The Prairie Cookbook

There was a time when I was a child, when a trip to Grandma’s was magical for me.  My Grandma Schwab used to have this shelving unit in her living room, behind a huge recliner chair, full of glass animals ornaments.  I used to play with these animals for hours making up little stories.  She also had a spare bedroom with a vanity full of perfumes and strange lotions.  Again I would play with these for hours.  I probably smelt like a chemical factory by the time we left.

 

These two magical events faded as I grew older.  And trips to Grandma’s eventually started to revolve around trivial chit chat I the kitchen with the grown-ups.  But one thing never changed:  her fabulous Ukrainian cooking.  Every time we would visit she would put out a spread of food that was large enough to feed 20 people not 6 to 7. “Eat Lisa Eat” she used to say and fuss over how skinny I was. 

 

Unfortunately many of my Grandma’s recipes were lost when she passed away.  This really upsets me as she made so many wonderful dishes.  I am hoping one day we find a box of the recipe cards we sorted out from her collection, packed away by mistake in a box or storage container.  Until then, here is what we have managed to salvage.