Sometimes I think about how much I would have liked to live in another decade. I know that all time periods have hardships, and I do love me some modern conveniences, but… I also love housewife-y things, so maybe a previous generation would have suited me better. For one, I’ve become fascinated by old cookbooks. I love to look at old recipes – especially the ones that don’t have any measurements for ingredients. They just say “add some of this and some of that and put it in the oven”. My mom was kind enough to give me her old Norman Rockwell Christmas Book when I told her I wanted it and couldn’t find one online. I just like to browse the recipes for old Christmas dinners.
I’m always making new recipes, but there are some recipes from my childhood that I am still obsessed with. There are some smells and tastes that bring me right back to 9203 Moss Farm Lane in between homework and bedtime with Peter Jennings on the TV. I can smell some of these dishes and just feel like I’m in that kitchen again. I’m hoping my sister will back me up on some of these, but the things that bring me back are beef stroganoff, Swedish meatballs, homemade chicken noodle soup, yellow rice, clam spaghetti, beef stew, lime chicken, and Old El Paso taco seasoning. To this day, I will ONLY use Old El Paso taco seasoning, and when I open up the package, I have to close my eyes, smell the contents, and linger for just a moment to remember nights when mom & dad went out and we had tacos with our babysitter who let us watch TV until 9:30 at night!!
Another one of my old favorites is Loin of Pork in Red Wine. Growing up, my mom had a Helen Corbitt cookbook. I don’t know when it was published, but I’m pretty sure the pages were yellow even when I was a kid. When I got married, she copied a lot of her old recipes for me to make. As far as I know, the smell of this pork roast in the oven can cure whatever ails you. For me, it cures the Sunday night blues and makes it feel as if all is right with the world. Since we’re not big Super Bowl people, I wasn’t down with pizza and wings. I made this roast tonight, and it did not disappoint. The recipe does not exist online, so I scanned my mom’s original copy for you. We always add more wine than the recipe says, and I go ahead and put potatoes and onions right in the roasting pan with the pork. I love my mom’s assessment of this dish: “excellent”. She’s so cute.
My friend Craig (picture the class clown all grown up) decided to start his OWN challenge. He posted the following sign above the copier yesterday. I can't stop laughing every time I look at it. I'm glad he is progressing well on his "Live Like There's No Tomorrow" challenge by eating Reece's Cups, playing video games, drinking Mountain Dew, and pooping. Nice. I do love the people I work with so much. Where else can you work this hard but have this much fun?
