Flashback Friday: Grandma's Molasses Cookies

Flashback Friday: Revisiting a recipe from long ago

Yesterday marked my grandma's 80th birthday.  We are celebrating this weekend with dinner out at her favorite restaurant followed by an open house at her assisted living complex.  My mom and I baked up 3 of her favorite types of cookies for the party.  For the sugar cookies I went with our traditional family favorite.  Her next request was a plain oatmeal cookie, no raisins.  (I kind of spilled some chocolate chips in a few batches though.)  In search of a tried and true oatmeal base I tested out 4 different recipes.  I haven't decided yet if I'll hash out the results here or just give you the winner.  Today we'll just munch on molasses cookies.

Many grandmas bake cookie for their grandchildren.  Since I love to bake so much it was often I who baked the cookies for my grandma.  Her third birthday cookie is the molasses cookie recipe she always asked me to bring her.  She would send me home with a jar of molasses from her basement shelves and I would return with a plate of cookies.

Random Recipe Wednesday: Savory Orange Hummus

I made this hummus, oh I don't know...a month ago (?) but am just now getting around to sharing it with you.  Don't worry, it's actually long gone; I wouldn't feed you month-old hummus. Sometimes I won't even share my hummus.  This way I can share it with you without really having to share it.  I know.

Mindful Monday: Mother's Day Flowers

Mindful Monday: On Monday's I'm going to share what's been on my mind. I by no means have any of this figured out, I'm just thinking out loud here.

Words can't express how amazing my mom is.  Her selfless examples of unconditional love never cease to amaze me.  I'm truly blessed to have her for a mom and a friend.

Yesterday we went on a walk and found some wildflowers.  My mom happened to have her point and shoot with so we took a few pictures.  The Dutchman's Breeches were a favorite of her mother, making them a perfect find for Mother's Day.  See how they look like little pairs of pants hung out to dry?

The ferns were just starting to uncurl.

We saw several other varieties of white flowers along with plenty of green leaves poking up.  

I love you mom!

Food for Thought: "I remember my mother's prayers and they have always followed me. They have clung to me all my life." -Abraham Lincoln 

Flashback Friday: Tidbits From an Old Cookbook

Flashback Friday: Revisiting a recipe from long ago

Last week I paged through one of my grandma's old church cookbooks, hoping to find recipes she'd written on.  Along with your typical church cookbook recipes were quotes and recipes for life, kind of like my "Food for Thought" at the end of each post.  This one made me smile.

Measure: 3 c. flour into large bowl; answer telephone; take large bowl off small son's head; sweep up flour.
Measure: 3 c. flour into large bowl. Measure 1/4 c. shortening; answer door bell; wash shortening from son's hands and face.
Add: 1/4 c. shortening to flour.  Mix well; rock crying baby for 10 minutes.
Answer: telephone.  Put son in tub and scrub well.  Scrape flour and shortening mixture from floor, add enough tears to relieve tension.
Open: 1 can of beans and serve with remaining strength.

As I paged through the book looking for family recipes I couldn't help but notice the names of the other contributors.  Names come and go just like fashion trends.  Here are some of ones that stood out to me.
Alberta
Alvera
Ethel
Evalyn/Evelyn
Fern
Florence
Gladys
Genevieve
Gertrude
Glenny
Glyn
Inez
Lela
Lorna
Mabel
Meron
Mildred
Nelda
Norma
Olive
Roberta
Velma
Vernita

I'm not sure why I found that so interesting, maybe because I never look at the names in cookbooks. Though I didn't find any recipes submitted by my grandma I did find a few from other family members.  Now if I can just find some time (this weekend?) to make them before my name is associated with an old lady cookbook.

Food for Thought: "Life is fragile- handle it with prayer." -anonymous quote from above cookbook

Thursday's Thoughts: Always Time

Thursday's Thoughts: a taste of what I'm thinking

Even when I feel stretched for time there is always time to be thankful.  With that in mind, here's a quick list of what I'm grateful for right now.

chirping birds outside the window
open windows (hello spring!)
walking inside just before a downpour starts
plenty of tasks to stay busy with
the health and resources to complete those tasks
stillness of the morning (on the rare occasion I'm up that early)
color in the sky
when the sun turns dew drops on grass blades into a rainbow of diamonds
blooming spring flowers
evening walks
longer daylight hours
emails with far away friends
the hum of crickets at night
sunglasses
can openers
dish soap
pleasant conversation
a family game and pizza night
handwritten recipes
magazines to page through
fresh green beans
a good night's sleep
anticipation


Food for Thought: " 'After all,' Anne had said to Marilla once, 'I believe that the nicest and sweetest days are not those on which anything very splendid or wonderful or exciting happens but just those that bring simple little pleasures, following one another softly, like pearls slipping off a string.' " -L. M. Montgomery, Anne of Avonlea