As my brother and dad mentioned in their posts, to celebrate my Mom’s birthday yesterday, I wanted to share some of our favorite of her recipes.
While I thoroughly enjoyed eating her food as a kid, I’m not sure I realized just how lucky I was to be eating such high quality nutritious food until I got older.
Even so, as much as I enjoyed eating her food, I loved to cook with her even more. Some of my fondest childhood memories include making these recipes and so much more.
Once I left the house, I’d always look forward to visiting home and taking on various time consuming projects in the kitchen with her. To this day, cooking and baking remain a constant source of joy for me and I’m so grateful for my mom inspiring these passions in me.
Hope you enjoy these recipes as much as I do!
Chicken parm
A dinner staple in our household throughout my childhood and a true classic. With cheesy goodness, rich protein with chicken and tasty sauce this one always delivers. My favorite dinner of hers.
Double choc cherry cookies
My favorite desert. My mom would make these every time I came home to visit. The rich chocolate and cherry flavors are a perfect combo.
Pro tip: soak the cherries in Grand Marnier overnight before making the cookies for even more depth of flavor.
Charoset
I looked forward to passover every year because of this charoset. Once I moved out of the house my mom would ship me jars of it so I could still have some. They never lasted long as a jar could be considered a normal serving for me.
Apple Sauce
My mom always instilled in us the value of simple fresh dishes. This dish is as simple as it gets but it blows store bought apple sauce out of the water. I can still feel the excitement I had as a kid when the smell of the cooking apples would waft through the house.
Kale With Cranberries
I really love eating kale. Raw, sautéed, baked – I enjoy all forms. This dish is my earliest memory of kale. Simple and delicious, this dish kicked off a lifelong love.
Lemonade
This was a summer staple in our house but also an early lesson in entrepreneurship. Each summer my mom would take us to the store to source lots of lemons and ice. We’d mix up batches of this lemonade and hit our street corner with a sign. “Lemonade, 25 cents!” we’d shout as we tried to sell refreshments and chocolate chip cookies to our neighbors.
Raw Fudge
This recipe is one I haven’t had in some time but the post embodies everything that made my mom so awesome. Going to teach kids how to cook, coaching baseball – she was always on a mission to spread joy and find ways to get involved in our lives.
Pear Clafoutis
This is one of the first deserts I can remember eating. We continued to make and enjoy it over the years as it was one of her favorites. And yes, the rumors are true. I did love to repeatedly yell “Clafoutis” as a child (and maybe still do).
Happy Birthday Momma! Really wish we could be spending it in the kitchen cooking up some of your favorites, but I find solace in celebrating the joy you brought me and so many others through food.
Love always,
–
j
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