This was my cooking day for the big weekend coming up. For this event my meal is usually what I call Grandma's casserole. Years ago Dick's mother came across this recipe, a combination of hamburger, peas, noodles, cream soups, and sour cream with a bread crumb topping. It was a great hit back then and it still is. As far as I know the recipe never had a name, so I have always called it Grandma's casserole.
I also gave a piano lesson to my student Alyssa today. (Her family goes to the church where Dick's folks attend.) Alyssa asked me what I had made - the three big pans were still on the counter. I told her it was Grandma's casserole, and then I proceeded to explain what it's made of and why we call it that. She said, "Oh, yeah, I think we call it Ruth Stauffer's casserole!" That made me laugh. In fact it made me miss her.
Ruth was an absolutely amazing woman with a great sense of humor (how else could you raise five boys born in eight years' time?) She was extremely creative, resourceful, and organized as well as a very talented artist. When Lisa was a tiny baby Dick and I needed a place to live for a few weeks between apartments, so we lived in with his parents and three younger brothers. I learned so much from her those five weeks and we got along so well. Sadly she lost a battle with ovarian cancer at the age of 53 on August 2, 1981. We were with her when she went from this world to the next, and it was an absolutely precious experience. Her very last words were, "I give all for Jesus."
But believe me, Ruth Stauffer lives on. An absolutely amazing number of her grandchildren are extremely artistic and creative. It's so much fun to see each of them pursue his/her own artistic path.
4 comments:
Alyssa is another great cook! (If she is the Alyssa I know) smiles!
You should put more stories of Grandma Ruth on here...oh how I would have liked to know her more. (I was 5 and only have 2 separate memories of her: sitting with her in the chair to read stories and being at her viewing.)
How blessed I am to have multiple grandmas! (on both sides)
She sounds like a wonderful woman. Now you really should share that recipe!
I too have had this recipe in my file for years. and we also call it "Ruth's Stauffer's Casserole." I also have another recipe in my file for years which I call "Jean Stauffer Salad" It is orange jello with raisins, carrots, walnuts and I forget what else. I haven't made it for a long time! Do you still make this, Jeanie? I should really dig that one out and make it for John as he loves jello salads on these hot summer days.
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