This category feature recipes that have been passed down through generations of a family, with stories and anecdotes about the family members who made them.
Old Fashioned Gingerbread Cookies – Soft & Chewy The aroma of old fashioned gingerbread cookies drifting through the kitchen is my earliest Christmas memory. Mom—now an amazing 101‑and‑a‑half years young—still rolls the sticky dough across wax paper, dusting it with flour while humming Bing Crosby. Last week she invited me over, pressed a well‑worn recipe…
1234 Cake – Old‑Fashioned Butter Cake Recipe If cakes could talk, the 1234 cake would spin stories from the 1920s: 1 cup butter, 2 cups sugar, 3 cups flour, 4 eggs—easy enough to memorize before measuring cups were common. My friend’s grandmother baked it for barn dances, and today it’s still my go‑to when I want fuss‑free decadence. Grab…
Homemade Fruitcake Recipe – Step-by-Step with Photos & Tradition If you’ve ever read Truman Capote’s A Christmas Memory, you’ll know why homemade fruitcake holds a special place in so many hearts. I fell in love with the ritual of fruitcake—the zest, the soaking, the careful wrapping—decades ago, inspired by that book and the loving tradition…
Homemade Cough Syrup Recipe with Bourbon (Old-Fashioned, Peppermint & Lemon!) If you’ve ever wanted a truly comforting homemade cough syrup recipe with bourbon, you’re in for a treat—and maybe a bit of nostalgia too. This cozy concoction comes straight from old family kitchens, where a jar of syrup sat in the cupboard all winter, ready…
Scottish Shortbread Recipe – Classic, Buttery & Easy If you’ve been searching for the perfect Scottish shortbread recipe—the kind that’s buttery, crumbly, and melts in your mouth just like Grandma’s—you’re in the right place! This recipe uses just three simple ingredients for that classic Scottish shortbread flavor. Whether you’re baking for the holidays or just…
Sourdough Bread Recipe: Classic, Cozy & Easy for Home Bakers If there’s one recipe that feels like a warm hug from generations past, it’s homemade sourdough bread. Whether you grew up with a flour-dusted kitchen table or you’re just learning the magic of “feeding the starter,” this sourdough bread recipe will bring back those memories…
Old Fashioned Sugared Donuts Remembering Mom’s Kitchen: A Sugared Tribute There’s something magical about the scent of freshly fried doughnuts wafting through a home. For my sisters and me, that sweet, cinnamon-spiced aroma brings us right back to Mom’s kitchen. She was known far and wide for her homemade goods, but her old fashioned sugared…
Instant Pot Green Chile Pork Enchiladas – Easy & Flavorful Recipe Now, I don’t like to start kitchen debates, but green chile pork enchiladas might just be the best comfort food around. If your kitchen smells like slow-simmered pork, roasted green chile, and melted cheese, you’re in for a real treat. These Instant Pot…
Horehound Candy – Bittersweet and Straight from the Hills Horehound candy is one of the oldest herbal cough drops still made today. While it’s not everyone’s favorite flavor, it’s a cherished Appalachian remedy that’s stood the test of time. This bittersweet treat filled every home medicine cabinet—long before menthol lozenges or synthetic syrups became the…
Sassafras Tea – A Sip of Appalachian Tradition If you ever spent a chilly morning in the Appalachian hills, there’s a good chance you’ve sipped a cup of sassafras tea—that earthy, reddish brew made from the roots of the sassafras tree. It’s a drink with deep roots (literally and culturally), passed down through generations of…
