If I lose my memory, please don’t let me lose my
taste buds for they will help me remember my grandmother.
Gum Drop Bars with Grandma
A Christmas Tradition
The memory
Don't these gum drops just scream HAPPY! Seriously, Gingerbread houses can't be made without them. And I am most certain Hansel and Gretel were delighted by the sight of gumdrops at the house of the old witch in the deep forest.
Christmas just isn't Christmas without my mom's gum drop bars. This year as part of my holiday bucket list I wanted to make gum drop bars with she and my kids. These gum drop bars hold a dear place in my heart. It doesn't seem like Christmas unless mom makes these bars. However, I must confess these are not my favorite Christmas treat, but to me they are an integral part of our Weaver Christmas!
The Recipe
2 cups flour
1/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 cup brown sugar
1 tsp. sugar
3 eggs
1/4 cup evaporated milk
1 cup gumdrops (cut)-- no black please
1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional)
Grandma's Baker's Secret Cake
I remember grandma making this cake on several occasions. Most often as a gift for a birthday- yep, I loved it when she said Happy Birthday in this manner!
Grandma Hofheins’
specialty
3 eggs 1
½ cups sugar 1 large Tablespoon lard (or similar shortening) ½ cup cocoa 1 1/3 cup flour 1
cup buttermilk
1 tsp. soda dissolved in warm water
pinch of salt 1 tsp vanilla
Separate
eggs, beat whites until stiff; Add yolks and beat; add buttermilk and sugar and
beat more. Add the lard which has been
melted and had the cocoa added to it.
Then add the soda (dissolved in warm water) and beat again. Add
salt, vanilla and flour. Beat
well. Bake in 350 degree oven about 30
minutes. (Be careful not to over bake)
Let cool and frost with Grandma’s
Frosting.
Grandma’s Frosting
In a large
pan mix 3 cups of sugar, 2 small cartons of whipping cream and 1 cup of milk. Stir until sugar dissolves being careful not
to get a lot of sugar on the side of the pan.
Cook on medium heat until it starts to boil. Then add
½ cup of sugarwhich has been browned and is in a liquid form. ( Don’t
brown the sugar until the mixture is at
a boiling point.) As soon as your browned sugar is liquid and the icing is
boiling, gently pour the browned sugar into the mixture. Do not jiggle the pan nor stir the icing
which has been browned and is in a liquid form. ( Don’t
brown the sugar until the mixture is at
a boiling point.) As soon as your browned sugar is liquid and the icing is
boiling, gently pour the browned sugar into the mixture. Do not jiggle the pan nor stir the icing
Continue cooking on medium heat (you
may need to go just a little lower than medium)
When the frosting begins to boil down lower, begin to check it
periodically by taking a teaspoon full
and dropping it into a small dish of cold water. When you can pick it up easily, it is at a
medium ball stage. Turn off the heat and
let it cool to lukewarm stage (baby bottle temperature). If you are using a mix master or similar
appliance, gently pour the luke warm frosting into the bowl and beat until it
reaches a spreading consistency. Add 1 tsp vanilla, stir and frost the cake.
Celebrating Birthday Danish style
Rigby served a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, the Mormon, in Denmark nearly 20 years ago. We have so many fond memories of the little land of Denmark. I enjoyed writing to him during this two year period and fell in love as he did wit the people, the land, and the traditions. While we usually reserve these Danish dishes for the holidays because we celebrated Christmas in Cancun this year, we enjoyed them in honor of Rigby's 40th birthday!
For his birthday breakfast, I prepared ebleskivers (see the ebelskiver pan above). They are delicious! It was a tradition in the Danish mission for the Elders to see who could eat the most. For a while our favorite Elder Harmon ate over 50 of these in one sitting. According to the legend however, an Elder Neely at close to 80. We didn't eat that many for the birthday breakfast, but we ate plenty!
Ebelskivers
2 cups flour
2 T. sugar
1 t. sugar
1 t.salt
2 cups buttermilk
6 eggs
Stir dry ingredients. Add buttermilk and mix till blended. Add egg yolks- one at a time. Beat after each. Beat whites until stiff. Fold egg yolk mixture into egg whites. Heat ebleskiver pan with shortening EACH time. fill cup 2/3 full. Sprinkle with powder sugar, raspberry jam and or syrup.
No birthday celebration is complete without our traditional "You are Special Plate."
Happy Birthday- 7 AM style
Danish dinner
We saved our birthday dinner plans until the next day so Grandma and Grandpa Rigby could join us. Moments around the table are a treasured tradition at our house.
And of course no birthday is complete without the birthday cake. Happy Birthday Rigby, our resident mountain man!
A typical Danish dinner includes Frikadellar, (Pork meatballs), Brunede Kartofler (Danish sugar potatoes) with a Brun sauce (brown gravy), Kaal (red cabbage), and for dessert ris ala mande (Danish rice pudding). We have been married nearly 20 years and this is the first time I have attempted this menu solo. However, Mom Rigby and Travis both jumped in and helped me finish up. Overall, the food was not difficult, but time consuming. It was a gratifying experience and seemed to make Travis happy- mission accomplished!
Frikadellar
1 1/2 pounds ground pork
1 small onion chopped fine
1 tsp salt
2 eggs
3/4 cup milk
1/4 cup flour
1/4 tsp. pepper
Directions
l. mix the pork, eggs, and milk well
2. Add flour, onion, salt, pepper
3. Mix well
4. In heavy skillet melt some shortening to coat the pan
5. Form he mixture into egg shapes and cook on the skillet
Rod Kaal or Danish Red Cabbage
1 head red cabbage
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup grape jelly or jam
1/2 cup vinegar
2 tbsp. butter
1/2 cup water
shredthe cabbage. Add all the ingredients and bring to a boil Cover and simmer about 2 hours. Taste and add more vinegar or sugar as needed. Serve warm
Bruenede Krtofler
12-15 small red potatoes
14 cup sugar
1/4 cup butter
Boil the potatoes until fork-tender, about 20 minutes. Remove, drain, allow to cool and then peel. In a large frying pan, brown sugar over low heat until it darkens, add the butter and mix. Add potatoes to pan, shaking pan to coat potatoes with caramelized butter.
Brun sauce
4 tablespoons buter
4 tablespoon flour
3 cups beef stock
salt and pepper
Melt the butter over low heat. Add flour until smooth. Add half of the stock while stirring constantly. Add the rest of the stock and boil while stirring. Add pepper and sauce.
Ris a la mande
1 (1/4 oz.) gelatin unflavored
3 tablespoons cold water
4 cups milk
1 cup sort grain white rice
7 tablespoons sugar
dash of salt
1 cup heavy cream, for whipping
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup blanche almonds, chopped
1 whole almond
Garnish
Ground cinnamon
sliced slivered almonds
Cherry sauce
Directions: Place 3 tablespoons water in a small bowl. Sprinkle gelatin over water, Let stand for 3 minutes to soften gelatin. Warm mixture in microwave until gelatin dissolves, about 30 seconds.
Meanwhile, place 2 cups of milk and he rice in a medium saucepan. Stir on moderate heat until the rice is tender (follow rice directions on package). Stir in the dissolved gelatin, then the remaining 2 cups of milk, the dash of salt and the sugar.
Transfer the rice mixture to a large bowl. Freeze until mixture is cold ad thickens but is not set, stirring occasionally, about 45 minute.
Whip the cream and vanilla until soft peaks form. Fold the whipped cream into the rice mixture. Fold the 1/2 up chopped nuts and one whole almond. Place in a serving bowl and chill in the fridge.
When ready to serve, spoon Ris a al mande into individual dessert bowls and if desired sprinkle with nutmeg, cinnamon and slivered almonds---don't forget the cherry sauce. As the tradition goes, the person who gets the whole almond gets the prize. This however, cannot be let known until all of the Ri a la mande I eaten. At which point the whole almond can be revealed as it has been tucked away in one's lip--- a prize is then awarded!
And of course no birthday is complete without the birthday cake. Happy Birthday Rigby, our resident mountain man!
By: Amyanne Rigby
Doughnuts — A Family Tradition
As a child, Christmas on 2nd East was a time I treasured. As neighbors, we exchanged the traditional treats and goodies. In fact, you could mark your December Advent calendar by the Webster’s red colored rice balls—when they arrived you knew Christmas was only a few short days a way. Our traditional treat was homemade doughnuts. Mom would prepare the dough early on Christmas Eve day, and then my younger sister and I would spend the afternoon delivering the doughnuts and visiting with our many elderly neighbors.
I treasure those Christmas Eve Days– the smell of freshly made doughnuts in the kitchen of our modest red brick home as Mom prepared the dozens and dozens of doughnuts. Today, those memories continue to tickle my senses. And of course the bonus was spending time with my baby sis as we enjoyed visiting with our many neighbors and hearing stories from their lives. This tradition was a part of my life year after year.
This year, I wanted my children to experience this same memory. We invited Grandma over one Monday afternoon and rekindled the memories. I enjoyed watching my children with their grandmother as the dough softly rose. My daughter became the “doughnut pro” as she cut out the doughnuts. Afterwards, each of my five children including the toddling tot enjoyed dipping doughnuts in the glaze or shaking them in a brown bag of sugar. Of course, their faces were covered in sugar and glaze; their tummies enjoyed this memory as well. This memory created a melody of its own. One which I hope they will cherish for years to come.
Combine the following
3 tsp. salt
6 eggs
11/2 cup sugar
6 eggs
½ cup very soft margarine
Add yeast, mix with beater whip while adding two cups of flour until well blended. Stir in more flour until it makes a soft dough. Let rise until doubled. Roll out. Cut, let rise one hour; fry in deep shortening. Drain and glaze.
Glaze:
1 pkg. powdered sugar
lemon extract
vanilla extract
½ cup soft butter.
hot water.
I treasure those Christmas Eve Days– the smell of freshly made doughnuts in the kitchen of our modest red brick home as Mom prepared the dozens and dozens of doughnuts. Today, those memories continue to tickle my senses. And of course the bonus was spending time with my baby sis as we enjoyed visiting with our many neighbors and hearing stories from their lives. This tradition was a part of my life year after year.
This year, I wanted my children to experience this same memory. We invited Grandma over one Monday afternoon and rekindled the memories. I enjoyed watching my children with their grandmother as the dough softly rose. My daughter became the “doughnut pro” as she cut out the doughnuts. Afterwards, each of my five children including the toddling tot enjoyed dipping doughnuts in the glaze or shaking them in a brown bag of sugar. Of course, their faces were covered in sugar and glaze; their tummies enjoyed this memory as well. This memory created a melody of its own. One which I hope they will cherish for years to come.
Grandma Hofheins Homemade Doughnuts
2 pkg. dry yeast- dissolve in 1 cup warm water. Combine 3 cups luke warm milk – set aside,Combine the following
3 tsp. salt
6 eggs
11/2 cup sugar
6 eggs
½ cup very soft margarine
Add yeast, mix with beater whip while adding two cups of flour until well blended. Stir in more flour until it makes a soft dough. Let rise until doubled. Roll out. Cut, let rise one hour; fry in deep shortening. Drain and glaze.
Glaze:
1 pkg. powdered sugar
lemon extract
vanilla extract
½ cup soft butter.
hot water.
Giving memories..
Thanksgiving may sometimes be labeled a woman’s holiday, but since my husband is the better cook in the family, he is more than happy to lend a hand. Truthfully, the big bird and gravy still frighten me. As a result, we have tried to make the entire Thanksgiving holiday more of a family event- kids and all. Yes, this may seem somewhat non-traditional for some, but for us it works. In fact, it is a tradition for everyone to roll up their sleeves, grab an apron, and prepare the feast.
Of course, the planning of the event begins weeks before the big day. We like to gather as a family and plan the menu. It is fun to hear everyone’s ideas and the dishes served at Thanksgiving which he or she enjoys the most. We pull out our family cook books and gather the recipes. We try to incorporate the traditional menu items from each side of the family. To some it may seem like we are just cooking, but we are dong family history too.
It may be a good idea as others join your family to invite them to prepare his or her traditional dish. This is a great way to make them feel a part of the day and a little less homesick. I have four brothers and it has been fun when their wives bring something from their “cookbook.” For instance, one sister makes her sweet potato casserole (she and my brother spent nearly five years in South Carolina) and another sister brings her grandmother’s cucumber dish.
Each person in our family chooses an age appropriate item from the menu he or she likes to prepare and we make our shopping list. For instance, our ten-year-old is our fruit salad guru. He has been the pro since he was five. We, of course, provide any necessary instruction and aid. Our traditional jello salad is “yummy” and easily prepared by little hands. Our youngest child always gets the drink job. We like to make Grandma Hofheins’ traditional slush drink.
We enjoy coming together in the kitchen. We laugh, giggle, make messes and remember previous Thanksgiving gatherings. With proper planning, we get things going and head for a morning hike in the nearby hills. We return to prepare the table and finish up any last minute dishes while enjoying the hor d’oeuvres (we also eat all day – it makes the event last longer) After the meal, we enjoy back yard football and of course we gather by the big screen for the traditional “bowl” games.
As a mom, I certainly enjoy the day better. I have not been in the kitchen for hours alone slaving away, but instead I have been making memories with my kids– memories they can share with future generations.
Below are some kid friendly recipes to incorporate into your holiday feast.
Great Grandma Tessie Reber’s Dixie fruit salad
11/2 cups diced apples
1 ½ cups pomegranate seeds
½ cups seedless raisins
1/4 cup almonds
1 1/2 Cups whipped cream
Mix ingredients lightly. Other fruits may be added or deleted. The seedless raisins are often replaced with fresh or bottled seedless grapes.
Grandma’s Jello salad
1 large box orange jello
1 box lemon cook and serve jello pudding
2 cups Cool Whip
Directions: dissolve orange jello according to directions and then add lemon pie filling – cooked according to directions.
Let sit for one to two hours then add 2 cups Cool Whip.
Stir in the Cool Whip and place in the fridge over night.
Grandma Hofheins’ Slush
2 cups sugar and 1 cup water- boil for three minutes and then add 1Tbs. (small pkg.) gelatin dissolved in a little cold water.
Then add:
2 cups cold water, 2 cups pineapple juice, 2 Tbs. lemon juice and a pinch of salt.
Freeze mixture.
When ready to serve, mash slush with potato masher, and then mix with enough lemon lime soda to make it slushy– a consistency suitable for drinking.
On a side note, take some pictures of your traditional Thanksgiving dishes and then create a scrapbook for your family members complete with recipes. This provides a great keepsake!
Traditions
By Amy Rigby
Recently, my 89 year old Grandmother Hofheins passed away and with her passing I have been flooded with memories. My favorite ones surround an old ice cream freezer. As a family, we would gather in grandma’s kitchen and participate in the ritual of freezing the cream. It was fun as cousins by the dozens flocked to lend a helping hand knowing that there would be a big payoff.
The event of freezing the cream was not reserved for any traditional occasion just when ever there was a number of family members present to do the churning. I know the ice cream was incredibly delicious, but it is not so much the taste that has stayed with me, but more the making of the memory. Our taste buds have a way of creating the best memories. So with the awakening of summer comes the salute to ice cream. My grandfather Weaver always served us up an ice cream cone following lunch or dinner. He said it was perfect for sliding between the cracks.
For my son’s first birthday each guest was invited to shake their own cream in a Ziploc bag until the ice cream was formed. What fun it was to watch young ones and old ones create this rhythm as they salivated over what would soon be the tasty product.
Summer is fun and the ice cream shops are endless so go ahead and scream for ice cream. Perhaps, if you’re lucky your hands will find their way to an old fashioned freezer and with each turn the anticipation will grow and result will be absolutely delicious.
Grandma’s Homemade Ice Cream
Scald 2 ½ quarts of milk (Scald means to put it in a large pan and almost bring it to a boil).
Mix 3 cups of sugar, 8 tablespoons flour and ¼ tsp of salt and stir in gradually into the scalded milk.
Add 4 slightly beaten eggs.
Turn heat to lowest setting and stir constantly until mixture is smooth and thickening slightly.
Turn off heat and let cool until ready to freeze.
When ready to freeze, pour above mixture into 1 gallon freezing container and add whipping cream (a quart and a pint) as well as a little vanilla for flavor. You might want to taste it to determine how much vanilla.
Side note: I inherited my grandmother's ice cream freezer. It stands in the corner of our dining room... its place of honor. I smile whenever I see it!
Irva's Cucumbers
2 cups sugar
1 cup white vinegar
3 sliced white onions
7 sliced and peeled cucumbers
1 TBS. salt
3 sliced white onions
1 TBS. celery seed
Mix together in a bowl and chill!
Homemade memories
As a small girl growing up on 2nd East in what was known as "dog town," my little family of "9"
would often walk into our small red brick house to the aroma of fresh baked bread. Our mother mixed and kneaded that very large bowl of dough with her own hands. The service she rendered was heart warming as our small mouths would soon devour her labor of love.
Mom's homemade bread recipe
The following recipe makes 4 loaves
1 quart luke warm water
6 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons salt
1 large Tablespoon shortening
2 tablespoons yeast
directions- place yest in one cup of warm water
combine other ingredients. Allow yeast to rise before
combining to other ingredients. Add 6 to 8 cups of flour-- let rise for 45 minutes.
Then mix down and add 2 to 4 more cups of flour-- let rise another 45 minutes.
Divide loaves into four equal pieces. knead and prepare for loaf pans.
Let dough rise in pans for 45 minutes to an hour. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes
Thankfully my mother taught me how to make bread. While I must admit that at times growing up, I thought only "poor people" ate homemade bread, I now see it as an immense blessing. By taking flour, sugar, a pinch of salt,yeast and warm water, I too can create a homemade memory which will not only warm the hearts of my children but their tummies as well
On Mondays, I usually bake bread, do laundry and clean up the remnants of the weekend fun. On this particular Monday, I took it a step further and picked the remaining raspberries in the backyard as well as carrots, onions, and green peppers from our garden. I dubbed this my "self reliant" Monday as I made fresh bread, delectable raspberry jam, and homemade stew from our backyard veggies. I topped off the stew by adding my hubby's bottled venison. Dinner was delicious!
We live in such a fast paced world that a dinner like this I am sad to say is rare. However, It was gratifying to prepare a meal for my sweet family "homemade style."
The jam craze hit me hard. As we were passing a local fruit stand, we made a quick stop where we purchased peaches and more raspberries. I spent my Saturday morning listening to LDS conference on TV while our "fab Five" and myself smashed, stirred, and poured jam into mason jars. It is so nice when life slows down, so we can "stop and pick the fruit" so to speak.
Our array of raspberry, blueberry, peach, and strawberry jam-- my dream come true!
Mix 3 cups of sugar, 8 tablespoons flour and ¼ tsp of salt and stir in gradually into the scalded milk.
Add 4 slightly beaten eggs.
Turn heat to lowest setting and stir constantly until mixture is smooth and thickening slightly.
Turn off heat and let cool until ready to freeze.
When ready to freeze, pour above mixture into 1 gallon freezing container and add whipping cream (a quart and a pint) as well as a little vanilla for flavor. You might want to taste it to determine how much vanilla.
Side note: I inherited my grandmother's ice cream freezer. It stands in the corner of our dining room... its place of honor. I smile whenever I see it!
My one and only cucumber plant has gone crazy in our backyard garden. These cucumbers are absolutely delicious. I wasn't sure what to do with all these crazy cucumbers until Rigby, my sweet hubby, reminded me of Grandma Irva's famous cucumber recipe. Thanks to my sis Jen for sharing it!
2 cups sugar
1 cup white vinegar
3 sliced white onions
7 sliced and peeled cucumbers
1 TBS. salt
3 sliced white onions
1 TBS. celery seed
Mix together in a bowl and chill!
Homemade memories
As a small girl growing up on 2nd East in what was known as "dog town," my little family of "9"
would often walk into our small red brick house to the aroma of fresh baked bread. Our mother mixed and kneaded that very large bowl of dough with her own hands. The service she rendered was heart warming as our small mouths would soon devour her labor of love.
Mom's homemade bread recipe
The following recipe makes 4 loaves
1 quart luke warm water
6 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons salt
1 large Tablespoon shortening
2 tablespoons yeast
directions- place yest in one cup of warm water
combine other ingredients. Allow yeast to rise before
combining to other ingredients. Add 6 to 8 cups of flour-- let rise for 45 minutes.
Then mix down and add 2 to 4 more cups of flour-- let rise another 45 minutes.
Divide loaves into four equal pieces. knead and prepare for loaf pans.
Let dough rise in pans for 45 minutes to an hour. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes
Thankfully my mother taught me how to make bread. While I must admit that at times growing up, I thought only "poor people" ate homemade bread, I now see it as an immense blessing. By taking flour, sugar, a pinch of salt,yeast and warm water, I too can create a homemade memory which will not only warm the hearts of my children but their tummies as well
Our array of raspberry, blueberry, peach, and strawberry jam-- my dream come true!
