Grandma's Tunes

I haven't posted for a while, mostly because I don't know if I have any of grandmas recipes. The closest thing to a recipe I have from grandma (and it is a little joke between me and Dustin), is the time shortly after we were married and I called grandma with advise on how to cook a delicious steak as a surprise for my new hubby. For those of you who may not know or who may have forgotten, I'm not a big meat eater, and certainly not a meat cooker. She told me to throw some Crisco in a pan and then throw the meat in. Or at least that is what I heard.. So..that is what I did.. Her advise or my ability to follow her advise led to quiet the surprise alright- My new hubby walking into a smoke filled house and a poorly, inedible steak lying sadly on the plate.. We threw it out and went to Outback. To this day (literally, we just got back from Ethan's birthday dinner at Outback) that is how I offer to cook a steak.

So, while it is not a cooking story, I can contribute other memories. My number one memory will always be her back tickles, but a very close number two will be her songs. I loved singing with grandma, enjoyed listening to her sing. Songs from "Hey, Good Looking  Whatcha Got Cookin" to "Boot Scooting Boogie" (That one I remember driving down main street in Layton with grandma listening to it and I remember her telling me to learn all the words to that song cause it was a good one! Ha ha). My favorites (proof is that they are beautifully displayed in my scrapbook because they will always be timeless to me) are: "On A Good Ship Lollipop;" "You Are My Sunshine;"  "Playmate;" "I'm a Lonely Little Petunia in an Onion Patch;" "I Love Coffee, I Love Tea;" and even those as simple and beautiful as "I Am A Child Of God."

I also remember the piano. I have no clue the name of it but there was one song she taught me as a duet on the piano and it breaks my heart that I don't know what it is, or that I never got her to write down/teach me her part. Especially now that my Bo-b-ethan, and Miss Mack are wowing me with their mad piano skills. I would love for them to know that song.

I feel like grandma is probably a huge part of the reason I analyze my music, love to learn all the words to all my "jams" and find myself lying back to drink in the classics.

And while we are reminesing over items grandma listened to on the radio, I have to wonder? Do I love listening to Harry Potter on CD because I loved listening to Fibber, McGee and Molly with grandma. Lets face it HP is awesome on its own, but grandmas tapes defintely put me on the right road to enjoying books/shows on tape. I think others think I'm weird but I a perfectly ok just listening to Wreck-It Ralph while I drive and my kids watch it. I have probably watched it twice, maybe three times, but I could quote the whole darn thing practically by heart. And for that matter, it sure makes listening to the scriptures easy.

Thanks grandma!!

Arnold family home Christmas memories

These are the things I remember being at Grandma's house for the holidays.

 While she didn't have this specific snowglobe, 

Grandma had a large number of them all over the house.

 

Grandma had a fiber optic tree.  It was

ridiculous and super cool all at the same time.

Mincemeat cookies.  MMmmmmmM!

 

Ceramic trees.

 

She loved her ceramic trees.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Mincemeat cookies

Grandma made the best mincemeat cookies.  Now before you freak out and act all grossed out, STOP!  These were divine!  She even made them for me one Christmas and mailed them to Chile.  Divine! 

In the olden days, like hundreds of years ago, Mincemeat was made of many different spices, distilled spirits (booze), dried fruit and meat.  Nowadays, in the US, the meat in mincemeat has been omitted. Though I would be careful outside of the US, those might have meat in them.  Today you can buy a bottle of your mincemeat already fermented and bottled for your pleasure.  Please keep in mind that there isn't that much booze in it (my rationalization) and you do bake the cookie so it burns out, right?  Of course!  Please, if you have never tried these cookies, try them before you call me funny names.  These are my all time, without a doubt, most favorite cookies in the world.

And here is the recipe.

1 cup shortnening
1 1/2 cup sugar
3 eggs
3 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 c (or half a bottle) None-Such ready to use Mincement

Preheat oven to 375. In a large mixing bowl, cream together sugar and shortening.  Slowly add eggs.  Mix all dry ingredients in another bowl.  Slowly add to the wet ingredients.  Mix very very well.  This can not be emphasized enough.  Bake 13 minutes.  Remove from oven and let sit on baking sheet for 5 minutes (for carry over cooking and firming up). 

Enjoy.

Yields about 24-30 drop cookies.

Not my image.  Image courtesy of Google images.

Grandma's Taco Salad

I have no idea why but Grandma's taco salad was the bestest.  It didn't have anything in it but the typical taco salad ingredients but her's was always the best.  Grandpa would eat it but it wasn't his favorite.  LOL!

Iceberg lettuce
frito's crumbled
Sharp Cheddar cheese
kidney beans
onions (of course)
ground beef
avocado
tomatoes (diced)
black olives
raw mushrooms-sometimes
on the side: sour cream; Pace Picante; sweet chili sauce

If anyone remembers anything else please update.

Suzie

Grandma's Goolash

I actually called this Slumgooie....  LOL! Sounds horrible I know, but the name has no bearing on the taste, I just thought it sounded funny.  It consisted of: Now get a pen and paper cuz it's a very intricate and difficult recipe....
Elbow macaroni
Tomato JUICE....  usually Campbell's
Fried hamburger with onions

That's it....  and it was yummy, nummy.

You're welcome.  LOL!