When Mom passed away in 2009, my sweet sister-in-law, Jackie, and I divided her cookbooks between us, and I even shared some with Mom’s friends. Mom had a ton of cookbooks! Which was only fitting. June Gattis loved to cook.

Me and mom on my wedding day
December 15, 1984

While I enjoy cooking, I really love to bake. That’s my passion.

With Thanksgiving just around the corner, I’ve been flipping back through recipes, finalizing the menu, and have enjoyed running across recipes I’ve gathered from family and friends through the years. I especially treasure the ones written in that loved one’s own hand.

Mom’s Sour Cream Pound Cake
De-li-cious!

These handwritten recipes grow even more special once that person has passed from the Shadowlands and has been “swallowed up by life!”

Don’t you love how II Corinthians 5:4 describes that transition: “While we live in these earthly bodies, we groan and sigh, but it’s not that we want to die and get rid of these bodies that clothe us. Rather, we want to put on our new bodies so that these dying bodies will be swallowed up by life.” What a way to phrase it. And don’t those who belong to Christ have so much to look forward to!)

Oops! I almost started preaching there for a minute! Now back to the food.

Here are a few more of my family’s favorite recipes that I’ve made through the years. Some of which I’ll be making next week. And NOTE: These are actual pics of recipes I keep on my phone so I’ll have them handy when I’m at Publix and remember I needed to bring the recipe! So forgive the poor quality of some of them.

Sue Scott’s Apple Pie from Colorado days. So simple, sooo good!

 

Marilyn Lewis’s Dallas Dip is the BEST!

Marilyn is a fabulous cook, so she gets two entries! I’ve heard this dessert referred to by many names, but any way you slice it, it’s fabulous!

 

Mom’s scrumptious White Wine Chicken—or “Creamy Baked Chicken” since this recipe was included in a church cookbook! : )
I love Mom’s note just beneath the title. And she was/is still right. Her White Wine Chicken is still a company “go to” for me.
Do you have those kind of main dishes you reach for?

And lastly…

Kelsey in Abilene, Texas years ago, sneaking into the kitchen and getting her little paws into a chocolate cake I was supposed to take somewhere. Little urchin!

Do you have treasured recipes you’ve kept and made through the years? What are some of your “family favorite” recipes? Please share! And if you’re game, share the recipe with us, too. And please tell me someone else keeps pics of recipes on their cell phone!

Blessings on your Tuesday, friends,

Tammy

** JACK CAM **

My buddy, Dana Corkern, walked down to see me yesterday, and Jack was keeping watch for her…in very relaxed fashion.