Memories of Grandma's Kitchen

So many of my happy memories of my Grandma Frieda are of the many tasteful memories from her kitchen. I loved her coffee. She used a stove top perculator... and her coffee always tasted great with half-n-half in it... And to this day, I don't put milk in my coffee... kind of keeping that taste saved in a corner of my memory reserved only for her coffee, served in her kitchen.

I have tried to make breakfast fried potatoes like hers but have not been successful. I know she used onions and lots of black pepper... I even have tried with pre-cooked/ peeled red potatoes... but I've decided it must be her cast iron skillet.. and I don't know where that is. It probably went back to Iowa with Grandpa and her when they moved back the last time. Sure loved those potatoes.

She made a quick and simple peas and dumpling dish. Very simple. My kids loved it. A can of cooked peas with its liquid, put into a sauce pan and heated. She added milk, salt and pepper. Then she mixed up a bit of bisquick batter. I don't think she measured it.. in fact she wanted it a bit wet, kind of sticky. When the peas/milk mixture just began to boil, small spoonfuls of the batter were dropped into the pan. It makes quick little dumplings that my kids loved. They weren't the large fluffy, dry in the middle dumplings but little chewy ones, just the right size for little spoons. I think Grandma was pleased that the kids loved that simple inexpensive dish. The ingredients were always handy and I never felt like she was put to a lot of work fixing us a quick lunch.

Now if you are a member of the Wilcox clan, you will know about the Wilcox Beans and Noodles. My Dad loved them. He said the family was kept alive eating them during the depression in the 30's. He even told that he took bean and noodle sandwiches to school for lunch, though it must have just been the beans. We always called them "Grandpa's Beans and Noodles".... but I learned to make them from Grandma and she use to make a face when I asked why they were called Grandpa's Beans and Noodles.... I guess he took the credit when they took big pots of it to church socials. Anyway, I watched Grandma make them and I think I can make them just like hers. I use to make big batches for my Dad and freeze individual serving dishes for him to eat. It was the best way to get good protein into that old man many a night. Our family doesn't get together much any more, which is too bad.. because I'd sure like to make a big batch in memory of my Dad who loved them..... and Grandpa Carl, for whom they were 'named', and my Grandma who really made them and passed on to me , the recipe and her antique hand hewn rolling pin.