I thought I'd post a picture of my 'growing up' years since this post is about memories. This was a birthday party when I was 6 years old. I'm at the back on the left.Actually, I'm writing this on Tuesday morning. How did it get to be Monday again and I haven't posted for a week!? It was a busy week. We had our grandkids here for a few days again this week, and once they left and went back home, we had to recouperate!! I forgot how much energy it takes to be around kids. They are constantly on the move and needing or wanting something. But, they are precious little bundles of joy.
As for meatless Monday here, it was not a very exciting one. Growing up, one meal I remember my mom cooking often was macaroni and tomatoes. Just cooked elbows with a quart jar of home canned whole tomatoes added. I loved that dish! So, last night, that is what I made with a few additions. Adding a good dose of curry powder and a topping of yogurt turns it into a treat. Richard said it tasted "middle eastern'. We also had green beans. I also carmalized a bunch of onions and added home canned green beans, which is another favorite from growing up, except that my mom always added bacon to this dish.
It's funny how we all have food memories of our growing up years. We were talking about that this weekend and I found it so interesting that my brother said one of his favorite dishes and memories was my mom's potato soup. I remember her making it, but it never impacted me like it did him. Fo me, it was her endive cooked with bacon in a sour gravy, or pickeld tongue and heart. Yes, you heard me correctly...tongue and heart!
She would cook a whole beef heart and tongue, chunk it up, and place it in a gallon jar with lots of sliced onions. It was soooo good. I've been hungry for it lately so I have an order for the tongue and heart from my farmer neighbor who raises organic and grass-fed beef. Liver is the other item on reserve. He's butchering in May so I'll get it then. I love liver and onions with tons of onions and a bit of bacon added. It's a once in a year indulgence since it is not the healthiest meal.
SO...tell me .... what are you favorite childhood dishes. What foods do you remember from growing up??
I loved my Mom's banana bread, barbecue meatballs, and deviled eggs. She was a stay-at-home-mom until I was 7. After that, she was either in nursing school or working full time. She still cooked for us but didn't have as much time to do so as she did when I was little.
ReplyDeleteDad picked up the slack, though. He could make the most amazing dishes out of a few potatoes, some eggs, and an onion or green pepper.
I loved my mom's meatloaf and mashed potatoes. and roast beef and fried potatoes. and chicken and some other sort of potatoes. we loved potatoes!
ReplyDeleteand her chocolate chip cookies are the best.
My mom's banana/vanilla wafers/meringue concoction. My wife is a great cook but she can't seem to do this one like Mom.
ReplyDelete#2 is a pot roast cooked in Russian dressing, with carrots and potatoes.
Tammy-we ate lots of potatoes and meatloaf too. I wonder if it was the 'mennonite' influence!?
ReplyDeleteBruce-we rarely eat beef, but the idea of using Russian dressing with a roast is so intriguing that I might have to buy a roast and try it! I love Russian dressing on salad so I can imagine it's delicious.
I remember Grandma making waffles. Mark was obsessed with them. They were good, but I was never a waffle or pancake person.
ReplyDeleteThe only thing I can think of Mom making from my childhood was apple pie. It's always been a favorite of my whole family. Last year or so I made it, and Dad said it was just as good!
german potato pancakes with apple sauce ... potato balls/ Kartoffelkloesse (german Potato Dumplings)...
ReplyDeleteKartoffel..what? I've never heard that word! How were they fixed/served?
ReplyDeletehttp://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Kartoffel-Kloesse-Potato-Dumplings/Detail.aspx
ReplyDeleteTeresa - Mildred's cooking of these old recipes was so good! I only had the chance to eat those things a few times, but it was great. we found a few German restaurants out here that do a good job with things, and Jim had the potato pancakes and applesauce at the one and it was about as good as his mom's.
ReplyDelete"banana/vanilla wafers/meringue"
ReplyDeletethat sounds a little like the pudding my mom made -- bananas and vanilla wafers and vanilla pudding. cool whip on top. total junk food except for the bananas but we loved it.
OH, I do remember that pudding! My mom made is once in a while.
ReplyDeleteMy dad always had applesauce when my mom made fried potatoes...similar to the potato pancakes!
Hey, Jim! How did your mom serve the Kartoffel..stuff?? With a sauce of some kind?
ReplyDelete