Writing Out the Old Home Recipes

Some of my grown children are asking me for our family recipes, so they can cook and bake in their own kitchens.  It would be very easy for me to write them out on index cards and ship them off in the mail.  But how much more fun would it be to make a little handmade booklet of family recipes, cooking hints, and little family remembrances to go with it?

I have some pretty green heavy stock paper. I can use this as a cover.  I will fold it in half, to make it resemble a little booklet. Inside will be plain white paper, folded as well.  I can staple this in the center to "bind" the book.

To have a little fun, I can title it something like, "Recipes from The White House,"  or "The Little Book of Cookery from The White House."  [One must find ways of enjoying one's name when the situation arises.]

I have 12 common dinner recipes, several lunches, and a few breakfasts.   To this, I will add some baking recipes, and economical snack ideas.  I will also write an estimate of how much each recipe will cost.

Yesterday, I had full charge of my kitchen. (In other words, I did all the work alone.)  I made my boys a nice lunch of homemade pizza.  I cleaned the kitchen throughout the day.  As the sun began to set, I asked one of them, "Will you be needing a baked good this evening?"  He didn't know what I meant by that (smiles).  So I translated, "Do you want me to bake something for you?" Well, of course He did!  I made peanut butter, chocolate chip muffins.  Then I told the boys I was off duty for the night and they were to have sandwiches or leftovers if they got hungry later.  I walked out of that very clean kitchen, with the dim lamplight shining on those delicious muffins.  . . These are the kinds of memories of home that my grown children miss.

I think it is more precious to take one's time creating things of lasting value that will be cherished.  My book of family cookery will be humbly made with humble recipes.   But it will take me a few weeks, as I sit by the window, in great-grandmother's rocking chair, and write out the history of our kitchen for the next generation.

Blessings
Mrs. White








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