Pat Kreger

When my mother died, I inherited a few pieces of jewelry, her hand embroidered table- cloths, china and my prized possession, her recipe box.  Mama was the classic Southern Jewish wife and mother of the Sixties.  The breakfast table was always set the night before with cloth napkins, flatware and breakfast dishes; always lovely.  Dinner included a first course.  Remember pineapple rings with a scoop of cottage cheese, topped with a maraschino cherry?

Stuffed to overflowing, the recipe box is a treasure chest of daily and holiday recipes, a jumble of Sabbath dinner, Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Passover and Thanksgiving specialties gleaned from friends, relatives and magazines.  How about Mildred’s sweet and sour meatballs made with ketchup and grape jelly?  Anyone up for brisket topped with Coca Cola and onion soup mix?

Family gathering meals always included noodle kugel and one of her new jello mold recipes.  My boys still make fun of me when I serve their Bubbie’s unnaturally pink strawberry jello mold.  But everyone enjoys it and friends always want the recipe, which follows below.  But what I love the most is reading the recipes in her beautiful, now fading, handwriting on the index cards.  The recipe box reminds me of joyful family gatherings, jello molds and all.  But mostly, it reminds me of Mom.

Strawberry and Sour Cream Mold, Ruth Kreger

1 6-oz and 1 3-oz package strawberry jello

Half the amount of water per standard recipe

2 small pkg frozen strawberries and juice (about 2 cups)

1 pt sour cream

Prepare concentrated jello.  Add sour cream and mix until

Desired texture.  Refrigerate.