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Serve
Dinner and Be Immortalized
By Janet Peterson
A few years ago our local newspaper
changed its approach to publishing obituaries. Families of
the deceased now write the obituary whereas, previously, obituaries
pretty much followed a standard format. What the surviving
family members choose to say about their loved one reveals
a lot about family relationships and about what the family
deems to be important. Obituaries can only give a very brief
summary of a person’s life, and thus what the family selects
to write also reveals what were the most significant things
to them about that person.
Several women’s obituaries point out
that cooking dinner for their families was such a gift of
love and connection that these efforts have been publicly
proclaimed. The family of Lois Madsen Beecroft wrote: “Being
a woman was a great blessing to her. She loved her life. Her
home and family were always her focus. Her creativity allowed
her to excel in decorating, sewing, cooking, shopping, and
gardening. She truly loved homemaking. We shall all enjoy
the fruits of her talents in our lives and homes for many
years to come. Her Sunday dinners were special times for the
entire family.”
Kay Carling was remembered with this
tribute: “In the art of cooking, no one did it better. She
loved everything about cooking, including baking from ‘scratch,’
preparing large family dinners, using the latest kitchen gadgetry,
experimental cuisine, and of course collecting recipes. Eating
at Grandma Kay’s house was definitely an opportunity not to
be missed.”
 June
A. Eddington’s seven children remembered that “Each holiday was
a fun family occasion that featured her wonderful cooking and famous
potato salad.”
For all the twenty-five years I knew
Valorie Liddell, she talked about Sunday dinners at her mother’s
home. Each Sunday after everyone’s church meetings were concluded,
all the married children who lived nearby and their families
gathered at Grandma’s house. Dinner was potluck so that no
one person had to do it all. Paper goods were used so time
wasn’t spent washing a lot of dishes. Games, singing, putting
on little plays on Grandma’s stage in the basement, talking,
laughing, and joking were all part of the Hair Family tradition.
When Maurine Hair died in November 2001, her family included
this weekly event in her obituary: “Her greatest joy in life
was her family. She had 36 of us to Sunday dinner every week.
And she is famous for making the world’s best chocolates.”
Valorie, as the oldest daughter, determined
to continue the tradition. She loved to cook and entertain
as well in her own home, having designed a new kitchen with
gathering as its key function. Tragically, Valorie was killed
in an automobile accident in May 2002, along with her 17-year-old
daughter, Allison. At their joint funeral, family members
talked about Valorie’s kitchen always being open to teenage
friends and that they were still welcome to come and eat.
I know that I will never read an obituary
that states the deceased could drive through a fast food stop
quicker than anyone or that she knew every fast food restaurant
in town. Family togetherness and intimacy do not occur as
meals are eaten between stoplights on the way to or from this
practice or that meeting. Family connection and privacy do
not take place amidst a crowd of people over a quick meal
served on plastic trays.
Lovingly prepare nutritious meals
for your family and be forever cherished for this gift of
time and energy. Serve dinner at home and be immortalized.
The following recipes from Remedies for the “I Don’t Cook”
Syndrome by Janet Peterson just might immortalize you
in your family’s remembrances of delicious meals served by
Mom/Grandma.
ITALIAN-SEASONED CHICKEN WITH NOODLES
Kaylene Redd
“Our family eats this at least once a week—we like it that much.”
3 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted
6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
salt and pepper to taste
1 (0.7-ounce) envelope Good Seasons Italian salad dressing mix
1 (10 ¾-ounce) can cream of mushroom soup
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, cubed or 1 (3-ounce) package
cream cheese for less rich sauce
1 tablespoon dry onion flakes
1 (8-ounce) package wide egg noodles, cooked according to package
directions
Melt butter in a slow cooker. Coat chicken breasts with
butter on both sides and place in slow cooker. Sprinkle with
salt and pepper, then dry salad mix. (Don’t add water.) Cover
and cook on low for 5 to 6 hours.
About 45 minutes before serving, mix soup, cream cheese,
and onion in a small bowl. Pour over chicken. Cover and cook
minutes on medium heat, stirring occasionally, until cream
cheese is melted and sauce heated through thoroughly. Place
chicken on a platter. Serve sauce over cooked wide egg noodles.
Serves 6.
MY BEST LASAGNE
Sharon Martin
This lasagne does take extra time—but it is worth the effort. It is the
best lasagne.
1 pound Italian mild sausage
1 pound ground beef
pinch of nutmeg
48 ounces homemade or prepared spaghetti sauce
16 ounces lasagne noodles
2 to 4 tablespoons butter
2 to 4 tablespoons flour
1½ cups milk
8 ounces sharp Cheddar cheese, grated
¾ cup grated fresh Parmesan cheese
8 ounces mushrooms or zucchini (or
other fresh vegetables), sliced or chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
olive oil
8 ounces mozzarella cheese, grated
Heat oven to 350º F.
In a large skillet, brown sausage
and ground beef together. Add nutmeg. When cooked, drain
grease and set meat aside. Warm spaghetti sauce in a large
saucepan. Parboil lasagne noodles in salted water, for only
a few minutes. Do not cook as long as package directions indicate.
This allows for easier handling.
Prepare cheese sauce by melting butter
in a medium saucepan, add flour and stir until thickened.
Add milk, stir again; add cheddar and Parmesan cheeses. Cook
until sauce thickens to pouring consistency. In a small skillet,
sauté mushrooms with garlic in a little olive oil for about
2 minutes.
Spread 2 cups of spaghetti sauce over
the bottom of a 10x14-inch or 4-quart baking dish. Layer a
row of noodles. Layer some meat over noodles. Add some red
sauce. Cover with another layer of lasagne noodles. Add the
rest of the meat and the red sauce. Place mushrooms or other
vegetables over the sauce. Layer any remaining noodles. The
final layer is the cheese sauce. Spread evenly over entire
pan. Sprinkle with Mozzarella cheese. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes,
until bubbly. Allow to cool a little before cutting.
Serves 10.
TWO-HOUR ROLLS
Jen Eyring
From start to finish, these rolls take just 2 hours,
and actual preparation time just a few minutes.
4 to 5 cups flour
1 tablespoon instant yeast
¼ cup sugar
3 tablespoons oil
1 egg
1½ cups lukewarm water
1 teaspoon salt
¼ cup butter or margarine, melted
In a large bowl or the bowl of a bread
mixer, mix half the flour with yeast. Add sugar, oil, egg,
salt, and water. Blend well with mixer or dough hook. Add
enough flour to make a soft dough that leaves the sides of
the bowl. Let rise 15 minutes. Punch down and let rise another
15 minutes. Knead 1 to 2 minutes on a lightly floured board.
Roll out into a large circle. Cut into wedges (a pizza cutter
works well) and roll into crescent shapes. Place on an ungreased
cook sheet and cover with plastic wrap sprayed with cooking
spray. Let rise 1 hour.
Heat oven to 350º F.
Bake 15 minutes, until lightly browned.
Brush with melted butter while still hot.
Makes 3½ to 4 dozen rolls.
GINGERSNAPS
Lisa Dalton
“My grandma always had these delicious cookies baked
for us when we saw her. She was an amazing cook!”
1½ cups butter or margarine, softened
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
½ cup light molasses
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon ginger
1 teaspoon allspice
4 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
a cup of sugar
Heat oven to 350º F.
Cream together butter and 2 cups sugar
in a large bowl. Add eggs, molasses, cinnamon, ginger, and
allspice and mix well. Mix in flour, baking soda, baking powder,
and salt. Form into balls. Put a cup sugar in a small bowl. Roll balls in sugar. Bake
for about 12 minutes.
Makes 5 dozen cookies.
FRUIT AND YOGURT ICE CREAM
Pat Menlove
Homemade ice cream tastes best the day it is made. It
does not keep well in the freezer. Make sure you have enough
eaters to polish off a batch.
3 cups fresh pureed apricots or peaches
or 1 quart bottled apricots or peaches (drained) or juice
of 2 lemons
3 to 4 cups sugar
1 (8-ounce) carton yogurt, plain or fruit flavored
1 quart half-and-half milk
Other fruits as desired
1 banana, pureed in blender
canned pineapple
fresh or frozen raspberries, mashed
fresh or frozen strawberries, pureed
In the freezer container, stir together,
apricots or peaches, lemon juice, sugar, and yogurt. Add half-and-half.
Add other fruits, as desired. Add milk to fill line. Freeze
as directed.
Makes about 3 to 4 quarts.
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