The "Nobody Can Cook Like Mother" Thread
Jun 11, 2007 | 12:48 pm
#18
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And here's a couple of my Hungarian favorites:
From my great-grandmother, who came over when it was still Austro-Hungary, kalach in both loaf and roll form. It's a sweet bread that tastes an awful lot like King's Hawaiian Bread, especially when toasted.
And from my mother's kitchen, from the recipe passed down by the aforementioned great-grandmother, chicken paprikash with homemade dumplings. Nothing like a great big dish of this to completely soothe any problem the world's thrown at you.
From my great-grandmother, who came over when it was still Austro-Hungary, kalach in both loaf and roll form. It's a sweet bread that tastes an awful lot like King's Hawaiian Bread, especially when toasted.
And from my mother's kitchen, from the recipe passed down by the aforementioned great-grandmother, chicken paprikash with homemade dumplings. Nothing like a great big dish of this to completely soothe any problem the world's thrown at you.
Jun 11, 2007 | 4:51 pm
#20
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Nothing my mom cooked comes to mind, but may I please nominate my grandmother's homemade baked mac 'n cheese and my grandfather's butterscotch pie. I'll keep thinking of something my mom does amazing - um, great salads? But I love her to pieces!
Jun 11, 2007 | 7:31 pm
#21
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: A small town in North Georgia
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And the recipe for the creamed corn, please? 
We had what we called "fried corn," which might have been similar. My father had some relatives who lived on a farm, and occasionally we were gifted with field corn. This can't be bought in a store. It dries far too fast to be usable, or so I've been told. But when it is freshly picked, it is good. He sliced the corn, working down each ear, so that the slices were maybe a millimeter in width, working over a bowl so that all the liquid was caught in the bowl. Then he scraped the cob to get off every last bit of moisture.
Cook the tiny scrapings of corn plus all the corn liquid (or corn "milk"), with margarine (butter would add too much of its own flavor), and salt and a LOT of ground pepper, in a heavy iron skillet over low-to-medium heat until done. Starting out, it should have the liquidity of a thick stew and then will be done fifteen to twenty minutes later or so, when the dish seems to "settle." (The term "fried corn" is a misnomer.) If there is not enough corn "milk," add a few tablespoons of real milk or even evaporated milk in cooking, until the corn is just covered. But add the latter, real milk or evaporated milk, only as a last resort, as milk changes the taste. As to finished product, the taste of pepper should predominate. This is a fairly flavorful dish.
Serve with fried okra, sliced tomatoes, maybe some scallions, and a bowl of freshly shelled, well-cooked, bacon- or ham-seasoned purple-hull peas. Iced tea or buttermilk to drink.
I sometimes make an approximation of that vegetable dinner even now but of course can't get the right type of corn. Ordinary corn doesn't have the "milk" that makes the dish possible. I can approximate it with canned creamed corn but don't like the added sugar that the canned version has.
We had what we called "fried corn," which might have been similar. My father had some relatives who lived on a farm, and occasionally we were gifted with field corn. This can't be bought in a store. It dries far too fast to be usable, or so I've been told. But when it is freshly picked, it is good. He sliced the corn, working down each ear, so that the slices were maybe a millimeter in width, working over a bowl so that all the liquid was caught in the bowl. Then he scraped the cob to get off every last bit of moisture.
Cook the tiny scrapings of corn plus all the corn liquid (or corn "milk"), with margarine (butter would add too much of its own flavor), and salt and a LOT of ground pepper, in a heavy iron skillet over low-to-medium heat until done. Starting out, it should have the liquidity of a thick stew and then will be done fifteen to twenty minutes later or so, when the dish seems to "settle." (The term "fried corn" is a misnomer.) If there is not enough corn "milk," add a few tablespoons of real milk or even evaporated milk in cooking, until the corn is just covered. But add the latter, real milk or evaporated milk, only as a last resort, as milk changes the taste. As to finished product, the taste of pepper should predominate. This is a fairly flavorful dish.
Serve with fried okra, sliced tomatoes, maybe some scallions, and a bowl of freshly shelled, well-cooked, bacon- or ham-seasoned purple-hull peas. Iced tea or buttermilk to drink.
I sometimes make an approximation of that vegetable dinner even now but of course can't get the right type of corn. Ordinary corn doesn't have the "milk" that makes the dish possible. I can approximate it with canned creamed corn but don't like the added sugar that the canned version has.
Jun 11, 2007 | 10:58 pm
#22
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: NY by birth. By choice, BNA in the US, YXE in Canada.
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Potatoes seasoned with
Montreal Steak Spices. I can get you a full preparation recipe, if you like!
Montreal Steak Spices. I can get you a full preparation recipe, if you like!
Jun 11, 2007 | 11:23 pm
#23
Join Date: Oct 2005
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My late mother's Lemon Meringue Pie...
So good, that after a "first date" when she sent dad off to basic training in the 1950s with a pair (one for him and one for his barracks mates).... my dad spent three years dreaming of doing his Army service and returning to her for more... 
(...and he saved the pie pans!)
She also did pretty amazing lemon bar cookies too!
Now Grandmother's Chicken Soup with Matzo Balls (light and fluffly like a cloud) and chicken helzel (boned chicken neck stuffed with kasha, chopped egg, fried onion, and breadcrumbs) was to die for! And faking a cold to earn a dose of "Jewish Penicillin" was not out of the question.
So good, that after a "first date" when she sent dad off to basic training in the 1950s with a pair (one for him and one for his barracks mates).... my dad spent three years dreaming of doing his Army service and returning to her for more...
(...and he saved the pie pans!)She also did pretty amazing lemon bar cookies too!
Now Grandmother's Chicken Soup with Matzo Balls (light and fluffly like a cloud) and chicken helzel (boned chicken neck stuffed with kasha, chopped egg, fried onion, and breadcrumbs) was to die for! And faking a cold to earn a dose of "Jewish Penicillin" was not out of the question.
Jun 12, 2007 | 11:51 pm
#24
Join Date: Jun 2006
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my mom did this wonderful baked breaded haddock with lemon juice dish when i was little. she could never really cook anything else well, and even though i've had some chef training i could never do it quite like she did. kinda funny.
Jun 13, 2007 | 8:36 am
#26
Join Date: Jan 2005
Posts: 295
My mother spent a good part of my youth not cooking, more out of spite than anything, I think! So we grew up with a weekly Mickey D's run, and my personal favorite, cheese and cracker night. She actually can cook and makes a good chicken soup and excellent holiday cookies; my grandmother was even worse...we'd go to her house and she'd lay out bad sliced ham, white bread, and margarine for lunch. Ewww. As a result I am obsessed with cooking and do as much of it as I can!
Jun 16, 2007 | 3:14 am
#27
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Jun 17, 2007 | 12:13 pm
#28
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The one item my mom makes "from scratch"
I was so excited to see Chex Mix sold in a vending machine a few years back - now I could compare "store bought" with "homemade", too!
My mom was a good sport about it, and we still bring up that episode every so often.
(P.S. we're WASPs)
My mom was a good sport about it, and we still bring up that episode every so often.
(P.S. we're WASPs)
Jun 17, 2007 | 12:46 pm
#29
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My favorite meal my Mom made was:
broiled Lamb chops
Hominy and mushrooms sauteed in butter and Lawry's Season salt
green peas
applesauce with just a touch of cinnamon on top
yummmmmmmmmmmmm
My daughter, on the other hand, likes to boast that her mom taught her to make slice n' bake cookies....LOL
broiled Lamb chops
Hominy and mushrooms sauteed in butter and Lawry's Season salt
green peas
applesauce with just a touch of cinnamon on top
yummmmmmmmmmmmm
My daughter, on the other hand, likes to boast that her mom taught her to make slice n' bake cookies....LOL
Jun 18, 2007 | 8:14 pm
#30
Join Date: Aug 2006
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My mother's cooking was compromised...
...by the need to feed a family every day on the cheap. She was always looking for cheap protein, so we suffered through tuna loaf and turkey loaf on a regular basis. The worst ever was when she was so excited about the amazingly low price of canned mackerel that she bought a case. Tried to add it to a barley casserole once with disastrous results. Sort of a slime and fish bone porridge.
Mom did, however, do a couple of nice dishes from Julia, including a lovely Coq au Vin. Her Pate de Campagne was outstanding. Dad was the one who did most of the really good stuff, though he was also brought down by the occasional failed experiment (peanut soup, scrambled eggs w/ mung bean sprouts, etc.).
Mom did, however, do a couple of nice dishes from Julia, including a lovely Coq au Vin. Her Pate de Campagne was outstanding. Dad was the one who did most of the really good stuff, though he was also brought down by the occasional failed experiment (peanut soup, scrambled eggs w/ mung bean sprouts, etc.).