my sister has my Mom's recipe box. I don't think that she actually wanted it for the recipes, but rather that it was a box full of things (recipes, notes etc.) that were in Mom's handwriting.
I am not sure if there is a recipe in there for Mom's 'banana cake'. It was the one thing that you always knew would be at all the pot lucks, picnics etc. and everyone always counted on it. Mom had several recipes that weren't written down because she just knew how to make them. I hope this wasn't one of them. :)

I love banana cake.....can you ask sis for the "reciept" and post it? anyone else want to share family recipes?

I have my grandmother's recipe box packed away. Just about everything in it was really, REALLY terrible for one's health, so I don't actually do any cooking from it. I do love having much of it in her own handwriting though, as Greylady- mentioned. I recall seeing her recipe for "Salmon Wiggle" which was very popular in its day. Can of salmon and a can of peas in a roux/white sauce or milk gravy. Gram would have served it over boiled potatoes, or maybe baking powder biscuits. She also made a California Chicken (tuna) that was to die for.

Caroline, just today I read the biography of Fannie Farmer to my residents at work. It said that "In 1896 she published the first cookbook that advocated using standard measurements such as the "level" teaspoon, tablespoon and cup that American cooks have been using ever since."
So we have her to thank that we don't need to use quaint terms like "the size of a walnut"! (love the bit about floating the egg. How did anyone ever even THINK of using such a method of making a brine?!lol!

good question Patti and here is the answer....I am so glad you asked...c

Here is a link that might be useful: floating an egg

I have a book called "The Boston Cooking School Cook Book". I believe it was Fanny Farmer's first cook book. It is a blast from the past! So many of the recipes are outdated in regard to modern preferences.

My mom was primarily raised in England. Many of her recipes were English. We often had meat pie, and there were always sausage rolls and mincemeat pies (dessert, no meat) at Christmas.

I discovered this recipe on a Canadian Web site many years ago, before the Net went commercial. It is easy to make, and definitely my favorite scone recipe.

Cape Breton Scones (sour cream scones)

2 cups flour
2 TBLSP. sugar
l TBLSP. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
l/4 tsp. baking soda
l cup currants or dried cranberries
l/2 cup sour cream
l/4 cup vegetable oil
l egg; slightly beaten
3 TBLSP. milk
+ a bit more milk and sugar for tops

Sift together the dry ingreditents, and stir in the raisins. Blend the remaining ingredients in separate bowl, and then stir it into the flour mixture until the dough comes together. Throw small handful of flour on top of dough lump (in bowl) and knead lightly a few times. Divide the dough in half then pat each into approx. 6" circle with the top slightly rounded. Cut into desired number of wedges. Paint with milk and sprinkle with sugar. Bake at 425 (F) degrees for 10-12 minutes, or till golden.

*The secret to good scones is to allow them to rest for fifteen minutes before baking them.

Lorna

Lorna, now how did you know DH and I love scones, thanks for the recipe it sound really yummy. I'll be making these as soon as I can get to the store for some cranberries :O).
Annette

Lorna, can't wait to try the scones. The only recipe I ever tried was dry like a biscuit not moist.

I saved my Mom's recipe box also. Not particularly for the recipes but so I could have something personal of Mom's in her handwriting. I was always amazed when I would ask Mom how to make something and she would say, "You put in a pinch of this, or a dab of that." I couldn't understand it because I hadn't been cooking for years like she had.

Very interesting about the eggs and brine. I wonder how many things the first brine makers tried before they discoverd that eggs were the ticket! Raisins? Seeds? Apples? Sticks? Stones? (Can you tell I haven't had my morning coffee yet?!)
Thanks for the info, Caroline!
Patti

Lorna, there is that Cape Breton connection again! I think Nova Scotia is calling you :) M

Being a complete loon about old things that remind me of people or times past, my house is filled with what appear to be random things but which are precious to me. One of them is a loose leaf cookbook that my brother and I gave to my mother when we were just children.

It is very meaningful to me, partly for the recipes she saved there - the cherry pie she always made instead of cake for my Daddy's birthday, the carrot cake she was "required" to bring to every family celebration, her "official" recipes for brown sugar fudge, strawberry pie, bourbon balls, Gramma's egg custard pie and many others, all of them keepers. There is our family jello salad recipe (ours is orange) and the recipe for a family oddity called "Mom's Gom" - you wouldn't believe the ingredients if I told you and you would never believe how good it tastes!

Mama's book also contains various recipes for something called "porcupines" and more than one recipe for German potato salad. That would be strange except that I well remember her quest for those two dishes. She kept more than one recipe so I don't know if all were acceptable or if none hit the mark. What's important to me is the reminder than she tried so hard to make the things she cooked the BEST for her family.

There are also old letters she received with recipes from my grandma and aunts - one on military stationery from WWII and all so aged that they are fragile and falling apart at the creases. There are even a few from me that show how Mama carefully treasured the signs that I was beginning to have my own successes in the kitchen.

Last year I copied out many of the recipes from Mama's book along with others I've collected from friends through the years and put them in a recipe book for my daughter. I know Mama's recipes won't mean as much to her because she didn't have the opportunity to know my mother but I like to think that this little bit of family history has a chance to live on.

Linda; there are letters in the box from friends and family too with the recipes and advice. My Mom's mom always signed the card "Mom". I know all the handwritings and there are cards with my handwriting as it changed over the years and letters from me with "try this Mom" on them. I have both my Mom's Boston Cookbook and my Aunt Bess's. They each got them when they married from their Mom.

Lorna thank you for the scone recipe. It sounds very good. We love them on Sunday AM.

My Mom was famous for her potato salad. She and Daddy liked it "soupy", none of that dry stuff for them. He secret for the tart taste was the equal parts of sugar and vinegar in the dressing. Then a splash of yellow mustard and celery seed and salt and pepper and enough Miracle Whip to make it very creamy. She always started with 5# of potatoes and then celery and a tiny bit of onion and hardboiled eggs...lots as Dad liked them. No real recipe just a pinch or a glob of this and that ! c

Hello, Mora, I was bemused, when I went to the recipe file and realized the true name of what I usually refer to as sour cream scones is Cape Breton Scones. I definitely want to order some music from your postings. BTW, Annette, any dried fruit will do, I suppose, as long as pieces are small. I particularly like currants. Dried blueberries are good, too. ProudGM, you won't have any trouble with these scones being dry. Sour cream works wonders! I hope everybody likes them as much as I do, because they are a breeze to make. Caroline, are your "Boston" books as worn as mine?! I don't remember how I came by my book.

It is another mild day here, probably about 50 degrees. The dogs are acting like they've got spring fever. Lydia, the puppy, has been racing around acting the fool. A few of the older ones indulged her in wrestling, which thankfully, settled her down.
Lorna

I enjoyed that "floating egg" info. As someone with a great love for social history, I always enjoy reading tails or tidbits of our fore mothers'/fathers' everyday lives.

Patti, I think my MIL's recipe box resembles your grandmother's. Then there's my aunt's which reveals her love of cool-whip. Our friend who's a cardiologist always says if you want a quick way to clog your arteries eat that stuff on a regular basis. lol!

I don't have many recipes of my mom's. She was generally a seat-of-the pants cook although she did clip recipes from magazines such as GH or LHJ. I remember loving those magazines for the decorating pics. Hmmm, maybe that's where that obsession started. ; )

Diana

My sisters cleaned out my mother's house before she even died. They did it when I was not there. I got precious little of her things and the stuff I got was stuff "they" decided I might like. Funny how family takes it's advantages. Anyway about a year after my mother died, I got an envelope in the mail from my mother's sister. In the envelope were a bunch of recipes that my aunt had culled from her own recipe box. Then as I was going through them, while sitting on the side of the road at our mailbox, I noted mentally that they were written in a couple of different handwritings. It took a moment for it to dawn on me that the second handwriting was my mother's. I felt really strange all over. Big tears welled up in my eyes with the realization. I almost felt like she had played some part in my aunt's cleaning out party. I am still grateful to this day to have these little pieces of paper from my mother. None of the recipes were things that I remember mom cooking but they were obviously things she had tried and enjoyed at some point after I had moved away from home. So I'll try them sometime and maybe they'll become my new "favorites from mom".

MeMo

Oh MeMo the things we learn about ourselves and others. Your story has moved me in a very special way. Thank you for sharing it . I too am so glad your aunt gave these to you . There is nothing so precious as our memories. c

MeMo, I've seen it happen time and time again, families can be so hurtful. I'm so glad you have found these remembrances of your mom, maybe you could preserve them so you can hand them down to your daughter. Most of the things that have been handed down to DH and I have already given to our kids. My three have always been a very caring bunch but you never know so... the step table that was my great great grandmothers the one my grandmother brought from England when she immigrated I have already given to my oldest boy. I still have the mirror that was my parents it has my daughter's name on the back and the boys know it goes to her. My youngest son who has a love of wood has the cedar chest that his great grandfather made.
It's also a good idea if you have anything that you want to go to certain family members to put it down and writing so there's no arguing after you're gone.
As many of us have sadly come to know you can't choose your family just your friends.

Annette

Oh jeez, it should be in writing not and writing. That was typed in the wee hours of the morning. Our old kitty Breezy decide to sing us a song in the middle of the night, couldn't get back to sleep so... a