Today would be my Grandmother’s 85th birthday. Her name was Emma and she was a spunky little woman. Her favorite car was a red 1956 Ford Thunderbird. My Grandfather affectionately called her “Chicken”. She was passionately conservative, quietly religious and fiercely loving to her family. She passed away in Jan 2005. Life surely changed for me when Grandma passed on, my Mother became my Grandmother’s generation, I became my Mother’s, and my daughter became mine… scary thought. My grandmother was not the rotund, apron-clad, cookie bearing type (that was my Aunt Arta) but she had her share of “signature” dishes. We could always count on her delicious mustard potato salad during summer picnics (which she preferred to eat warm!), my Grandfather’s favorite “macaroni & tomatoes” or fried hot dog sandwiches.
Most meals at my Grandmother’s house consisted of take out. Her favorite places were Sonic, KFC and Long John Silver’s. She didn’t go out to eat; she always brought it back home to eat it there. Needless to say, the heritage handed down to me from my Grandmother did not include copious stashes of recipes cards, but I do have a few that I cherish.
Below is my Grandfather’s favorite pie, I remember her making this for him for every special occasion. I left in the antiquated instructions (italicized) because that is part of the charm of this ‘antique’ recipe of hers. She gave me this recipe for my bridal shower. It is hand written in her beautiful penmanship and bears her signature. I keep it put up in a special book, so one day I can hand it down to my daughter, perhaps at her bridal shower.
Raisin-Pecan Pie
1 ½ C seeded raisins
1 ½ C boiling water
1 Tbsp flour
½ C sugar
1 C shopped pecans
1 tsp vanilla
1 T lemon juice
1 double crust pastry (boxed or homemade)
Wash raisins carefully. Cook in boiling water for a few minutes, cover & simmer for 30 mins, leave lid on & let cool for 30 mins. Add flour & sugar, mix well; cook a few minutes to thicken. Cool.
Add lemon juice, vanilla & pecans. Pour into pastry shell, cover with pastry. Bake in hot oven 450 degrees F for 30 min. Reduce heat to 350 degrees F for 10 min.
*Personal hint* a thin strip of foil formed around the edge of pie prevents the outer crust from becoming too done.
{This pie can be made gluten free, substitute rice flour for the flour and use a GF pie crust. Top with a crumb type topping and bake as above.}
