My husband found a job on the other side of the county. The long drive was too expensive and time consuming to continue. We found a piece of land near where he worked. With money in short supply, we built our new home on the buy-and-build-as-you-go plan. We first lived in a borrowed house trailer, then in the bare studded house, as we worked on various projects. With no credit history, we didn't even try to secure a mortgage.

Everybody knows about banana pudding. It is a favorite go to when you want to make a good impression. Have you ever thought about using strawberries instead? You don't need fresh strawberries. Frozen ones are in this recipe. Keep some vanilla wafers on hand. Everything else you probably have in your pantry.

This recipe is so easy it seems a shame to even write it down. Refrigerator biscuits are what make it easy. Turned out in front of your family on a large plate will make you the star baker at your house. Have plenty of hot coffee ready to pour and this sugary breakfast treat will be a hit.

This was a common refrain during the Great Depression. Yes, we did get three meals a day, but a child craves more. I have always had a sweet tooth. Sugary treats were seldom included on Mother's shopping list.

When I see a reasonable price on fresh salmon fillets, I snap them up. Fresh salmon enjoys companionship with several fruits. Pineapple is a favorite of mine. You can find pineapple juice in small 6 ounce cans on the grocery shelf. Try this recipe. You might use it when you have a special guest. It is fancy and good.

GLAZED SALMON
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup unsweetened pineapple juice
2 tablespoons soy sauce
4 salmon fillets, 6 ounces each

I first sampled this treat at a party long ago. Mozzarella cheese doesn't have a whole lot of flavor unless you gussy it up. This recipe does. Add it to your hors d'oeurves tray for your next get-together. Even if you don't use sun-dried tomatoes very often, they will keep in your fridge for quite a while. They are great in pasta or potato salads.

In years past, buying refrigerated shredded potatoes would have been an unacceptable luxury for this cash-strapped housewife. I don't even think they were available back in the day. Heck, refrigerators were still in the “gosh, what a luxury” category. Frozen french fries were unheard of and who would consider buying individual baking potatoes? My, how times have changed. You might already have a favorite hashbrown recipe, but if you don't, here is mine.

My father kept postcards from his childhood. I found them after he passed away. I never knew they existed until then. He was born in 1899 in Sandstone
Township of Jackson County, Michigan It was a different time. Dad would have been horrified to see how this old world is turning nowadays. It was a gentler time. Boys on the farm didn't have the distractions that abound now.

I like beets just about any way you can fix them. Fresh ones, topped and cooking in boiling salted water taste the best. Then peel them, slice them and top with butter and some of the warmed water they were cooked in. Everyone I know likes them fancied up. This is a fancied up recipe. Good, too. Please forgive me for using canned beets. Fresh ones aren't always available.

Here is an easy version of chicken pot pie. The hard work of cooking the chicken, preparing the veggies and making the sauce and biscuits is all done for you. It does take a while to bake, but you can be doing other things while it does. Nothing beats finding an easy entree for supper.