In my recipe box, there is a recipe of Vera Mariani’s called, “Mrs. Scott’s Delicious Cake.” I remember Vera making this cake many times. It strikes me as prophetic that the cake I think of as Vera’s is actually Mrs. Scott’s. Who was Mrs. Scott? When did Vera taste her cake, find it delicious, and get the recipe?
As I pondered on this one day, I realized that there may be a day far in the future when my children’s children’s children see my recipe for “Vera’s Tuscan Chicken” and wonder who this Vera was. There isn’t a Vera to be found in our family tree, so they will wonder about this Vera, just as I do about Mrs. Scott.
So I’m am writing a story for my children’s children’s children. The story of Vera, the story of the Mariani family, and the story of Vera’s Tuscan Chicken. It's about one quarter in the making, but until then, here are two delicious recipes:
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Mrs. Scott's Delicous Cake
1 cup butter
1 1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 cup flour
5 eggs
Icing:
1 cup sugar
5 tblsp milk
Cream butter and sugar. Add baking powder and flour. Stir in eggs, one by one. Bake in loaf pan (greased) 50 min at 350 degrees.
Icing: Boil sugar and milk hard for 2 min and then beat until stiff.
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Vera’s Tuscan Chicken(Chicken Wings and Peas)
10 Chicken Wings
1 Cup Fresh Chopped Parsley
5 Cloves Chopped Garlic
1 Large Can Tomato Sauce
1 Pkg Frozen Peas
3 Pinches Cinnamon
1 Pkg Small Pasta Shells
Directions:
Brown wings in hot olive oil. Add parsley and garlic and lightly brown. Add tomato sauce, peas and cinnamon. Cover tightly and simmer for 45 minutes. Serve over cooked small pasta shells.
Thighs or breasts can be substituted for wings
Veal can be substituted for chicken
Zucchini can be substituted for peas
10 Chicken Wings
1 Cup Fresh Chopped Parsley
5 Cloves Chopped Garlic
1 Large Can Tomato Sauce
1 Pkg Frozen Peas
3 Pinches Cinnamon
1 Pkg Small Pasta Shells
Directions:
Brown wings in hot olive oil. Add parsley and garlic and lightly brown. Add tomato sauce, peas and cinnamon. Cover tightly and simmer for 45 minutes. Serve over cooked small pasta shells.
Thighs or breasts can be substituted for wings
Veal can be substituted for chicken
Zucchini can be substituted for peas
You make a very good point, Debbie. All too often we find recipes with other folks names on them and wonder how our family member knew them. Food for thought.
ReplyDeleteI'll have to look at my mom's and grandmother's recipes boxes again. I know I have recipes like "Sharon's Chocolate Cake" and "Troba's Bread." My daughters know who Sharon was and who Troba is, but their children probably won't. I guess recipe cards could do more than just keep recipes if I wrote information on the back about the "genealogy" of the recipe. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteA lovely idea. At the very least I ought to mark the recipes I make that came from relatives...
ReplyDeleteAnd Vera's Chicken looks wonderful. It's going in my recipe box (which is, alas, virtual).
My son loves a recipe we all call Marsha's Meatballs. Marsha is a family friend. My kids know who she is, but will theirs? Thanks to you I am going to append a small note to the recipe
ReplyDeleteMy mouth is watering!
ReplyDeleteThe history of a recipe--what an interesting thought. I have lots of recipes from the folks I use to work with, mostly holiday recipes. After reading your post I think I need to write down who they came from and how I came by them.
ReplyDeleteIf you ever figure out who Mrs. Scott was, you should write a follow-up post!