A Taste of Home

The flavors of home, and being with family, flood my senses during the holidays  

I recently bought two Granny Smith apples thinking that in the hot climate of the tropics they would taste refreshing. They didn't. They were sour and tart.  After we shared just half of one, I knew I had to do something to give these apples another chance at feeding us. Out came my cherished recipe for Mom's Apple Slices. A piece of heaven, easy to make and delectable to eat.

Memories of summers as a young girl growing up in a little bit of countryside in Lake Geneva, Wis.  flooded my mind as I made this traditional family desert. Our property came with a small Eden: an apple orchard, two cherry trees, a peach tree, a pear tree, and a plum tree; a grape vine and a gooseberry bush. Did I miss anything?  Oh yes, the rhubarb. Summers and falls were busy with us kids picking, pitting or slicing, and Mom in the kitchen cooking and canning. Good thing there were five kids to do all this work! We had home baked pies and jams every summer and fall for many years during my childhood. I can still taste the homemade rhubarb cherry pie and the freshly made cherry sauce over vanilla ice cream.

The fruits of our labor (no pun intended) were well worth the camaraderie of brothers and sisters giggling and climbing in trees and the memories of home and traditions that Mom's Apple Slices now stir up for me, especially as the holidays dawn near.

At Thanksgiving, the aroma of pumpkin and nutmeg will transport me home to memories of my family at the table in lively repartee.  I envision Mom and my sisters in the kitchen, Dad and my brothers watching football. There will be little children running underfoot and a newborn baby to cuddle as the family grows. There will be extended family there, too. Mom and Dad always open their hearts and home to others. I admit that I am nostalgic during the holidays. I miss my family most at this time, and I am thankful they are in good health.

Now that Chris and I are away from our families during the holiday season, we've reinvented our family traditions to fit our life afloat. Even though the days tend to blend together, we still recognize that Thanksgiving and Christmas are coming, and we are away from people we cherish.

But we do have a family in each other. I am thankful because I have a partner in Chris. We are building a life together and I believe in what we are building. It amazes me that we have undertaken this incredible journey in our lives. During the holidays this year, as we build our own traditions, the boat will be filled with the aroma of pumpkin pie and we'll toast to the good fortune and good health of both our families.

Here's a toast to family, holiday traditions and a taste of home!

Cheers!

Mom's Apple Slices, made with loads of love, taste like fresh apple pastry

Mom's Apple Slices

(Not all ovens are created equal! Mine sometimes seems like an Easy Bake Oven because normal oven-size bakeware usually does not fit. I cut this recipe in half and bake it on a 7 x 10 cookie sheet.)

CRUST
Cut together in a bowl
2 cups flour, 3/4 cup butter/margarine (or oleo!), 1/2 teaspoon salt, add 2 egg yolks, 1/2 cup milk, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, mix all together, form 2 balls, roll 1 ball to fit a cookie sheet with sides

FILLING
4 cups sliced and peeled apples (about 3-4 apples), 3/4 cup sugar, 1 1/2 tablespoon flour, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, mix together in bowl, put on top the crust in your cookie sheet, then roll out the other dough ball and put on top the apples, bake at 375 degrees for 30-35 minutes

FROSTING
1 cup powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons hot water, mix together, frost while hot, drizzling on top crust

Bon Appétit