My maternal grandmother died when I was ten years old. Four years later, my grandfather, Papa, married his elementary school sweetheart. We called her Mom. She had been married before, but did not have any children. So, she embraced us with all her motherly instincts.
Anytime, we had a family dinner, whether it was at her house or at my mom's, she would always bring this filled ( it has a removable pyrex bowl) with broccoli casserole. I'm not sure I had ever eaten broccoli until she joined the family! We all loved it and to this day, it is a family favorite.
Papa and Mom were married 20 years. She died in July 1988 and Papa died the following October. When their things were being divided, I asked for three of Papa's old pocket watches (so I could give one to each of my children when they grew up) and this, Mom's broccoli casserole dish. It was something that would always remind me of her, the love she showered on all of us (children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren) and the many happy meals we enjoyed together.
I adored my grandmother, but Mom was definitely a gift from God to our family. She cared for Papa, was there to comfort us when my mom died, and was a sweet and generous great grandmother to my children. And she gave me a great recipe! :-)
In her honor, here it is:
2 10 oz boxes chopped broccoli ( boiled and drained)
2 eggs
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1/2 cup mayo
8 oz grated sharp cheddar cheese
Mix all ingredients. Bake 30-40 min at 350 until top is golden. Allow to sit for a few minutes to firm up before serving.
Funny........two broccoli recipes in one week! Guess I'm going GREEN! :-)
What a touching post. It's amazing how one person can really leave their footprint on our hearts ;-)
ReplyDeleteYou and I are two peas in a pod...er, broccoli florets on a stalk...this past week!! Yes, I did get your Myrtle Beach note. Thanks! My email is on my profile, which you can click to from my blog. Your profile doesn't have your email address, so I can't stalk you... except via the blog! ;)
ReplyDeleteYour memorial story is sweet. Amazing how recipes, tastes, and smells can evoke a memory of very specific times gone by.
Love the story...and love the dish! And the broccoli casserole sounds yummy.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the recipe. I love the story. So sweet and I am glad God blessed you like that.
ReplyDeleteI like that you are going green because I love broccoli too.
What a beautiful story and cherished cookware filled with good memories. Thanks for the recipe, I love brocoli casserole!
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely memory and the dish is lovely as well.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing the recipe, it sounds delicious! (o:
I like your sentimental spirit and how you treasure memories and recipes of those you love. I know I will make this broccoli recipe. It sounds so good to me. Thanks for sharing it.
ReplyDelete