R is for Recipe

This was my contribution to the the article I was in; it was for a recipe challenge. You had to use recipe cards in your art work. I was selected for my presentation. Cynthia Levens wrote the article; she did a wonderful job of combining the timeless appeal of cherished moments, stirred by our memories.

I come from generations of cooks n' bakers. No one was or is a professional; when I brought cookies or cupcakes to school, that my Mom made everyone was excited. They not only looked pretty, but tasted like heaven. Light n' airy confections, hand piped pastel pink n' white hearts.  A lot of people have tried to copy the sugar cookie recipe, no luck yet. I actually gave the recipe away, but no one believed me, so my lips now remain sealed. My son's girlfriend tried to get it out of me. I told her if she wanted it, she would to be part of the family, some day. When we went to Maine a few summers ago, I hid the recipe; my son thinks I was joking about it, but I wasn't. I had helped her with a competition for American Heart, to reduce the fat in a recipe. She listened to my suggestions and won. Now she is in a cookbook and didn't even say thank you.(they broke up;no chance she is reading this post).  Do you have family recipes that you treasure? 

  I am thinking of writing a family cookbook. I would of course have to include stories. My Dad's famous Strawberry Shake, for one. He had loaded the blender full of fresh picked berries,  French Vanilla ice cream, and a splash of Half n 'Half. Told my brother n' me, "this is how you do it" my brother was little and rambunctious. He did some antic and set my Dad off. Dad came back to the kitchen, to finish his creation and pushes the Whip button. We tried to tell him... a propelled pink explosion is dripping from the ceiling. Now my Dad is laughing, as we attempt to clean up the mess. My brother thinks it is cool and wants to jump under it and catch the drips. When my Mom comes downstairs, Chip aka Cliff  n' I are laughing; we were told not to tell. My brother loves to BBQ;  he will impersonate Julia Child, when he cooks....it is crazy fun. Or he pretends he is a TV Food network Celeb.

My family taught me to have fun in the kitchen, read the recipe first, be sure all ingredients are on hand, follow the recipe(it is science) and create a memory your loved ones will cherish. If you don't cook, there are other ways to do this. The joy is in showing up,  be patient and don't forget to toss in a pinch of surprise.