Nostalgic Christmas Eve

With tomorrow the big day, I’ve spent today baking. Pies, pralines, potatoes. Each time I go through my recipe box and pull out a scrap of paper with a recipe scribbled on it, I’m reminded of the time in my life when I wrote that particular one down. It’s kind of fun to have this quirky link to the past.

Today I was reminded of the year Robin spent at the Indian school in Show Low. I’m making the Maple Twist recipe we got from Luanne, Robin’s roommate. My copy of the hash brown casserole is written on a notepad sheet from Central Christian Church. I got that one years ago from someone in my Sunday School class. The pralines recipe is on a card that I have to fold to fit into my recipe box. I remember copying it when Grandma Briggs was still alive. (And I remember burning her arm while we were spooning and dropping that molten mass together one time.)

A couple weeks ago I made the See’s fudge recipe that Dianna somehow obtained years ago before Mrs. See intended anyone to have it. My Silky Chocolate Pie recipe still has measurements for both 8″ and 9″ pies, although no one makes 8″ pies anymore. Of course, I always have to double the recipe because I never make just one chocolate pie! I do have a few new recipes. The last couple of years I’ve made Caramel Apple Pie from the Food Network’s Pie Contest, and my new Sugar Cookie recipe is one I found just last year; it’s Alton Brown’s and it’s the best one I’ve tried so far.

Of course, I have some recipes that I have no idea from where they came, but only a very few. Most of them have at least a face or situation linked with them, even the ones I don’t use very much. I can’t bear to part with them because they’re all a part of my life.

Lately I have been thinking of organizing and typing up my favorite recipes. The snips and scraps only mean something to me, but it might be fun to document some of my memories as I put together a new box, so they won’t be lost. And maybe I’ll post a few of them here on my blog, so you can forever remember AZDonna when you make them!

Merry Christmas, everyone!

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6 Responses to Nostalgic Christmas Eve

  1. Richard says:

    Pralines! I havn’t thought of those things for years, and I love them. I don’t know if Dianna has ever made them. Save some for me if you can.

  2. Mom says:

    Save pralines is one of the funniest remarks I have heard in a long time. We are lucky to get two before Daryl attacks them! If you are real nice to your sister, maybe you can get her to make some for New Year’s. That should encourage you to get here by then.

  3. Mom says:

    I just remembered, Daryl has been known to make pralines also, but he has two sons who are taller than he is. So you would be lucky to get any of his unless you are there helping him.
    Isn’t Christmas a great time for remembering some of the good things?

  4. Daryl says:

    Considering the way Donna’s pralines turned out, it’s probably just as well you weren’t here, Richard.
    Maybe by the time you get here there will be a new batch made more the “traditional” way.

  5. Daryl says:

    Donna, maybe you should make a cookbook, with personal notes on each recipe.

  6. Donna says:

    Hey, I resemble that comment! (#4)

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