Mom's Kitchen

By Loretta Magdelinic Keith

My mother was a strong woman. Being born into the early part of the twentieth century took her through two world wars, the Great Depression, and the Model T. Through poverty, countless hardships, and bard work, she brought love and warmth to our lives through the simple joys of her homecooked meals. She loved to cook, and her kitchen was the center of our family that shaped our lives.

Her simple recipes were filled with basic Ingredients that reflect an older way of life. Her dishes brought us together; meal time was family time. Follow the story of a young Croatian bride carving out a life for her family in a small, parochial coal-mining town. These ethnic recipes are rooted in family, tradition, celebration, and home. Come visit Mom's Kitchen with me and experience the satisfaction that comes from cooking meals for your family.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Dec 18, 2015
• ISBN: 9781499080322

Loretta Magdelinic Keith

Loretta Magdelinic Keith was born to first-generation American Croatians. Her tales of family and food are based on life as seen through the eyes of one growing up in an Appalachian mining town in the 1940s and 50s. Despite poverty and hardships, everyone came together at the table to share a meal. Loretta's thoughts and stories are embraced in her recipes.

Book preview

MOM’S

KITCHEN

A CROATIAN LEGACY

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LORETTA MAGDELINIC KEITH

Copyright © 2015 by Loretta Magdelinic Keith. 653697

ISBN:   Softcover   978-1-4990-8033-9

             EBook       978-1-4990-8032-2

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

Rev. date: 12/27/2015

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MOM’S KITCHEN

A Croatian Legacy

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Awakening

EASY ROASTED LAMB

PAPRIKA COTTAGE CHEESE

PIEROGIE

MOM’S DOUGH SOUP

KERPUTSA

HAM POT PIE

EASTER EGG FONDANT

Sunshine and Gardens

CREAM OF GREEN BEAN SOUP

PEPPERS AND CREAM SOUP

MACARONI SALAD

CUCUMBER SALAD

FRANKFURTERS IN ONIONS AND KETCHUP

BREADED PORK CHOPS

SOUR-CHERRY PIE

GRANDPA’S CHICKEN

CHICKEN PAPRIKASH

Gathering

STRUDEL

STRUDEL DOUGH RECIPE

APPLE FILLING

PUMPKIN FILLING

TURNIP FILLING

CABBAGE FILLING

CHEESE FILLING

PENNSYLVANIA DUTCH PUMPKIN PIE

BEANS AND CABBAGE SOUP

SCRAPPLE

PAPRIKA RICE

ONION-ZUCCHINI RELISH

Warm Hearth and Hearty

HUNGARIAN SOUP

VEAL ROAST

MEATLOAF

EASY SCALLOPED POTATOES

SHAGUNTSA

TENDER PORK ROAST

ROUND STEAK SAUTÉ

DUMPLINGS IN BROWNED BUTTER

CREAMED LIMA BEAN SOUP

KLEBASE

Celebration

SARMA

SARMA

KOLATCHE

KOLATCHE DOUGH

WALNUT FILLING

POPPY SEED FILLING

POTATO SALAD

CROATIAN NUT CRESCENTS

Nostalgic

GOBS

BANANA BREAD

SUBMARINE SANDWICH

GRET’S HOT DOG SAUCE

BABA’S YELLOW CAKE

FLUFFY RICE PUDDING

CINNAMON ROLLS

Zafrig

ZAFRIG

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My mother was a strong woman. Being born into the early part of the twentieth century took her through two world wars, the Great Depression, and the Model T. Through poverty, countless hardships, and bard work, she brought love and warmth to our lives through the simple joys of her homecooked meals. She loved to cook, and her kitchen was the center of our family that shaped our lives.

Her simple recipes were filled with basic Ingredients that reflect an older way of life. Her dishes brought us together; meal time was family time. Follow the story of a young Croatian bride carving out a life for her family in a small, parochial coal-mining town. These ethnic recipes are rooted in family, tradition, celebration, and home. Come visit Mom’s Kitchen with me and experience the satisfaction that comes from cooking meals for your family.

Loretta Magdelinic Keith was born to first-generation American Croatians. Her tales of family and food are based on life as seen through the eyes of one growing up in an Appalachian mining town in the 1940s and 50s. Despite poverty and hardships, everyone came together at the table to share a meal.

Loretta’s thoughts and stories are embraced in her recipes.

PREFACE

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As a child growing up in a Pennsylvania coal-mining town in the 40’s and 50’s, I lived and breathed family. Family governed my thoughts, actions, playmates and all that was of my world. My brother Steve, my sister Anna, and I never had sleepovers and hardly played with neighborhood children . Instead, we would come directly home from school and spend time with each other. Family governed my thoughts, actions, playmates: it was my whole world. And at the center of it all was my Mom’s kitchen.

There were many days of dark, winter storms, swirling snow and icy roads. On some days, torrential rain and hail storms kept us locked inside. Other days were a warm wonderful delight. Whatever the weather, coming home to the kitchen was a respite from the world. Outside could be dark , gloomy, sooty from coal dust, frosty from north winds, or wet from rains. It could be cruel from childish comments, down days at school, and hurt feelings. Coming into our clean, warm house with savory and spicy aromas was a privilege that I never fully realized at the time. The years have taught me to appreciate how special that was.

What a treat to be welcomed into a house, warm and comfortable, with soup cooking on the stove and bread baking in the oven. Though we were a very poor coal-mining family in a meager, company-owned shanty, we were never hungry. Many days went by when Dad was out of work because there were no orders for coal. When there was no work, there was no pay. In spite of that, we ate well. It might have been soup and bread. It might have been potatoes and cottage cheese. It might have been eggs and noodles. Whatever it was, it was made with wholesome ingredients, seasoned to perfection, and always delicious.

It was an era of not counting calories, not watching cholesterol, and not worrying about eating red meat. It was a time when fast food and highly-processed foods were not in our neighborhoods. Mom was home and she cooked all the meals. We ate what was available. We worked hard.

This book follows a story about a young , eighteen-year old Croatian housewife, my Mother. A first-generation American who was born poor, had to quit school to care for siblings, then married into a poor family. Her husband and her mother-in-law, Baba, were abusive. However, Mom overcame poverty and abuse to rise above all challenges. In spite of Baba, she discovered her own way of cooking and made it her own.

When I began this journey through Mom’s Kitchen , I looked back to a different time and place. Markets were different in the early 20th century and ingredients that were used then are not the same