I love how my recipe book is like a connection to my past. The other night I cooked my family’s all time favorite: burritos. When I make this recipe I often think back to Angela and John Steele. They were the best of friends back about 17 years ago when we were youth pastors at Word of Life. After many a youth activity we would go back to the Steele’s home and Angela would faithfully fry us up a batch of these tasty treats!
Or how about Molly’s amazing coffee cake recipe.(she got the recipe from a lady named Barbara at Kings Christian) Whenever we eat it I think back to the years when she lived with us. We would sit in the little sitting room of our 1902 home, our two toddler daughters romping around, sipping coffee and waiting anxiously for Molly to pull the yummy dish from the oven. I can taste the moment now as much as I can the coffee cake.
Then there’s Julie Barran’s recipe for Atkins diet cheesecake. We were on a Atkins kick and I can’t count the times I made this back in the day to satisfy our cravings. I know we lost pounds all because we could have dessert!
Then there was Jim and Kim York. Oh how Kim could cook. We served as fellow pastors on staff at Bethany Christian Assembly. Back in the day when churches still did pot-lucks, it was always a safe bet to head for Kim’s food. One recipe that I still do quite often is her Broccoli Raisin Salad. Delicious.
I always think of my mom whenever I make her rolls. I make them so often that family now call them,”Michelle’s rolls,” but I can’t take the credit for these mouth-watering, melt in your mouth creations. I also love them because they are so easy. I just throw all 6 ingredients into the bread machine and an hour and a half later they can be popped into the oven. Oh the smell!
Grama Reimer comes fondly in view whenever I make German Pancakes and just last week I made Grama Loen’s chocolate frosting, which far surpasses any packaged frosting.
My favorite recipes are so much more than a party for me and my family’s mouths. They are a path to the past and a connection to the people who have helped shape who I am. Ha ha that’s funny..helped add to my shape is more like it!
oooooohhhhh coffeeeecaaaaake. those were the days. i miss those days. love you, michelle!