"Just like Mama's"

Last night at home group, we had the food theme set up as "just like Mama used to make." Our families are all different, all unique, from different areas of the South (and country), so I was interested to see what panned out.

Fried chicken led the menu parade, followed by mashed potatoes, Savannah red rice, green bean salad, green bean casserole, biscuits. The photo at the right shows us digging into the Mississippi Mud Cake and lemon icebox pie for finishers.

Now that you're all grown up, take a few minutes today to relish in the memories of your mom's home cookin' (or grandma's). Funny how you can make the exact same recipe as she used, but it never does taste quite the same to you. Few things can top my memories of my own mom's brownies, chicken-rice casserole, and spaghetti sauce. I've tried to recreate that same feel when I make these recipes, but it's just not the same....it's not hers. Maybe that's why I tend to cook on the far extreme other end of the culinary charts myself....ethnic anything....just because my home cooking can't hold a match to Mom and Grandma's, and I know it.