My Grandmother's Legacy

A couple weeks ago my Grandmother, Mollie Chenchinsky, moved into an Assisted Living facility. In the weeks leading up to the move she was busy packing and getting rid of things she would no longer need. Among many other things that she gave me was a card file box filled with all of her recipes.  All of these note cards are hand written and most of them are older than me.

One of the things my Grandmother is known for is her amazing cookies.  All of us grandchildren looked forward to cookie care packages when we were in college.  We loved getting a little taste of home and we often shared them with our friends. As each of our college years ended and our friend went in different directions they also remembered Grandma Mollie's cookies. I have friends to this day that live on other countries and still ask me if my Grandma is still alive and baking her amazing cookies.

Well yes, Grandma Mollie is now just a few months shy of her 100th birthday but has finally had to give up her baking. She no longer has a kitchen where she lives. The recipes are now mine and with them the legacy that goes with them.

I consider it a bit of a terrifying honor to have these cookie recipes as well as her other recipes. I have never been much of a baker but I feel I have to try and make each and every one of them so when my Grandmother is gone these flavors that we have grown to love will go on. So the next generation can love them like I do.

To that end, this year for Rosh Hashannah I will be attempting to make my two favorites of Grandma Mollie's cookies, The Toffee Bars and The Lemon Bars. I will take them to dinner at my parent's house and put them to the ultimate test. The family, including Grandma Mollie will get to try them.

They may not taste exactly like when Grandma makes them but hopefully they will be good.

Wish me luck.

The Granola Adventure part 2

So my first batch of granola came out pretty good. It is very tasty and not too sweet.

The only problem I had was that when it cooled, it stuck to the baking pan. I had to heat it up again to get it off the pans.

The Granola Adventure Part 1

Granola

Most Saturdays I go to the Shaker Square Farmer's Market.  There used to be an Amish woman there who made the best granola.  It was full of flavor but not too sweet. I loved it but she has stopped coming to the market and I have been without this delicious granola for many months now. This makes me sad.

I have decided to try my hand at making my own granola.  I have found several recipes and plan to try a bunch of them until I find something I like.  Today I am making Lizzie's Granola.  This Lizzie in question is Liz Symon, wife of Iron Chef and Cleveland native Michael Symon.  Chef Symon has made this granola on his show Symon's Suppers.  You can find the recipe at Lizzie's Granola .

For the dried fruit I have chosen cranberries, because well I love them.  I also cut down the honey a bit since I don't like my granola super sweet.

At the moment my apartment smells amazing as it is cooking. Cross your fingers with me that it tastes as good as it smells.  I will post more about my adventures in granola as I continue to work on this project.