E is for Eats.

Food seems to be a "thing" in our family.  I was thinking about it recently.

Grandpa E would cook the major meals most times, I remember him making roast duck, potatoes, things like that for Thanksgiving or Christmas.  He also taught me to like really "non-kid" food, pig's feet, capers, real oddball stuff...

Grandma E would always amaze me, we would show up at the house, and it just seemed like mere seconds, fried chicken, potato salad, or fry bread would show.   I know in my head that that wasn't possible, but it always seemed to be that way.  I remember one breakfast, we made toast.  She had this six bread slot toaster, and did we make toast!  There were several family members that came over, and Grandma toasted, I buttered, Mom was setting the table, getting jams, jellies, honey, all that out.  When we finished, there must have been at least a 2 foot high stack of toast.  I think it was gone in about 15 minutes or so.  Not counting the two that I snuck out during the buttering process...

My mom has always struck me as the MacGyver of dinner making.  I sometimes think if she had half a lemon, a taco shell, and three peanuts, we would have something wonderful by chow time.  I know that more than once, I forgot to tell her about a snack day at school, (something I found out is no longer allowed at that same school because of allergies...), and she was still able to come up with frosted graham crackers, apple and orange slices, juices, all sorts of neat things.  Even if she did seem to be a tad twitchy, and check the papers I brought home a little more closely.

One of the funniest memories, Mom made gingerbread cookies to match each student in the class, green eyes and red hair, or what have you, would have a cookie frosted to look the same.  Several hours later, they were ready to go.  To this day, Mom just sounds so disgusted when she says, "10 minutes!  Every last crumb, GONE, in ten minutes!" (I am surprised she wasn't impressed that I didn't filch mine beforehand...)

I think about one of the get-togethers I had with some of the younger members of Husband's family.  We "had" to go to a certain restaurant, and the kids would "ONLY" eat x thing.

How sad for them...

But, hey, more for me!   (Anyone up for toast?)