Myrtle and Zim, East Coast Furlough, early 1940's

Earlier today, I told my daughter that one of the reasons for creating this blog was so that my memories and recipes would be archived for her. What a treasure this will hopefully be to her someday. As I share memories of my Grandma and Grandpa and growing up in their home, I often wish that I would have asked more questions, listened a little closer to their stories, taken more photos, spent more time with them. I wouldn't call this having regrets. It's more of a realization that they were truly precious people and I don't want them to be forgotten. I don't have a written journal from either of them. I've been wondering what it would have been like for my Grandma Myrtle to have a blog of her own back when she was first married and through the years that she raised her children and then me. What sort of things would she have talked about? Would she have shared her recipes and encouraged her fans to try them too? She was 52 when I came along. Old enough to have many life experiences but young enough to still be feisty and fun. She always had an adventure planned. There was never an idle day at our house. I sometimes wonder how she kept up with a hyperactive toddler while in her fifties. What an amazing woman. I do remember her saying, on more than one occasion that she was quite happy to send me off to kindergarten back in 1975. She was more than happy to have a few hours to herself while I was at school. Even back in the seventies, life was very different than it is now. There was no Facebook. And no internet. So, what did she do with her time? Well, the house was always spotless. Not a speck of dust anywhere. And I only recall a handful of times that I actually saw her cleaning. The Cleaning Fairies must have come in while we were all sleeping. There is no way that she cleaned the whole house herself, took care of half of the yard work, did all of the meal planning and grocery shopping, cooking and laundry by herself. She must've had super powers that I didn't know about. I never saw her scream, or have a tantrum. I definitely remember seeing her upset but she sure didn't behave in a way that would have been considered unladylike.  I don't remember a single time seeing my Grandparents have a marital "fight." I know they had discussions but it never escalated to the point of being rude or hurtful.

 There is something special about the women of this generation. Since I grew up in their house and they were very much parental figures to me, I knew all of their friends. And kept in touch with many of them as I grew into an adult. Men and women that were were children during the 1920's and teenagers during the Great Depression, then young adults as World War II took place had a certain strength and graciousness. The word "classy" comes to mind. Certain topics were never discussed among friends. Bad behavior was just not acceptable. This transcended their entire lives. While appearances meant quite a bit, I think that that particular generation lived through so much, they were genuinely appreciative of the blessings in their lives. There was no time to complain, or whine about what they didn't have.

The photos were taken during the early forties. My Grandfather was in the Army and on furlough in North Carolina. She rode a "Troop Train" to see him before he was sent to Europe. What an experience that must have been! She said they took many photos during their time together because they didn't know if they would ever see one another again. I cannot even comprehend what that must have been like. So many young couples were experiencing that same thing during that time in history. My Grandpa carried a photo very similar to this picture of her in his wallet until the day he passed away. He was always proud of the way my Grandma took care of herself. He wasn't the type of man to tell her on a regular basis but it was obvious in how he treated her. There was a photo of my Grandpa, taken during this time period on my Grandma's nightstand for many years. That must have been a bittersweet time for them.


What I wouldn't give to go back in time and know them throughout their entire lives, not just from 1970 on. I would have so many more stories to share! Looking at these photographs I realize how beautiful my Grandma was. She was so dainty and feminine. 5'3" and maybe 115 pounds. Adorable, sweet and classy. No wonder my Grandpa fell in love with her. He was quite a catch himself. She told me once that she always loved his auburn hair and his strong working hands. My hope is that as I share my stories with you, you'll come to know them and appreciate them as much as I do. They truly are missed. Each and every day.

Caraway Breadsticks with Salad

After my success with Rye bread, I had enough confidence to try making breadsticks. Lucky for me, and for my husband, they were a success. This recipe is from the book Low-Fat Baking by Linda Fraser. I'm really loving this book. Every recipe I've tried has turned out perfect. I also love that my creation looks like the picture in the book. It helps so much to have a photograph to guide me as I cook. Especially with bread. Success is always fun and I think that cooking should be just as enjoyable as eating. I'm finding that the more I try new recipes, the more I want to savor the food and really enjoy the meal. I think it almost creates an attitude of gratitude. I've become much more present when I cook. I want to continue learning new skills and how to prepare certain dishes. It's becoming a real adventure. Generally, I'm alone in the kitchen aside from our Pit Bull, Nalah, who can usually be found lounging on one of the rugs on the floor. I often listen to music while I'm cooking, and the type of music depends on the mood I'm in. Many times, I'm feeling a bit nostalgic, due to using so many of my Grandma's utensils and gadgets so I will listen to Perry Como, Bing Crosby or Doris Day. Other times, I rock it out with ZZ Top, Ozzy, or Guns N Roses. While listening to Stevie Ray Vaughn, I can remember realizing that I was chopping onions to the beat of the music. Yep. That's me. Dances with Knives! Cooking should be fun. If the experience lacks excitement and is mundane, I really believe that it will come out in the food somehow. Finding myself in a cooking-rut is never a good thing. I either take a break for a week or so and research new recipes while we eat out or eat easy meals like tacos or pasta. If I know I'll be sharing our food with a friend or having company, that's enough to get me inspired again. I have an enormous collection of cookbooks. I used to feel a bit guilty about the size of the collection but not anymore. It's my prized possession. I'd honestly rather look through cookbooks than any magazine. I even take them in the car on long trips. You never know when you'll find the perfect recipe. I'm always on the lookout.
Here is the recipe for these yummy breadsticks. Hope you enjoy them!

Caraway Breadsticks

* Ideal to nibble with drinks, these can be made with all sorts of other seeds- try cumin seeds, poppy seeds or celery seeds. ~Linda Fraser

Makes about 20
2/3 cup warm water
1/2 tsp active dry yeast
pinch of sugar
2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp caraway seeds

1. Grease two baking sheets. put the warm water in a jug. Sprinkle the yeast on top. Add the sugar, mix well and let sit for 10 minutes.
2. Sift the flour and salt into a mixing bowl, stir in the caraway seeds and make a well in the center. Add the yeast mixture and gradually incorporate the flour to make a soft dough, adding a little water if necessary.
3. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and knead for 5 minutes, until smooth. Divide the mixture into 20 pieces and roll each piece into a 12 inch stick.
4. Arrange the sticks on the baking sheets, leaving room between them to allow for rising.
5. Bake the breadsticks for about 10-12 minutes, until golden brown. Cool on the baking sheets.
Calories: 45

I did turn the breadsticks halfway through cooking. My oven tends to cook a bit on the hot side so I didn't want to take the chance of any of them getting to browned. They are so tasty right from the oven!

Crab-Stuffed Mushrooms

I'm always searching my cookbook collection for new recipes. I've had this particular book for at least 10 years and for some reason, I never really paid much attention to it. Until now. It's almost a completely new book to me. Don't you love it when that happens? When you discover something great for the second time?
The title of the book is "Secrets of Fat-Free Cooking" by Sandra Woodruff, RD. Early in our marriage, I doubt I would have even considered making this recipe. But over 20 years later, tastes change, people change and I was pleasantly surprised that my husband enjoyed this recipe so much. I love the fact that it's healthy. I made it as a main dish and served it with an Organic Bean Soup that I purchased as a dried mix from my local co-op. The two seemed to go together well. I prepared the soup before I left for work and let it sit in the fridge all day. When we arrived home, I heated up the soup and  prepped the mushrooms. And while they were in the oven, we enjoyed our soup. Timing is everything, as my Grandma continually instructed me. I will never forget the lesson of food timing that she gave me when I was seven. She had me time our entire Thanksgiving meal. It was my job to tell her when to put the turkey in the oven, when to start cooking the mashed potatoes, what time to make the side dishes. It all had to be ready at the same time with nothing burnt or undercooked. It's amazing that I was able to handle that but barely passed algebra in high school.
I did make a small but very good change to this recipe. My husband's said a few times that he doesn't really care for the taste of bell peppers. So, I substituted an Anaheim Chili Pepper. They are fairly mild but with a much more interesting flavor. And while they maintained their crunchiness in this recipe, the flavor seemed to add a lot to the overall taste. I also used parchment paper on my baking sheet rather that cooking spray. It's basically just personal preference. I've always liked the fact that clean up is much easier when using parchment paper. Plus, I'm using even less oil and butter.

Crab-Stuffed Mushrooms

40 medium mushrooms (I used baby portabello's and I ended up with 22 mushrooms)
2 cups soft bread crumbs (I used whole wheat bread)
8 ounces (1 1/2 cups) finely flaked cooked crab meat or imitation crab
1/3 cup nonfat Parmesan cheese
1/3 cup finely chopped bell pepper (or Anaheim Chili Pepper)
1/4 cup finely chopped scallions
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
2 egg whites, lightly beaten
1/4 cup nonfat mayonnaise

1. Remove and discard the mushroom stems. Wash the mushroom caps and pat dry. Set aside.
2. Combine the bread crumbs, crab meat, cheese, bell peppers, scallions, thyme and black pepper in a medium sized bowl, and stir to mix well. Add the egg whites and mayonnaise and stir gently to blend.
3. Coat a shallow baking pan with nonstick cooking spray (or parchment paper). Place a heaping teaspoonful of stuffing in each mushroom cap, and arrange the mushrooms in the prepared pan.
4. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes, or until lightly browned on top. Transfer the mushrooms to a serving platter.
Makes 40 appetizers if you use medium mushrooms.
Calories: 19 per mushroom

Classie Parker: Canning Queen of the Desert

I love this woman!
Canning is a lost art in big cities, for the most part. But not here in the small community we live in. It's as popular as ever!

El Rancho Market, 1959

While I was looking through a file box of recipes that my Grandma saved, I found this advertisement folded up and placed in with the recipes. There is a food related article written on the other side that I'm sure was the reason she saved this paper. I was actually more intrigued by the ad. It's from her favorite market in Arcadia, El Rancho. I remember shopping there with her, before it was bought by a national grocery store chain. She had two favorite places to shop, the El Rancho and the Pantry. And many years later, Trader Joe's. Boy, they loved that place. They ended up doing 90% of their food shopping at Trader Joe's. She said many times that she wished her mother could have seen that store. She would have loved it. Especially all of the convenience food. Back when my Grandma was a little girl in the 20's, women prepared almost all of their family's food from scratch. There were very few convenience items like today. Wouldn't it be fun to walk through the store that this ad came from? See the items on the shelves, and check the prices. I can guarantee that there would not be an entire aisle devoted to soda and chips and cookies like today.  Check the date on this ad and you'll understand the incredibly low prices....1959!
I would love to go back in time and spend a week just watching my Grandma plan meals, grocery shop, organize and prepare food. What fun that would be. I learned this skill from her. And since she grew up during the depression, I also learned to be as thrifty as possible. When making up a menu for the week, she would take into consideration the items she already had on hand, plus any crop from the garden that was ready to harvest. If there were zucchini or tomatoes that were ready, she'd plan to add those to some of the meals. My Grandpa was incredibly good at growing peas. And we had an avocado tree as well as several fruit trees...fig, apricot, peach, persimmon and orange. As a child, I never had a problem eating fresh fruits and vegetables. They were always on our table in one way or another. And she came from the generation that was expected to eat what was prepared without putting up a fuss. This was passed down to me as well. We dined on oysters, frog legs (which she told me were chicken, until after I finished eating!), lima beans, acorn squash, and many other foods that kids nowadays would turn their noses up at. Now that I'm all grown up, I'm so thankful that they raised me to appreciate real, honest to goodness food. I'm willing to try new things because they always encouraged that in our house. I can remember both of them saying, "How do you know you don't like it until you try? It could be one of your favorite foods and you would never know!"  Maybe I should make this a new goal. At least once a month, I need to try a new food. I have a friend that regularly will post her new food finds on Facebook. Sometimes the results are favorable. Others, a dismal failure. But, you don't know until you try.

Savory Pork Stew with Spinach and Bacon Bread

 Savory Pork Stew with Spinach & Bacon Bread


Most of the time, at least lately, I cook dinner for my husband and myself,  rather than go out to eat. We are attempting to eat healthier and so far, we're doing a pretty good job. I'm amazed at how many full flavor meals are low in calories. I've been gathering up healthy recipes so that we don't get bored with the same several meals over and over again. Food should never be boring. And I've discovered, sort of by accident, that I really like making bread. I'm no expert but it's been a fun experience so far.

I really enjoy cooking, but especially on my days off when I'm not in a rush to get dinner on the table after a long day at work. Today was one of those days that I spent hours in the kitchen and the time seemed to fly right by. I decided on two new recipes. The Savory Pork Stew was delicious. I love the flavors of the red wine and balsamic vinegar together. Another recipe that we quickly decided to keep and make again.


I was drawn to the bread recipe because I love Canadian bacon and adding spinach is always a good way to include more veggies to our diet. This recipe made two 9 inch round loaves. And the author of the cookbook, Low-Fat Baking, suggested that you make the full recipe and freeze one loaf for a later time. That's exactly what we're doing. I'll let you know how it tastes once thawed.

The only changes I would make, are to cook the carrots in the stew just a tiny bit more. Of course, that's personal preference. And to try a different type of cheese on top of the bread. It only calls for 1/4 cup of reduced fat cheddar cheese. All I had on hand was fat free cheddar. It does not melt that well. Other than that, dinner at our house was a delicious success. Hope you'll try these recipes and enjoy them.

Savory Pork Stew

3 tbs flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 pound lean pork tenderloin, trimmed, cut into 1" chunks
2 tbs olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried thyme
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 can (14.5 oz) fire-roasted diced tomatoes
1/3 cup red wine
1 pound red potatoes, cut into 1/2 " cubes
2 carrots, chopped
3 tbs tomato paste
2 tbs balsamic vinegar
1 cup water

1. Combine the flour, 1/4 tsp of the salt, and 1/4 tsp of the pepper in a medium bowl. Add the pork and toss well to coat. Heat 1 tbs of the oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add half of the pork and cook, turning occasionally, until browned, about 4-5 minutes. Transfer to a plate and repeat with the remaining pork.

2. Heat the remaining 1 tbs of the oil. Add the onion, basil, and thyme. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion starts to brown, 4-5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Stir in the tomatoes and wine. Cook for 2 minutes. Add the potatoes, carrots, tomato paste, vinegar, water, and remaining 1/4 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables and pork are tender. About 1 hour 15 minutes.

4 Servings
Calories: 370
From the book: 400 Calorie Fix, by Liz Vaccariello


Spinach and Bacon Bread

Scant 2 cups warm water
2 tsp active dry yeast
pinch of sugar
1 tbs olive oil
1 onion, chopped
4 ounces Canadian bacon slices, chopped
8 ounces chopped spinach, fresh
6 cups bread flour
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/4 cup grated reduced fat cheddar cheese

1. Put the water in a bowl. Sprinkle the yeast on top and add the sugar. mix well and let sit for 10 minutes. Lightly grease two 9 inch cake pans.
2. Heat the oil in a frying pan and fry the onion and Canadian bacon for 10 minutes, until golden brown.
3. Sift the flour, salt and nutmeg into a mixing bowl and make a well in the center. Add the yeast mixture. Tip in the fired bacon and onion (with the oil), then add the spinach. Gradually incorporate the flour mixture and mix to a soft dough.
4. Transfer the dough to a floured surface and knead for 5 minutes, until smooth and elastic. Return to the clean bowl, cover with a damp dish towel and set aside in a warm place to rise for about 2 hours, until doubled in bulk.
5. Transfer the dough to a floured surface, knead briefly, then divide it in half. Shape each half into a ball, flatten slightly and place in a pan, pressing the dough so that it extends to the edges. Mark each loaf into eight wedges and sprinkle with the cheese. Cover loosely with a plastic bag and set aside in a warm place until well risen. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
6. Bake the loaves for 25-30 minutes, or until they sound hollow when they are tapped underneath. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Serves 8
Calories: 172
From the book: Low- Fat Baking, by Linda Fraser

Corned Beef and Cabbage with Creamy Horseradish Sauce

Corned Beef and Cabbage with Creamy Horseradish Sauce

St. Patrick's Day was a great day around these parts. I spent the day before, cooking and baking. Which was almost as much fun as gathering with friends to celebrate. Almost. I've prepared corned beef and cabbage a few times in the past and was fairly satisfied with the results. This time, I wanted to try an actual recipe, rather than just "throw it together." I searched several of my cookbooks and nothing really inspired me. I went online to foodnetwork.com and found a great recipe that was different than others I'd prepared in the past. I loved the idea of having a homemade horseradish cream sauce to serve with it and the length of time that the meat needed to cook would insure it being tender. Too many times, I've had corned beef that was tough or inedible due to being sliced with the grain. This brisket was so tender at the end of cooking that it literally shredded as I was serving it. I prepared the brisket and the horseradish cream the day before and took it, along with all of the desserts and bread to our friends house and finished the recipe there. I actually doubled this recipe and it still turned out amazing. Our friend Bob said that it was the best cabbage he's ever eaten. I know that cabbage is pretty delicate and it can easily be overcooked so receiving that compliment really made my day! He was full of compliments that day. Good feedback is so encouraging and for me, it's important. It inspires me to want to cook and experiment even more. 

St. Patrick's day has past but I hope you'll still enjoy this recipe. It is a keeper in my house for sure. Each March 17th, we can look forward to this special meal. It's a new tradition I believe. 

Corned Beef and Cabbage

One 3 pound corned beef brisket, uncooked, in brine

16 cups cold water

2 bay leaves

2 tsp black peppercorns

4 whole allspice berries

2 whole cloves

1/2 head green cabbage (about 2 pounds), cut into 8 thick wedges

8 small new potatoes (about 1 1/4 pounds), halved

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

2. Place the corned beef in a colander in the sink and rinse well under cold running water.

3. Place the corned beef in a large Dutch oven with a tight fitting lid, add the water, bay leaves, peppercorns, allspice and cloves. Bring to a boil, uncovered, and skim off any scum that rises to the surface. Cover and transfer pan to the oven, and braise until very tender, about 3 hours and 45 minutes.

4. Transfer the corned beef to a cutting board and cover tightly with foil to keep warm. Add the cabbage and potatoes to the cooking liquid and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer until the vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes.

5. Using a slotted spoon, transfer cabbage to a large platter. Slice the corned beef across the grain of the meat into thin slices. Lay the slices over the cabbage and surround it with the potatoes. Ladle some of the hot cooking liquid over the corned beef and season with pepper. Serve immediately with horseradish cream sauce. 

Horseradish Cream Sauce

3/4 cup mayonnaise (I used fat free)

3/4 cup sour cream

1/4 cup plus 2 tbs jarred grated horseradish, with liquid

1/2 tsp grated lemon zest

2 tsp kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

In a small bowl, mix together the mayonnaise, sour cream, horseradish, zest, and 2 tsp salt. Season generously with pepper to taste. Refrigerate the horseradish sauce for at least 30 minutes before serving. 

*Note: In the photo you will notice two pieces of bread. One is the Rye bread that I made and the other is a traditional Irish Soda Bread that my friend Kate made. For being her first time at baking this bread, it was absolutely delicious! I could have eaten a plate of that bread and been a happy camper for the whole day! And I'm sure that you can easily add the seasoning packet that comes with the packaged corned beef rather than use the four seasonings listed. I transported the cooking liquid in a spill proof container and skimmed the accumulated fat off the top before heating it up to add the vegetables.  All in all, this was a fantastic meal and one that I'll be making again. Happy Cooking!