Celebrating over 5000 views

I'm so excited!!! My blog has over 5000 views, as of today, 5033, which to me is incredible. I started this blog in 2012 with the strong encouragement of my daughter, Tabitha, who set it up for me. I love to cook,among other things, and am always sharing recipes so this was a perfect way to do that. Thanks so much, Tabitha. Over the years it's evolved into more than just recipes with farmers market adventures and family memories. I've been able to share the blog with friends, family and even strangers.  It's been a real joy, so I'm adding a new category called Celebrate and will be adding future posts of things I want to celebrate. Thanks to all of you who have come over to read my blog. I'm most grateful. As Thanksgiving approaches may we all be grateful and celebrate life with family and friends.
Enjoy,
Bamah

Grandmas Homemade Banana Pudding with gluten free option

My Grandma was famous for her banana pudding. We moved in with her when I was in grade school and she helped raise my brother and I. Growing up,  we had potluck lunches on Sundays after church at Trinity Baptist Church and Grandma almost always took banana pudding and fried chicken. Most of the time she made them on Saturday night or would get up early Sunday morning and cooked them before Sunday School time. Her banana pudding was to die for, it was so delicious. She topped it with meringue which wasn't a favorite of mine, I liked whipped cream better, but it was so good I ate the meringue anyway. Going through the line at the potluck lunch if you didn't get the pudding first go around with your food it was most often gone when you went back for dessert. And even though Grandma made it all the time, my brother and I piled it on our plates at church. I loved the vanilla wafer cookies the best so when she made it just for us at home she would add extra cookies for me. I asked her if she followed a recipe and she said no, she just made a custard and put it over the cookies and bananas. She always said that she "just cooked groceries" and wasn't really into recipes as such. In later years, when I was grown, she started using the boxed cooked vanilla pudding mix as a short cut, but she did something to it that made it taste homemade but I'm not sure what. Over the years, I've made attempts to make her banana pudding and a couple of times came close according to family members, My daughters also grew up with her banana pudding as she would make it for any family gatherings, most often we requested it.

Recently, I started going through mine and my mother's family cookbooks that we put together when I was younger. I have old recipes from my grandma, Aunt Dorothy, great-grandma, Bamah, and my mom in Aunt Dorothy and mom's handwriting and one in Grandma's. I'm in the process of preserving them and also trying out the recipes, so look for future posts concerning them. Sadly, we don't have a copy of Grandma's banana pudding but I did find a Homemade Banana Pudding recipe from Adrian Drinkard, I'm not sure who that was, but was written out by my mom. It gives instruction for making a custard and meringue so is like what Grandma did.  My daughter, Tabitha, and I made it this past weekend and it turned out really well. My meringue needed some work but the custard was good and we decided it was really close to Grandma's.  Next time I make it, I'm going to use whipped cream instead of meringue but I wanted to go classic this time.

Here's the recipe:

Homemade Banana Pudding

for custard

1 c. sugar

4 T. flour

1 12 oz. can of evaporated milk

1 1/2 c. milk (I didn't use evaporated milk but just used 3 cups of milk)

8 eggs, separated, use yolks only for custard

1 T. vanilla

4 bananas, sliced

1 box of vanilla wafers

for meringue

8 egg whites

1/4 t. cream of tarter

1 t. vanilla

2 to 4 T. sugar

Line baking dish with vanilla wafers and sliced bananas. In medium saucepan, mix sugar and flour and on low heat slowly add milk, stirring well until sugar is dissolved and flour incorporated. Beat egg yolks well in bowl and add to milk mixture. Turn up heat, to medium-high and stirring constantly, cook custard until starts to thicken and comes to a light boil, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Pour over vanilla wafers and banana slices in baking dish. For meringue beat together egg whites, cream of tarter and sugar until very stiff peaks. Beat in a pinch of salt and vanilla. Spread over top of custard and brown slowly in broiler, takes less than 1 minute. Or can top with whipped cream instead of meringue.


My daughter, Aubree, visited us over Christmas and is gluten intolerant so we made a gluten free version of Grandma's banana pudding. It turned out very yummy and we really couldn't tell the difference. We also did a whipped cream topping instead of meringue which we really liked better.


Gluten free option,
Substitute 4 T of flour with same amount of tapioca flour
2 cups of heavy whipping cream instead of 3 cups of milk
gluten free cinnamon cookies instead of vanilla wafers


Whipped topping instead of meringue
Whip 1 1/2 cups of heavy whipping cream until soft peaks and add 1 t of vanilla. 

Enjoy,

Bamah

meringue topping

Banana pudding with whipped cream topping



whipped cream topping

A treasure of old letters Part 3

I've just about completed my project concerning my Grandma's letters from the 1950's from Air Force service men, their mothers and other family members.  I've made copies and scanned them all to preserve them for our family. I'm contemplating donating the originals to a historical society.  It's also inspired me to do something for the service members that I work with in the clinic on a daily basis in appreciation for their service, so plans are being made for the holidays and some home baking. I am also knitting and crocheting scarves and hats for service members. Last month I donated 3 scarves to Operation Gratitude that mails care packages to service members stationed away from home. My Grandma's legacy lives on.

It's amazing how reading someone else's letters can bring back your own memories. Marvin aka Swanee was another one of Grandma's boys that she was very close to and stayed in touch for years. He also married a local Ardmore girl, Peggy, and later lived in Lewisville, Tx.  His mother wrote to Grandma in January 1954 from Chicago, IL. "I received your very nice letter and I am very glad to hear from you. As it is impossible for me to be with my sons when they are away from home, I am more than grateful to have someone as wonderful as you to take an interest in him. I thank you with all my heart and hope someday I can meet you and thank you in person for being so kind."

Swanee wrote from Paris, France in January 1955 while at some kind of training how much he was missing everyone in Ardmore.  I met him when I was in junior high and he was living in Lewisville, TX.  Grandma drove my brother and I down to his house and he took us all to the Texas State Fair and the OU/Texas football game.  I don't remember what year it was but somewhere in the early 1970's.  We had a wonderful time.

More excerpts:

Mrs. A, mother,  from Elizabethton, Tennessee wrote 2 letters in November 1953 and again in Jan 1954

"I am so proud in knowing my boys are in church, nothing pleases me any better. I thank you for writing. Hope to hear from you soon. I remain your friend."

" I want to thank you so much for the pretty apron you sent me and also for cooking Jarvis so many good meals."

Her daughter also wrote in March 1954

"Although I have never seen or met you, I feel I have known you for months through my brother, Jarvis, for in almost every letter he is telling me about something you have done for him and some of the other boys. I want to say a big thank you. It is nice people like you that makes the world a better place in which to live."

Mrs. B, mother, from Azusa, CA,  June 1954

Her son, Dick, has gone to another base and she was writing Grandma to report on him. "Well Mrs. Hill, hope someday to meet you. Dick spoke so often of you, how nice you were to him.

Thank you."

Mrs. B, mother, from Coosada, Alabama, wrote 2 letters, 1 in April 1954 and the other in May 1954

Her son, Walter, also wrote when he went off for training in Feb 1954

"I was so happy to receive your friendly letter. Walter has told us what a grand church he has there and what lovely people. It sure makes a mother's heart happy to know her boy has such a wonderful environment when he is so far from home. I feel that I know you already Walter has spoken of you. Thank you for being the sweet person you are. Thank you for your wonderful kindness to my boy."

Mrs. S, mother, from Mt Vernon, MO, Aug 1954

" I was so happy when I learned of Bill going to church and being so interested in church work. He likes the people very much in Ardmore and has told me of the church and being at your place a lot. I can't tell you in words how much I appreciate what you are doing for him and the other boys too. I am so glad he has run into such a nice Christian home to visit. God bless you, your home and all the fellowship workers."

Mrs. A, mother, from Kansas City, MO, June 1954

"You will never know how happy I was to receive your letter and to hear about my son. I'm so glad and grateful to the mothers who are being so good to my boy, Johnny. I wish to thank you deeply for the encouragement you have given my fine son."

Mrs. H., mother, from McEwen, Tennessee, Feb 1955

"We did appreciate your letter so much. Certainly glad for the interest you take in him. He appreciates it too. He's told us a lot about being there with you and about how nice you were to all the boys. Thanks a million for everything you do for him. I try to help someone when I can to kinda make up for it. We can't always do for the one who does for us but we can help someone near us and there is usually someone around that needs something done."

Mrs. F, mother, from Jacksboro, TX, March 1955

"So glad to get the nice letter from you. I want to tell you how very grateful I am to you and the others in Ardmore who have had a part in making Carl's stay there so enjoyable. Carl has surely praised you all to the fullest extent for your friendliness and hospitality. You have been a great help and inspiration to him and I could never find words to express my gratitude. I know you are wonderful people to find room in your heart and home for our boys. So few people know, or care, what our service members are going through, leaving their homes, love ones and own interests to help to keep the freedom that we're enjoying."

Mrs. L, mother, from Spokane, Washington, Dec 1954

" Thank you for your thoughtfulness in writing to me. It was a surprise. We appreciate your kind words about Arley. Your gatherings of young people must be fine, he enjoys them so much."

Mrs. McV, mother, from Grand Rapids, Michigan, June 1954

"Thank you most kindly for your interest in my boy."

Mrs. S, mother, from Coal City, West Virginia, Dec 1953

"I appreciate all you're doing for Frank and I know he does. I hope you will watch after Frank for me all you can. If you ever get to come to West Virginia, please drop by and see all of us."

Mrs. W, mother, from Detroit, Michigan, Nov 1953

"Always glad to hear from anyone that has seen my son. It makes me very happy to hear that he is attending church regular, he has always loved church work. Thomas wrote that he likes there now for he has lots of friends. Thanks so much for writing to me."

Mrs. S, mother, from Columbia, Mississippi, wrote 2 letters, 1 in Sept 1955 and the other in Oct 1955

The 1st letter was written to Grandma and Aunt Dorothy.

"Dear, deal ladies, Edna and Dorothy, you see, I know you two ladies. How we do thank God for the help you have been to Alan. When he was here he talked about you all the time and how you two have helped him find his way back to the Lord. Many thanks for your interest in our boy. I would be so happy to see you people, I feel I already know you."

Thank you Grandma for saving these letters for me to find and to learn more about you and your life. Thanks for always inspiring me to have a mission to help others.

Enjoy,

Bamah