Favorite childhood recipe?

My husband of 22 yrs (we’re 62 and 72) and I have pretty much exhausted our favorite childhood/family recipes and are looking for inspiration. I get about 20 recipe blog emails per day. Dan has a MASSIVE - literally several thousand - cookbooks, and we are SO BORED!!!

I was raised vegetarian, Dan was a meat and potatoes guy raised in a military household with lots of kids in England until he was 14, so “meat” usually consisted of Spam and cheap tuna from the commissary.  I have introduced him to lots of yummy ways to eat veggies over the years, and finally JUST got him to eat broccoli a few weeks ago. It was his,last holdout from the cruciferous family.

My maternal grandfather opened a healthfood and vitamin store in 1960, then he added a vegetarian restaurant next door to that in 1963. It was the first/only vegetarian restaurant in the state for many years.

I don’t eat much meat still, but for sure don’t eat shellfish, game, veal, much pork. If I do have poultry it’s white meat only. I garden and preserve lots of our produce.  

Help! We need some inspiration!

Sometimes getting past boredom requires going deeper into boredom until you find curiosity. So often, we look for novelty and skim the surface rather than really explore a thing to absurdity. The key to creative breakthroughs is extreme limitation.

For example, gardeners are often faced with a bumper crop of one food: garlic, cherries, apples, peaches, plums, kale, mustard, potatoes or squash. Not all at once, not always at perfect ripeness or maturity. It is an immense and worthy challenge to go deeply into one gift of the land to find its endless possibilities. No recipe or cookbook can tap this profound interrelationship between human tastebuds and Nature’s creative expression.

As a limitation challenge, consider a week of making only crepes. A simple crepe harkens back to times where no matter how bleak the larder, something sweet or savory could be rolled into a delightful package and satisfy the hunger for sustenance and beauty. Play with crepes for an extended period of time. Walk bravely into that boredom and bring back some delightful crepe creations to share with us. Warning: you may make something that people will laugh at.

Thank you! We did do an intense search on that site which starts with P and concentrated on casseroles because we’re moving and those usually last 3 days or more for the 2 of us and only require cooking vs reheating for one day. But crepes sounds great!

We did do various quiches at the end of the garden season but had forgotten a theme option.

Appreciate the suggestion.

Shelley and Dan,
Northern Michigan

I fully concur with Amy. Hubs is a retired personal chef, who started in culinary school. He often talks about the week or two they spent fully focused on eggs, as a base. By the time they were halfway through the unit, he was so sick of eggs, his stomach would turn, at the thought of one. Now, years later, the way they learned to play with their eggs- by pushing themselves to see how many ways they could use them, with great results - has spilled over into pretty much everything.

I learned much the same lesson by virtue of being flat broke, my whole life. When you just can't stand the same ol' same ol', change something up. Just one thing changed up can take you down a whole new road. We were ridiculously sick all through January, and did very little cooking, and we're still struggling with energy and motivation - and getting horribly bored with what we can do, easily. Just last night, I decided to top my hamburger(not something we eat often) with a small dollop of spicy bacon jam, instead of the usual toppers. At my expression on tasting it, John grabbed the jam, and tried it, himself - and we're off to the races, again.

For most of 2020 and 2021, I dreamed (fantasized) about all the food that I love that was not available like Cracker Barrel Chicken Fried Steak or going to Red Lobster.

This year, all that food still sounds good though it just doesn't seem appetizing as I am not dreaming about those foods.  

I want to eat just whatever is quick, easiest, or handy.

I am also remembering foods from the past that I have not had in years. Though I am not craving them as I did in 2020 and 2031 so they are just memories.

The title childhood recipes reminded me of my first cookbook when I was about 8 or 9.  What was in the cookbook?

My Mom mostly cooked fried chicken, beef roasts, Kentucky Wonder green bean with new potatoes, and chocolate cake.

Dear hubby has been on a cabbage and potato soup which we have about once every other week.  So quick and easy because I almost always have cabbage since it keeps a long time.

Me TOO!

Came home with the (hated) monthly shopping a few days ago, filled the gaps in the pantry, fridge and freezer; 30 mins to town, couple of hours in the stores, home, then hauled everything from the vehicle, unpacked it, got everything put away...and stood there in disbelief when there was NOTHING I wanted to eat!!!

Sooo for the last few days it has been popped corn and macaroni and cheese (I know, WHAT?) - nothing else is of any interest, no matter what I cook, I take a few bites, pass it off to the spouse, not because it is not tasty, but just not floating MY boat.

Even my usual Hoisin Sauce which makes anything taste divine, is failing me.  Guess it is the mid winter "blahs".

Anne Miller wrote:For most of 2020 and 2021, I dreamed (fantasized) about all the food that I love that was not available like Cracker Barrel Chicken Fried Steak or going to Red Lobster.

This year, all that food still sounds good though it just doesn't seem appetizing as I am not dreaming about those foods.  

I want to eat just whatever is quick, easiest, or handy.

Dear hubby has been on a cabbage and potato soup which we have about once every other week.  So quick and easy because I almost always have cabbage since it keeps a long time.

Anne, with the exception of the first line I quoted above, I could have written that!  And the only reason not the first line is that we live way in the boonies and any restaurants worth going to are at least - no lie - a minimum 90 min drive each way. Actually, over 2 hours if I were to be honest.

But full pantry, decently stocked freezer and fridges, and I’ve stopped agreeing to go shopping because we have wasted so much food lately. The barn cats look pregnant we’ve give them so many leftovers. I just can’t bring myself to invest time cook8ng. And I’m one of those people who doesn’t do junk food or prepped foods.

That said, today for a late lunch I made us some fabulous potato pancakes with lots of onion and had some of the very best grapes I’ve ever had for desert.

About twice a month I make a huge pot of cabbage soup, throw it in canning jars and deliver to family and friends who live about an hour drive away. 5 separate households, 4-6 quarts to each. Cabbage, onion, carrots, a few pea pods, some bean sprouts/mung beans in a chicken bone broth. Sometimes I throw in some egg to make it more like the egg drop soup at a Chinese restaurant I based the recipe upon.

I was talking about this thread with my hubby and he said he was in the mood for goulash. So I guess that’s on the menu for a few days starting tomorrow.after that I’m planning chicken divan crepes, though my hubby grimaced when I suggested crepes. LOL I’ll make enough of the filling that we can make potpies using some puff pastry I have in the freezer.

Thanks again for the suggestions! Keep them coming!

O.K. You asked about Childhood recipes. That's a tough one. You want a 'blast from the past' and I can't remember last Tuesday!  But I have one suggestion from eons ago and one new one that I started doing 10 years ago. Yes, that's new!... to me. One is winter, one is summer. Here you go.

Winter first....Anyway, all my grandparents came to America individually after the 1st World War. They all grew up in Poland eating a poor Polish persons' diet which was mostly fats, sugar and lots of other stuff people wouldn't eat. It helped them survive a really tough reality at the time but I wouldn't recommend it. Not very healthy. So, have you lost your appetite now?

But my one grandmother made something very Polish that is perfectly healthy once every winter that was just wonderful! Pierogies! They are comfort food!! (And this word document I'm writing this on first doesn't know what a pierogy is. It wants to know if I really mean Groupies!!) How funny. But, during the coldest part of winter when she didn't want to go outside she would spend a Saturday or maybe the whole weekend making pierogies. A pierogy is just like a ravioli or a pot sticker, same idea. A nice soft dough that you roll out and fill with stuff. She often used leftovers from the week for the fillings. You can make lots of them and freeze them, then defrost and boil them later and smother them in butter or boil them and then fry them crispy whenever you want. These days you can get them at very expensive restaurants or you can get some pretty bland, generic ones in the frozen food section of your grocery store. But they can be so much better than that.

You can fill them with damned near anything that's already cooked. You can fill them with mashed potatoes with lots of onions (so good) or shredded cabbage cooked in butter (so sweet) or ricotta cheese with bits of vegies/meat or mashed winter squash with bits of (I'm not sure) bits of cranberries or cherries or maybe they were raisins (to die for) or some were simply filled with  pureed prunes! (they were so awesome).  She would make so many and then put them all mixed up in big bags in the freezer. When she served them to us throughout the winter we would never know which ones we were getting until we bit into them but they were all awesome! Each one was a wonderful surprise! Like I said, comfort food!  

In the summer I just love fried squash blossoms. Unique, exotic and so tasty. I grow lots of extra zucchini and winter squash just to harvest all the extra, big male flowers for fried squash blossoms. They can be stuffed with all the things I just mentioned. Then dipped in batter and lightly fried. There are lots of recipes online. And they are also …comfort food. Stay well, healthy... and comforted my friends.

Shelley Senkbeil wrote:Anne, with the exception of the first line I quoted above, I could have written that!  And the only reason not the first line is that we live way in the boonies and any restaurants worth going to are at least - no lie - a minimum 90 min drive each way. Actually, over 2 hours if I were to be honest.

Exactly, I didn't know anyone else on the forum was in this same situation.

I'm seven miles from the ranch road and my mailbox.

We love living in the boonies ... My neighbors are usually only here during hunting season.

Anne Miller wrote:

Shelley Senkbeil wrote:Anne, with the exception of the first line I quoted above, I could have written that!  And the only reason not the first line is that we live way in the boonies and any restaurants worth going to are at least - no lie - a minimum 90 min drive each way. Actually, over 2 hours if I were to be honest.

Exactly, I didn't know anyone else on the forum was in this same situation.

I'm seven miles from the ranch road and my mailbox.

We love living in the boonies ... My neighbors are usually only here during hunting season.

Anne, we’re not that far from our road, and “town” is only 2.5 miles from our new farm, otherwise you are in Lake Huron but there’s very little worth going there into our town for.

The town we grocery shop in, where my Dr and my Dan’s closest VA clinic is located is a 50 minute drive on a good day. This time of year we usually allot at least an hour15 minutes.

But restaurants? HA!

Northern Michigan is gorgeous. I’ve never wanted to live anywhere else, and I’ve traveled enough to judge that for myself. But the roads can be challenging this time of year!

Shelley

Debbie Ann wrote:, all my grandparents came to America individually after the 1st World War. They all grew up in Poland eating a poor Polish persons' diet which was mostly fats, sugar and lots of other stuff people wouldn't eat. It helped them survive a really tough reality at the time but I wouldn't recommend it. Not very healthy. So, have you lost your appetite now?

But my one grandmother made something very Polish that is perfectly healthy once every winter that was just wonderful! Pierogies! They are comfort food!!.

OMGoodness! We make pierogiat least 9th every a month if not more!

My maternal grandparents came to the US in 1913 and1916. Grandma came over by herself in steerage, at only 12 years old with $37.00 in cash. My paternal grandparents came over a few years ear,ire than that, but because my dad.died when I was 8, my brother 3, we grew up with thePolish family influence. Ironically in the last 15-20 years I’ve done some genealogy research on that side to discover that due to the fluid borders my “German” ancestry is most likely actually Prussian and Polish.

ANYWAY… my mom’s side began a tradition in the late 60s of getting together and making many hundreds if not thousands pierogi on Thanksgiving, then having a massive meal of them (potato with tons of sautéed onion and farmer cheese, and cabbage with onions and farmer cheese, and rarely a sauerkraut version) with homemade kielbasa and good rye bread. We’d pack all the extras to take home and freeze. YUM!!!

I’m unfortunately the last keeper of the recipes, and though my family gets together every few years and make some, I have to make the fillings ahead of time. None of the next generation are interested in something which can be such an investment in time to make. So sad.

While we do tend to make the dough from scratch specifically because the sour cream added makes the most lovely tender dough, I will share a cheat.

When we are in the mood for pierogi and don’t feel like the work... and frankly the MESS of making and rolling dough, we go to the freezer and pull out a package of store bought won ton or egg roll wrappers. The potato fill8ng is so simple and doesn’t take long to make. By the time it’s done the wrappers have thawed.

The other trick is to skip the boiling step plus sautéing - which always runs the risk of a portion of them opening in the boiling stage - and just cook them like pot stickers. Place the pierogi in a large frypan with lots of butter, sautéed them a few minutes on one side, flip and sautee that side, then add about 1/4 cup of water and put the cover on the pan. When the water is gone the dough should be translucent and  they are ready to eat.!

My BFF is 100% Italian, and we always laughed at the similarities btw pierogi and ravioli. Now I’d add potstickers and lumpia and pasties and so many other countries “dough filled with something” specialties. How she and I used to moan about all the work involved in making our meals!

Dolores is the keeper of her family recipes as well, despite having a HUGE family compared to mine. But we both find it sad our families rave about the meals but won’t learn to make it. Pierogi and ravioli and the rest have some practice involved. They are a thing you must do hands on a few times with someone who has experience. You must FEEL the dough.

Ok, I’ve rambled on enough.  I’m very much appreciating this thread. Hope it’s not too boring for others.

Shelley

Shelley Senkbeil wrote:My maternal grandparents came to the US in 1913 and1916. Grandma came over by herself in steerage, at only 12 years old with $37.00 in cash.

Ok, I’ve rambled on enough.  I’m very much appreciating this thread. Hope it’s not too boring for others.

Your grandmother was a courageous young lady and I bet her family had to do without a lot to be able to send her with $37.00 to start her new life in America.  I love stories like this.

This has been a wonderful thread.  Thanks for starting the conversation.

Ohhhh Perogies, heaven, and bliss...

PEROGY CASSEROLE

4-5 servings
20-30 minutes cook time ⏲️
This can easily be vegan if perogies are carefully chosen. Stovetop/oven and/or microwave friendly.

2 dozen (or so) savory perogies
1-2 sweet onions 🌰
mushrooms 🍄
1 red pepper (regular or add some heat)🌶
*Grated cheese 🧀
*1 lb bacon and/or 1lb sausage
*optional

My cooking method is a bit strange.   First, get the microwave 🥓 bacon cooker loaded, high power 1min per slice 5.55 for 6 slices (we don't like crispy,  add a minute if you do). Do this with the entire pound, drain (and save in heat-safe container) fat between batches, drain cooked bacon well, coarsely chop, and set aside.

In the meantime finely slice the sweet onion (walla walla), mushrooms 🍄 and peppers🌶, saute in bacon 🥓 fat. Add uncooked sausage, cook, until done.  Remove sausage, cut into round slices, or chop coarsely. Season to taste. I cannot consume garlic,  but I suspect it would make a great addition to the veg mixture.

This is one of the only times I use Ziploc bags, a large freezer size.  Throw in about 2 dozen perogies, add water 💧 until 1inch is visible,  squeeze out all air, seal the bag well - these two steps are critical. Lay flat, separate perogies into a single layer, slide the bag onto a microwave-safe plate (it's really hot when done, this makes it much safer to remove), and nuke 5-6 minutes.   When the bag fully inflates, they are done; if the bag pops, they are done. Carefully remove and open the zipper, be mindful of the scorching steam, tip bag enough to pour out the water but not the perogies.

Yes, you can boil them, fry the bacon on the stove, and heat up in a regular oven if nukers bother you.

At this point, add to the frypan with veggies, add cooked sausage if desired. I often skip frying them; personally, I don't notice much difference.

Place a layer of veg on the bottom, add a layer of perogies,  then another layer of veg, a layer of chopped bacon (and/or sausage), another layer of veg, top with shredded cheese, nuke about a minute to ensure all layers are heated through and cheese is melted.

I use those wide, shallow bowls (soup plate/pasta dish?), not sure what they are called, and make individual servings 5-6 perogies per person. One could easily use a casserole dish, and freezes well; covered, good in the fridge for several days (good luck with that, it will disappear).

***for whatever reason,  that Ziploc bag steams/boils them perfectly every time!