Question of the Week: Do you have a favorite family recipe?

Question

Do you have a favorite family recipe? Tell us about them with an answer below! You could also answer on Facebook or share  the question image on your social media to get your family and friends talking.

Answer 1

I do ... but it's a sad story.  My great-aunt Sara was known in the family to be a master baker.  What she called her "chocolate roll" was to die for.  I lived for her visits when I was a child, knowing she'd always bring some of her famous chocolate roll.  I never got her recipe for it and was devastated at the loss forever when she died.  Then, a cousin who also shared the same relationship with her, told me that her mother (my mother's sister) had gotten the recipe from our Aunt Sara and my cousin had it, but said that her mother (who also had family fame as a talented cook) had never been successful at making it.  She shared the recipe with me and I was horrified when I saw how involved it is - it's a 3 day process.  I have had the recipe for about 20 years now, but still haven't summoned the courage to try it ... someday I hope to.

Comments

Gaile,

The best recipes take a long time. I have a Denekuchen recipe that I did not share. It is a two or three day process and a lot of work. Too long to write out. I made a family cookbook for my extended family and put that in there. During our Holiday time we share pictures and stories of how we made and made mistakes, always laughing at it. Can't wait to try it out. Let me know if you do.

Best,

Kelly Popp Kley

Answer 2

This candy has been an Oklahoma tradition for over 100 years.

“Aunt Bill’s Brown Candy”

Ingredients:

• 6 cups granulated sugar, divided
• 2 cups of 1/2 and 1/2 (milk and cream)
• 1/4 tsp. baking soda
• 1/4 pound (1 stick) butter, cut into pieces
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 2 pounds chopped pecans 

You will need a friend to help. 

First, butter a 13×9-inch pan. 

Add 2 cups of the granulated sugar to a heavy or cast iron skillet and place over low heat. Heat, stirring constantly until sugar melts. Continue stirring until sugar turns the color of a copper penny, about 20 minutes. 

Meanwhile, in a “large” saucepan, combine remaining 4 cups sugar and 1/2 and 1/2. Heat until sugar dissolves. 

As soon as sugar in skillet has turned light brown penny color, begin pouring it into the simmering milk mixture in a thin stream, stirring constantly and pouring very slowly. This should take about 3-5 minutes. (This is where the other person comes in handy.)

Continue simmering and stirring until mixture reaches firm-ball stage, 245°F to 250°F, or until a small amount of syrup dropped into cold water forms a firm but pliable ball. 

Turn off heat and add baking soda, stirring vigorously as mixture foams up. Stir in butter and let rest, without stirring, for 10 minutes.

Add the vanilla and begin beating with a wooden spoon until mixture loses its gloss, about 10-15 minutes. 

Add pecans and spread into prepared pan. Cool for at least an hour or two and cut into small squares. 

Comments

Alexis:

      My grandparents did virtually the same thing but with peanuts.  Absolutely wonderful.

                     Roger

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Roger, that is so interesting. My granddaughter that moved to the City last week is allergic to tree nuts, so I could make some Aunt Bill’s with peanuts for her. Thank you for your great comment.

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My mother's family was from OK and we made the same candy. Sooooo good!

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Terry, thank you for your comment. I am glad you have enjoyed the candy. It is a favorite here in Eastern Oklahoma.

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Anywhere near Broken Arrow?

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Terry, yes I’m in Muskogee that is only 30 miles from Broken Arrow. 

Answer 3

Yes I do it is called a Carrot Loaf.

Answer 4

My Oma (Grandma) used to make a traditional German dinner of Rolladen, boiled potatoes, and red cabbage. I have continued this tradition for many years.

Answer 5

My mother found a Christmas cake recipe in the Toronto Star newspaper back in the 1950’s or 1960’s. She made it every year and everyone who ever tried it loved it.

We have also been making home made Easter eggs for decades, although not as much in recent years. They have a yolk, a white, then are dipped in chocolate.

Answer 6

I was raised by my maternal grandmother so oh yeah. A Christmas cake (alcohol free) and a really good Christmas pudding recipe which I made with her every year while she was still alive. But I came up with a trifle recipe for my kids that is more suitable since it is summer at Christmas here.

Step 1: Take a trifle sponge and cut into bite size squares, put in a large bowl. Open a can of fruit salad and drain, put the fruit on top of the cut up sponge cake. Make up a packet of Strawberry Jelly and pour over the top then put in the fridge to set. (The sponge will soak up nearly all of it)

Step 2: When cold make up a packet of Strawberry Instant pudding and pour into bowl with other ingreds then return to fridge.

Step 3: When set repeat Step 2 with 2nd pkt of Strawberry instant pudding. Put in fridge to set.

Step 4: Wash and clean punnet of Strawberries. Cut the big ones in half. Get out trifle and decorate with wiped cream and Strawberries. Serve with Ice Cream.

Now I am Lactose intolerant I had to adjust the recipe just a little - I use Lactose free milk for the instant pudding and Coconut Cream. It's still really yummy!

Answer 7

One of my great-grandmothers was born and raised in Vienna, and although she was from a wealthy family, she was also a great cook. Sachertorte became our family's birthday cake and although I have never been to Vienna, people who were there and tasted the original at Hotel Sacher say it has nothing on ours -10.000km away and 70 years later. Back in the day when my mom and aunt Anita where still with us, every birthday was a friendly competition between them, my cousin Gisela and myself on who made it better.

Answer 8

My grandmother was an excellent cook.  My grandmother would make Goulash as it was easy and cheap to make.  We lived on a farm so we always had fresh ground hamburger on hand.  She also canned her own vegetables.  So would take a pound of hamburger, and brown it along with a whole onion (chopped).  She would add salt and pepper.  While this is cooking, she cooked elbow macaroni.  I think she used all or most of an 8oz box.   Once the hamburger was done, she would open a jar of canned tomatoes and add them to the hamburger, tasting to see if it needed more salt and pepper.  Once the pasta was done, she would add to the tomato, and beef mixture.  Delicious.

Comments

My mother made this dish quite often. She often made cornbread to go with it. Delicious.

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Thank you for the recipe. I've never had Goulash. I'd heard of it, but never knew what it was. I will try making some--it sounds easy and good. Sounds like it would be good with cheese on it.

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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goulash

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Goulash (or Gulasch, as my family is from Austrian origin) is also a staple in my household, but our version has no tomato, mostly same amounts of beef (the cheap, tough kind, not grounded but chopped in cubes) and chopped onions, some bell pepper, salt and lots of sweet paprika (or the hot one, as you like). Just add water and let it slow cook until the meet is tender and the onions dissapear. I add some smoked bacon to make it tastier but it's not necessary.

Goulash has a thousand different versions, like Italian pasta or Indian curry, every family has it's recipe!

Answer 9

We have several family favorites, and I've submitted a few of them for the upcoming 15th Anniversary Wikitree Cookbook. (The deadline was extended to the end of June.)

There are some others that will take more ingenuity to track down, especially the instructions for Smoked Goose, as that has been purposely kept secret in a different branch of the family.

Comments

I didn't know there was a wikitree cookbook. How do I find it; I'd donate a recipe or two, and would like a copy.

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I hope you have found the original post for the cookbook, and the FS page that it links to....

From that page, there is a link to a Google Form where you can submit your recipes....

FS page on the cookbook

Answer 10

Christmas Eve was always a special time for my family. We would gather and graze over the bounty of special dishes that had become a tradition. 

My father always made his "Deli Meat Logs".

 Ingredients: 5 lbs. hamburger, 1 tsp. Liquid Smoke, 2 1/2 tsps. cracked peppercorns, 2 1/2 tsps. garlic salt (or onion or celery) salt, 2 1/2 tsps. mustard seed, 2 /2 tsps. regular salt, 5 tsp. quick salt, 1/2 tsp. red pepper. 

Mix all ingredients together, cover and refrigerate 24 hrs. Mix again, cover and refrigerate another 24 hrs. Make into 5 inch logs on the third day. Bake 8 hours on 150 degrees on a broiler pan. Turn after four hours of baking.

Dad really enjoyed experimenting with recipes. He later would make these extra special by adding a piece of squared cheese in the middle, wrapping the meat mixture around the cheese. It was delicious and served with a variety of crackers.

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Answer 11

A favorite dish at our family Christmas Eve gathering was Hot Beef Dip.  

Hot Beef Dip Recipe Ingredients:

1-2 1/2 oz. dried beef snipped fine, 1- 8 oz. cream cheese, 1/4 cup diced green pepper, 2 onions cut VERY thin, 1/2 tsp. black pepper, 1/2 cup sour cream, 4 tbsps. melted butter (use the real stuff),1/2 cup chopped pecans.

Blend all but butter and nuts together and pour into a square baking dish (8X8). Spread chopped pecans over the top and drizzle melted butter over them. Bake 30 minutes at 325 degrees. Serve with rye bread and/or Triscuit crackers.

Answer 12

Hamburger hotdish;

1 lb hamburger, turkey

1 LG can  tomatoes

1 can green beans

Abt 5 or so LG potatoes/ peeled and cooked and diced

Salt and pepper to taste

Mix gently

Serve hot/warm

Answer 13

My German/Austrian grandmother made a sour cream raisin pie that many in our family love. Can't stand raisins myself but I make one every other year or so for those who eat them.

Comments

Terry, I think raisin pie is delicious, and I can imagine that the sour cream would make a fabulous pie. That is so nice that you make it for others.

Answer 14

My great-grandmother Rachel Stoner's [[Winebrenner-44|Rachel Annis (Winebrenner) Stoner (1851-1923)]] German Egg Noodles, taught to me by my grandfather, by my request, when I was about 20, before he died:

Rachel's recipe for German Egg Noodles: 1 egg, 1 Tbs water, 1 tsp. salt, and enough flour to make a stiff dough. Mix together the first 3 ingredients, stir in flour until it's stiffer than bread dough, but not so stiff as pie crust. Knead in enough flour for the correct consistency, but not too much, so as not to develop the gluten. Roll out thinly on a well-floured board. Flour the upper surface well, fold in half and roll out again, making sure that there is enough flour to keep the 2 sides from sticking. Then flour again and fold the dough over and over on itself to make a packet about 4" wide. Slice the packet crosswise every 1/4" to make the noodles, then cut once lengthwise to shorten them. Toss them into broth or soup and simmer 10 to 20 minutes, depending on thinness.

And then there is my grandmother, Edith Stoner's Raw Cranberry Relish: She used to do it in a food grinder (a Cuisinart should work); my mother, not having a food grinder, used a blender, putting in water to blend it, then running it through a sieve, and we'd drink the liquid as a beverage)

1 bag cranberries

1 orange

Sugar to taste

Grind the cranberries, and put into a serving bowl. Grind the orange, using the rind, also, but picking out any seeds. Add to the cranberries. Sweeten to taste.

I generally add an apple, too, ground up. It adds some more sweetness, and it doesn't need as much sugar. If you make it in summer, with frozen cranberries, you can add some strawberries, also, and that's really good, too.

Comments

I make this same cranberry relish every year and can attest to it being “delish” and a family favorite. Thanks for posting

Answer 15

My great grandmother, Rosie Vaskie, and her husband John, were Hungarian. I was lucky to be around Rosie until I was 20 years old, and ate her wonderful cooking until she could no longer cook. My favorite three recipes of hers are chicken paprikash, cabbage rolls, and chicken noodle soup. I'm even luckier because she taught me how to make them. She always cooked in an old kerosene stove, even though my great uncle had bought her a brand new electric range in the 60s. The only thing I ever saw her cook on the electric stove was Jiffy Pop popcorn. (She thought that was one of the greatest inventions of the 20th century. ) When we were kids, the chicken noodle soup stole the show. My dad always called it "Hungarian penicillin". We would walk in her kitchen and smell the chicken and veggies in the big stock pot and see the thinly rolled out sheets of noodle dough drying on a clothes line she had in the kitchen that was just for drying noodles. I make all of her dishes, and while everyone says they taste just like hers, I always think they pale in comparison. They're good, but not Rosie good. 

Comments

What a wonderful memory. All the food sounds tantalizing! I can almost smell the chicken noodle soup and I love your Dad's description of the chicken soup,Hungarian penicillin. I'm sure your dishes are delicious. Perhaps the memories you have and your admiration for your great grandmother gives you the impression her dishes were better than your own. 

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Thanks for your kind comments, Connie. Memories like that are tough to beat. 

Answer 16

Homemade Banana Cake with homemade icing!!!!  Nothing box or container

Answer 17

My grandmother's homemade mincemeat. She always used deer neck meat, but I have had to use beef since I don't have any venison. You haven't lived until you've had real good mincemeat, not the crap you get in the grocery store. My mother and I use to make it every year for the winter holidays. However, she's been dead for many years and the family doesn't get together like we use to.  I haven't seen Mcintosh apples in a number of years, so, that makes it harder to make as well.

Answer 18

From my maternal grandmother, her potato soup which is totally different from any other potato soup I've tried, homemade, restaraunt, canned/frozen. Its simple, delicious, and filling.

From my paternal side, it's bread dumplings with sour gravy and pork chops. This one causes strong feelings on either side. Until fairly recently we thought it was something made up from the depression era and maybe unique to our family. However, my brother married a girl whose family also made this and later found out its rooted in German tradition.

Answer 19

I cannot pick just one recipe.  There are several culinary school graduates in my family tree and as well as family members who knew Julia Child and Jacques Pepin well enough to be invited to their homes for dinner.  It could be said that we like to eat.  One outcome of all this culinary talent has been the creation of three family cookbook manuscripts compiled from the contributions of many family members over the course of 50 years.  When a descendant marries, we print out the manuscripts, collect them into a binder and present it to the couple.

Answer 20

My maternal grandmother taught me how to make nisu, which is a braided cardomom bread traditional in Finland. Her parents were both Finish immigrants, and she learned the recipe from her mother, who learned it from her mother, etc.

Grammy used to make it every Christmas, and after she passed , I took over the tradition for several years. I'd set aside a Saturday in December every year and my husband would find somewhere to flee to for most of it because 'bread day' (as he called it) was an all-day all-consuming project. I got up before dawn to warm the milk and cardomom for the first batch and melt the butter and sugar into it. The dough requires a couple of rising sessions before the loaves are braided, and then it has to rise again before baking. I usually made 4 batches and didn't wrap the last loaf up until after 10pm. The project produced around 32 loaves.

I gave it away every year to family, friends, and coworkers , and we kept 5 or 6 loaves for ourselves (thank goodness it freezes well!).

After my twins were born, I had to set the tradition aside for a few years. But they'll be 10 this summer, so I'm considering resurrecting it this Christmas on a smaller scale so I can start teaching it to them.