Tonight I plan to bake. It’s late I know, but it’s Saturday and it’s been a while since I've put on my baker's hat. These last couple years, my time in the kitchen has not been my top priority. My children are grown, my husband’s a great cook, and my teaching responsibilities just keep growing. "I'm throwing these out!" called my husband. "No... wait. I can make some banana nut bread. They're perfect!" I answered back. We have some extra ripe bananas and some moist homemade banana nut bread sounds really good tonight.
I pulled out my old recipe binder and sat down to begin searching for that favorite banana nut bread recipe. As I looked over the recipes, I found myself going back in time and became lost in memories. Flipping through the pages of my old recipe binder, I came across recipes that caused me to pause and smile. Looking at those recipes was like looking at old photographs. There was Adam's Special Cookie Recipe. His cookies were just the most amazing cookies we have ever had in our mouths. Another amazing dessert is my youngest son Ayden’s Triple Chocolate Cookie recipe. They just melt in your mouth. And then there are cookies that remind me og good friends. My good friend Suzy’s Peanut Butter Cookie recipe is nothing less than addictive. I met Suzy when I first began teaching, and she is still one of the most inspiring teachers I know. Moving from the desserts to special foods, I find my grandmother’s buñuelo recipe and my mother’s tamale recipe… those are priceless. I am no chef, but there are foods in our home that have become special “accidental traditions.” They have just sort of happened without any special planning. These accidental traditions are foods I didn't realize had some consistent special ingredients. They had a special times of year and include family in one way or another. For my family, food does much more than fill our bellies. In many ways, our “accidental traditions” can nourish the soul. I found it! Now, off I go to bake something special.
3 Comments
3/29/2020 03:19:36 am
I hope it was delicious, it's funny that a few people are turning to baking right now, I've read several different recipes and ideas so far. I like how looking through your recipe book stirred many memories and how they have become 'accidental traditions'! I can definitely relate to that. My breadmaking is improving but we do it as a team as I'm hopeless at kneading!
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So what did you land up baking late last night?
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Kristin
3/30/2020 08:59:06 pm
I do the same thing when going through my recipe box. Memories of recipes given to me at a bridal shower. Recipes of Grandaddy's banana bread, which definitely was not copied correctly because it is horrible, not at all like Grandaddy's. I actually took some of my favorites and made a scrapbook of the recipes adding the story behind the recipe.
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AuthorI write. I read. I learn... and then I write some more. Archives
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