Throwback Thursday - - In Grandma's Kitchen

Some of my earliest - and best - memories are of the times spent in my grandma's kitchen. There was always laughter, warmth, lessons in baking, hugs, and gently offered lessons in life. Many years later, as an adult, I happily opened my own kitchen to my young niece and, together, over the years, we created our own special memories. That niece is now a mother who is sharing her love of baking with her little ones. As they live overseas, I don't get to see her as often as I'd like but for the past several weeks she and her two young children have been visiting her parents in Florida and I traveled down to spend time with them. As I had done with his mom when she was about his age, we set aside a day for my 4-year-old grandnephew and I to have our first Christmas candy making day together. There was laughter, warmth, hugs, lessons in candy making, and gently offered lessons in life...just like those wonderful days in my grandma's kitchen more than 50 years ago. The tradition continues...four generations...love, lessons, and the joys of Christmas.  ~PJ

Some of my earliest memories are of being perched on a stool at my grandma's kitchen counter, hanging onto her every word as she taught me how to wield a rolling pin, create flaky melt-in-your-mouth biscuits or golden brown, perfectly baked cookies. Much of what I know about baking was learned at my grandma's side but baking wasn't the only thing I learned in her kitchen. Sprinkled so lightly among the various techniques that I was hardly aware of them, were gentle lessons that have guided my life over the past 50+ years. From that wise and kind woman I learned to find joy in creating something with my own hands and mind, to take pride in my accomplishments but not be boastful about them, to share willingly and joyfully with others, to have compassion for those lacking the skills or resources with which I was blessed, to treat others with the same kindness and respect that I wish to receive from them and to honor those who have gone before me by sharing my love, my time, my knowledge and a few gentle life lessons with the young people in my life.

Grandma has been with the angels for many years now but, to this day, I can still feel her gentle hand on my shoulder, guiding me in the right direction. A few years ago I was visiting with some cousins that I hadn't seen in almost 30 years. One of them said to me, "You're so much like Grandma it's almost like having her with us again." I can think of no greater compliment.

MY FAVORITE SUGAR COOKIES

1 cup solid Crisco shortening
2 cups granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. lemon extract
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
dash of salt
Cream shortening. Add 1-1/2 cups sugar, beating until light and fluffy. Add eggs and flavorings; beat well. Combine flour, baking powder and salt. Stir into creamed mixture. Drop by heaping teaspoonfuls 2-3 inches apart onto greased cookie sheets. Dip a fork into flour then lightly press on each cookie to flatten. Sprinkle cookie with remaining sugar. Bake at 375° F. for 9 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove to wire racks to cool.
YIELD: 9 dozen

** For a festive appearance, sprinkle cookies with colored sugar before baking or forego the sugar and frost or glaze the cookies after they have baked and cooled.  .

CHOCOLATE DIPPED LOG COOKIES
1 cup butter
1/3 cup sugar
2 teaspoons brandy
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups chopped pecans
Powdered sugar
Melted milk chocolate

Cream butter.  Gradually add sugar, beating until light and fluffy.
Add brandy, vanilla and salt; mix well.
Add flour, stirring until blended.  Stir in pecans.

Shape dough into 1-1/2 x 1/2 inch logs.  Place two inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets.
Bake at 325° F. for 15 to 20 minutes.  Cookies should not brown.

While warm, roll cookies lightly in (or dust with) powdered sugar. Place on wire racks to cool.  When completely cool, dip one end of cookie in melted chocolate.  Let stand on wax paper until set.

Makes 4 dozen cookies.

TIGER'S BUTTER

1 cup melted milk chocolate
1 cup melted white chocolate
1 cup smooth peanut butter

Melt milk chocolate and white chocolate in separate double boilers over 120° F. water. Stir peanut butter into melted white chocolate until blended and smooth. Gently swirl melted milk chocolate into the white chocolate/peanut butter mixture.

Ways to serve: 
Pour into a wax-paper lined baking dish. Chill then cut into squares.

Pour into candy molds. Chill then pop out onto wax-paper.

Spread onto wax-paper lined baking sheets. Chill then break into "bark" pieces.

*Your family will fight for the right to lick this bowl!

Are you creating special holiday treats in your kitchen this Christmas?  Did you gain your love of cooking/baking from someone special? Are you passing along that knowledge by being a mentor to someone else?  Share your memories with me for a chance to win! Earn a bonus chance by sharing a recipe.

One randomly chosen person leaving a comment will receive a package of books from my conference stash. (U.S. only) 

One randomly chosen international comment will receive a book of your choice from bookdepository.com. Maximum value of $10 U.S. 

Winners will be chosen from all comments posted by 11:00PM (ET), December 15, 2017. 

In Grandma's Kitchen Winners

Random.org has chosen our lucky winners.  Congratulations to:

LSU READER

 You've won a book from our prize stash.

JACKIE BURRIS 

You've won a book and a package of goodies from PJ's kitchen.

Please send your full name and mailing address to us at

theromancedish (at) gmail (dot) com

In Grandma's Kitchen

I know I've posted this before but I've been thinking about my grandma a lot these past few weeks.  She's been gone more than thirty years yet I can still conjure up the delicious aromas from her kitchen, still feel her strong, loving arms around me, still live my life using the lessons she taught me.  A customer at the store yesterday complimented me on my "patience, kindness and always present smile."  According to her, I "never get ruffled, always put the customer first and always leave my customers smiling."  Credit my grandma for that; those lessons from her kitchen that have guided me through the years.  So, in honor of Grandma, here again is "In Grandma's Kitchen."

~PJ






Some of my earliest memories are of being perched on a stool at my grandma's kitchen counter, hanging onto her every word as she taught me how to wield a rolling pin, create flaky melt-in-your-mouth biscuits or golden brown, perfectly baked cookies. Much of what I know about baking was learned at my grandma's side but baking wasn't the only thing I learned in her kitchen. Sprinkled so lightly among the various techniques that I was hardly aware of them, were gentle lessons that have guided my life over the past 50+ years. From that wise and kind woman I learned to find joy in creating something with my own hands and mind, to take pride in my accomplishments but not be boastful about them, to share willingly and joyfully with others, to have compassion for those lacking the skills or resources with which I was blessed, to treat others with the same kindness and respect that I wish to receive from them and to honor those who have gone before me by sharing my love, my time, my knowledge and a few gentle life lessons with the young people in my life.

Grandma has been with the angels for many years now but, to this day, I can still feel her gentle hand on my shoulder, guiding me in the right direction. A few years ago I was visiting with some cousins that I hadn't seen in almost 30 years. One of them said to me, "You're so much like Grandma it's almost like having her with us again." I can think of no greater compliment.

MY FAVORITE SUGAR COOKIES

1 cup solid Crisco shortening
2 cups granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. lemon extract
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
dash of salt
Cream shortening. Add 1-1/2 cups sugar, beating until light and fluffy. Add eggs and flavorings; beat well. Combine flour, baking powder and salt. Stir into creamed mixture. Drop by heaping teaspoonfuls 2-3 inches apart onto greased cookie sheets. Dip a fork into flour then lightly press on each cookie to flatten. Sprinkle cookie with remaining sugar. Bake at 375° F. for 9 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove to wire racks to cool.
YIELD: 9 dozen

** For a festive appearance, sprinkle cookies with colored sugar before baking.

Here's another favorite:

OATMEAL CRANBERRY WHITE CHOCOLATE CHUNK COOKIES

1 cup Butter Flavor Crisco (butter can be substituted for a crisper cookie)
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
2 cups oats
2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1-1/2 cups sweetened dried cranberries
1 cup white chocolate chunks (or chips)

Preheat oven to 375°F.

Using an electric mixer, beat Crisco and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add eggs; mix well.

Combine oats, flour, salt and baking soda. Add to the previous mixture in several additions, mixing well after each.

Stir in dried cranberries and white chocolate chunks.

Drop by rounded teaspoon onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake 10 - 12 minutes or until golden brown.

YIELD: 30 cookies

Are you a baker?  Who taught you?  Did they share life lessons along the way?  Are you passing those kitchens skills and life lessons on to someone in your life today?   Do you have a favorite holiday cookie recipe to share?  I'm giving away two gifts today.  One randomly selected person will receive a book (open to all) and one person will receive a book plus a package of homemade goodies from my kitchen. (U.S. only)


I'm working all day but I'll pop in when I can.  Let's dish about holiday goodies and goodness! 

~ PJ