From My Mother’s Recipe Box: Rice and Cheese Casserole

Anyone who grew up when processed food was all the rage has most certainly eaten a casserole. They vary from lasagna to macaroni & cheese to tuna casserole, with the main ingredients ranging from some form of carbohydrate plus a meat or dairy component, and some vegetables thrown in. From the French word for saucepan, it’s basically a meal in a pot or pan.

For some, casseroles are comfort food. For others, it’s a reminder of the harried lifestyle they lived, running from school to sports events to theater practice. To me, moms and casseroles go hand-in-hand. So this year for Mother’s Day, I’m featuring one from My Mother’s Recipe Box: Rice and Cheese Casserole.

From My Mother’s Recipe Box: Sweets for the Sweet

Looking for something new to make for Valentine’s Day this year? I found two recipes in My Mother’s Recipe Box that look easy, fun, and delicious. The first, called Yum Yum Gems, is from my great-aunt Lily. These are actually cupcakes that you could eat with or without icing. The second is called Torte Dessert, which you make in a jelly roll pan. Enjoy the sweetness of Valentine’s Day!

From My Mother’s Recipe Box: Chex Party Mix

Chex Party Mix is one of those classic snack foods you still see at holiday parties. I remember it when I was a kid and still enjoy it when I make it. This recipe in My Mother’s Recipe Box came straight from the cereal box back in the 1960s.

Happy New Year!

From My Mother’s Recipe Box: Three Recipes for Dates

I’m not sure why dates remind me of the holidays. Is it because they come from palm trees, which are prevalent in the Middle East, where some major holidays originated?

Turns out, my mother was apparently fond of them. I found these three recipes for dates in My Mother’s Recipe Box: Date Nut Bread, Date Loaf (which is actually candy), and Date Pudding. They look like yummy choices for holiday sweets this December!

From My Mother’s Recipe Box: Breads for Thanksgiving

Last year for Thanksgiving I posted some quick bread recipes from My Mother’s Recipe Box. Orange Date Bread and Apple Bread sounded like good choices for both Thanksgiving dinner and breakfast the following day—a little sweet, a little fruity.

This year I wanted to share two breads that I thought would go well with the meal. The first one, Fluffy Golden Corn Bread, might be something you have lots of recipes for. I know I do!

The second one, Buttermilk Brown Bread, is something I haven’t had in a long time. It’s similar to the Boston Brown Bread my grandma used to make in a can. Epicurious.com claims, “It is no coincidence that the method used to bake this bread, steaming, is similar to one used by the native Indians of New England, who taught us how to use corn as a grain for bread.” How apropos, then, to make it for Thanksgiving dinner!

Enjoy all your cooking and baking efforts in the upcoming week. And Happy Thanksgiving!

From My Mother’s Recipe Box: Two Apple Desserts

It’s fall! Time for soup, chili, and warm desserts. If you love apples, here are a couple of recipes from My Mother’s Recipe Box you may want to try while apples are in season: Applesauce Cake (“easy to make”) and Dutch Apple Cake.

From My Mother’s Recipe Box: Easy Apricot Cobbler

I bought my first peaches of the year at the Holland Farmers Market yesterday. That means apricots are just around the corner. If you’re looking for a way to use apricots this summer, here’s a recipe from My Mother’s Recipe Box for Apricot Cobbler. I’m sure you could substitute the same amount in weight of peaches, or even another fruit such as blueberries, for a delicious seasonal dessert.

From My Mother’s Recipe Box: Breakfast Treats for Mother’s Day

Getting ready to treat your mom for Mother’s Day? I’ve got two yummy vintage breakfast recipes from My Mother’s Recipe Box you might want to try: Old-fashioned Crumb Cake and my Aunt Lily’s Chocolate Eclairs. Why not serve her breakfast in bed?

From My Mother’s Recipe Box: Passover Sponge Cake

It seems that several people were interested in the Sponge Cake recipe I posted from My Mother’s Recipe Box in 2010, so I thought I’d share this one, specifically designated for Passover, as the holiday begins.

Lots of eggs! ‘Tis the season for them!

From My Mother’s Recipe Box: Never Fail Chocolate Cake

Valentine’s Day is approaching and you know what that means: chocolate! I wondered how chocolate became a part of this holiday tradition so I did a little research. Turns out Casanova ate chocolate to make him virile. Physicians in the 1800′s recommended chocolate for patients “pining for lost love.” And the first box of chocolates produced for Valentine’s Day was made by Richard Cadbury in the late 1800′s.

Bill and I don’t use Valentine’s Day as an excuse to eat chocolate since we enjoy a couple squares of Green & Black’s organic dark chocolate after dinner almost every night. We think it’s pretty healthy, and so does the Cleveland Clinic.

But if you’re looking for a chocolate recipe to make this year on February 14, try Ethel Hoadley’s Never Fail  Chocolate Cake from My Mother’s Recipe Box. It looks pretty easy….just like recipes used to be!