Comforting Family Recipes

There are 2 family favorites that I have to make in the winter - Chili and Vegetable Soup.  I do not remember ever using a recipe for either of these dishes and really can't recall where these 2 recipes came from.  While most would not even call my chili "Chili", it's the only way that I have ever made it.  My sister even makes her chili about the same as I do.  We just can't figure out where it came from.  You see, we put spaghetti in our chili.


I do not measure the ingredients either.  It is just about a pound of hamburger seasoned with chili powder, dried minced onion, soy sauce, worcestershire sauce and hot sauce.  One can each of diced tomatoes, tomato sauce and dark kidney beans and the spaghetti.

Last year I brought back some boxes of old letters from family members.  I want to go through them and scan so all of us can have copies.  They are so very interesting.  I also brought back a couple of my grandmother's recipe books that she had put together of family recipes, household hints, and recipes she had cut out of newspapers.  We knew that we were missing some recipes of dishes she use to prepare when we were kids, so we were hoping that they would show up in these other books she had.  Sure enough, I found some that we had not seen before - Boiled Calf's Head, Pickled Pig's Feet, Creamed Sweetbread.  I think I will just keep those in the book and let someone else try if they wish.

OK, back to the Chili.  Found a recipe by my grandmother called "My Chili" and it includes spaghetti.  The other ingredients are close to mine so maybe this is where I got the idea to use spaghetti.  Her (Cliffie Weisenauer Shockney), recipe is as follows:

2 cans kidney beans
1 tablespoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 1/2 cups water
1 small can tomato puree
1 large can tomatoes
1 small onion
1 pound ground beef
2 cups cooked spaghetti

Brown ground beef in skillet.  Put beans, salt, pepper, water, tomatoes tomato puree and onion in large sauce pan.  Cook over medium heat.  Add browned ground beef and cooked spaghetti.  Cook slowly for 30 to 40 minutes.

Add chili powder to taste may be added.

*******************

I don't think I will change how I make chili, but at least I now know why we put spaghetti in ours.  There is also a difference on how I make vegetable soup and how my grandmother made it, but will save that for tomorrow. 

Borried Time

A 1937 Letter From Mariah To Cliffie  

When you first look at old family pictures of relatives you never knew, there doesn't seem to be a connection between you and those long forgotten family members.  Most of the time, you aren't even sure who they are or if they really are related.  But, after looking at the pictures over and over and putting names to faces, you do start to connect.  In fact, just looking at pictures of the family reunions, vacations, activities and reading their stories, you start to feel part of the family. 

I have found and come to know quite a few old family members and there have been some that I wish I could actually have a conversation with.  Mariah Saul Weisenauer is my great, great-grandmother and lived in Plevna, In.  My great-grandfather and her son, Ed Weisenauer, I did know and we use to have family reunions at his farm.  He past away in 1976.  Mariah is seen in a lot of the old family photos and is one of the those that I would have liked to have met.  In pictures, she seems prime and proper and very disciplined.  I seriously doubt that you could get away with much around her.  

In going through the old letters, I found a letter written on a Sunday evening, March 28, 1937 from Mariah Saul Weisenauer to my grandmother, Cliffie Weisenauer Shockney.  It was written a year before my great-grandmother, Bertha Northcutt Weisenauer's, death on March 6, 1938.  It looks like it was written in pencil.  I typed the letter to make it easier to read and tried not to correct too many words or punctuation.

                                                                                                            Sund Eve March 28, 1937

Dear Children

I wonder how you are this eve had a nice Easter I hope.  It was nice sunny day but rather cool.   lot People was disappointed I suppose.  I am glad I don’t try to make a big spread with new things for this day if I’d went any place I’d wore my winter duds.  I was home all day but the day does not seem so long you see, I don’t get up so early then till I get my morning work don and get breakfast over the four noon is nearly over we have been having such tarable weather for the last 4 or 5 days worse for one then in the dead of winter but I hope it won’t last long but acorden to the old Jermon rine (?)

 March will go out like a lion.  I had your card yesterday you misted my birthday just a few days the 23 is the date I was 73.  Just think ten more years I’d be 83 and that is pretty old.  I’ll never live that long I’m shure nor do I want to its different with old People then it is with younger People.  Old People have nothing to live for they just  drift from day to day if they have always been active why they think that is the way to be happy and it is I am shure I’m happy doing what chores I have to do I know everyone thinks I shouldn’t be doing what I am doing but I’d quit some day.  Can’t tell just when, I’m living on borried time now.

I hope you got all your sewing done I gess you have ben quite busy this winter now you better rest a bit.  I was at your folks last Sunday.  John’s Stella’s and Charles and his best girl was there.  Had a nice time your Mother is not very good.  It seem so odd to be there and she can’t do much she lets the children do just as they please she don’t bother what they are preparing for Eats  I don’t believe she’ll ever be any better but one can’t tell with the ambishon she has got as long as there is life there is hope.  Gil and Della are not very well.  Della haven’t ben well all winter but Gil was doing so well till the last weeks I think they boath had the Flu.

 

Della said they both are so weak it seems like Gil’s stomach bothers him again.  You know he has ulsers of the stomach but was getting so much better he has ben on a diet since last September.  Just light foods and milk, but Della trouble is her Kidneys.  They throw so much poison in hi system I think that Climate down thare is not good for her.  I don’t want her to go next winter she got sick soon as she got down thare.  I do hop you all are well as for myself I’m ben fine all winter I took some Cod liver oil last fall and it helped me that would be good for Ache yess Ache.  How are you and how are you doing in school do you like to go to school when you mother writes to me you write to me to and tell all about every thing

This Cod liver that I took are in tablet supposed to be one teaspoon of oil in one tablet  I got them from the Rolla man.  Answer soon  from Mama 

Here is a picture of a family get-together around 1937.  Mariah is in the middle with the dark flowered dress.  My grandmother is standing to the left at the end.  

This letter tells you so much about her thoughts and feelings at that time of her life.  I was especially struck by her saying that she wasn't sure that she would live another 10 years. Mariah died on 2-9-1947.  She would have turned 83 on 3-23-1947.  She almost made it another 10 years.

This is probably going to be one of my favorite letters, although I'm just starting to read all of them.  And, still can't figure out what 'Jermon rine' or 'Ache yess Ache' means.

 

 

Enjoy reading and meeting my great, great-grandmother, Mariah Theresa Saul Weisenauer b. 3-23-1864 in Bloom Twp, Seneca Co, OH and died 2-9-1947 in Liberty Twp, Howard Co, IN.  Mariah married 2-13-1881 to Henry Jacob (Jake) Weienauer.  Jake had died 10 years earlier in 1927.

This letter is 80 years old - wonderful family memories

Birthday Celebrations at My Grandmother's

Holidays and birthdays were celebrated at my grandmother's house with very few exceptions.  Even as we grew up, got married and started our own families, celebrations were always held at her home.  It may not have always been on the actual day, but we celebrated together close to it. This remained the same until her death in January, 1978.  She started combining birthdays that were close together - it seemed we had a lot of birthdays in November and December.  The combinations usually included a member from the older generation with someone from the younger generation.

Wendy's was on the 9th and Uncle John's was on the 15th.  Wendy, my daughter and Uncle John, my grandmother's brother celebrated their birthdays together.  Please note that Wendy had all 4 of her candles, but Uncle John would only take 1.





My grandmother's was the 7th and Jenny's was the 12th.  My grandma and Jennifer, my daughter, celebrated their birthdays together.  This picture was probably taken in December, 1973.





My great-grandpa's was on the 22nd and mine was the 26th, so we celebrated our birthdays together. Taken December 26, 1971, my great-grandfather was celebrating his 90th birthday.  Pretty cool!




Then we have my brother and sister celebrating their February birthdays.  Her's was on the 12th and he's on the 14th.  Yes, that is Valentine's Day.  When he and Debby married, we had three birthdays celebrated at the same time.  Her's was on the 13th.

My grandmother was able to get all 3 sets of candles on the cake.

After the death of my grandmother in 1978, the dynamic of our birthday celebrations changed.  Our own families were growing and my grandmother's generation were soon gone.  She and her siblings were the glue to our Weisenauer family.  Once that generation was gone, each branch went their own separate way.  That's just the way it is for most families.

And, although our own birthday celebrations changed,  my brother, sister and I all got together for our mother's birthday.  Her birthday was on the 4th of July and as she would say, the whole country celebrated with her.  We started celebrating my mother's birthday up at the Lake Shafer, Monticello, IN where my sister and her family had a cottage.  Sitting outside watching the boats and skiers passing by, we ate picnic foods like fried chicken, potato salad, cole slaw, hamburgers and hotdogs.  Debby would make Mother's birthday cake and decorate it as the American flag with strawberries and blueberries.  The kids would go out tubing or swimming and even try water skiing.  Then there were some of us that would just sit outside and talk.  My mother could come up with some of the funniest stories - we'd laugh so hard, tears would stream down our faces.  


And, we would all hope that someone would be setting off fireworks towards the evening.
     








                                                             

Rojay Gotee - Thunder n' Lightnin'

My 45 record player like we had back in the 1950s and 1960s. I bought this for my Christmas and birthday present of 2013. It has been refurbished and it works beautifully. Now I can play a stack of records. RCA Victor in dark brown bakelite. Soooooooo cool!!!!!!!!!!!!

Summer of 1965, I went to stay with my grandmother in Indianapolis, IN. We had gotten out of school early because of the Palm Sunday tornado destroying our school in Greentown, IN. So off to Indy, I went. My best friend, Skip, had a car and every evening around 10:00 pm, he would pick me up and just go driving around, blaring the radio and singing. Our 3 favorite songs were "I Got You, Babe" by Sonny & Cher, "Satisfaction" by The Rolling Stones and "Thunder 'n Lightnin" by Rojay Gotee. We'd have all the windows rolled down and sing at the top of our voices. I still have my record of Thunder 'n Lightnin and just played it on my new "old" record player. It is such a cool song.......with teenage attitude! WIFE, the popular teenage radio station use to play it towards midnight. Don't think it was played during the day. It was just one of my favorites that summer. Oh, Rojay will never die.............


Enjoy the song!

The Blender of My Childhood

I unpacked the boxes that contained the blender and mixer we used when I was a child in the 1950s.  The Waring blender was in the dining room closet along with 2 Sunbeam Mixers exactly where my Grandmother had stored them.  I guess my mother and grandmother both had a mixer.  I'm sure the one with a little more wear was my Grandmother's.  I'm keeping the blender - it is just so cool.  Note that the jar does not have a handle.  The jar was made by Pyrex for Waring and is so marked on the bottom.

Look how clean the bottom of the base is.  I don't remember ever using this for anything other than making malts or milkshakes.  The thing was that they never tasted like the ones you got from the soda fountain at the corner drug store.  But, it was still a big treat when we got to make them - usually on Saturday evening as a family.  My brother and I usually had the honors of making them.

You really had to hold the lid down tight when turned on as it did not fit tight like they do today.  It was so much fun to make the malts, but I sure didn't like cleaning the jar with those blades at the bottom.  I am just so happy to have this wonderful childhood memory sitting on my kitchen counter.

Lunch At The Five & Dime With My Grandmother

I loved spending time with my Grandmoher when I was little.  When we didn't live with her, I would still visit her on weekends or a week here and there.  I loved watching her sew.  In the early 1950s when she lived at 839 College Ave., Indianapolis, IN (the picture of her to the left was taken there in January, 1953), she would let me sit on the sewing machine extension and watch her.  I loved seeing how fast she could get that needle going and listening to the whining hum of the machine - it always whined higher the faster she would go.  She was a dressmaker by trade and had her own business.  She not only did alterations, but also made new clothes for others.

I loved watching her customers trying on their clothes and her pinning and marking the alterations to be made.  She would let me play with the scraps of material so that I could make clothes for my dolls.  There was a card table next to her sewing machine for handwork and I had a chair across from her so I could 'work', too.  While this chair may look a little beat-up, it holds a lot of wonderful memories.  I now own one of the chairs and my sister, Ann, has the other chair.  She always had a radio on - we would work, listen to music and talk.  And, when I got tired of sitting, I could dance in front of the floor length mirror and pretend I was a ballerina.  Every once in a while I would check to see if she was watching me (it would embarrass me if she did) and she was always working on her sewing project not paying any attention to me so my freedom of dancing could continue.  She never called me a princess, but I definitely was her princess just like my oldest granddaughter is to me.

Every Saturday morning, she would go downtown to get her notions, supplies and material needed for the next week.  If I was staying with her, I would get to go downtown to shop with her.  We got dressed up and would catch the Delaware-Central 19 bus to go downtown.  I loved her holding my hand when we walked up those big steps of the bus and the bus driver smiling at us.  She bought most of her notions at the J.C. Penney's.  This store was located on the Circle in Indianapolis and the Soldiers and Sailors Monument was in the middle.  It was really tall and there were cascading water falls on two sides of it.  It was so beautiful.

The fabric department at J.C. Penney was on the second floor.  It was so much fun touching all of the fabrics and feeling the different textures - the plushness of velvet, the ribbing of the corduroy, the cuddle softness of flannel, the smoothness of satin, the slippery silks and coarseness of organza.  I think my favorite fabric was polished cotton - it was so shiny and smooth.  I know, sounds weird, but I was a child.  And, yes, I still have to touch everything when I go shopping for clothes or material.  Now, if we were going to more than one store, it was hard keeping up with her - she walked fast.  And, there was no such thing as a mall.  We had to walk out in the weather, cross busy streets, it was noisy and there were so many people.  But it was all worth it because we always got to eat lunch at the five and dime.  We had a choice of Woolworth's, Kresge's or the G.C. Murphy dime store.  Sometimes she would let me choose.  Usually, we had to wait a few minutes so we could get two seats together.  Everyone ate at the counter.  I loved watching all the people while we waited and the anticipation of a waitress asking me what I wanted to eat made me feel so special.

After we ate, we would have to walk back to the Circle to the bus stop and catch the bus back home.  Did I tell you that my Grandmother was a fast walker?  My legs were always hurting by this time and I couldn't wait to get on the bus and sit down in those big seats.  But, once we arrived home and she was putting away her threads, zippers and seam binding, I was looking forward to going shopping with my Grandmother again and eating lunch at the five and dime.