Down Home Author Cooks Up A Book!

This book and author are on my fav list. And it's not just because the author is my dearest sis-in-law of a lot of years...like over 30! Charity Faye.

The title of her book as you may see is
Apples, Pumpkin, Popcorn, and Peanut Butter... And Other Fall Favorites From Aunt Charity's Big House On The Prairie.
I believe this was written around 1991.

The introduction page began with Charity writing that I (Ellen) saw where someone had written stories with their recipes as a backdrop. And since she had a love for cookin' out on the KS Prairie, why didn't she put her hand to the pen to the paper?

Soon thereafter she and her daughter, Becki, came down to visit. Along with them came this lovely book filled with family recipes, each draped with a story. How I loved it. And I've used it in some capacity ever since. Whether in the days gone by when I was in craft shows across the DFW area or in the last 10 years in my writing workshop.

Here's a sample of its contents:

Grandma's Corn Bread

Grandma didn't cook by measurements, so I had to hold the measuring cup under the flour sifter while she helped me get this recipe!

(I'll leave the recipe out. Email me if you would like to have it! It does look yummmy!)

Charity concluded with...

The first time I took Charles to "meet the family", we went to Grandma's house for the big family Christmas dinner. The table truly groaned under the bountiful variety of holiday fare. Charles ate a slice of ham and Grandma's corn bread with a glass of milk. He was happy, and I was in shock! Grandma said, "You leave him alone! He's got just what he wants." We have been married 22 years and Charles is still delighted with "just corn bread and milk." He tells me it's almost as good as Grandma's.

Well, Charles and Charity have been married a few more years since then, and he's still munching down on cornbread and milk. Now I bet Charles would tell you that Charity's cornbread is indeed better than Grandma's.

But isn't this a novel way of writing your life story? Cooking could be the theme of your autobiography! Now, I'm not suggesting this for people who do not like to cook. However, it's always fun to write at least one of your stories centered around a recipe or family meal.

I don't know about you, but this has inspired me to write a few more stories of my own around a great meal. This makes me hungry. See you at the table!

PHOTO: Picture of book at top, and picture of "Aunt Charity" in her mom's kitchen, where many a meal was shared and devoured, I might add!
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