Category: Grandma

My Aunt Janet’s Pecan cookies – Christmas Making and Baking

This blog post was originally posted in 2013.  I did not have any pictures of the actual cookie so I’ve added a picture of the cookie.

Sunday was All Saints’ Sunday.  I got nostalgic so I decided to make these cookies.  I didn’t realize when I made the cookie that it made a BIG batch.  I made at least 6 dozen cookies.  

So I decided to take some of the cookies to school to share with my co-workers.  They thought they were delicious.

My Aunt Janet's Pecan CookiesHere is the original post:
The other night, the Wee One handed me a box and asked me what was in it. As I looked through it, I found blank cards and recipe cards. The treasure was two recipe cards written by my grandma. She died Christmas Eve of ’08 so it was nice to see her handwriting one more time.

My aunt Janet was actually my grandpa’s sister so technically she was my great aunt. I still called her aunt without the great. We spent a lot of time with her. She and my Uncle Mitch had a farm that had willow trees and a pond. I remember going up to the farm for family gatherings and walking around the pond.

She was diagnosed with lung cancer in 2004 and within less than a week had passed away. My whole family misses her.

Pecan Cookies

aunt janet recipe20130303-125522.jpg

Stars of the recipe:

  • 1 C. shortening, margarine, or butter
  • 2 1/2 c. brown sugar
  • 1/2 tsp. baking soda
  • 2 eggs, beaten
  • 2 1/2 C. flour
  • 1/4 tsp. salt
  • 1 C. pecans

Steps:

  1. Cream shortening, margarine, or butter with the sugar.
  2. Add eggs and beat well.
  3. Add flour, salt, and soda. Mix well.
  4. Fold in nuts.
  5. Drop from spoon onto greased cookie sheet about 2 inches apart.
  6. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes.
  7. Cool for about 1 minute and then remove to wire racks to completely cool.
  8. Enjoy!

Store in an airtight container.

Christmas Making and Baking

Happy Eating,

Traci

“Chef Paul’s World Famous Pancakes” or Wee One’s New Favorite Pancakes

Disclaimer:  I don’t know Paul.  He attended the same church my grandma did back in 1994 but that’s all I know.

In 2007, my grandma fell and broke her leg.  Since she had to go live in a nursing home, we had to clear out her house.  That was a somber and tedious task.  I ended inheriting some of her cookbooks.  One was from the church she was a member of.  I ended up putting the cookbooks in her the bench I also inherited from her.  When I finally did pull the cookbook out, I was pleasantly surprised.  On some of the pages were notes about the contributors of the cookbook.  It was so nice to see her handwriting once again.

This summer I once again pursued the book and found this recipe for pancakes.  I made them for Imaginative One’s 12th birthday.  (When did he get so old??)  They loved the pancakes.

When I made the recipe again, Wee One ate 8 of the pancakes.  I think he approved of the recipe.  He also told me how good they were. Onto the delicious recipe:

World Famous Pancakes

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Stars of the recipe:

  • 2 c. all purpose flour
  • 2 Tbsp. baking powder
  • 1/4 c. sugar
  • 2 lrg. eggs
  • 2 Tbsp. oil
  • 2 c. whole milk

Steps:

  1. Heat up the griddle to 400 degrees or medium high heat.
  2. Grease the griddle with vegetable oil or butter.
  3. Sift flour, baking powder, and sugar together in a large bowl.
  4. In another bowl, beat the eggs, oil, and milk until well blended.
  5. Add liquids to the dry ingredients.  Mix until creamy with little lumps.
  6. Ladle the batter onto the griddle using a ladle or 1/4 c. measuring cup.
  7. Cook until bubbles form and edges look dry.
  8. Flip and cook for a minute more.
  9. Enjoy!!!!

This post has been linked to:
Treasure Box Tuesday

My Aunt Janet’s Pecan cookies

The other night, the Wee One handed me a box and asked me what was in it. As I looked through it, I found blank cards and recipe cards. The treasure was two recipe cards written by my grandma. She died Christmas Eve of ’08 so it was nice to see her handwriting one more time.

My aunt Janet was actually my grandpa’s sister so technically she was my great aunt. I still called her aunt without the great. We spent a lot of time with her. She and my Uncle Mitch had a farm that had willow trees and a pond. I remember going up to the farm for family gatherings

and walking around the pond.

She was diagnosed with lung cancer in 2004 and within less than a week had passed away. My whole family misses her.

Pecan Cookies

aunt janet recipe20130303-125522.jpg

Stars of the recipe:

  • 1 C. shortening, margarine, or butter
  • 2 1/2 c. brown sugar
  • 1/2 tsp. baking soda
  • 2 eggs, beaten
  • 2 1/2 C. flour
  • 1/4 tsp. salt
  • 1 C. pecans

Steps:

  1. Cream shortening, margarine, or butter with the sugar.
  2. Add eggs and beat well.
  3. Add flour, salt, and soda. Mix well.
  4. Fold in nuts.
  5. Drop from spoon onto greased cookie sheet about 2 inches apart.
  6. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes.
  7. Cool for about 1 minute and then remove to wire racks to completely cool.
  8. Enjoy!

Store in an airtight container.

Printable Recipe

My Journey Part 3

The First Part of the Journey

The Second Part of the Journey


My other grandma’s health declined after her fall. We gradually began going through her belongings and cleaning out her house. She was unable to live on her own anymore.

I maintained my weight during that time but I was not as focused on my health because of the stress in my life.

Fourteen months after her fall, I received the call I was dreading. Grandma was slipping fast.

For the next 5 days, I sat by her bedside with the rest of my family. Christmas Eve of 2008 was the day she left her Earthly body.

I gradually gained about 10 pounds and went up 2 pants’ sizes during the next year and a half.

Then I was transferred from the elementary school to the middle school.

To be continued. . .

My Journey Part 2

The First Part of the Journey

During the last Saturday of October 2007, I talked to my grandma (Grandma H.) for the last time about life and supper. Soon after that last conversation, her foot fell asleep and she tried to walk on it. She ended up falling down and breaking her leg. Soon afterwards her health began to decline.

The next day I got a call from my father’s sister (my aunt). My other grandma (Grandma B.) was dying and was not expected to live past the evening. At 3 o’clock in the morning, I woke up suddenly. My grandma was saying good-bye to me.

While at work the next day, I got the call from my aunt that Grandma B. had died at around 3 o’clock that morning. I left work, went to the hospital to visit Grandma H. who broke her leg, and then went home to pack. My sister and I left the next morning to drive to Pittsburgh.

We went to her funeral on Halloween. Ironic because she had a big sweet tooth.

Although Grandma B. and I were not close, I associate a lot of memories with her. Her twin beds in her guest bedroom – one had plastic covering the mattress. You would slip and slid all night long if you were the unfortunate one to get that bed. She did not cook. How much she missed my grandpa who died in 1992.

Her death has impacted me but not as much as what was to come.

To be continued . . .

My Journey part 1

Five and a half years ago, I saw my weight creeping upwards. My youngest was almost 2 and the “I’m going to lose the weight when he’s 1 no longer applied.” It was time for action. Memorial Day 2007 was the official day I decided to take over my life.

But at that time, I believed and thought I almost needed to starve myself in order to lose the weight. I joined Spark people and realized I needed to eat differently not starve myself.

I kept eating some of the same foods but in smaller quantities. It became a numbers game instead if a real lifestyle change. (I love math so this was perfect for me.).

My biggest supporter was my maternal grandma. She and I would talk daily about life and what I was going to cook for supper.

By the time, I was back at work that fall I was down almost 30 pounds and wearing the smallest pant’s size that I had ever worn as an adult.

Then October of 2007 came and my life completely changed forever. . . .

To be continued

Christmas Baking

IMG_0260Every year I bake and create Christmas goodies.  My grandma used to do the same thing and then share with family and friends.  I have her bench she used to pile the containers onto and the Kitchen aid mixer she used to whip up the batches of delicious cookies.  Once I was an adult living in a place where I could bake, I started the tradition.  I have my tied and true cookies I bake every year and then I try new recipes.

Four years ago, I lost my grandma on Christmas Eve.  For five days before her death, my family sat by her bedside.  When I couldn’t be there, I baked and created in my kitchen as a way to keep my mind off of losing her.  I then brought the goodies with me when I was at the nursing home.  The family shared the treats.  It was a wonderful way to honor her.

On Christmas Eve of 2008, after everyone had left the nursing home when God welcomed her home.  I was at the Christmas Eve service when I got the call that she had died.  I remember breaking down into tears.  Grandma so loved Christmas that she took her last breath the night before Jesus’ birth.

Another tradition we hold dear is baking a cake, cupcakes, or brownies to celebrate Jesus’ birth.  We sing “Happy Birthday” to him as a way to remember him.  The tradition started when the Imaginative One was a baby and has continued ever since.  However I was introduced to the concept almost 20 years ago.  I had worked at McDonald’s as a college student and was trained to host birthday parties.  One party I hosted was a birthday party for Jesus.  It was held during the holiday season and stuck with me.

The Wee One and I were baking snickerdoodles right before Thanksgiving.  His words were that it smelled like Christmas.  His memories of Christmas are going to include the smell of cinnamon.

My children are going to remember peanut butter blossoms, snickerdoodles, and Rolo turtles as being part of their holiday season. 

For more Christmas or holiday baking ideas, please visit my Christmas/holiday page or click on the link. 

Have a great holiday season from my house to yours!

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Green beans, potatoes, and ham

I lived with my grandparents, mom, and sister as a teenager. On most nights, we would sit down as a family for dinner. One of the meals, my grandma would prepare is green beans, potatoes, and ham in the crockpot.

I can still see the kitchen and her round crockpot full of the green beans, potatoes, and ham. We would either have it with bread and butter or a simple salad.

Whenever I cook something from my childhood, I try to tell my boys about it. The Imaginative One was five when my grandma died. During the last year of her life, they became so close. This is a way for him to have memories of her.

When I made this, the potatoes were at the bottom of the crock. So when Hubby looked into the crock all he saw was green beans and 1 piece of ham. He was nervous about what we were having. Once he saw the potatoes, he was relieved. He enjoyed the meal.

20120413-205004.jpg

Green beans, potatoes, and ham

Stars of the recipe:

  • 1 lb. fresh green beans, ends snipped off and snapped in half or 2 cans green beans drained
  • 1 lb. baby red potatoes, quartered or halved, depending on size
  • 1 sm. onion, chopped
  • 1 lb. chopped ham
  • 2 chicken bouillon cubes, unwrapped
  • Water
  • Seasoned salt, to taste

Steps:

  1. Place potatoes, onions, green beans, onions, ham, seasoned salt, and bouillon cubes in crockpot. (I use a 4 quart crockpot.)
  2. Place enough water in the crockpot to cover the food.
  3. Cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours or high for 3 to 4 hours.

Printable Recipe

Grandma’s White Salad

I have so many memories of this salad.  One of my best memories is from when I worked at Walt Disney World in 1995.  My grandma sent me various family recipes so that I could have a little bit of home while down there.  When Thanksgiving time came, I decided I would make a Thanksgiving meal for my friends and me to share.  We had a Thanksgiving meal with all the trimmings except we had chicken instead of turkey.  One of the dishes I made was grandma’s white salad.  For two weeks afterward, I would take portions of the Thanksgiving meal to work for my lunches.

That Thanksgiving weekend was also the weekend I almost met Rider Strong and Ben Savage from Boy Meets World.  At Disney-MGM Studios, now Hollywood Studios, they would have celebrities put their hands in cement at the Chinese Theater.  Both Rider and Ben put their hands in the cement and then went to have a talk.  I “ran” along the side of their convertible as they traveled between venues and then ended up sitting behind their families.  Too bad, Fred Savage was not there.  I would have gone up and said hi to him.

My Grandma’s White Salad

Stars of the recipe:

  • 1 sm. lemon or lime  jello
  • 2 c. hot water
  • 1 (8 oz.) package of  cream cheese
  • 1 (15 oz.) can of crushed pineapple drained (med. can)
  • 1 & 2/3 c. mini marshmallows
  • 1 & ½ c. chopped pecans or walnuts (My grandma used pecans.)
  • 1 (8 oz.) container of Cool Whip

Steps:

  1. Mix jello with water.  Add cream cheese and beat until smooth.
  2. Put in fridge until semi-solid.  Remove and then put in the rest of the ingredients.
  3. Chill.

Or how my grandma made it:

  1. Mix jello with water.  Add cream cheese and beat until smooth.
  2. Put the rest in ingredients in an in a flat pan (9 by 13 glass dish).  Put it in the fridge to chill.

This recipe is linked to Mommy’s Kitchen for Potluck Sundays and Eat at Home’s Ingredient spotlight!

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