down at Nieman's filling station this p.m.  Tonite Ray and I went up to the school house and started a fire, took my suitcase to Walkers, and then went to the dance at Hoskins.  Had a pretty good time.  Art and Rudolph Kahler are here again.  Art went to York with Walter.

I do not know what the contest is that allows multiple votes by the same person.  It must have been something fun and/or important for multiple trips to Wayne.  Especially, taking a truck with a whole passel of kids.  Hopefully Grandma will clue us in later.

Since it is Sunday, and since Grandma mentions baking a cake, I will add a cake recipe here.  It is in her handwriting but there is no reference as to who she may have gotten the recipe from.  Also, I do not recall her making this particular cake, but my memory isn't what it used to be.  Without further ado, I give you:

Coconut Pound Cake

1 1/2 c. Crisco

5 eggs

1/2 t. salt

1 c. milk

2 1/2 c. sugar

3 c. flour

1 t. baking powder

1 c. coconut

Cream Crisco and sugar 10 minutes. Add eggs one at a time beating 5 minutes after each addition.  Sift flour, salt and baking powder together.  Add alternately with milk to creamed mixture.  Blend in coconut.  Turn into a well-greased and floured tube (Bundt or angel food) pan.  Place in cold oven.  Bake at 350 degrees for 90 minutes.

I should make this; I bet the duck eggs will make for an extra-special texture.

Another Iversen sighting and a recipe

November 10, 1932 - Not quite so windy today as yesterday.  Little snow flurries every once in a while.  Got a ride to school with Bud and home with Earl Miller.  Mike came home today.  Jack Kemp birthday.
November 11, 1932 - Ray came after me tonite.  He nailed up the holes in the foundation.  I went to Rebekah Lodge tonite.  After lodge I went to the Armistice dance at Carroll with Iversens.  We had a good time although there wasn't a very large crowd.  (Got sand for sand table today.)
November 12, 1932 - Went to Wayne on the train with Alma L.  Went to see Miss Sewell and Aunt Mildred.  We just about missed the train coming home, had to run for it.  Ray and I were all ready to go to a dance at Uncle Hans' tonite when Willie came and said it was called off.  Ola and Annie, Aunt Lena, Edwin, Florence F. came up and we played Michigan and had lunch.

Does anyone know who Willie is in this instance?  I don't recall a Willie in any of Grandma's previous diary entries.

I was going to resurrect the Sunday recipe posts I did when I first started this way back when with a post yesterday.  But I ended up feeling lousy due to a stomach bug and didn't post at all.  So, here it is Monday and I'm doing a recipe anyway.  I asked Mom for Grandma's recipe book some time ago for a Christmas present project that didn't pan out as I would have liked.  But I still have the book and will find something.

Since it is still sort of zucchini season, here's the recipe Grandma used for zucchini bread.  Her note says she got the recipe from Mom.

Zucchini Nut Bread

3 eggs, beaten
2 c. sugar
1 1/2 t. vanilla
1 c. salad oil
2 c. grated zucchini
3 c. flour
1 t. salt
2 t. cinnamon
1 t. nutmeg
1/2 t. cloves
1 t. baking soda
1/4 t. baking powder
1/2 c. nuts, optional.

Mix eggs, sugar, vanilla, oil and zucchini together.  Add the dry ingredients and mix.  Add nuts*.  Bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour or more.  Makes 2 loaves. Freezes well.

*Grandma didn't indicate when to add the nuts exactly, but I'm guessing after everything else is mixed based on previous baking experience.

I do not have the knowledge of trains to tell if the photo is something like the train Grandma would have taken between Wayne and Winside, but it is a train photo nonetheless.

More chickens

July 9, 1931 - I cleaned the upstairs this morning.  Early to bed tonite.
July 10, 1931 - Cleaned downstairs this morning.  I went to Wayne on the train this afternoon.  I went up to the Normal and got Mildred Andersen.  We came home on the train.  Talked this evening and went to bed rather early.
July 11, 1931 - We looked at snapshots, etc.  Went down town this afternoon.  Ray, Mildred, Ralph and I went to Carroll to the dance tonite.  We didn't have such a very good time, nobody there we knew.  Ray brought home three little chickens tonite.

So is Mildred Andersen someone other than Aunt Mildred?  Grandma always calls her Aunt Mildred, but then she changes what she calls Grandma Anna in her journals, so . . .

I haven't done a Sunday recipe in ages and today isn't Sunday, but for lack of anything better to put in here, here goes.  I do not recall Grandma making this recipe, but it is in her handwriting and it sounds good.  I like to experiment on my co-workers, maybe I will give it a try some time soon.

Coconut Pound Cake

1 1/2 c. Crisco
5 eggs
1/2 t. salt
1 c. milk
2 1/2 c. sugar
3 c. flour
1 t. baking powder
1 c. coconut

Cream Crisco and sugar 10 minutes.  Add eggs one at a time, beating 5 minutes after each addition.  Sift flour, salt and baking powder together -- add alternately with milk to creamed mixture.  Blend in coconut.  Turn into a well-greased and flour tube pan (Bundt or angel food). Place in cold oven.  Bake at 350 degrees for 90 minutes.

It sounds dandy.

Speaking of baking, one of the blogs I follow asked people to submit photos or stories of their favorite "hand me down" baking or cooking item.  I immediately thought of the flour sifter of Grandma Anna's that I am lucky enough to have.  I am pretty sure I have not used any other sifter unless I was baking at someone else's house.  Not only is it a fine sifter, I think of both Grandma Anna and Grandma whenever I use it.  Grandma Anna isn't baking in the photo, but she is holding a baked good.  She looks rather pleased to have it, too.  With her in the photo is Tanta Emma and someone I cannot name.

The Black Knight again and a "Sunday" recipe

"January 27, 1991:  Greta and I to Lincoln to see the new baby.
February 3, 1991:  Tom, Merilyn, Nancy, Rick, Mary, Mitchell, Helen, Greta, Irene and I went to The Black Knight for dinner.  In p.m. played cards here.  Dorothy Jo and Johanna came in p.m."

Well, phooey.  Here is written proof that I have been to The Black Knight.  I have no recollection whatsoever.  One would think I would remember one of the earliest outings with the new baby, and for Grandma's birthday to boot.  Obviously, there is no where for me to go but up in the memory department.

And Grandpa either out of fairness or because he was still not feeling the best, did not make the trip down to see Kyleah, just like the first trip to meet Mitch.  But then again, Grandpa wasn't really big on teeny babies.

This isn't really a recipe, but I am going to mention Grandma's jungle juice.  Seems she quite often made this or that recipe that had drained canned fruit in it.  Because I would go to Grandma and Grandpa's after school and it was not uncommon for there to be jungle juice in the frig -- Grandma's title so far as I know.  She would combine KoolAid and whatever juice she happened to have -- didn't want to waste it, you know.  I am willing to bet she rarely combined the same juice with the same flavor of KoolAid very often.  I wonder if the memory of her concoctions is the reason I am still a sucker for punch of any kind.  Point me to a punch bowl and I will all but pick it up and drink from it.  I LOVE PUNCH.

There's no real good time to post the picture of Grandma at her last birthday party, so I will just do it now and then I won't have to think about when to do it anymore.  She looks so nice there.  A bit of a different smile for her in photos, but I still like it.  Oh, and she's wearing that necklace that all little kids like to mess with.  Bonus.

Thanksgiving and Sunday recipe

"November 22, 1990:  Tied a comforter for Lynn and Dale's Christmas present.
November 24, 1990:  Nancy came in evening.
November 25, 1990:  Family gathering for Thanksgiving at Greta's.  All present except Lynn -- had to go to her sister's."

I've not taken a family poll, but I think I like Thanksgiving family gatherings better than even Christmas gatherings; not that I am knocking Christmas.  Too much mental planning goes on around Christmas for me whereas Thanksgiving is just "what dish do I bring?" and "where do we show up?"  The weather is usually kind to us and everyone is just happy (okay, thankful) to be together and the conversation is always good and it is just plain nice.  I am not able to put this in to words very well, but I just like Thanksgiving.  And then there was the one year we went to Grandmother's in Lincoln for Thanksgiving.  And we were super thankful that year -- we got to hear all the details on how Dale had recently shot himself with a nail gun and lived to tell the (somewhat comical) story.

Here's a recipe that I got from the Winside cookbook.  It is one of Norma B.'s but around my work, it is known as Mary's Famous Banana Bread, or something like that.  It is always well received and is just yummy if I do say so myself.  I believe I told Norma once upon a time that I had commandeered her recipe but she didn't mind.

Banana Bread

1 T. vinegar
Approximately 1 c. milk
2 c. white sugar
½ c. margarine (can be melted)
3 ripe bananas, mashed
3 eggs
Pinch of salt
1½ t. soda
3 c. flour
½ c. nuts (optional)

Put vinegar in a measuring cup and then fill with milk to the 3/4-cup mark. Set aside. Beat sugar and margarine together; add bananas and mix well. Add eggs and stir until mixed. Sift together dry ingredients and combine with banana mixture. Add milk/vinegar and mix well. Stir in nuts, if desired. Bake at 350 degrees for 50 minutes. Makes 2-3 regular sized loaves.

The photos are from November 1994 and I am guessing they were taken at Thanksgiving dinner.  Close enough anyway.  I had to post both since I didn't want to pick one over the other.  The kids were kinda wild that day.  Mitch's foot is up in the air in the photo with Grandma, but Grandpa is holding it down in the other picture.

Garden tomatoes and a Sunday recipe

"October 7, 1990:  Had our first good frost -- tomatoes are done for this year.
October 8, 1990:  Flu shot.
October 13, 1990:  Greta put the plastic on the west and north windows -- a perfect day -- no wind and not too cold."

In my humble opinion, it's hard to beat garden tomatoes.  Kim and I used to eat them after school like apples.  Nothing added, no peeling, no slicing -- just bite right in.  As I hear tell, the juice left from a bowl of sliced tomatoes was a prize when Grandma's kids were growing up.  I thought that was crazy until I tried it.  Adding to their appeal is the fact that picking tomatoes wasn't so bad.  It's not dreary and annoying like picking green beans or peas that like to hide in the green.  Bright red tomatoes all but ask to be picked.  I have seen various recipes that use green tomatoes, but I have never eaten any of them.  I don't know if Grandpa just left the green ones there or if he was such a master gardener, that there simply weren't any. 

I have always loved this photo and so am posting it today.  Looks like maybe the grownups were playing cards as opposed to eating tomatoes or anything else, but that's okay. 

This isn't one of Grandma's recipes, but the recipe for Johanna's fantabulous peanut butter cookies.  Maybe it was just Johanna's touch, but they were always great.

Double Peanut Butter Cookies

3 c. flour
1 c. sugar
1 t. soda
1/4 t. salt
1 c. shortening (part oleo)
1 c. peanut butter
1/2 c. light syrup

Sift flour, sugar, soda and salt into mixing bowl.  Cut in shortening and peanut butter until it resembles coarse meal.  Blend in corn syrup.  Shape into rolls and chill overnight.  Slice 1/4 inch thick and put 1/2 t. peanut butter on one slice and put another slice over it.  Seal edges with a fork or press with fingers.  Bake at 350 degrees for 12 to 15 minutes.  Cool slightly before removing.

The First Greatgrand and a Sunday recipe

"August 8, 1990:  Women of ELCA meeting.
August 10, 1990:  Nancy and Dane came in the evening.
August 11, 1990:  Nancy and I had Dane here all day.  Visited with Helen and John in evening.  Greta and Lester were in Grand Island and came after Dane about 10:30."

Such fun was had when Dane went to Winside.  Actually, just the trip up was often entertaining for Nancy, let alone the trip back.  She can tell tales of messy eating and law enforcement and I-forget-what-else.   Dane was around two years old in 1990 when Grandma wrote those entries, but I like the photo and wanted to use it. 

Dane got to be the only greatgrand for a while, but was rather gracious as the younger ones came along.  Didn't seem to mind at all.  I, however, had a hormonal meltdown when I heard his younger sister was on the way.  I was expecting my own little piece of the spotlight* and here, the parents of Dane (a/k/a The Golden Child*) were going to produce another perfectly awesome child* less than a month later.  Of course my hormones over-reacted for no reason at all, there were plenty of ooos and aaahs and attention to go around; no one was neglected or anything like that.  Hormones can be funny things.

I haven't made this recipe in ages, but I think I need to find a reason to do so very soon.  These sandwiches are absolutely yummy.

Cheese Spread

1 c. evaporated milk
2 T. flour
2 T. sugar
2 T. vinegar
1 t. salt
3/4 lb. Velveeta cheese, diced
2 T. pimento
3 hard-boiled eggs, diced

Cook the milk, flour, sugar, vinegar and salt together until thick.  Add the Velveeta and cook slowly until melted.  Stir in the pimento and eggs.  (My directions don't spell it out, but I am guessing maybe the first several ingredients should be prepared like a white sauce -- told you it has been a while!)  The eggs should be diced fairly fine, but the stirring rather helps with that, too.

*You guys know which one you are and also know that I love you all bunches!

Quilt finished and a Sunday recipe

"July 2, 1990:  Arlene R., Rose, Lila, Arlene P. and I quilted.
July 3, 1990:  I finished the quilt.  Lila and Margaret T. helped take the quilt out of the frame.
July 2 and 3, 1990: Extreme heat.  Temperatures above 100 degrees all over the state.  Valentine had 114 degrees."

Mom says she is pretty sure the quilt was for Winside's centennial.  The centennial celebration started on the 20th so they planned pretty well.  Of course, I don't have a photo of that particular quilt.  Will post if I find one.

The photo I do have is not of the best quality.  It is from some old negatives I found in Grandma's stuff.  I picked it because three of the people in the photo were living in 1890 when Winside became a town. They are Grandma Anna and her parents.  Her mother is the Fehmarn-born ancestor I wrote about the other day.  Her name was Dorothea Magdelena Kahler.  In all fairness, there is another negative where they are staging for their picture and Dorothea is smiling at the confusion (looks like Mom was not cooperating) -- so she wasn't stern and serious all the time.  I wish it were of a better quality.  Her husband, also in this photo, was Ola Svensson Brogren.  There is a family story about how he got to America that I will share another day.  The other two in the photo are Grandma and Mom.

This recipe is one I got from Aunt Helen, but plenty of bakers in the family have made this bread.  It's good stuff!  Too bad the apricot tree in the backyard was already gone by the time Aunt Helen discovered this recipe, otherwise we could have had the best apricots around to use.

Apricot Bread

1 c. snipped dried apricots
2 c. warm water
1 c. sugar
2 t. butter or margarine, softened
1 egg
3/4 c. orange juice
2 c. flour
2 t. baking powder
1/4 t. baking soda
1 t. salt
3/4 c. chopped nuts

Soak apricots in warm water for 30 minutes.  Meanwhile, in a mixing bowl, cream the sugar, butter and egg.  Stir in orange juice.  Combine flour, baking powder, soda and salt; stir into creamed mixture just until combined.  Drain apricots well; add to batter with nuts.  Pour into a greased 9"x5"x3" loaf pan.  Bake at 350 degrees for 55 minutes.  Cool 10 minutes in pan before moving to wire rack.

Notes from comments

Since it is easier for me to look at the comments all at once than for people to go back and find them on each individual post, here's a recent summary.
Nancy must have been really knocked out from the "little toe surgery" because she reports that Lynn and Kyleah got her there and back and even brought her flowers.  Problem is Kyleah wasn't born yet, so I dunno what Nancy is thinking.  It was either Dane, or Lynn grabbed some little girl and took her on that particular mission.

As for Father's Day and the flooded highway, Nancy also reports that we did wait for her and Dane and so it was a three-car convoy that managed to get over the river and back home that day.

Regarding Grandpa's potatoes, Mom said he always tried to plant at least some on Good Friday with the goal of having new potatoes to eat by Mom's birthday in late June.  One year it was really muddy on Good Friday, so Grandpa stayed on the grass and planted a few potatoes on the edge of the garden in the mud.

Seems Kahlua was mixed with cream soda, as per Mom, something that sounds very, very good to me right now.

Just to keep the younger folk up on things, Mom reports that Dora was Grandpa's first cousin -- her mother (Aunt Kate) and Grandpa's mother were sisters.

Another Dora story (from Nancy, I think . . . I didn't write it down and don't want to go check right now) is that Dora took the bus from Fremont to Norfolk for one of the cousins' Christmas get-togethers we used to have.  It was getting later and closer to when Dora needed to be at the depot to catch the bus back, but Grandpa kept stalling.  Eventually he told her that he and Grandma would drive her back.  This extended the length of her visit and also allowed the three of them to look at all the Christmas lights on the way down.  Dora always remembered how kind that was of Grandpa.

Mitch reports that Aunt Myrtle is not the only plucky woman in the family.  Seems he thinks it is a common trait.

And the chocolate cherry cookies were, and probably still are, a favorite of Tom's.  Grandma often made some when she knew Tom was coming up and also made them at Christmas for him.  Ask his siblings and he was the favored kid.  Always.

Lastly, Mom got me straight on where the California people lived:  Uncle Raymond in Hacienda Heights, Aunt Irene in Alhambra, and Uncle John and Aunt Helen in West Covina.

I think I'm good for now.

Potatoes and Sunday recipe

"June 14, 1990:  Howard dug a hill of potatoes -- 3 nice big ones and 1 small one.
June 15, 1990: I had Pinochle Club.
June 16, 1990: We had 1 1/2 inches of rain last night - also a real old-fashioned rumbling thunderstorm."

Grandpa was a gardener extraordinaire.  He grew all kinds of things and grew most very well.  I say that because I believe there was some occasional experimenting that went on with new vegetables.  If they didn't turn out satisfactorily, they simply weren't planted again.  So, for the most part, he stuck with what he knew that would grow for him.

He was inordinately proud of his potatoes and that was probably deserved.  Some vegetables and fruits are upfront about telling you when they are ripe and ready to harvest; strawberries, peas, green beans.  Even carrots will pop up a little bit from the ground to let you know they are of a decent size.  Potatoes do a little of that, but most of the productivity is being done well under the dirt where you can't see.  And there's no turning back -- once you dig up a hill of potatoes, you can't put it all back in to grow some more if you don't like what you find.  Over time Grandpa became a Potato Whisperer.  He could detect a good hill of potatoes like crazy.  And there are plenty of potato lovers in the family, myself included, so Grandpa's efforts were always much appreciated.

I could go on, but I have a recipe and a photo to deal with.  The picture is from the end of a Nebraska vacation that Nancy, Mitch, Anna and I took in 1997 or 1998.  You can see that Nancy put out some petunias that year, too.  I wanted a picture of Grandpa in the garden, but have settled for this one that was taken a stone's throw from the garden.  I also like it because it was at a time when the kids weren't shy about showing they liked each other.

Tuna-Rice Casserole

This is a very basic, stick-to-your-ribs tuna casserole recipe.  Chefs would gasp, but it's good, filling food.  It can be added to I imagine, but I never change it.  It wouldn't remind me of Grandma if I did that.

1/2 c. uncooked rice
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 t. dehydrated onion, optional
2 cans tuna (undrained)
1 soup can milk
Celery or celery salt, optional

Combine all ingredients and place in a greased casserole.  Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.

Feeding birds and a Sunday recipe

"April 20, 1990:  Lester took Shirlee to Omaha to fly back to Florida.
April 30, 1990:  Ice on bird bath Saturday morning and Monday morning."

Ice?  In April?  I think Grandpa already had a bird bath heater by this time, but he had probably retired it for the winter.  Grandpa had at least two birds baths and he liked to feed the birds as well.  It was always a safe Christmas or Father's Day gift to bring an industrial-sized bag of bird "feed".  Grandpa corrected us if we said bird "seed" because he didn't plant it to grow birds.  He would act disgusted that we would make such a silly mistake, but he was teasing, of course.  One of my earliest memories of doing something with Grandpa was when we built a bird house together.  Simple four sides and a roof.  And the hole was small enough that the sparrows couldn't use it; Grandpa liked wrens better.  Maybe drilling that hole for the wrens was what led me down the path of distructive drilling, which will be my story tomorrow.

The recipe is for Monkey Bread.  I think there are many variations, but this is the one Grandma made, and accordingly the one we like best.

Monkey Bread

2 loaves frozen bread dough (don't rise)
2 T. milk
3 oz. pkg. vanilla pudding or butterscotch pudding (not instant)
1/2 c. margarine
1 c. brown sugar
nuts

Snip 1 loaf of thawed bread in date-sized pieces into greased 9x13 inch pan.  Melt margarine.  Add milk, brown sugar and pudding mix and nuts to margarine.  Mix and spread mixture over bread in pan.  Snip second loaf over mixture.  Let rise 2 1/2 hours or until dough comes to top of pan.  Then bake in 300 - 350 degree oven for 1/2 hour until top is brown.  Remove from oven and tip over on foil.

This is good stuff.  I made this recipe once and to thaw the bread and not allow it to rise, I think I put it in the refrigerator overnight as per Grandma's suggestion.  If you don't often have dates around to compare in size, snip the pieces to be the size of the hole you make with your finger and thumb.  That should do it.

Oh, and the picture has absolutely nothing to do with anything, but it makes me laugh.  I have no idea why Dale and I felt compelled to make a doll-headed scarecrow in the bathroom, but we look rather pleased with ourselves and Mom thought the event worthy of a photograph.

Sunday recipe and church

"February 15, 1990:  Snow.
February 16, 1990:  No Pinochle Club.
February 18, 1990:  The LCW had charge of church since pastors were on vacation.  Dorothy Jo, Lila and I had charge -- I read the sermon.  Greta and I went shopping in Norfolk in p.m."

Anna copied the recipe for me a long time ago, back when she didn't know how to spell 'chocolate'.  I don't know what the rectangle drawing is -- maybe it's a Rice Krispie bar.  No directions, but I guess just melt and stir and spread over cooled bars.  I don't know why I don't make this more often.  It's tasty!

I can believe Grandma did the sermon at church that Sunday.  Not that others couldn't or wouldn't, but she had a good measured voice for reading and wasn't shy about it.  Or didn't act like she was anyway.  Dale's senior class had her as their commencement speaker in 1977.  Somewhere I have a cassette tape of Grandma practicing.  I don't remember what her speech was all about, but I remember being there and being proud that they chose her for that special occasion.

Quilt finished, Sunday recipe

"January 20, 1990:  Finished Greta's quilt.  We had 3 to 4 inches of snow.

Snow flurries on the 24th and 27th."

In a little over two weeks, Grandma had finished hand-quilting my mom's quilt.  This would have been a full-sized quilt for a single or double bed.  Not bad for a woman almost 80 years old.  I remember quilts in frames at Grandma's house.  They and the frame would pretty much take over the dining room.  I don't remember where Grandma and Grandpa ate or played cards when there was a quilt in the frame.  I found a list of recipients, dates and names of patterns representing at least 70 quilts.  One had 1,549 pieces.  Another was made from embroidered blocks my great grandmother, Anna, did in 1940.  Grandma pieced those blocks together in 1986 and did the quilting in 1989.  I think I know where I get my procrastination gene.

I decided to include in this blog recipes I remember Grandma making.  I'll try to do this on Sundays until I run out of recipes.  Not that she didn't cook and bake a lot of things, I just don't know how many I will find to share.

Choco-Cherry Nut Drops

2 1/2 c. flour
1 tsp. soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 unbeaten egg
1 1/2 t. vanilla
1 c. margarine
1 c. firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 c. white sugar
1 c. chocolate chips
1/2 c. chopped nuts
1/4 c. chopped maraschino cherries

Cream margarine and sugars.  Blend in egg and vanilla.  Beat well.  Add dry ingredients, which have been sifted together, gradually.  Stir in chocolate chips, nuts and maraschino cherries.  Drop by rounded teaspoonsful onto greased cookie sheets.  Bake at 375 degrees for 10 - 12 minutes, until done.

I remember these cookies as being pretty darned good, and not overly sweet.