Family Recipes

I love digging through old cookbooks. Especially those that are from churches and community groups.  An abundance of recipes - some passed down in families for generations can be found.

My mother in law also loved cookbooks, and had a huge collection of them.  Over the years, she and I gifted each other with cookbooks - one year at Christmas we gave each other the SAME cookbook as a gift.

I've been going through her recipes and cookbooks to find family recipes that I know were near and dear to her.  Since she is no longer with us, it's fallen on me to make sure these recipes don't disappear forever.  When my grandmother passed away, so did her recipe for the best ever Molasses Stack Cake.  It was so wonderful, and she only made it at Christmas.  I can remember her baking the thin layers, then assembling with her homemade applesauce between each layer.  The cake then went in the refrigerator a few days before it was cut and served.  Sigh......  I do have a recipe for a similar version, but none taste exactly like grandma's.

As for my mom in law, the most favorite dish she made was her sweet potato casserole - with a mixture of brown sugar and pecans on top, not marshmallows - Yuck.  Luckily, I have found her recipe for those, however, my son has told me twice now, that "it's not as good as grandma's".  I think grandmas just have that extra special love they add in when preparing their favorite dishes.

I snagged a few of her cookbooks and brought them home with me.  The Buckroe Baptist Church cookbook is from 25 years ago.  Since we now attend this church, I can look through it, and see recipes from ladies and their families that have been at this church for years.  Recipes from ladies that have passed on, and luckily shared recipes with us so we can continue to make these wonderful dishes.  The Hampton City Schools cookbook is special because Mom worked for them for many years, as a school bus driver.  The Sharing Recipes book is one from a former church, that Mom and I both contributed recipes to.  The Hampton Roads church cookbook is one that I helped organize and publish about 15 years ago. 

I'm also finding all sorts of pieces of paper with recipes written on them.  Mom used to make German Bologna at Christmas.  Tucked away in a page of the school cookbook was her handwritten recipe for German Bologna.  We haven't had this in many years, and I probably won't make it this year - but, I do have the recipe. :)

I have plans for the Belcher family recipes.  It is going to take some planning and organizing, but I can't wait to share them with you!