The Comedy Of A Good Meal
Kelly Prew
When I was in college at Texas A&M (Whoop!), I wrote a paper in my theater class titled “Food is Funny.” I examined the way food plays a comedic role in theater, film and in life. Even in a drama, food (banana peel, pie in the face) makes an appearance and always seems to lighten the mood.
The same is true around the family table.
I am 11 years younger than my sister and 15 younger than my brother, so many of my early memories have to do with their return trips home from college. I remember my mother preparing to talk to my sister about her banking practices (or lack thereof), by first making her favorite lasagna dinner.
I am 11 years younger than my sister and 15 younger than my brother, so many of my early memories have to do with their return trips home from college. I remember my mother preparing to talk to my sister about her banking practices (or lack thereof), by first making her favorite lasagna dinner.
It somehow softened the mood to talk about something a little sensitive. Although there were some tense moments, the food was a sign Mom cared, even though she and Dad had to get tough. Things went smoothly most of the time.
When my brother returned home, we had to stock up on Oreos. He ate them with milk for breakfast. That was all he would eat for breakfast.
More than once, we had to scramble back to the store because Mother would have forgotten them.
The funny thing? His kiddos now eat Oreos by the row. Like father like children.
Then, there are the “feeds,” as we call them during the holidays or when there’s a special event. We may not have much, but my family does not go hungry, folks.
Sometimes the sheer amount of food is laughable.
The first time my husband, who is from a small family, joined in a holiday feed at the deer camp, he literally ate himself sick. …And we all laughed the next day when he felt good enough to finish off the last of the pecan pie.
And speaking of pie … Santa Claus came to my house for pie. We never put out cookies because he specifically asked for Mammaw’s chocolate pie, according to my Dad.
We’ve had fights over who gets to eat the bigger pork chop that ended in slamming bedroom doors, but 20 years later, makes for one the gut-busting stories we tell around the table.
When my friends would come to visit, even through college, my folks never asked “What do you want to do when you get here?” but rather, “What do you want on the menu?”
They always greeted the group of girls with something to eat, no matter if it was noon or midnight. Then, we’d fill my parents in on all the gossip and who was dating who and antics from the dorm. There was always laughter.
Most of my great memories involve food in some capacity. After interviewing other people on the subject for my college paper, I found they, too, could share fantastic stories from the table.
My husband, now a police officer, tells a story of Skittles that got a group of boys in deep trouble.
According to him, several 9-year-old boys took a trip to a water park with another friend and his grandpa. The boys rode in the back of the pickup that had a camper attached. Cracking open the back window, they began to flick out the hard candies.
It was funny, he said, until one Skittle hit an officer’s patrol car, resulting in a traffic stop and several red behinds.
Now, he thinks of that trip as one of the best he took as a child, and he can laugh about it.
In the vein of family stories, traditional recipes struck a chord two weeks ago, and I began receiving a few goodies I will pass on here.
“…My old standby my grandmother started me on as a child — a Fried Peanut Butter Sandwich. Quick, easy to make and nutritious.
“Take two slices bread and put coat of peanut butter on one side of each slice. Spread jelly, jam, apple butter, sliced bananas or whatever you prefer over the peanut butter and put one slice on top of the other.
“Lightly coat one side of the bread with margarine and place in a heated nonstick or iron skillet (I prefer the iron skillet ) and lightly coat the upper side with margarine. Press it down some with a spatula like you would if you were making a grill cheese sandwich. Cook to browness desired and flip it over to desired doness. That’s it and with a glass of milk you do not feel overstuffed and can go right to sleep.
“They are also good any other time. Light snack, whatever. Kids love them.”
“From Chat Pals all over”
Pecan Pie Cake
1 box coconut cake mix
1 egg
Mix above ingredients well, reserve 2/3 cup batter. Press the rest of the batter into a 9X13-inch pan and bake for 15 minutes or until brown at 325 degrees.
Then mix: 1 1/2 cups white Kayro syrup, the 2/3 reserve batter, 3 beaten eggs, 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1 tsp. vanilla and 2 cups chopped pecans.
Pour on top of the browned crust and bake at 325 degrees for 45 minutes more. Cool and eat.
Homework:
One reader is requesting people send in their favorite meal-in-one casserole recipes which could include those made in a slow cooker.
One reader is requesting people send in their favorite meal-in-one casserole recipes which could include those made in a slow cooker.
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