Nostalgia Challenge: Food Glorious Food

Our challenge this week is to: tell us about your nostalgic memories of food! I could probably write a book about this subject but I will try not to be too long winded!

I always thought my mom was the best cook there ever was but I guess most of us feel the same way. Growing up we didn't have a lot of money so we very seldom ate out but I didn't care. My mom was a stay at home mom so she would be up every morning making sure we had a good breakfast before we left for school. It would usually consist of a half of a grapefruit or orange juice and either scrambled eggs with toast or cereal of some sort.

During the school year I usually bought my lunch at school but I have to say the school lunches weren't all that great. I ate them because I was hungry but I never really liked them. Of course, I am not sure we were supposed to like them! LOL

My mom always fixed good dinners at night and then on Sundays we would have the best meal of the week when she would fix fried chicken or a roast of some sort with all of the best side dishes. We always had lots of vegetables to go with whatever meat she chose. Sundays were also the day we would have dessert. She wasn't keen on giving us sweets so it was always a treat!

When she got older and lived on her own, my mom was always cutting recipes out of the newspaper. After she passed, I inherited them all. I pull them out every once in a while and make one of them. I also have oodles of my own cookbooks because I love to cook. Hubby likes to cook as well so he takes over on the weekends. He got a new Belizean cookbook for Father's Day and made this for us on Saturday. It is Belizean Tenderloin with Mestizo Vegetables.

I made this dish a couple of weeks ago. It is Kielbasa with potatoes. Sort of a one pot dish but it was very tasty. Hubby loved it!

I don't normally take pictures of food and any others I did have I have deleted now. But I can still tell you more about our family and food! Growing up in Tampa there was definitely a Latin influence in our food. We had chicken and yellow rice, black beans and rice, and Cuban sandwiches. I still love them all. I fix them at home (except for the Cuban sandwiches) and try to always make it to one of the local restaurants whenever I am in Tampa.

We do have our traditions when it comes to food. On Thanksgiving we always have turkey, dressing, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, green beans, cranberry relish, gravy, rolls (bread), and a relish tray (sliced tomatoes, green onions, green and black olives, pickled beets, and pickles). For dessert we always have pumpkin pie with whipped topping.

Christmas dinner always consists of ham, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, green bean casserole, rolls, fried corn, and again, a relish tray. Dessert varies depending on who makes it.

I always fix New Year's Day dinner which consists of blackeyed peas, hog jowl, steamed cabbage, corned beef, mashed potatoes, green bean casserole (for those who do not like cabbage), rolls, the ever present relish tray and a variety of desserts. I am from the south and hubby is from the north. We always had the blackeyed peas, etc. and he always had the cabbage and pork. So I combined a little of both not to leave anyone out.

A lot of food I considered 'comfort food' such as macaroni and cheese is still eaten but not as often since we do try to eat a little healthier (not as much as we probably should though). We eat very little fried food anymore (my Mom made the best fried chicken!) because it is not good for us. It seems like everything that is good is not good for us! LOL

Hubby eats salads and I do love them but I cannot digest them well anymore so I stay away from them. Hubby loves popcorn as a treat. Alas, I cannot eat it either but I do love my pretzels!

Guess I had better go. I have clothes to fold and put away. I will try to write more later in the week. Take care all. xxx