The Family Table Cookbook
family cooks and generational recipes
The Family Table Cookbook is designed to share foods we enjoy and the memories connected with these recipes. For every food, there is a touch of love. For every ingredient, there is a measure of joy. There is food to feed the body and warmth to feed the soul. So, join me at The Family Table!
INTRODUCTION
“Close to him were snow-white mountains of mashed potatoes topped with deep yellow butter that was quickly melting down the sides, moving between the flecks of visible pepper and invisible salt. Dangerously close to them was the dark orange chunks of sweet potatoes smothered with a brown sugar sauce and sticky marshmallows perfectly browned on top. In front of his mother was a wicker basket filled with golden fluffy homemade rolls with an aroma that almost overwhelmed the multitude of food dishes in the room.”
Red Beans and Rice from Charlotte
“This meal was traditional cooked on Monday using any leftover meat from the Sunday dinner. Monday was always wash day when clothes were washed by hand, and a pot of beans could sit on the stove and simmer with out much attention.” My Aunt hated this meal when she was a child. See her story and her additional touch that makes this meal great!
Beans and Cornbread from Virginia
“So, without a word, she went in and got a big tablecloth, took it in my room, put some of my clothes, shoes, and toys in it, tied it up in a bundle, got my coat, put it on me, handed me the bundle, opened the door of the trailer, helped me down the steps, and said,
“Let us know when you get settled in your new home and we will write you letters” and actually, shut the door.”
German Chocolate Cake from Virginia
“In 1957 a recipe for “German’s Chocolate Cake” appeared in a Texas newspaper, submitted by Mrs. George Clay. Yes, this cake with a pecan based icing has its roots in Texas, not Germany. The chocolate used to make the cake was created by Samuel German who worked for Baker’s Chocolate Company located in Massachusetts. Mom uses Baker’s chocolate and keeps the recipe authentic, which means it is made from scratch and takes a lot of time and effort. She does not make it often anymore and seems to only make it when I will be around! I Love you mom!” J. D. Moss
Potato Soap from Memaw (Sandy)
“Every grandchild has their favorite meal, a meal so special that it taste to perfection only when prepared by grandma, mine is potato soup. A milky concoction that never looks like much in the pot, but when you draw that spoon to your lips, it sends your taste-buds into a frenzy.” Jacquelyn Moss Zeller.
Biscuits and Bacon
“The snacks I eat as a child were simple and homemade. When breakfast was over my grandmother would put the left over bacon and biscuits she had made from scratch on top of the stove. There they would stay until someone one became hungry. When asked, she would slice open a biscuit, spread mustard on both sides and layer it with bacon. We had no microwave, you eat it as it was and went back outside to play.” J. D. Moss
Tomato Gravy and Biscuits
“I have always loved tomato gravy. It has been on our family table for a number of generations. It is not a meal most people know about and you will either love it or hate it. This dish has deep southern roots and comes from our Louisiana side of the family.” J. D. Moss
Sausage Gravy from Alvin
This traditional southern breakfast dish, combined with biscuits, was used as a way to have a hearty meal when money was tight. My brother Alvin’s sausage gravy hits all the right taste buds.
TEX-MEX Casserole
“I happily moved around the kitchen with the cold floor pressing on the bottom of my shoeless feet. I chopped the onions, added them to the garlic already cooking in the pan, and smiled as I dropped in the hamburger meat, and watched it begin to sizzle.”
Spaghetti with Home Made Sauce from Mamoo
I always eat a large portion and always let her know how much I appreciated her. So many of the foods I eat have this type of memory and a connection to someone I love. As much as I love the food, it is the people and the stories I remember the most. For me, that is what eating at the family table is all about, the joy we take in the simplest pleasures of life and in each other.
Meatloaf from Mamoo and Virginia
This meatloaf recipe is a combination from two generations. The base recipe comes from my grandmother Cleo Sebren. My mother made a few additions. The results are fantastic!