Food has always been the centerpiece of all celebration in our family. Whether it was a School Turnout program, Easter Sunday, Christmas, or just good friends getting together, we always felt blessed when the table was full of scrumptious, home cooked dishes.

As I reminisced about our past with Elsie and John Willie, it was inevitable that the subject of food would frequently interject itself. Each memorable experience and milestone were punctuated with the aromas and textures of food. We discovered that, despite our numerous detours through health and food trends, the foods of our youth retain a special place in our hearts and minds.

Following are some special foods from our Celebration Menu that have been the centerpiece of our get-togethers over the years. Try them the next time you have a family gathering.

Read more about Great Grandma Ellen in Soul Stirrings.  Get your free recipes in ebook or pdf format. 

Fresh Fruit Bowl

Assorted Cheese Platter

Assorted Crackers

Fast and Easy Home-made Rolls

Elsie’s Gumbo, or

Sommemor’ Vegetable Beef Soup

Nutty Cranberry Salad

Spring-Mix Green Salad

Ernest’s Grilled Pork Loin

Baked Christmas Goose

Cornbread and Oyster Dressing

Rice (for gumbo)

Perfect Candied Sweet Potatoes

Old Fashioned Collard Greens

String Beans and Potatoes

Locust Hill Lemon Pie

Cream Cheese Pound Cake

Fruitcake Extraordinaire

Sinners’ Punch

Coffee

Ice Tea

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