Saturday, December 25, 2004

noodles

I'm cooking this morning.  I made Oreo dessert yesterday (very much like dirt cake that so many people make, only it uses Chocolate pudding instead of vanilla).  I also got the deviled eggs done, because any time my granddaughter, Amber, is coming to a family dinner, that's a must-have.  Cliff received a five-pound ham from work, so that's our meat.  But the most essential food at any big meal here is home-made noodles.

When I was growing up, we visited my mom's relatives often.  For a couple of years we lived near them, and somebody fixed a huge dinner every Sunday for the whole gang.  When Mother did the cooking, we had fried chicken as the main course.  She'd kill and dress the chicken on Saturday and keep it in a bowl of water in the refrigerator until the next day.  But the real main dish, no matter who did the cooking, was chicken and noodles.

Grandma would make noodles early in the morning when she was having folks over for dinner (dinner was noon, by the way, and still is, in my book).  She'd roll the dough out, then roll it up lengthwise with plenty of flour on both surfaces, so it wouldn't stick, and cut the noodles about a quarter-inch wide with a knife.  My cousins and I had the job of unrolling each individual noodle.  They'd lay there to dry a for a few hours, until time to throw them in the boiling broth.

Any baby born into the family was introduced to noodles early on:  I can almost hear Aunt Ruby saying to someone, as we waited on the meal, "Give that baby some noodles".  I imagine both my kids tasted noodles by the time they were a couple months of age.  It's a dish all kids seem to love.

The most nostalgic comfort food I make is noodles.  My mom had a noodle-cutter she offered me, and I declined; I enjoy doing it "just like Grandma".  I can almost feel her presence when I'm cutting those strands and then unrolling them.

                                     MY MOM'S NOODLES

2 cups flour, 1/2 tsp. salt, 1/4 tsp baking powder.

Mix well.  Cut in 4 tablespoons butter.

Beat together 3 eggs and 1/4 cup of cream; also a few drops of yellow food coloring.  Add to the dry ingredients and mix all together.  Knead into a ball and cover on the counter with the mixing bowl for 20 to 30 minutes.  Roll out, roll up, and cut.  I try to do this in the morning and leave the noodles scattered on the counter until time to cook them.

Today I'm making a double batch.  Noodles freeze well if there's any left over (fat chance).

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

:: Packing bags ::

Forget the steak I'm fixing for dinner.  Throw on another plate, Mosie, I'm on my way.  

Merry merry Christmas.

Bnana

Anonymous said...

It's amazing what means home... sometimes it's the simple things.. like noodles!!
Happy Holidays to You and Yours! Here's wishing you a wonderful day!
http://journals.aol.com/astaryth/AdventuresofanEclecticMind

Anonymous said...

Mosie, I remember making noodles too, as my Mom and Grandmother did. Haven't made them in years and now I want to after seeing yours. Enjoy the day and Merry Christmas.   Anne

Anonymous said...

Even though I'm full as a tick from all the food I've eaten today, Mo, my mouth started watering when I read your entry about the homemade noodles, especially the chicken and noodles.  I've never tried making noodles, but they sound wonderful.  Thanks for sharing your memories, Mo.  Merry Christmas to you, Cliff and the family.  Love, Sam

Anonymous said...

Can you share your deviled egg recipe too? I have a dozen eggs in the fridge (got them free with my last order) and no clue what to do with them all.