Sunday, January 3, 2010

Grandma's cooking


TV Mix.... that's what my mom calls it.  When she first made it (Chex Mix) in the early 1970's, she found a recipe called "TV Mix" and that is what she calls it to this day.
We love her Chex Mix, but lets face it....everyone has a "chex mix" recipe or a variation of one, and if you like one Chex Mix, you'll like them all.
There could be a few exceptions, some people might use too  much garlic, some might put a sweet spin on it, but it's all pretty much the same.

This past holiday season, my parents were supposed to come to my house for Christmas, but my dad ended up in the hospital a week before and their plans were changed.  (he's much better now, thank you), but she hadn't mailed her  Christmas packages, because they had planned to just bring them when they came, so her gifts to us ended up being sent late and arrived after Christmas.

It has become tradition for her to include  some coffee cans  (for some reason, my mom still  uses coffee cans instead of Gladware to hold her TVmix.  It's reminiscent of the 1970's to me also)  full of her TV mix for my family and my sons families.
But I had made some TV mix on Christmas Eve, when I knew my parents were not going to make it.
I used her recipe.  Her old recipe from the 1970's.  It's the same one she's used since I was a kid.
The TVmix was set out among the other goodies to enjoy thru-out the holiday weekend.
A few days after Christmas,  packages arrived from my parents.  Inside were the customary cans of her TVmix.
I over heard my 26 year old son, say to his brothers... "oh good, the coffee can is in here.  Grandma's Chex Mix is so much better than mom's."
??????
It's the same thing for crying out loud!!  I used her recipe.  I followed her instructions EXACTLY... besides its some cereal and some seasonings...how can one go wrong?

I don't think it's that I went wrong exactly, it's just that Grandma's cooking is...well Grandma's cooking.

(no one really needs a recipe for Chex Mix, do they?  Cuz, I'm not writing it down.  It wouldn't taste the same as my mom's anyway.)



10 comments:

Karen said...

Yup, you're right... Grandma's cooking is Grandma's cooking. I think it's the memories more than anything that Grandma's food provokes. Even the coffee can :)

Shelby said...

LOVE Chex Mix!

Katy ~ said...

LOL, Grandma's cooking IS the best. It's that added Grandma Special Love ingredient, I think.

Donna-FFW said...

I agree with the previous commenters. Its the special memory that grandma brings along with the dish. Must warm your heart to know how much they treasure her.

Lyndas recipe box said...

Yes, Grandma just makes it better, even though it is the same!

Cookie baker Lynn said...

Oh, how funny that Grandma's is better, just because it's Grandma's. Save those coffee cans! I want to make Boston brown bread and can't find a coffee can. (Doesn't help that I don't drink coffee).

teresa said...

oh this looks wonderful, and full of love!

~~louise~~ said...

Now that's a GREAT post, Debbie! You just can't serve "TV Mix" in anything else but coffee cans. (I miss coffee cans. They were great to bake in too!!!:)

Thank you so much for sharing...

Deborah said...

No matter what I do with some of my mom's recipes, they just don't taste the same as when she makes them! But this has given me a craving for Chex mix!

Ingrid_3Bs said...

Oh, my goodness...how true is this? The sun rises and sets on all things my mom (& Papa)touches or does! As far as my children are concerned her and their Papa are perfect. :) Does it lessen some as they get older? 'Cause mine are 10 & 13 and it's really bad!

Merry belated Christmas and Happy New Year! Hope your Dad is 100%
~ingrid

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