It is that time for Tuesday 4 again, brought by Annie. This week's questions are all about food, how and what we ate. Come on and join in the memories!
1. What was your favorite meal as a child?
I honestly do not remember having a favorite meal. My mom was not an adventurous cook and our meals, though not bad, were never spectacular.
She did make on thing she called a beef roll that was a spiced ground beef mixture she spread on a pie pastry and rolled like a jelly roll, then baked. It was really good. I have made a version of it and the family always liked it. She also made a great meatloaf, fantastic baked beans, and a star worthy cooked chocolate fudge icing .
When I was very young we went to a church that sometimes had communal dinners where everyone brought dishes to share. Mrs. Mac always cooked something she called porcupines and I loved them. They were the most exotic food I had ever eaten at that time. (I made them once as an adult and they were nowhere as delicious as my little kid memory of them was)
As a teen?
I loved a hamburger cooked over a charcoal grill, and I loved fondue.
As a young adult?
I married quite young and by the time I was an adult I was doing all kinds of cooking experiments. I have no idea if I even had a favorite meal.
Now?
Cuban or Thai foods
2. What did Mom make for breakfast?
Mom made us eat eggs until we were old enough to revolt (6 or 7 maybe) I have always hated eating breakfast, but Mom would not let us go to school without eating. After the great egg revolt, my sister an I would eat the same thing every morning for a couple of months, then we would move to something different. (cheese toast, corned beef hash, cinnamon toast, instant breakfasts are a few of them that I remember)
Lunch:
I don't remember lunches before I was school age, because they were most likely not memorable. When we took our lunch to school we had a corned beef and cheese sandwich (one slice Carl Budding corned beef, one slice American cheese, one pickle slice, on white bread with mayo) an apple or orange, occasionally a small lunch pack of Fritos, and a napkin) I was beyond ecstatic when we were allowed to start buying our lunch from the school cafeteria.
Dinner:
We ate whatever was on sale that week, or whatever she found at the farmer's market. During the summer we ate mostly fresh vegetable dinners. However we did eat all dinners at the table with either classical music or show tunes playing in the background, and table conversation was required (even when we were surly teens)
3. How was dinner time as a young newly wed?
We were married, living in married students housing. It was a tiny little apartment with just enough room in the kitchen for a tiny table and 2 chairs. TheHub was on an athletic scholarship, so he either practiced (off season) or had games well into the night. We ate at our tiny table whenever he got home. I cooked most of our meals,(college student budget, but I was already a pretty good cook so most of the time the food was pretty good) though occasionally my MIL would send something our way, or have us to dinner at their house, which was always delicious and most appreciated!
4. Is it important for family to eat together at the table in the evening or for breakfast?
Since I hate breakfast I will say a big no to that! My kids all preferred cereal to a cooked breakfast so they ate that for a quick bite before going to school. TheHub was already headed off for work most days before they ever came downstairs.
We ate dinner every night at the breakfast room table (TheHub and I still do). As the kids got older and their schedules got a little crazier, we missed a few nights here and there eating together, but not often. I think it is just a casual time to reconnect!
OMG! Now I want a piece of cheese toast!!! lol
ReplyDeleteHead south. I will make cheese toast and use really good cheese!
DeleteMy mother made the most amazing mayonnaise. For a very long time it was all I would eat on my toast for breakfast.
ReplyDeleteLike you, I no longer eat breakfast. If my dodgy tummy will allow it I have a cup of chai.
Eating together (though we eat different meals) is something I value.
THeHub and I eat together every night. Our only exceptions are if he has a business dinner or if there is a very exciting game on (twice a year maybe) and even then we eat together in the den. (which I hate doing)
DeleteI didn't play today because I couldn't come up with answers. I had a friend who used to make those porcupines back in the day. I liked reading all of your answers to the questions. Dinner is nice at the table but it wasn't always easy with the kids growing up. I do remember some dinners at the table as a child but my dad worked nights.
ReplyDeleteI guess I am so old that a lot of the specific memories are just not in my current brains data file.
DeleteMy Dad was still in school when I was very young, taking classes at night so on class nights it was just my mom, sister and me. But after that we ate together every weekday night. As we got older and had more social activities the weekend nights were a crapshoot.
1. My mother was horrible cook, so there were few meals I looked forward to. Perhaps a chicken and stuffing meal she made, as well as her creamed onions for holidays. As a teen, I discovered a love of chef's salads with bleu cheese dressing. As a young adult, I liked pasta meals, and Chinese takeout as a treat, later, sushi. Now, I can't say I have a favorite. It all depends on my mood.
ReplyDelete2. My mother, before she gave up cooking breakfast, used to make the typical breakfasts for us: Eggs, oatmeal, Cream of Wheat, etc. I disliked those things a great deal--couldn't stand runny yolks, despise hot cereals. She once said I couldn't leave the house for school until I finished my egg. I did not go to school that day. That was the beginning of the end for her fixing breakfasts.
Until my second grade year, we used to be able to go home for lunch, where she'd serve things like canned soup, macaroni and cheese, tuna sandwiches, etc. Staying at school for lunch only happened in high school, and even then, it was close enough that my eldest brother would walk home for lunch. When the k-8 turned to k-5, and going home for lunch ceased, she packed lunches consisting of a sandwich, two store bought cookies, and money for milk. In high school, I used my babysitting money to buy lunch.
My mother would cook the kids' dinner first, and we ate it in front of the t.v., and then she'd cook a meal for my father and her. The only meals we ate together were holidays, where my father employed the strict "eat what you want, leave what you don't want" rule. Every other day, my mother forced me to clean my plate. Meals varied, and were, more often than not when I was younger, a source of misery for me. She relied heavily on pre-packaged, convenience foods. and whatever was on sale at the supermarket. When I was younger, and resorted to swallowing the food I hated whole, washed down with a glass of water. The year my parents had a garden was horrible for me, as my mother would cook the zucchini which had grown the size of baseball bats--she'd steam it. One night I refused to eat it, vowing that I'd rather never eat again than eat that. That was the beginning of the end of her controlling our diets. (Also, she read an article about anorexia.) She also, (probably because finances became easier) seemed to make better meals--roast chicken was common, as was a steak meal she made with round steaks.
3. It was more dinnertime as a young single with a roommate in my first metropolitan apartment. She and I had fun experimenting. I learned a lot about cooking from her.
4. In our old house, I'd prepare breakfast and put it on the kitchen table. Now, we have a kitchen/dining room combo, and the kids are up at different times, so we don't eat breakfast together anymore. I believe dinner as a family is important. I try to make it happen as often as possible. I always serve my husband and I at the table. Now that my kids are older, it's hard to get us all at the table for dinner. (I can't eat past 6 p.m. and get anything even resembling a decent night's sleep.) Even if my kids don't care to eat, they, more often than not, if they are home, join us at the table. I lived by my father's edict "eat what you want, leave what you don't," with a caveat that he who complained about the offerings would be whisked to bed with nothing until the next morning, and required to prepare the next night's meal. (Trust me, you send one whiny 6 year-old to bed at lunchtime for saying something ike, "Ewwwww, whats that stuff?" then make him miss an after school event the next day to cook dinner, and that will be the last time ANY kid acts that way.) I didn't even require a kid to eat a certain amount as a condition for eating dessert. I insisted on conversation and did encourage them to try new foods. As such, I have adventurous eaters and cooks, with excellent table manners. I love having meals with them.
I am right there with you about runny egg yolks and hot cereal! Not going to happen here.
DeleteThanks so much for playing along.
I've little recollection of the meals my mother prepared -- other than a ghastly bowl of Malt-O-Meal each morning. More often than not, my father was away at his 2nd shift job so our usual fare was a TV dinner or a pot pie. What on earth is a porcupine? Sounds fun!
ReplyDeleteA porcupine is essentially a seasoned meatball with rice that is cooked in a spiced tomato sauce. Trust me when I say it was much better when I was a kid!
DeleteWe never had Malt O Meal (it probably cost more than cream of wheat, which I loathed)
I loved reading your answers Anne. I remember church dinners too and I always thought everything was so good (probably because my mom didn't really cook lol). Like you, I was never much of a breakfast person either. I was always at the table but it was usually just coffee for me. I love that you learned to cook so young. I'm sure that came in very handy living on a college student budget!
ReplyDeleteTo be honest, I do not remember ever not cooking. When I was a kid my best friend and I played in the kitchen all the time. Mom taught me the mechanics of how to use the stove, small appliances, and such, but I learned about seasoning, and different cooking methods from magazines. Then Kathy and I would try our own versions of whatever we read about. By the time I was 14 or 15 I could put a meal on the table easily and would cook if Mom would sew for me (I still hate sewing)
DeleteWe used to sing show tunes at the table as a family (us kids) and my mother would pound the table and say, "Know show tunes at the table. I think it was the choreography that got to her.
ReplyDelete"When you're a jet". Or," OKLAHOMA where the wind comes sweeping down the plain." The 5 of us all singing and moving at the same time. Good memories. Made my mom furious. We did this every time we got together even at her funeral. We are a disturbed funny bunch.
Sounds like my kind of dinner. We were not allowed to sing while eating but as soon as the eating was over all bets were off. Not only would we sing but Dad would change the music to Big Band tunes and he and Mom would jitterbug up a storm in the kitchen. I was always partial to singing and acting out "Im gonna wash that man right out of my hair" And Anything you can do I can do better
DeleteMy mom was Norwegian through and through-bland colorless meals-with seasoning salt and pepper. I did love her corned beef burgers as we called them, not a burger. It was basically canned corned beef mixed with cheese whiz and I think relish, slatherd on little buns, wrapped in foil and baked. I loved those darn things. I think my dad was pretty happy when the three youngest of us did more cooking for 4-H projects so took over much of the meal planning and a lot of cooking. As we all left, my mom made more things lie spaghetti, or Cottage pie, or added flavors-and they got take out and ate out a whole lot more!
ReplyDeleteMom was mostly a salt and pepper seasoner. I might try the corned beef burgers one day!
DeleteIt's so fun to read everyone's responses! I didn't like breakfast growing up (even now, I prefer brunch) and fortunately, my mother couldn't eat an early breakfast either, so, she never forced me to have breakfast. I'd have a cup of tea (which was mostly milk and I didn't like milk!) and take a butter and jam sandwich to school to eat during our morning break. I'd take a packed lunch to school - sometimes, sandwiches; often, rice and curry. Dinners were usually eaten at the dining table as a family (although I was often given my dinner, earlier, when I was a child, because the adults ate much later, around 8:00 p.m.) These days, my daughter and I will often eat together (when she's home), but, not at the table!
ReplyDeleteMy sister and BIL eat together on trays in their den, while having both a kitchen and dining room table. Different strokes!
DeleteOne of my favorite meals as a child was Shepherd's pie with homemade rhubard relish. Another was fresh potatoes and corn from the garden and hamburgers. Is it any wonder I love my carbs?
ReplyDeleteMy mom was a wonderful cook but often stymied by my Dad's pickiness. We used to say he could find a mince piece of celery or onion a mile away. He preferred beige foods. :p Of course, we kids tended to follow his lead. As we grew older, she cooked more and more as she liked and we learned to eat it or fend for ourselves because as she said, she wasn't a short order cook. But what amazed me most was her ability to feed a crowd and deliver it all to the table hot!
Mom did not cook breakfast (or at least only on weekends) as she often wasn't out of bed yet when we were ready for school. The bus arrived at our house around 7:10 a.m. Dad would make us toast and he also make our school lunches. Generally a sandwich, a piece of fruit, and either a homemade cookie or a piece of cake. I don't remember what we had for drinks in our thermos.
I've never married so can't answer #3. When the kids were small we did eat together in the evening, but then they both into competitive gymnastics about the time I was attending university. They got a snack after school and then it was off to the gym for several hours and then they had something quick to eat, homework, and bed. During this period, I actually meal-planned for 6 weeks at a time (heaven help me if we had unexpected company). I did a lot of prepping on the weekends so that everything could be heated up quickly. The kids would grab their food and head for the television for a bit of downtime. Even now my son and I go our separate ways. The only meals I can count on for all of us to be at the table at the same time are holidays.
I think every family has to work with what fits their lives. Our mealtimes were always done to fit around whatever activity the kids had. Even during the later few weeks of tax season whenTheHub was buried in work and could not be there I would sit with them while they ate, then eat dinner later with TheHub.
DeleteThis is a really interesting Tuesday 4! Weekday dinner was always family together in the dinning room in my family. My mother was a very good cook. All of us kids, and our father, loved her stuffed dumplings, but we didn't get them very often because she didn't like them much! I love breakfast. It's my favorite meal of the day. I wake up ready to eat! My fantasy is to have a personal chef who serves me a full breakfast, tho not in bed, but at the dinning table set elegantly with good china and silver. Hahaha. Celie
ReplyDeleteMom woke starving and did not understand why we didn't!
DeleteWe had a lot of eggs and bacon for breakfasts because that's what my father liked. After my mother decided that he needed to watch his cholesterol, we had mostly cold cereal which was okay by me.
ReplyDeleteI guess if Dad had been home from breakfast we would have eaten together, but he went to the office long before we were ready to eat, though I was never ready to eat breakfast and still can't stand food in mouth until much later in the day.
DeleteMy kids don't eat breakfast with us in the morning. I'm usually working out, they are grabbing something (or not) before school, & M eats after he runs. Dinner is family time. No phones, discussion happens (even with surly teens) & we all chat about our days. Or, we drag it out of the teens more likely.
ReplyDeleteMy current favorite foods are nachos, cupcakes, champagne, pad thai, pizza, pineapple fried rice, a fantastic & well done Cobb salad, filet mignon, mashed potatoes, Persian kebabs.... I could keep going :-) Nachos are a food I rarely allow myself to have, but they are my celebration food. I could have them daily. It's so hard to go wrong with nachos.
Dinner is also our time together and has been from the beginning.
DeleteHi Anne, I enjoyed my visit here tonight. That beef roll sounds really good. I might have to try that with a premade dough. We don't eat much red meat, but meatloaf sounds really good too. My husband likes to add veggies to the mixture. My hubby and I both like eggs for breakfast but I am thinking of cream of wheat now!
ReplyDeleteI will yield my box of cream of wheat to anyone. I never could stand the stuff!
DeleteMy mom cooked every day when I was growing up, nothing spectacular here either, but she did cook. She used to make chili and then add a cornbread topping and bake it in the oven. I didn’t care for it back then but sure would eat it today.
ReplyDeleteThat sounds really good, Belinda!
DeleteI want Cuban food.
ReplyDeleteMe too! I think next week I might have to make picadillo!
Deletebeef roll does sound good. I used to love church potlucks. I haven't eaten much cuban food but would love to try. I love corned beef hash. I'd like to try making it from scratch sometiem.
ReplyDeleteThe beef roll was good. We did love it when Mom would make it.
DeleteCuban food is my absolute favorite.
We always ate dinner at the table too - it just seemed the right thing to do and I'm glad we kept it up!
ReplyDeleteMe too!
DeleteMy mother's cooking was on the pedestrian side, except for her baking. She was a SUPERB baker, and it's her cookies, pies, cakes, etc that I remember her making. And of course that I enjoyed the most. In later years, once Julia Child hit TV, she became better. But her baking still remained her best efforts (probably because she so enjoyed doing it). I'm largely with you on breakfast -- not hungry first thing in the morning. Most days I do brunch, I guess -- eat a very early lunch and combine those two meals.
ReplyDeleteI eat usually at about 2 and have a lunch/.breakfast combo. I am truly not hungry until then most days, though occasionally if I need something to eat earlier I go ahead and eat.
DeleteI don't like cream of wheat when it is made the American way - like a porridge - but, I love it made the Indian way, which is quite different - much drier and spicy. I've posted how I make it, or look up "upma" or "uppuma". It is usually made with semolina, but, boxed cream of wheat makes a good semolina substitute.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed reading all your answers. I've never been a big breakfast person either.I only tend to enjoy it when I travel.
ReplyDelete