An Unexpected Gift

A few weeks ago I asked my mom as well as my husbands for handwritten copies of recipes from our grandmothers for a future project.  My mom didn't have any from my Grandma Mary (dad's mom) so she had me ask an aunt.  I know copying and emailing isn't possible for everyone so I  wasn't too shocked when she asked for my address.  I was, however, brought to tears when I received her package.  This is what was in it...

I'm sorry, I know it's blurry.  But that's about how it looked to me through the tears.  Along with the recipe book my Grandma Mary put together when she was still living on the farm with her parents (1940s) my aunt Susan sent my grandparent's wedding portrait and this picture of my Grandmother taken shortly before she was married.  This photo is in it's original frame just as I remember it.  I believe it always sat on top of my Grandpa Jim's dresser.  Here's a better shot of it along with the recipe book...

My girls and I are looking forward to trying these recipes.  Many of them have personal notes about my grandma's mom, like how she does this or that. There are some things I'm not familiar with (spry?  I think it must be like butter) but we will try them and then maybe update a few of them.  If my girls allow it I will share a few here.  This is truly such a treasure..no pot of gold could rival it!♥

Grandma G's Potato Salad...no pickles and mustard here!

My husband's Italian Grandmother has passed down this yummy non-traditional potato salad recipe.  No mustard and no pickles like I grew up with in the midwest will be found in this salad.  I've never seen a potato salad like this one shared so I'll let you in on the family's secret recipe. I think my mother-in-law makes with a few different ingredients..like Imo brand immitation sour cream...but I wasn't able to find that where I live so I've always used the real thing.

Here are the main players...



I have larger ingredients amount in pic due to make a big batch for a picnic, but you get the idea! ;)



5lbs boiled potatoes, cut into bite size chunks

 4-5 hard boiled eggs, chopped

1 can black olives, sliced or chopped

1 small white onion

1 cup celery

8 oz mayo

8 oz sour cream

1/4 cup white wine vinegar (this will depend on taste, start with less if you aren't sure)

1 tsp salt or to taste

1 tsp pepper or to taste

1 TBLS parsley flakes

mix sour cream, mayo, white wine vinegar, salt, pepper, parsley flakes...much of this is taste as I go, adjusting here and there.

Mix together the potatoes, eggs, celery, onion and olives.  Then add the dressing and mix it all together.

 And there you have it!  Grandma G's potato salad.  Keep in mind this recipe was never actually written down before.  The amounts listed are just approximations as I tried to pay attention while I threw it together.  I personally think it's much better when a person tweaks a recipe to suit their tastes and I encourage you to fearlessly do the same.  I hope you try this non-traditional potato salad and it becomes a favorite in your house as it in ours! ♥

Whole Wheat Coffee Cake Muffins

1-¾ cup White Whole Wheat Flour*

1-½ teaspoon Baking Powder

½ teaspoons Salt

½ teaspoons Nutmeg

½ teaspoons Cinnamon

⅓ cups Oil**

1/2 cups Maple Syrup

1 whole Egg

¾ cups Milk

_____

FOR THE TOPPING:

¼ cups Butter

⅓ cups White Sugar (Raw Sugar works nicely, too)

1 Tablespoon Cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and spray muffin tin.

Combine flour, baking powder, salt, nutmeg and cinnamon.

Combine oil, sugar, egg and milk.

Add dry ingredients and stir only to combine.

Bake for 15-20 minutes.

Meanwhile, melt the butter in a bowl. Combine the sugar with the cinnamon in another bowl.

Shake muffins out of tin while still hot (carefully run a knife around edges if they seem sticky).

Dip muffins in butter, then into the sugar/cinnamon mix.

 Let cool.  Makes about 12 regular size muffins.

*I prefer King Arthur brand White Whole Wheat Flour

**Coconut oil is my preferred baking oil

Recipe adapted from Can You Stay for Dinner...original found here

Most importantly...grab a cup of coffee and ENJOY! ♥

by faith...

According to dictionary.com faith is:

  noun

1.confidence or trust in a person or thing: faith in another's ability.

2.belief that is not based on proof: He had faith that the hypothesis would be substantiated by fact.

3.belief in God or in the doctrines or teachings of religion: the firm faith of the Pilgrims.

4.belief in anything, as a code of ethics, standards of merit, etc.: to be of the same faith with someone concerning honesty.

5.a system of religious belief: the Christian faith; the Jewish faith.

6.the obligation of loyalty or fidelity to a person, promise, engagement, etc.: Failure to appear would be breaking faith.

7.the observance of this obligation; fidelity to one's promise, oath, allegiance, etc.: He was the only one who proved his faith during our recent troubles.

8.Christian Theology. the trust in God and in His promises as made through Christ and the Scriptures by which humans are justified or saved.

While I would not disagree with any of those definitions, I am most attached to the definition I find in Hebrews 11:1, "Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen."

"The evidence of things not seen"... yep. Definitely. Each day presents itself with a new opportunity to exercise faith and believe in the things yet unseen. Faith that I will wake up, Faith that my list of to-dos will get tackled, that my husband will go work and come back home safely, that my children will do their school work, that dinner will taste good, that whatever trial arises God is already preparing me to deal with it...and on and on... Faith is all encompassing. From the trivial and mundane, to the big and fearsome. I don't want to wait for a crisis to have faith that God is at work. I want to be confident and certain everyday in every little thing that god is in control, fulfilling every promise, and caring for every need. When I rest in Him and trust in Him to walk with me in all I do each day I can have faith that He will care for me that much more during times of trouble.

"...Blessed are those who have not seen, and yet have believed." ~John 20:29b