SOUP & MEMORIES

I was never taught to really cook as I was growing up.  Therefore, my poor husband had to live on hot dogs and warmed up canned pork & beans a lot when we were first married!  Bless his heart...he survived and is still with me after 44 years!  After a LOT of trial-and-error, I have turned out to be a decent chef.

One of the things on my BUCKET LIST is to teach my granddaughter to do more than just boil water (which is about all I could do in my early years).   We've done a good bit of cooking together but tonight I let her make her Papa's supper....all by herself...and she did a GREAT job!  Of course, I supervised and gave a few directions, but she mostly did it herself.  She made DUMP SOUP and BLUEBERRY COBBLER. 

                                                                 

While preparing our delicious meal, she wore an apron made by her great-great grandmother complete with hand embroidery.  As we cooked I shared a couple of stories about GRANDMAMA told to me by her greatest fan, her grandson/my husband.  My husband thinks she hung the moon (and the sun and all the stars).  Of course, she didn't....but if God had asked her, she probably could have.  She was a very resourceful lady....and a fabulous cook.  Granddaughter M has already done some embroidery; and now she is learning to cook.  Grandmama, sure wish you were here to give her better instruction than I can.

                                                            

Both the soup and the cobbler turned out great.  She gave it her seal of approval by eating a big bowl of each.  Later, she may not remember the soup  or the dessert, but I do hope she remembers the MEMORIES we made cooking together and hearing stories about her family.

In case you'd like the recipes, here they are:

 

DUMP SOUP

Brown one pound of hamburger meat....or use leftover ham as we did today.

(We also added the ham bone just for a little extra flavor.)

 

"Dump" in:

1 can tomato soup              1 can diced tomatoes

1 can creamed corn              1 can butterbeans (or leftovers)

1 can okra                     1 can Veg-All

1 1/2 - 2 cups water            1/4 cup rice

salt & pepper to taste

Cook on very low for a couple of hours to meld the flavors together.

BLUEBERRY COBBLER

To about 2 cups of peaches or blueberries or blackberries, add about 1/4 to 1/2 cup sugar (depending on how sweet you like it).

In another bowl: combine 1/2 cup self-rising flour

                                      1/2 cup sugar

                                      1/2 cup milk (warmed in microwave about 25 seconds)

In small square casserole:  melt 1/2 stick butter or margarine

Then pour into the butter the flour/sugar mixture.  DO NOT STIR.

To this add the fruit.  DO NOT STIR

Bake @ 350 about 30-45 minutes or until crust is lightly browned.