In the process of learning to cook & bake, I recall some less than successful attempts. One of which was when my sister Loretta and I were trying to make Lemon pie. She was the one reading the recipe and stirring and I was to measure and add ingredients to the bowl. Somehow, instead of 1 1/2 tsps of sugar in the crust we put 1 1/2 cups. Needless to say it was ‘rock hard’ and inedible! Dad was not impressed with his dessert of a dish of lemon pudding instead of pie.
In the month of March our family celebrates 3 birthdays. Today March 21st, would have been my dads. He passed away at the age of 92, 11 years ago. Although my father lost his sight to macular degeneration, he carried on in his life with courage and dignity.
To hear your voice and see your smile and just sit and talk to you would be my dearest wish today on your birthday.
With Love
Survival in the occupation of farming took huge commitment and determination. My parents worked extremely hard as a couple, pursuing this lifestyle.
Many times when we arrived home from school, my mother would be outside working with my dad. On the kitchen table would be her porcelain mixing bowl. Inside would be a recipe for a dessert item she would like me to make for supper and school lunches for the next day. Beside the bowl would be the dry ingredients and utensils etc. needed. All would be covered with a tea towel. Another little note, asking my older sister to start doing some of the outside chores that needed to be done.
Without us being aware of it, we were learning those precious ‘life skills’ of responsibility.
Today’s recipe is a well known salad but when we were growing up this salad was always made to compliment our Christmas dinner. One year, family friends that had been invited to dinner, asked if this salad had something to do with our German heritage because it always appeared on special occasions. To me this salad was like having a little dish of ice cream as it tasted so good. I thought it would be especially nice to serve on St. Patrick’s Day being green and all!
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'St. Patrick's Day' Salad
creamy lime jello salad
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Instructions
In a small sauce pan, dissolve Jell-0 powder in boiling water; add pineapple and marshmallows. Simmer until all marshmallows are dissolved.
Remove from heat and chill until slightly thick.
Whip with mixer until foamy; fold in cottage cheese and un-whipped cream.
Line Jell-0 mold with plastic wrap sprinkle nuts on bottom.
Pour salad into mold and cover with plastic wrap.
Allow to set before serving
Un-mold onto serving plate.
When I was 2 and my older sister was 6, my parents made a move to a farming community in southern Alberta. The farm my parents were able to purchase had been neglected for many years and took strong commitment and perseverance to renew the land and dwellings. The morning after we arrived, we had our first snow storm, which caught us without any coal. Fortunately my father was able to get some for our winter use. Soon after, Dad made a trip back to our old homestead. He drove the tractor pulling the combine all the way to our new farm with only one stopover in a city half way in between, a distance
of 231 km (144 miles).
One of my mother’s brother’s had gone ahead driving a grain truck loaded with what furniture and possessions my folks were trying to move. Along the way, being the truck was not covered, the metal lid flew off Mom’s flour storage container. Another traveler came upon it lying at the side of the road and stopped and hung it on a fence post. When my father making his long journey on the tractor came by and recognized the lid, picked it up and brought it the rest of the way home.
In the spring, my folks had to burn weeds and brush from 8-10′ (2-3 m) high in order to find a suitable area to plant a vegetable garden. ‘Mixed’ farming was truly a necessity as success was totally dependent on ‘Mother Nature’ when it came to grain crops.
Cattle, pigs and chickens all came into the equation, meaning my parents never had any part of the year that could be a bit more relaxed. As a teenager, I never realized what a special privilege growing up as a farmer’s daughter really was. Coming home on the school bus and having to do ‘chores’ seemed so boring as opposed to being able to spend after school hours with your friends. As I look back on those times now, it all comes clear as to how treasured and valuable those life lessons were.
My parents farmed until 1974 when they retired. They have since both passed away leaving my three sisters, one brother and I with many treasured memories.
I remember my mother making this orange bread loaf. I thought it was so unique because it used the fresh orange zest. The flavor was so distinct along with the bread being wonderfully moist. This recipe was one that has remained with me over the years, long after I had left my parents home. One year, on a holiday in Hawaii the restaurant we were at was serving orange loaf made into french toast complimented with a strawberry compote. I brought the idea home with me and used it numerous times over the years in my food service career. This year my husband and I enjoyed it on Valentines Day, but I’m sure you will find it great anytime.
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Orange Bread French Toast with Strawberry Compote
Flavorful orange bread loaf with strawberry compote topping.
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Instructions
Orange Bread
Peel oranges thinly and finely chop rind (zest).
Boil with sugar and water for 10 minutes; cool
Add egg and margarine
Combine flour, salt, and baking powder
Add flour mixture alternately with milk
Pour into buttered 8 x 4 x 3 inch loaf pan
Bake at 350 F for about 45 minutes or until bread tests done.
French Toast
In a shallow bowl, beat eggs; whisk in the milk, salt and spices.
Soak the slices of orange bread for 30 seconds on each side.
Cook on hot greased griddle until golden brown on both sides and cooked through.
Strawberry Compote
Rinse, hull and slice strawberries.
Zest and juice lemon.
In a small saucepan, whisk together sugar, water and corn starch.
Add strawberries, mixing gently while bringing to a simmer for 5 minutes.
Remove from heat, cool slightly.
Serve with French toast. Top with French Vanilla Yogurt if desired.
Little did I realize many years ago, during those easy carefree childhood days, how many of those memories and glorious food smells that would be indelibly etched in my mind for the rest of my life. I have been very introspective these days as I get older and hopefully wiser. I would say that much of my success and happy moments in life are attributed to my upbringing. I was blessed with wonderful parents who taught me good moral values and a desire to bring out my best in all that I do.
I am very grateful to my Mom and Dad to have felt loved, nurtured and always safe under their watchful eyes throughout my childhood and into my adulthood. There are many memories that have stayed with me and when I relive them I feel like that little girl who sat at the dining room table with either my Mom or Dad by my side helping me do my homework. My mother had the patience of a saint, always putting my siblings and I up front and center, living her life with courage and compassion. She was strong willed and had a sense of self confidence in all that she did. She was very loyal to my Dad and a very devoted mother. Our Dad was a man of discipline; love was closely associated with duty and commitment for him. He was very confident in who he was and didn’t demonstrate any need to conform to what we might have wanted him to do. Everything he undertook was driven by his commitment to honor and provide for the family that he loved.
Being of German ancestry, we grew up eating all those ‘comfort food’ meals. My Dad was a meat and potatoes man and of course dessert. Over the years, my siblings and I have tried to replicate some of those wonderful dishes, always striving for something that exists only in our memories.
In today’s post, I would like to share a recipe my mother called ‘Bake Day Surprises’. I remember this dessert being so incredibly good. Since she baked bread once a week, an extra treat stemming from that bread dough was something we could count on. If you bake your own bread this one is for you!
These are very tasty caramel buns
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Votes: 2
Rating: 5
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Instructions
When your usual recipe for bread dough has risen, and is ready to be shaped, form some into little balls and set them in a greased pan.
Mix above ingredients together; let buns rise.
Pour the combined sauce ingredients over them.
Bake at 350 F for about 30 minutes
