Recipes - Dawnpilot

1787! Out of curiosity, I just looked up how many recipes I’ve saved. 1787! And that’s not counting ones that are still in cookbooks.

Recipes are treasures; gifts that outlive us all. I add names to recipes so I think of that person every time I make the recipe. Family members and friends have expectations for recipes: Nellie’s Orange Rolls, Doree’s Rum Buns, Jon’s Chili. If we don’t take baked beans to the summer neighborhood cookout, there will be disappointment – from children! And who could disappoint a child?

I like to cook healthy dishes, but I still indulge in old favorites. For instance, my recipe for The Best Ever Chocolate Cake, from a famous Seattle restaurant, Salty’s on Alki Point, is an often-requested birthday dessert. As is my Trifle (I use Amaretto – so good).

Collecting recipes for me goes way back. It started with my Mom and her Homemaker’s Club. I still have the wooden box for her recipe cards. For a wedding shower gift, she’d buy three-ring recipe books that turned into a stand. Then she’d type her favorite recipes on the notebook’s paper for the bride-to-be. It was a great tradition and those brides today still cherish her gifts.

In 4-H, we learned to give cooking demonstrations and submit baked goods to the County Fair. It was nerve-wracking. Sometimes you have to go through a little pain to come out with something new ~ like more confidence. Of course, at the time, it seems like a lot of pain.

So here we go ~ watch this space as I continue to add my favorite recipes.