Foxer55
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Lady Day's thread on comfort foods got me to thinking about dishes from my youth that were cooked by my family. Here are some of the favorites I remember:
- Wilted cabbage. My grandmother in Illinois used to make this. She would hand shred or chop a fresh head of cabbage into slivers about 1/4 inch by 2 inches or so, cook some bacon strips to crispy, mix crushed bacon bits into the cabbage, poor some bacon grease in, mix some more, and serve. I found there can be variations to this recipe to make it more healthful like mixing olive oil with the bacon grease and a touch of lemon or vinegar. Outstanding!
- Iced Graham Crackers. I've looked for this recipe online because I'm not sure how to make the butter icing. Can't find a word about it online but I believe the recipe came from my father's family in the south. Break the Graham crackers in squares, mix 'butter icing' and make chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry, and ice the crackers. I used to swoon when I came home from school on an afternoon when my mother had made a big batch of these and they were all circled in a little mountain on a plate. Oh, the delight!
- Vinegar and onions. My grandmother served this at almost every meal. Slice a large onion and place it in a small bow full of vinegar and serve. An excellent taste diversion with a heavy meal.
- Candied walnuts. My Aunt Fritz made these at Christams time and the recipe consists of making a sugar and water mix, boiling until it is a thick syrup, dipping freshly shelled walnut halves in the sugar and setting the walnuts aside - individually - to let the mix harden or cure on the walnut. It is an outstanding sweet.
I'll try to think of more but let's hear about some from you.
- Wilted cabbage. My grandmother in Illinois used to make this. She would hand shred or chop a fresh head of cabbage into slivers about 1/4 inch by 2 inches or so, cook some bacon strips to crispy, mix crushed bacon bits into the cabbage, poor some bacon grease in, mix some more, and serve. I found there can be variations to this recipe to make it more healthful like mixing olive oil with the bacon grease and a touch of lemon or vinegar. Outstanding!
- Iced Graham Crackers. I've looked for this recipe online because I'm not sure how to make the butter icing. Can't find a word about it online but I believe the recipe came from my father's family in the south. Break the Graham crackers in squares, mix 'butter icing' and make chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry, and ice the crackers. I used to swoon when I came home from school on an afternoon when my mother had made a big batch of these and they were all circled in a little mountain on a plate. Oh, the delight!
- Vinegar and onions. My grandmother served this at almost every meal. Slice a large onion and place it in a small bow full of vinegar and serve. An excellent taste diversion with a heavy meal.
- Candied walnuts. My Aunt Fritz made these at Christams time and the recipe consists of making a sugar and water mix, boiling until it is a thick syrup, dipping freshly shelled walnut halves in the sugar and setting the walnuts aside - individually - to let the mix harden or cure on the walnut. It is an outstanding sweet.
I'll try to think of more but let's hear about some from you.
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