Reading: Family Recipes

It was the inscription in a little handwritten recipe book my mother gave me that prompted me to think about reading recipes this morning:

To Cheryl,
A collection of some of “old” and new favourites that I’ve enjoyed making for us over the years.
   -  Love you, Mom.  Easter 2008

Be it Christmas, Easter or Thanksgiving, the recipe I always look up is the "Turkey Dressing" recipe I grew up enjoying.  I see in my book that Mom has written “Del, Ruth, Pat, 1998” here, telling me that her mother (Del), mother in-law (Ruth) and she all contributed to this recipe.

In addition to a offering good excuse to open the red wine early (it calls for a half cup), this recipe calls up warm family memories.  I am always amazed that bread crumbs (in my case, gluten-free bread and 'crumbed up' in a blender), summer savory, salt, pepper, onions, celery, mashed potatoes, butter and wine can come out of the turkey tasting so delicious!  Or maybe it’s the taste of good remembrances.  (Or maybe it's the wine.)

My Whole Foods for the Whole Family cook book by Roberta Bishop Johnson has the apple crisp recipe I am making for dessert today, while the Practical Paleo cookbook by Diane Sanfilippo has a lovely gluten-free blueberry crumble recipe.  (Two desserts - because when you cook for a household where some eat gluten free, and others emphatically do not, you end up making two versions of everything.  Today it will be dual dressings and dessert.  Last evening it was dual pizzas.  Lots of mornings it's two type of pancake.  I read a lot of recipes for that reason alone!)

I'm happy to share the blueberry crumble recipe with you, with credit going to Diane Sanfilippo:

• 2 pints (that’s 4 cups) of fresh blueberries
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 1 cup almond meal/almond flour
• ¼ cup chopped macadamia or walnuts.
• ¼ cup melted butter or coconut oil
• 2 T maple syruo
• ¼ tsp cinnamon
• 2 pinches sea salt

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F
• Place blueberries in a 9 x 9 inch baking dish
• Squeeze the juice from half the lemon over and toss slightly
• In a bowl, combine almond flour, chopped nuts and melted butter or oil, remaining lemon juice, maple syrup, cinnamon and salt
• Spread the nut topping evenly over the blueberries and bake until fruit is well cooked/bubbly and the topping is golden brown (about 30 – 40 minutes).

Some Easter, when I handwrite a recipe book for my kids - and I will - I will be sure to include this one.  I hope you are enjoying some recipes, traditional family or brand new, this holiday as well.

Cheryl Brown (@CherylAnneBrown) is co-creator of the Storytent and Bookwagon programs, QLNB's Community Literacy Coordinator, and long-time advocate for and facilitator of a variety of family literacy initiatives.  In these posts, she has been documenting and sharing snap-shots of some of her daily reading.

Learning at Home

This Government of New Brunswick webpage offers an important message affirming of the importance of parents to family learning, and also links to tools for families with children at home.

Learning happens in the everyday moments that you share with your children. Although many of our roles are different right now, we want to assure you that, as caring adults, we will continue to be right beside you and your child/ren, providing you with resources and encouragement.

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We know that children are always learning, and will continue to learn, even when schools are closed.  This page provides resources and information to help your child/ren keep learning.