Looking Back: He's writing about food again...

Yes it's another post about food.  Everyone likes food right?

Maybe it's the popularity of food shows on my limited selection of TV channels right now.  It could be that Thanksgiving is 2 days away and we have been planning a big meal.  Perhaps it is that as good as the food is at Sanford, it's still hospital food. 

Regardless, I'm inspired by a few comments to my "Hotdogs in my pancakes" post to write a bit more about food and my food influences growing up. 

First, I'll start with my mom.  I gave her a hard time about enabling my pickiness, but mom is a great cook.  There are all kinds of things I had growing up that are "comfort foods" as I think of them now.  Believe me, these last few years have required more then a few of these comfort meals.   She put together a family cookbook that has most of these favorites and like most good recipes, they are more of a general set of assembly instructions and less a step by step guide.  It's definitely one of my favorite gifts. 

Mom's pizza, pizza hotdish, hamburger hotdish, lasagna, grilled ham & cheese are favorites.  Even things she credit to me know, onion rings and french toast, really come from her.  I really don't make them any differently then she did.  I'd like to think that I've enlightened her on seasoning, but that's about all I've really contributed.  It has to be mentioned, that mom is a amazing baker. 

I remember her participating in cake decorating contests (State Fair) when I was growing up.  Back before decorating cakes got you your own TV show.  She made all our birthday cakes growing up.  Then there are the cookies.  Family favorites are the oatmeal\chocolate chip (a family recipe) and pineapple cookies (There are a few days before Thanksgiving.. hint, hint).  Pies...so many pies.  Cherry, apple, sour cream raisin (dad's favorite), cherry, banana cream, cherry. (Brent likes cherry pie so it tends to come up quite often now). 

Anyone care to guess what has two thumbs and purple ribbons for baked goods at the State Fair?  That's right... it's this guy.  (I'm not bad with needlepoint and counter cross-stich either, but that's a whole different story.)  I may have never shown livestock ( was in 4-H) or any manly things like that, but I've got my fair amount of recognition for my early baking skills.  Gingersnap cookies, as I recall were among my prize winners.  Lots of great memories cooking with ma. 

Then there is Grandma (Carol).  If I have an angel looking down on me from above it is her.  Grandma and Grandpa lived on the same farm.  I was wonderful to grow up with them so close.  There were a lot of great meals, but I remember most the large holiday meals and special items she created.  All the major holidays were first and for a long time traditionally celebrated at the farm. 

There were always the staples: turkey for Thanksgiving, oyster stew for Christmas, ham on Easter.  Almost every one of those would have Grandma up early in the morning punching down the dough for the fresh buns. (Usually at the behest of Uncle Mike or Dad.) Our family cranberry sauce we make every Thanksgiving is her recipe.  It was a big deal for Jessica and I to be there to help make it.  I enjoyed the sauce more, so maybe it was a bigger deal for me.  The dressing and pretty much every recipe I associate with any of the traditional holiday meals (exception: Aunt Rogene's ham balls) comes from her. 

Admittedly there is one Grann standby that has never been a favorite of mine...potato cakes.  It seemed these most often showed up when Uncle Mike was around.  While Grandma was a fabulous fryer of chicken, pork chops and even pancakes, my stomach turned when I walked in the house and smelled the potatoes frying.  I only miss the potato cakes because it means she is not here to make them.  I take it back... a potato cake sounds pretty good about now. 

Goodness, I almost forgot about the black cherry Jello with bananas and whipped topping that Grandma had at every Christmas Eve meal.  She made it specifically for Jeremy G. every year.  Until that one year she felt he didn't have enough.  "What's the matter, don't you like it?" became the running joke for the family, but it was the last year it made the table. 

It was a truly special occasion when Grandpa and Grandma made donuts.  Grandma would make them, Grandpa would fry them.  For all the work, they never lasted long.  After Grandma passed Grandpa and I fried donuts a few times.  We did good, but it wasn't the same.  Frying donuts with Grandpa is one of my favorite memories. 

There are two other individuals that I want to mention that influenced my enjoyment of food and cooking. 


My apologies to everyone else and all the great food they prepare (Especially Tom C. and his peanut clusters), but the single thing I look forward to at Christmas (year round really) is Aunt Kathy's sugar cookies.  Anyone that has had them is nodding in agreement now and smiling.  Whatever the family event was, Aunt Kathy had a pan of delicious bars (peanut, chocolate chip),  but the sugar cookies... oh the sugar cookies.  I sure hopes she reads this...

Lastly, I can't make a large meal without thinking of Lee Tiger.  Lee falls into that extended family category.  He's responsible for making mass quantities for tasty food.  He's catered various family events and they are always excellent (with tons of leftovers).  I remember Lee's cooking from a young age and I suppose he's one of the first examples I have of a dude making some really good food. 

Really, I suppose I could go on and on.  My style of cooking is basically based on these examples.  I suppose some of my favorite things to cook could be a post for another time.   For now, I am looking forward to Thanksgiving and preparing a meal with Andy and the rest of my family.