Benton Academy recently held its annual Grandparents Day for students in grades K-6. It was quite a success and such a joy to see the faces of the children when they saw their grandparents there to honor them. I know firsthand what those precious children mean to their grandparents and how nothing short of a natural disaster would have kept them from being there. I feel for those who are far away and unable to see their families on a regular basis. Some students had “surrogate grandparents” for the day so they did not feel alone — good thinking on Mom and Dad’s part!
As I reflect upon past generations of grandparents, I can’t help but think about my maternal grandmother, Mamaw. She was the kindest, sweetest lady I have ever known. Mamaw never had a harsh word or even a word of criticism about anyone she ever encountered.
Weekend visits to her home in West Point were always a treat. She lived off of U.S. 49 in a big white house with a pretty front porch that was always full of beautiful blooming pot plants. There were two big white rocking chairs on the porch, and she would always be rocking in one of them when we turned off the highway down the gravel drive to her home. I can still see the precious smile on her face as we blew the horn in the driveway to signal our arrival.
Supper was always a special treat, as were all the meals we would have on the short weekend visits to her home. When we would leave on Sunday to return home, she would always say, “Now this is the sad part.” Mamaw would stand on that porch and wave goodbye until we could no longer see her. Sometimes I wonder how long she stood there even after our taillights were out of sight. Now I can understand just how much she loved me because I, too, am a grandmother.
Today I have some of what I consider to be her specialties. They will never taste as good but still remind me of her love.
Hope you enjoy this week’s recipes. By the way, whenever one of my recipes has Mamaw’s name in it, you know it has got to be good. Thanks for reading.
MAMAW’S RED CANDIED APPLES
10-12 small red apples
2 cups water
2 cups sugar
1½ cups Red Hots candy
Lemon juice
Peel, core and cut apples in half. Heat water, sugar and Red Hots to dissolve. Place apples in a long baking dish. Squeeze lemon juice over the apples, and fill each apple with a little bit of extra sugar. Pour Red Hots syrup over the apples, basting frequently while baking. Bake at 325 degrees until apples are tender. Apples may also be cooked in a skillet on top of the stove.
Topping:
1 (3-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
Mayonnaise
Milk
Chopped pecans
Combine cream cheese with a little mayonnaise and milk. Add pecans, and stuff cooked apples with this mixture. These apples may be served hot or cold. They are good with or without the topping. If you use the topping, serve the apple cold. These can be kept for several days in the refrigerator. Keep these in mind for the holidays. They can really be a beautiful addition to a Christmas meal.
MAMAW’S MUSHROOM CHICKEN
1 chicken, cut up or 6 chicken breasts
1 stick oleo
½ cup vegetable shortening
Flour, seasoned with salt and pepper to taste
1 can cream of mushroom soup
Worcestershire sauce
Lemon juice
Melt butter and shortening in skillet over medium-high heat. Dredge chicken pieces in flour seasoned with salt and pepper. Brown both sides of chicken, and place in a glass 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Sprinkle both sides liberally with Worcestershire sauce and lemon juice. Pour excess grease from skillet. Pour soup and a soup can of water in skillet and heat thoroughly. Pour over chicken pieces, and bake at 350 degrees for about one hour. Serve over cooked rice.
MAMAW’S POUND CAKE
3 sticks butter
2 cups sugar
2 cups plain flour
6 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla flavoring
Mix butter and sugar; add eggs one at a time beating well after each. Add flour and vanilla. Pour into a well-greased and floured Bundt cake pan. Place in a cold oven, and then heat to 350 degrees. Cook for one hour, and then test for doneness. Cool on a wire rack.
- Contact Lee Ann Flemming at lafkitchen@hughes.net.
