Thinking of the upcoming Independence Day holiday has me feeling rather nostalgic. For many years, the fourth day of July meant attending my Dad’s family reunion. It was held around noon, so it never interfered with fireworks displays later in the evening.
Our gathering was usually held at a park, but occasionally one of our family members would host it at their home. It was my grandmother’s family and was known as the Coleman/Weisgarber Reunion. It is funny what one remembers – about half the family belonged to the Church of Christ (non-instrumental) and the other half belonged to the non-denominational Christian Church. They both were a part of the Restoration movement and close in doctrine, but I remember my parents hoping that no one brought up the subject of church music, which could lead to a heated debate.
After I married a Hoosier and moved to Indiana from Tennessee, I still wanted to go back each year for the reunion. My late hubby enjoyed it as much as I did, so we frequently spent July 4th in my home state. As the years went by, many of the older generation passed away. I heard Gran remark one time that each year someone else was missing. The next year, she was one whose place was empty. Sadly, the reunion slipped into being a thing of the past. Not many are left in my parents’ generation, and we have lost members of mine.
All this family talk has left me feeling rather “aunt-sy.” My aunts were wonderful cooks, so I am sharing memory recipes this week – I loved seeing these dishes on the reunion tables. I only had Aunt Kaye’s oral directions for baked beans, so I tried my best to create a recipe as close to hers as possible. Aunt Barbara was on Mom’s side of the family, so she did not attend the reunions. However, when I think of aunts, I can’t leave her out. My dad passed away three days before my birthday; his funeral ended up being the day before I turned 33. Aunt Barbara invited our family for dinner the next day and had a surprise birthday celebration for me. She served the pasta salad that evening – of course I asked for her recipe!
Aunt Jo’s Fruit Salad
1 (29-ounce) can or 2 (15-ounce) cans fruit cocktail, drained
1 (20-ounce) can pineapple tidbits, drained
1 to 2 cups seedless white grapes
2 apples, cored and chopped
1-1/2 cups chopped celery (optional)
1 (3.4-ounce) package instant vanilla pudding mix
1-3/4 to 2 cups milk
2 cups miniature marshmallows (optional)
Place all fruit and celery (if desired) into a large bowl. Prepare pudding according to package directions; use the lesser amount of milk if you prefer a thicker “sauce”. Pour pudding over fruit; toss to coat well. Gently stir in marshmallows, if desired. Refrigerate at least 1 hour before serving.
Aunt Betsy’s Apricot Delight
2 (16-ounce cans) apricots
1 (20-ounce) can crushed pineapple
2 (3-ounce) packages orange gelatin
2 cups boiling water
1 cup bite sized marshmallows
Drain apricots and pineapple; reserve juice (about 2 cups). Mash apricots.
Dissolve gelatin in boiling water; add marshmallows and let soften. Add 1 cup
juice, then drained fruit. Chill until almost firm.
Combine in a saucepan:
1/2 cup sugar
3 tablespoons flour
2 tablespoons butter
1 egg
1 cup juice
Cook until thickened. Stir constantly. Chill and pour over chilled
orange mixture. Sprinkle on 1 cup grated cheddar cheese. Keep overnight
before serving.
Aunt Kaye-Style Baked Beans
4 (15-ounce) cans pork and beans
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup chopped sweet onion
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 cup ketchup
10 slices bacon, cooked until done but not crisp
Drain any excess liquid from beans, leaving sauce. Remove pork bits. In large bowl, mix all ingredients except bacon. Crumble 4 slices of bacon; stir into beans. Pour beans into a 2-quart greased baking dish. Place remaining bacon slices on top of beans. Bake at 325 degrees for 1-1/2 to 2 hours.
Aunt Barbara’s Pasta Salad
1 pound tri-colored rotini, uncooked
1 large green pepper, seeded and diced
1 small can sliced black olives, drained
1/4-1/2 cup sliced green olives with pimientos (or salad olives)
1 cup sliced carrots
Any fresh vegetables you would like, chopped (celery, cucumbers, radishes, etc.)
1 (8-ounce) bottle Italian salad dressing (or preferred flavor).
Prepare pasta according to package directions, until it is cooked but still firm. Drain; rinse under cold water. Drain; place in large bowl. Add vegetables and olives; toss to combine. Add salad dressing and re-toss. Refrigerate overnight or at least 8 to 10 hours. Re-toss and serve.