I love my Mom - you all know that, but I cannot float by Mother's Day without writing it down here. Today, those of us in town, went to our parent's house for dinner. Mel and Amy brought lasagna, Chuck had the french bread, Keri brought Caesar AND garden salads and I brought desert. I chose to bring a "fake" cheese cake because every time I make it, it reminds me of my Mom.
I remember Mom would make graham cracker crust and then blend up cream cheese, eagle brand sweetened condensed milk, lemon juice and vanilla together for the filling and us kids would take turns doing our best to lick the left over filling out of the blender. We'd practically stick our whole arm down there to get to the good stuff and pull our hand out covered w/sticky filling on our finger, the back of our hand, our wrist and forearm...yes, we would lick it all off. I loved that stuff and I always felt "licking the bowl" was the best part.
I like the idea that there are certain food items/dinners, etc. that remind us of people we care about. My Grandma Strong ALWAYS made O'Henry's for all the family parties. It was sweet to anticipate that treat we all LOVED and I don't remember ever being disappointed - they were always there for us to enjoy. Many of us have tried to replicate the treat and I think Melissa has come the closest, but it seems when making Mom's lasagna or Grandma's O'Henry's - it just isn't the same thing as eating the "real" thing, but the memory is still there and cherished.
I am sorry to say I neglected to bring my camera today and did not get any photos to post (BUMMER). There is one specific thing that I will need to visually document at another time, but I thought it was brilliant. My sister Amy, creative genius extraordinaire, makes fabric dolls. Lately, she has started personalizing them to look like people she knows and she made one to represent Mom - it was so awesome and a perfect representation from her famous red pants, to her sweet white hair wings at her temples and the blue t-shirt she loves and refuses to throw away. I wish I could have a photo to post here for you, but I promise to get one soon.
All-in-all the afternoon was lovely. Travis and I are both lucky to have such wonderful Mother's to love.
I Am Grateful,
HB
Diva Quote: "The moment a child is born, the mother is also born. She never existed before. The woman existed, but the mother, never. A mother is something absolutely new." Rajneesh
I found myself shaking my head yes a lot while reading this post. Yes, uh huh, YES! The O'Henrys, the cheese cake, fake or not that is better than, or just as good as any other I have ever tried. YES, with the digging into the blender. YES, with the up the arm, and all over hand issues. I just gotta get a little bit lower and closer to the blade and around the side, just a bit more there.....almost got it.................dang blast though... you just could never EVER get it all. Some things never change. I still make that cheese cake as well, still try and dig it out. For some reason my kids are not that into the digging it out idea. I don't get them! So then it reverts back to me. It is such a pain, but why would I consider wasting it????
ReplyDeleteHELLO.
The O'Henerys.....I do believe I have it nailed, but it boils down to my kids again, they are not that into butterscotch!!! I don't get them. So I either have to eat the entire pan, or freeze them, grandma did that often as we know.....that is why she ALWAYS had them on hand for us.
I am excited to see moms doll. I was like, Amy, my b-day is coming up....do I get a doll? It kinds of feels a little vooodoooish. which is cool. I would like one for my whole family, maybe I can put in an order for Christmas or something.