The kitchen

Everything happens in the kitchen... (ok not everything, get your mind out of the gutter!)

It's where we share our news, talk about our day, laugh cry & complain about doing the dishes.  It's where memories come from and it is the heart of a home. 

Yesterday I brought a tray of my dad's lasagna to my cousin.  She is fighting breast cancer and had surgery recently.  She, like most women, don't like having to ask for help, so her friends just set her up anyway.  Everyone signed up to bring dinner for the family and yesterday was my day. 

Her mom died when I was just 13, so I don't have a lot of memories of her. I do remember that she was very sweet and very kind and she loved her children dearly. 

As we were sitting down for dinner my cousin wondered aloud if my dad's lasagna & sauce were like her mothers.  It would make sense that they were similar, my dad & her mother were siblings! LOL She said they were similar but not quite the same.  We talked about how they added certain things to the Ricotta cheese that just made it perfect.  So glad I stayed and had some lasagna.  My dad usually only makes it around Christmas. 

They lived with us for a while and I remember her mom showing us how to make (forgive the butchering of this word) kraschickies or something like that. It was very light batter that you dipped this flower shaped wand into and then fried it in oil.  Then it would release from the flower thing and fry for a few minutes until golden brown.  Then we'd top it with powdered sugar. 

Another Aunt, my dad's oldest sister, had the tiniest kitchen ever, but it always smelled so good! 

My Mom's sister in law gets teased for not being the best cook.  She's older now and definitely can hold her own.  My kitchen memory of her will always be the amazing desserts she'd made. 

Now my mom... that's a whole story in itself.  Let's just say that when my mom made certain things, my friends would beg to eat over!  Heck my husband will tell you the first time I made dinner for him (my mom's baked chicken) he knew he'd love me forever!  LOL

I wonder what kitchen memories my kids will have of me.