Hi, I’m Meg, and this blog is called My Grandma’s Recipes.
When my Grandma Sara died in September 2005, I inherited her recipe box. At that time, I promised my relatives that I would compile and share her greatest hits in the form of a cookbook. I even asked them for food-related stories and photos. It was a great idea, and I had the best of intentions.
Well, life intervened, and this project slipped down my to-do list… until 2008. I was talking with my mom, right before Thanksgiving, and it occurred to me that a blog would be a fantastic way to publish recipes as I go, share them with far-flung family, along with stories and photos, AND solicit their input via comments. A collaborative cookbook! And, doing it this way eliminates the pressure I was feeling of having promised some kind of printed, finished product to share with everyone. Now, they can check back and watch its progress (and help me, too).
I have strong food-roots on both sides of the family! Both Grandma Sara, who was my dad’s mom, and Grandma Losch, who was my mom’s mom, were fantastic cooks. For both, preparing food for their family was more than just a job. It was an expression of love. And food is my love-language, too. I intend for this blog to honor their memories and their skills, and to preserve their recipes and their stories for those who follow me.
And while I’m at it, I’ll be sharing some of my own recipes, too. Maybe my kids will want to have them someday.
Accordingly: My Grandma’s Recipes is a recipe blog and a historical work, but it will be flavored by its author. These posts aren’t just about the recipes, they include stories and commentary and more words than photos. And some posts aren’t even recipes as much as they are “here’s how I make this thing that I’ve been making for decades.”
As for me, I’m a decidedly Gen-X suburban mother of three boys. My day job is in Human Resources. I grew up on a farm in south-central Pennsylvania, moved to Washington, DC right after college, and have lived in the DC area since 1990. I currently reside in Montgomery County, Maryland.
COMMENTS: This blog will be all the better for YOUR comments. So, family and friends, if you want to contribute recipes or stories or critiques – whatever – either leave a comment or send it to soupisnotafingerfood [at] gmail [dot] com. Like and/or subscribe to this blog to monitor comments.
Now, let’s get cooking.
My Grandmas' Recipes 
Not sure where my first posted comments went, maybe into cyberspace, however, you have to read that comment before the comment above about the chopped ham makes sense. Susan D
Whoa, I just read my post. Honestly, I wasn’t asleep when I was typing, but my fingers must have slipped or were asleep.. I didn’t commit a murder and chop up a man. It was the ham I chopped. Hope you enjoyed a laugh as I did when I read it. Have a blessed day, Meg and friends.
Where can I find a sand tart cookie press cookie cutter?
Just found your blog and hope you share more!!
I am from PA and have wonderful memories of my grandmothers’ kitchens. What a lovely blog!
thanks RMW! Happy you found me.
What a sweetie you are! Awesome way to remember your family recipes. I am from PA and have wonderful memories of my grandmothers’ kitchens…
Just found your blog while searching for Hog Maw recipe. I’m from a very small village outside of Spring Grove, PA. Neither of my grandmothers wrote down their recipes. Hopefully I’ll find some on here similar to what I remember. Thanks.
Donna, I hope this one comes close to what you remember!
This is my Mom’s Recipe for Pig Stomach or Maw:
1 1/2 # Ground Sausage
1 qt. Potatoes, diced
1 onion, finely chopped
2 C. cabbage, shredded
2 tsp. Salt
1 tsp. Pepper
1 Pig Stomach or Maw
Clean Pig Stomach thoroughly and set aside. Combine remaining ingredients well. Stuff stomach and bake for 3 hours, or until completely done.
Enjoy!
thank you Pat!!
Hi Meg –
Just made your recipe for Sand Tarts. I’m from Pennsylvania originally and am now on my own in NYC. It was so nice to have a little piece of home that both my mom and grandmother used to make. Thanks for making these available. They turned out great and are just as I remember them.
Elizabeth, Thanks so much for your comment! I love that my Sand Tarts post continues to receive comments from folks who’ve been searching for exactly this recipe. Check out my other posts about chicken pot pie, sugar cookies (the Amish cake-y style ones) and pepper slaw for some more PA Dutch goodness!
Great idea so many recipes are lost. My mom used to make a cabbage slaw that she cooked on the stove and added sugar and vinegar and it always was a side dish to beef stew and butter beans. I don’t have that recipe for the slaw and the dinner just isn’t the same.
How do I find the rest of the recipes on your blog.
My husband’s aunt used to make it too! I’ll go through my recipes to see if I have it. If I do, I’ll share it with you.
Hi there- The only way to find the list now is to scroll down on the main page, lower right, under “archives” and click through by month. But you give me a good idea – I should really add a tab that lists them all by name! So, thanks for the brainstorm. I’ll do that soon! Plus, I need to start adding some more posts… it’s been a while.
I seem to recall my grandma making a hot cabbage slaw too… but it was never one of my personal favorites. I’ll have to see if my mom has the recipe! If so I’ll let you know…
Thanks for your comment! meg
Kathy, I can’t find the Hot Slaw recipe, but I’m pretty sure it was equal parts sugar and vinegar, water and when the cabbage was tender, she thickened it with either corn starch or flour and cold water. She let that continue to cook, until the flour taste cooked out. I can’t remember if shr added salt and pepper, but I’m pretty sure she did!
Just wanted to let u know i was looking for a ham potpie noodle recipe and decide on this one, being that its grandmother approved, and how easy it was! The dough was so easy to roll out it reminded me of my gram’s cooking….also i’m from hollidaysburg, pa
Meg–I just stumbled upon your blog looking for a recipe for butter brickle! When I saw your Grandmother’s handwriting–I got so excited! I absolutely love it! I’m just letting you know that (well, for one, I can’t wait to try this recipe!), but that I make custom dish towels with vintage recipes–I sell my elderly neighbor’s recipes on towels, but I do custom orders for people who have preserved their grandmothers’ (or grandfathers’!) handwritten recipes and want to do something a little extra special with them. I’ll give you the link to my etsy site so you can see some examples of the towels. Beautiful, beautiful blog! I’m so glad you’re doing something to preserve the recipes of the past!
Can you please share the link, I would like to check out the towels.
I’m so glad I found this site. I was looking for a Sand Tart recipe and Google led me here. I also noticed a reference to Grandma Losch. My Great Grandmother was also a Losch. She lived in Berwick, PA, and I’m wondering if there’s any connection there. Could you please contact me by email? My daughter has been working on our geneology and maybe we could share some info. TGhanks for the recipe!
Hi Meg, I’m so glad I found your blog! I also grew up on a farm in south-central PA but recently moved to Germany. One of the things I miss most about PA is the food (and my family of course). Your recipes bring me back home without paying for a plane ticket! Do you know how hard it is to find a Chicken Pot Pie recipe… done the right way?? Thank you so much for sharing!
So glad you stumbled upon it, Ashley! If you are in germany, you can eat pot pie’s cousin, spaetzle; I’m envious!
I’m in Oley, PA and grew up on this food. Love the blog! And thanks frot he Sand tart recipe….it’s exactly the one I was looking for!
Your stories take me back to my childhood growing up in Lebanon, Pennsylvania in the 50’s. Just like you I had 2 grandmothers who were excellent cooks and my Mom used to make the recipes you remember…sand tarts, pot pie, chicken corn soup, saurkraut and pork, green beans & ham…YUM. Christmas baking with my Mom, grandmothers and aunt…what a wonderful memory. My mother’s mom was from Germany and baked out of this world cookies.
My Mom used to serve a hot sweet/sour bacon lettuce dressing with her Pot Pie. Are you familiar with this? I would love to find a recipe for that.
So glad I came across your site.
Doris, thank you for your comment! My mom probably could provide a recipe for the hot bacon dressing – I think she still makes it from time to time. That’s one I never learned to love. I do remember my grandma making it and serving it over dandelion leaves she’d pluck from out of the back yard!
Hi, my mother-in-law was from PA and my sister in law and me helped her every christmas make these. She passed away 13 years ago and we have continued the tradition. It is a lot of work but well worth it – the family loves them. She also used to store her cookies in these potato chip cans and large glass jars, which we still use. I just had a question, do you know any new way to help with rolling them and getting them not to stick. I did get a silicone mat and rolling pin last year which helped a lot, but I find I still have to use a lot of flour. I think I will try your recipe this year, because the I use has a lot more butter and maybe that is one of the reasons the dough sticks so much. Great story.
Hi, my mother-in-law was from PA and my sister in law and me helped her every christmas make these. She passed away 13 years ago and we have continued the tradition. It is a lot of work but well worth it – the family loves them. She also used to store her cookies in these potato chip cans and large glass jars, which we still use. I just had a question, do you know any new way to help with rolling them and getting them not to stick. I did get a silicone mat and rolling pin last year which helped a lot, but I find I still have to use a lot of flour. I think I will try your recipe this year, because the I use has a lot more butter and maybe that is one of the reasons the dough sticks so much. Great story. Annd