Children and memories

Have you ever thought about how many childhood memories involve food? All it takes for us to remember something wonderful about our own childhood is to experience a smell or a touch.

At Christmas I think it's especially good to make new memories with our children. Let them help you bake cookies (or even take the ones from the store and place them on the pan), let them snitch before dinner and make sure eating during gatherings is as fun for them as it is for you.

My favorite memories were when my parents were ministers in Indiana. I was old enough to remember and young enough to have fun. During the holidays church members would fill our kitchen with homemade pies, cakes, cookies and jellies. The best memory for me was when I would walk home from school and enter our warm little parsonage. The cold left my face red and stinging. I would rush into the kitchen and find Mom in her favorite apron stirring a big pot of chicken and dumplings. She would fill my plate with mashed potatoes and pour a ladle of chicken and dumplings on top. Before long that warm goodness filled every part of my body. You just can't get better than that!!!

Here's a few other memories....

Gloria writes:

I am Pam's cousin. I would love to share my family's favorite pie recipe. In my house it rates right up there with Apple Pie.

Chocolate Chip Pie
2 eggs
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 cup butter melted and cooled
1 cup chocolate chips
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 9 inch unbaked pie shell

In a large bowl beat eggs until foamy. Add flour and sugars, beat until well blended. Blend in melted butter. Stir in morsels and nuts. Pour into pie shell. Bake at 325 for 1 hour. Serve warm with whipped cream or ice cream.

I wish you and yours a very Merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year.
Sincerely,
Gloria~

Thanks Gloria. I bet members of your family couldn't wait to snitch that one. Any time I measured out chocolate chips they kept disappearing before I could add them to the recipe!


Pam writes:

I loved my Aunt Ruth and the family loved her salad. Aunt Ruth always pronounced it "Salwed". Of course, she also pronounced "Jello" - "Jellwo" and so on. We'd smile and she'd laugh. We all laughed with her; never at her. I loved my "Aunt" Ruth! She was married to a wonderful man, "Uncle" Bill, who was about 20 years older than she. They never had any children. I loved my "Aunt" Ruth and "Uncle" Bill. She always brought out her fine red historic pattern dinnerware every holiday. We all had very nice, large red water glasses too! They would have been wonderful parents. I know because, they were a TERRIFIC "Aunt" and "Uncle"!

24 Hour Salad (by my Aunt Ruth)

1 egg, beaten 1/2 cup milk
1 cup sugar 1/4 teas. dry mustard

Bring to boil & cool, add to 1/2 pint whipped cream.

1 lb. red, seedless grapes (cut in half, lengthwise)
1 lb. large marshmallows, quartered
1 can cubed, drained pineapple
nuts

That's all the original recipe says. However, you will want to use the heavy whipping cream; I whip it with that pastry whipper thing - the egg beater?

Also, while waiting for that mixture to cool (takes a very long time), cut your grapes in half, lengthwise, and cut your marshmallows and nuts. Have those in a large bowl ready to add the cooled liquid. Then gently stir the liquid in, and refrigerate for 24 hours. Sometimes, mine does not make the entire 24 hours due to people not wanting to wait to eat it!

Have a great day in Him!

Yum Pam! My mouth is watering. I can see my family loving this one too. I bet you've caught Issac snitching this one more than once.

Thanks for all the recipes. I do hope you will keep them coming. It's going to be hard to pick a winner. I know you will enjoy the book. If you haven't entered the contest and would like to, all you have to do is send me an e-mail at debbie@debbiejansen.com. Tell me why you or your family likes the recipe and then include the instructions. That's it! That's all you have to do to enter. Check out previous blogs for your favorites as well.

The winner will receive Faith Ford's (on the sitcom Hope & Faith) cookbook - "Cooking with Faith". I loved it so much I bought one for myself.

Merry Christmas !

God loves you,

Debbie