~Dining On The Prairie~
Very little was shared when it came to cooking. Mom was the head chef, cook and bottle cleaner. She did it all and seemed to like doing it all. I took Home Economics in Junior High in which a semester was dedicated to cooking/baking. Also I was a Girl Scout where we fixed fireside meals like Silver Turtles in which food is wrapped in aluminum foil and placed in a open fire pit. Making S'mores qualifies one as a seasoned chef.
The rest of learning to cook/bake was what I did myself such as whipping up a batch of oatmeal raisin cookies to bake at HOME. Eating the dough and actual COOKIES made me a very HAPPY child.
My sister, Debbie was the one that had award winning chocolate chip cookies. Not me. I did not enter food in the Five State Fair in Liberal, Kansas as my sis did. I thought about the time that my Dad with a sense of humor said as he was holding up one of her cookies that had a long hair baked into it, "Look a flying cookie!" He dangled the cookie by the hair to where it looked like the cookie was levitating on it's own. Flying through the air all by itself. Sister was embarrassed by this, but when thinking back about it, it's a funny memory. I can see in my mind's eye my dear Dad who has gone to heaven and my sister who was in a young body growing into a young woman making headway as a cook. Polishing up her skills that would mightily bless her future family that would enjoy her cooking for years. Was a treat to visit Debbie and eat her superior cooking and sweets.
This flying cookie memory took place in our small cracker box house's living room full of love and safety. Cookies in the living room. Popcorn on the floor. Pizza in the oven. Dining full of chores.
I loved the oatmeal cookie dough and would eat it til I could eat no more. THIS MEMORY makes me want to fix some cookies. Think I should whip some up and remember GOOD MEMORIES that come with this experience.
QUAKER OATS Raisin Cookie Recipe was my friend.
GROWING UP I could shape meat patties then fry hamburgers in the skillet, peel potatoes to boil, fry eggs and toast the bread. Make biscuits, salad, put canned vegetables in a pan, make homemade pizza, dip out ice cream, whip up brownies, pour dried cereal into a bowl, add milk, sugar and eat. Munch on left over fried chicken stored in the kitchen cabinet. Make orange JELLO with grated carrots. Cook on the stove the old fashion way chocolate, butterscotch, vanilla, banana PUDDINGS. Later make instant pudding the fast way. Set the kitchen table and clear off the dishes. Wash, rinse and dry dishes. Put them away. Sweep the floor and dump the dirt into the waste can. Run the vacuum. Dust. Make my bed. Strip the sheets. Make a pile of dirty laundry. Scour the toilets, sinks and tub. I had a childhood which was wonderful, but my Mom didn't do detailed instructions when it came to cooking and baking. Mostly observation. I taught myself to sew doll clothes by hand and sew blouses on the sewing machine for myself. I could decorate the family room and bedroom. Draw. Style doll's hair. Climb trees and play in the mud. Army and Honey West imaginations galore. Sing and dance on the sidewalk. Twirl in the yard til dizzy drunk. Pick flowers. I had a great childhood. A great one.
Real FOOD can be called FUD for short/joking.
As an young married adult I had to learn to cook and bake more things than I learned on my own as a child plus middle school in class by experimenting. Trial and error. I could have used more schooling on this subject as well as actually doing it instead of going through the motions in my head.
Fish Sticks and TV Dinners are far from healthy and satisfying. I graduated to burnt taco shells and HAMBURGER HELPERS. Eeeeck.
It was a milestone to make German Chocolate Cake from scratch. I did but my frosting was way too runny. Then I felt like an accomplished chef making THANKSGIVING DINNER with a baked turkey to carve where I left the gizzards inside the turkey because I didn't know there were gizzards still in tact. Hahah.
One of my proudest moments with FOOD was when I won first place at the 2011 PAXICO MEATLOAF FESTIVAL. Meatloaf! I still love making meatloaf and eating it.
Spaghetti with meat sauce, burritos with spanish rice, pork chops, baked chicken, chicken pot pies, hamburgers, fudge, peanut butter cookies, salads, birthday cakes, jellos, puddings, deviled eggs, vegetables trays, fruit trays, baked taco potatoes, stir fried cabbage, Hungarian Goulash, bundt cakes, donuts, tapioca pudding, pineapple upside down cake, pot roast with the fixins, baked ham, hot dogs, pigs in a blanket, cold cuts, scrambled eggs with bacon, tuna fish sandwiches, salmon patties, mac 'n cheese, pizza, cauliflower soup, potato chips, fruit smoothes, etc.
A little more than knowing how to fix oatmeal cookies, but a great place to start.
I am still learning. Believe it or not. I am still experimenting and learning.
FOOD or FUD...it all goes down the same.
Fixing Vegetable Salads is my newest pleasure. I have finally crossed over to the 'I REALLY LIKE VEGETABLES' phase. Especially salads mixed with nuts and fruit. Would never believe it, but I do.
Have a pleasant day,
d
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