Reminiscing Through Recipes

Hello everyone, I've been awol...I know. We are building a home in the country to move to. Yes, I can hear those birds sing now....We won't talk much about the six foot snake I almost stepped on. (I did a left-face that would have made even Gomer Pyle envious.) I have named the fella, Humphrey. Humphrey is not poisonous so we let him slither on over to the next partial of land...We are contracting this home ourselves, my hub just loves doing this type of thing so it keeps us quite busy.

This evening our four daughters and I did Father's Day with hubby after a light day of just fun shopping, a venue at Home Goods for a few practicals including one impractical....a whimsical serving bowl with a pretty color design and a bird painted in it...the girls just loved it, it was on clearance, a small price to pay to bring such smiles to the girls' faces and some newness for our diner table. : ) Our trek also included a stop at World Mart looking for a cute comfy chair for dd24 for her upcoming room in our new house in the country. It was fun, just getting out a bit, I did find two rather comfortable pair of sandals as well at Ross...yay for comfort. I had gone into Ross because you see I have been reading "Sidetracked Home Executives" and I'm on my way to de-cluttering and getting on the ball with some things.

The book, "Sidetracked Home Executives" is hilarious by the way! I bought a used older 1981 version after reading the reviews that the only difference in the newer version is they mention the card system on computer as well as card box. Phooey with that, I'll keep my card system...The book is so funny and I can relate to a lot of it...I literally LOL'd. So. To make a long story short, I de-cluttered a black patent clutch bag from the 80s, and then retrieved it back again out of my huge garbage bag full of purses not being used and awaiting the Purple Heart truck picker uppers. Why you may ask? You see my normal more up to date (resale shop find) black patent clutch that is an almost constant companion on date night with with the long strap has broketh....The cost of a new bag is expensive so I told my dd24 that I would de-clutter permanently the 80s bag but only when I have replaced it with a reasonable black patent one. I am shocked to see prices of $25. and more for a little black bag for Pete's sake. So if you haven't already guessed, that 80s black patent bag will keep it's place for now on my closet shelf in case of a dressy occasion.

Speaking of the card system...When we got back in from our fun spree, we were wondering what dessert would dd27 make for DH for our little Father's Day meal? I found my handy dandy card file from years ago....Years ago. Actually it was stuck on the 7th day of May 21 years ago, the time my sweet step daddy passed away. Yes, it was a major disruption and huge heartbreak in life. I miss him greatly. He was a talented sculptor with humility and mercy plus. A poor artist but rich in character, an Italian from the Bronx. I loved him and so did my girls...That will be another blog. : ) He was awarded the Purple Heart and sculpted Dr. Denton Cooley's family monument, a modern human heart, the same one but smaller scale of the large one in front of the Medical Center. As I write this, I suddenly see how ironic it is....my poor stepdad suddenly died of a heart attack...he barely made it onto the stretcher and to the hospital. My mother remembers seeing his head slowly turn to the side under the hospital marquee lights as he lay on the stretcher under those bright lights. My mother went home alone in a taxi with his clothes draped over her arms...

But today is Father's day for my hubs...A great guy...A godly guy. Neither of us are perfect and we don't always see eye to eye on every little thing but when it comes down to it....We are most times like Scout and Jem in To Kill a Mockingbird...And of course we pray together and have some great date nights and can still make each other laugh as well. : ) He is my protector and encourager. In fact, speaking of the sidetracked home executives? One day last year I was in tears at the state of affairs in our room, it was a mess to behold in the way of laundry baskets and I was feeling a bit overwhelmed. It was one of those days. I remember looking down at his loafers as he stood by me as I sat crying and he just simply matter of factly and kindly said..."Don't worry it will get done..." His home had a part time maid and nanny....manicures and all that goes with that. I don't do manicures and I've always enjoyed raising our own children, it's a blessing and privilege. : ) And that meant going without a car for a time, nothing was worth taking me away from our children. It's a privilege to help make our home a place of stability and peace, family dinner on the table for us to enjoy and look forward to in the evenings is one of our favorite times! I'm so thankful Hubs has been a good father and husband as well as a godly support to me. It means a great deal to me that he appreciates these sweet things and is a down to earth guy, he appreciates my creative side and I, his. It definitely helps keep things in proper perspective.

Okay, back to that desert.

I was looking through my card file for a peach cobbler recipe my old friend Kathy had given me years ago, I'll be a monkey's uncle if I could not find it. I did find my old friend, Teresa's roll recipe which we put to work for us tonight...I also found Barbara Bush's chocolate chip cookie recipe too! Those are good!

But no peach cobbler recipe....Phooey.

Then it donned on me. Aha! My old friend Sandra, the friend that had 5 boys....yes. I had her Swedish Pineapple cake recipe passed down through her family!

I found it feebly written on an old envelope sharing it's place of honor with an old 20 year old grocery list of "stamps, ear drops, baby-tylenol, cotton balls..." along with purple crayon writing that said "Call Laura at home"...It was crudely punched in my Betty Crocker cookbook halfhazardly on one of the rings...Is that not a hoot? But ya know? At least I knew exactly where to find it! it is right next to the piece of paper also hastily punched in that book with my MIL's chicken & rice recipe....yes indeedie I say. (At least I know where they are at!) ; )

Thought I'd share the recipe with you all. You may want to make one of these for your Father's Day celebration!



Sandra's Family Swedish Pineapple Cake Recipe

Mixing by hand:

2 c. sugar (dd27 used half)
20 oz. can crushed pineapple
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. vanilla
2 c. flour
1/2 c. nuts

Ungreased 13 x 9 pan.

350 degree 30 minutes


Icing:
1 8oz. cream cheese
1 stick butter melted
3/4 c. sugar melted
1/2 c. nuts if desired

Pour icing mixture on cake in pan after cake is baked (we cooled it a bit first)




I'm not sure what happened to Sandra...She was part of a core of women from the church we attended years ago, we would share maternity clothes, give each other intimate little baby showers in our living rooms and it was a real sweet time. Yes, a real sweet time.

Mom's needing encouragement? Please feel free to visit my other blog too: Vision For a Godly Home

Hope everyone is having a good and godly weekend! If I seem to be awol say a prayer that everything is going smoothly. : )

Blessings to all! And to all a good night! ~Amelia