4-H

Sharing recipes and memories

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After publishing my last post about special cookbooks, I posted a recipe I found in one of my mom’s cookbooks. The recipe was for Pride of Iowa Cookies. I posted it to the I Grew Up in Iowa Facebook page on October 27th. Since then, the post has received 941 likes, 180 comments and 646 shares. A recipe! I did not realize sharing recipes and memories about recipes could be so important.

Sharing recipes
Recipe from Mom’s cookbook, Photo by slc

Some of the many different wonderful comments and memories I received after sharing this old recipe:

  • I made these cookies for the Hardin Co. Fair when I was in 4-H. And I did get a ribbon. Would have been late 40s, early 50.
  • Wow, those are a blast from the past. I made those for a 4-H fair project.
  • My Mom’s best cookie recipe. Of course she added chocolate chips or raisins.
  • My mother used to make these when I was growing up and they were delicious.
  • I also made those cookies as 4-H project. If I remember correctly I won a blue ribbon. Good chewy cookie.
  • Oh, man alive, those are good cookies! My friend’s grandma used to make those for us, & she sent them in a plastic lard bucket, so we always called them “Lard Cookies”, but I know they were “Pride of Iowa.” 
  • This post made this depressed person so happy. Seeing everyone light up with joy remembering these from their past. Really made my heart happy
  • I just found a recipe card with this from my mom 🤗
  • My favorite oatmeal cookie. A 4-H staple 50 years ago.
  • Great recipe! Was given this by my neighbor when we moved to Iowa And we still enjoy it !
  • My mom made these, and the recipe is in her recipe box. Yummy!!
  • Love these cookies, one of our families favorites!
  • I am going to make cookies for Christmas this year. Think I’ll try to remember to make these.
  • You know my grandma made these often.
  • I think this is the recipe my Mom uses that my Grandma used to make. Yum!
  • Thanks for sharing!! These were my favorite cookies growing up. My mom made them often.
  • If nothing else I need to try these just because of the name since I am a born & bred Iowan
  • One of my Grandma’s favorite recipes😊
  • My mother in law made these, they were so good!
  • Thank you for sharing!!! Mom’s always had the best!

Hard to believe one old recipe could bring so many joyful memories to so many. Many of you are probably going through your recipes today or tomorrow in preparation for a Thanksgiving meal. Maybe this holiday season you too can share an old family favorite and the memorable stories behind the recipe.

Thank God for our family and friends from the past and in the present. Happy Thanksgiving!

Head, Heart, Hands, and Health

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In the late 60’s and early 70’s my Mom and Mrs. Olmstead lead a rural 4-H club for our family and others in the farming community. I joined at the age of eight, the earliest you could join.

4-H
4-H.org

4‑H Pledge

I pledge my head to clearer thinking,
My heart to greater loyalty,
My hands to larger service,
and my health to better living,
for my club, my community, my country, and my world.

While I was in 4-H for nearly 10 years, I held every office: historian, secretary, treasurer, vice-president and president. 4-H taught me how to refinish furniture, cook, bake, design, sew and garden. My favorites were interior design and gardening. I also learned how to give “talks,” speaking and presenting in public. I guess you could say we learned practical hands-on life skills as well as leadership and service.

making valentines
Valentines for Nursing Home Residents, Photo by slc

Recently the memory of making “tray favors” for nursing home residents came to mind. We assembled the little cups of mints, etc. at home and then took them to the facility where staff put them on the resident’s lunch trays. Since my Mom is now in a nursing home, I thought this Valentine’s Day I would replicate our favors by making valentines for my Mom and for the 30 residents she lives with. I plan to mail them and then Mom can hand them out. She was excited to hear about the plan and to see the ones I had made so far during our Zoom call last week. I think my former 4-H leader approved.

As I get older it is fun and exciting to remember some of the things I did in my youth. We tend to forget about these little memories like being in 4-H but they had such a profound impact on our lives.

Do you have a similar memory you now cherish? Please share.