Memory Monday: My Mother

My mother

MY MOTHER

As I did in last week’s blog about my mother-in-law, I want to share a couple of my mother’s recipes as we approach Mother’s Day this year. I’m not sure how much Mother enjoyed cooking when her children were growing up as she also milked her cows, made butter, tended her chickens, took care of her large garden, did laundry on an old Sears wringer washing machine (with no dryer—clothes lines all the way), and raised five children. I do know that in her later years she enjoyed cooking, especially coconut cream pies and banana nut bread.

Below are two of her recipes. I don’t know why she called the first one Swiss Steak (I learned years later after looking at cookbooks, that this is not technically Swiss Steak, but it is good). I still make both recipes and always think of my mother when I do.

SWISS STEAK

Round steak, cut into serving sizes

Salt and Pepper to taste

Flour

Oil

Canned condensed tomato soup

Season meat and dredge in flour. Brown steak in hot oil, then put meat to an ovenproof casserole. Drain most of the oil out of the pan. Add 2-3 Tablespoons of flour. Stir. Add tomato soup, diluted with one soup can of water. Bring to a boil, stirring until well mixed. Pour over meat in casserole dish. Bake for 30-40 minutes at 350 degrees.

(Mother made this quite often while I was growing up. There were seven in our family, so she made a large amount of this at a time. Now that I make it for just my husband and myself, I use two cube steaks and a regular-size can of tomato soup. Lately, I have been adding some of the seasoning my son mixed up for smoking brisket instead of salt and pepper. That really adds a great taste to this dish.)

BANANA NUT BREAD

3 cups flour

2 cups sugar

1 t. salt

1 t. soda

1 cup shortening or oil

3 eggs

1 cup buttermilk or milk

4 bananas, mashed (1 cup)

1 cup nuts

1 t. vanilla

Mix together all ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Spray loaf pans with Pam. Divide batter between loaf pans and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.

Makes 6 small loaves or 2 large loaves.

(Mother used one cup of nuts, but I LOVE nuts and add 4 cups of nuts. Also, I usually use about 5-6 bananas—I figure with more nuts, more bananas, but I use the same amount of everything else. Doing it this way, I usually end up with 12 mini-loafs—but how many you get will depend on the size of mini-loaf pans you are using. I have three different sizes.).

What are your favorite family recipes? How have you changed them?