Not Just a Recipe

09/09/2021

06/02/2018

Need something to sip on before tonight’s Power Hour? Try this delicious (and healthy!) smoothie from plant-strong lifestyle advocate Caryn Hartglass.

P.S. There’s still time to join the Plant-Powered and Thriving Expert Series! Claim your free spot before it’s too late: https://frn.co/2xdZsQR

12/04/2017

TIME FOR GIFTS; FOOD GIFTS FROM YOUR KITCHEN

Excerpt from my book; Ch.8- Food Gift Tips and:
Recipe for PEPPERMINT SNOWBALLS

Food Gift Ideas for Homemade Presents:

Homemade gifts are special, adding a personal touch and coming right from your kitchen, and usually joyously received. Putting together a homemade food gift can be as easy as mixing together a few items such as a pancake mix and a bottle of real maple syrup with a fancy hot chocolate mix. Try to personalize your gift to the person or family. Teenagers love monster cookies. Someone who loves to cook would love a tin of homemade spice rub. Candied or spiced nuts are perfect for co-workers. For candy lovers make something special like a Fruit & nut brittle, peppermint bark, or decadent homemade snickers (recipe below) that have wowed my family and friends for years. A popular gift I made for my neighbors was a basket that contained a homemade walnut-cheddar cheese ball and a sleeve of crackers with an attached cheese spreader, all prettily wrapped with the recipe attached.
My neighbor Joanne looked forward to that each Christmas.
Once you have made all your gifts, be creative with your packaging. Use jars, tins, or boxes. I have seen wonderful ideas for packing my gifts at the Paper Store and Michaels’s Craft store, such as already decorated “chinese food” boxes that make festive and easy containers for many things. Finish everything off with a ribbon or bow and don’t forget to include a copy of the recipe if it is a homemade item.
****************
Peppermint snowball cookies are so festive and delicious. For gift giving put them in different size chinese food boxes, with red tissue and a candy cane tied to the outside.
Wait until you smell a batch of these cookies baking in your oven!
PEPPERMINT SNOWBALLS
Makes 4 dozen
Ingredients:

1 cup butter, softened
½ cup confectioners’ sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
½ cup ground walnuts or pecans, optional
Filling:
2 tablespoons cream cheese, softened
½ cup confectioners’ sugar
1 teaspoon milk
3 tablespoons finely crushed peppermint candy
1 drop red food coloring
Topping:
½ cup crushed peppermint candy
½ cup confectioners’ sugar
1. In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Beat in vanilla. Gradually add flour. Stir in nuts. Knead dough until pliable. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour or until easy to handle.
2. In a small mixing bowl, beat cream cheese, sugar, milk, candy, and food coloring. Roll tablespoonfuls of dough into balls. Using the end of a wooden spoon handle, make a deep indentation in the center of each. Fill with one-quarter teaspoon filling. Cover with one-quarter teaspoonfuls of dough; seal and reshape into balls.
3. Combine topping ingredients; roll balls in topping. Place 1 inch apart on ungreased baking sheets (I like to line baking sheet with parchment paper).
Bake at 350 degrees for 12-14 minutes or until firm. Roll slightly warm cookies in topping again; cool on wire racks.

10/15/2017

A REALLY GOOD TUNA NOODLE CASSEROLE & BREAD PUDDING BAKED IN A PUMPKIN.
Excerpt from book; chap.6 "Tried & True Recipes

A Tuna Noodle Casserole to Love? Believe it.

Gourmet, maybe not; comfortable, delicious, and classic, absolutely!
Casseroles, baked in a casserole dish such as the old favorite, glass Pyrex, are hot and creamy and usually have cheese. They can be main courses or sides, and are always welcome at a potluck gathering. To me, it is a way to share a piece of yourself, as a casserole makes any dinner table a bit more colorful and interesting. Casseroles are favorites because there are so many concoctions and variations to any one recipe that you can have a little culinary fun. Many casserole recipes can be prepared the night before or the morning of, kept refrigerated, and put in the oven to bake when you get home in the evening.

This recipe comes from a friend of forty years. April developed it herself, very often not using a recipe for a lot of her cooking. It took us a while to sit down and put it in recipe form. April is amazing to me, as I am a cook who needs a recipe to follow. (Her scalloped potatoes are another of her “throw it together” fantastic dishes). Besides being a very good cook and baker (desserts her specialty), she has celebrated thirty-eight years as a valued nurse and employee at the Milford Regional Medical Center in Milford, Massachusetts.
I suggest that the first time you make this, use this basic recipe so you can truly appreciate the flavors (no fishy taste here). Next time feel free to put in your favorite ad-ins like peas, onions, ham, etc.., personalizing it to your family’s tastes.

TUNA NOODLE CASSEROLE
Recipe courtesy of April Hawkins, Milford Massachusetts
Prepare a 13x9x2” baking pan; butter or coat with cooking spray
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Ingredients:
Egg noodles, x -wide - 18 ounces (Use 1 full 12 ounce bag and half of another)
1 (12 ounce) can tuna fish (Bumble Bee packed in water good), drained and crumbled
1 (8 ounce) block Velveeta cheese, cubed
1 stick (1/2 cup) butter
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups whole milk (may use 1%, half & half, or partial amount light cream); this depends on how rich you would like the sauce to be.
1 teaspoon black pepper
Directions:
Cook noodles according to package directions in salted water. Drain well in colander.
Make béchamel sauce (also known as white sauce):
In same pan you used to cook noodles melt 1 stick of butter over medium heat; add flour, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon. Slowly add milk stirring constantly. Add pepper. Continue to stir while adding cubed cheese; sauce will thicken as it cooks.
Add crumbled tuna, stirring well.
Mix in cooked noodles. (Add salt to taste here, only if desired)
If mixture too thick, stir in up to a cup of milk to thin.
Pour mixture into prepared pan.
Topping:
Panko bread crumbs (approximately 1 cup)
1 stick butter
Cover top of casserole with panko crumbs, drizzle with butter.
Bake for 45 minutes until hot and bubbly.

COMMENT from Bonita C.: Kudos to April. I wanted something filling and meatless for supper and this solved my dilemma. I followed your advice and didn’t add anything and it’s true I could appreciate the flavors. It brought me back to the 1950’s and 60’s and the comfort of a good old-fashioned casserole. This recipe is a keeper. My sister lives in Shreveport LA and tells me Velveeta is a staple in most Southern kitchens.

BREAD PUDDING BAKED IN PUMPKIN SHELL
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Ingredients:
1/3 cup sugar
2 cups milk
¼ cup butter
3 cups stale bread cubes (ciabatta loaf, French bread stick) use hearty bread
3 eggs
½ to 2/3 cup raisins; amount to your personal taste
¼ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup chopped pecans - optional
Hollow out a medium-sized pumpkin, removing seeds and stringy pulp. Wipe off outside shell.
Combine milk and butter in a medium saucepan; cook over medium heat until butter melts. Add sugar and stir
until sugar dissolves, remove from heat. Combine bread cubes, raisins and pecans in a large bowl; toss gently. Pour
milk mixture over bread mixture and stir gently. In a small bowl, beat eggs with vanilla, nutmeg, salt, and
cinnamon; add to bread mix and stir gently. Spoon mixture into pumpkin; place in middle of oven, on oven rack
lined with aluminum foil. Bake uncovered for about 1 hour or until pudding lightly browns, is set, and knife inserted
in center comes out clean. Serve warm. Makes 6-8 servings

06/18/2017

A book excerpt from Chap.3;CELEBRATE THE FOURTH...Recipe below for Red, White, & Blue Brownie Shortcake.

July 4th Independence Day
There is something magical about fireworks on the Fourth of July.

I have enjoyed them from a boat in Boston harbor, a hill-top in Wolfeboro New Hampshire, Chatham pier, Cape Cod, and my own hometown.
My brother Bill says the best fireworks are in the city of Buenos Aires when it seems the entire city is magnificently lit.

Grilled Turkey Breast
A plus to this recipe is that the marinade has no sugar and is low fat, while very delicious.
Ingredients:
1 turkey breast half with bone in (2-2 ½ pounds will feed 4-6 people)
1 cup plain yogurt
¼ cup lemon juice
3 tablespoons olive oil
¼ cup minced fresh parsley
¼ cup chopped green onions
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons minced fresh dill, or 2 teaspoons dried dill w**d
½ teaspoon crushed dried rosemary
½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper
Place turkey breast in a glass baking dish. In a small bowl, combine remaining ingredients. Spread over the turkey. Cover tightly and refrigerate at least 8 hours or overnight. Turn to coat a couple of times. Remove turkey and discard marinade. Grill turkey covered, over medium heat (charcoal or gas grill), for 1 to 1¼ hours or till juices run clear. It is better to go lower on the heat and cook longer to keep it moist. Turn turkey a few times during cooking.
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Brownie Shortcake with Sour Cream Topping

Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Ingredients:
1 box (19.5 ounce) brownie mix
1 container (16 ounces) sour cream, divided
1 cup thawed whipped topping
1 tablespoon confectioners’ sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
Fresh sliced strawberries and blueberries, combined to make 3 cups
Prepare brownie batter as directed on package; stir in ½ cup of the sour cream; spoon into a greased and floured
9 inch round cake pan. Bake 45 minutes; cool 10 minutes. Remove from pan to wire rack; cool completely.
Mix remaining sour cream, whipped topping, sugar and vanilla. Cut brownie in half horizontally to make 2 layers. Place bottom half on a serving plate; spread with half of the sour cream mixture. Cover with top of brownie and remaining sour cream mixture. Pile berries in center of top to complete red, white, blue theme; Store in refrigerator.

COMMENT FROM LOIS, Methuen MA;
{ I just had to tell you about your Brownie Shortcake that I made this past weekend for dessert at a barbecue we went to. HIT OF THE EVENING! No exaggeration. Where did you get such a great recipe is what I want to know? Many recipes say how easy they are, but you were right about this one, really easy. I plan to make it again for July 4th and use raspberries on top.}

06/05/2017

It's FATHER'S DAY Soon;
To Meet some of the Father's in my Family, go to www.notjustarecipe.blogspot.com/

Excerpt from Chapter 3: HONORING FATHER'S...

MY GRANDFATHER raised his six sons on Hazelcroft Farm in Hopkinton Massachusetts in the 1930s. His life was physical work from daybreak to sunset.
Even in the winter, his skin would be brown from the sun. He was such an easy going man, and I never heard him raise his voice. He was always there when we needed him. With excerpts from a poem I once read, I can describe him in these ways that I remember him the most: “A man with the warmth of the summer sun, the calm of a peaceful lake, and the wisdom of the ages;” If you had only known him.
MY FATHER raised his family from mid 1940’s into the 1970’s. He was a hardworking man who often worked three jobs to “put a roof over our heads, keep us warm and fed well”, all important necessities to the bread-winner of those years. Christmas morning seemed to be his favorite time of year. His eyes were brighter, his brow less worrisome, his smile bigger as he watched his eight children open their gifts. It took me many years to appreciate what an accomplishment that was at the time, to give that many kids a good Christmas.
Since the early 2000s I have watched the NEWEST DADS in my family raise their young children. Chris, Steve, Ed, Todd, Dave, James, Dan, Eric, Paul and Craig inspire me. They not only work many hours at their jobs, but they are active partners in parenting. They diaper and “walk floors” to soothe their crying baby and they go to all school and sports events. I see them parent with encouragement, support, and lots of affection, play and fun. Being a Mother, I never paid a lot of attention to Father’s Day, but these young fathers deserve the honor of their day, they continue to earn it, and they have my respect.

IT WAS SOMETIME in the 1980’s when my brother Bill started bringing the following dip to our family get-togethers at our parent’s home on Cape Cod. Prior to that Bill remembers this Tex-Mex style dip popular among US Army families entertaining around the world during the 1970’s and 80’s.

Bill Jackman’s Layered Bean Dip
Serves 4 to 6
Ingredients:
1 can refried beans
½ to 1 package dry TACO seasoning
4 large or 6 small avocados, mashed
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 (16 ounce) container sour cream
2 to 3 cups shredded cheddar cheese
½ jar green olives, halved (pimento-stuffed green olives provide color)
Side dish of jalapeno pepper rings, large bag of tortilla chips
Use a 2 inch deep serving dish. Mix refried beans with Taco seasoning mix to your taste, spread on bottom of serving dish. Mix lemon juice with mashed avocados and spread over the beans. Spread sour cream over all. Top with cheddar cheese. Sprinkle on green olives. Cover and keep chilled.

Hot & Honeyed Chicken Wings
These are addictive; bet you can’t eat just one!
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Ingredients:
3 pounds chicken wings (approximately 16 wings)
¾ cup salsa, not too chunky – choose your “heat”; mild, medium, or hot
2/3 cup honey
1/3 cup soy sauce
¼ cup Dijon mustard
½ teaspoon ground ginger
Cut off and discard wing tips; cut each wing in half at joint. Mix all ingredients in a large bowl; add wings and coat well. Place wings in a single layer on a foil-lined 15 x 10 inch shallow pan; lightly season with salt and pepper. Bake for 55 minutes or till browned. Turn if needed. Brush with sauce last half hour of cooking.

05/02/2017

SUN. MAY 14; HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY

Excerpt from my book w/ Brunch recipe:

Mother’s Day
Who doesn’t like being queen for a day? When my sons were teens they decided to prepare dinner for me, which included food shopping and clean-up. They decided the menu, as I preferred being surprised, and was further surprised when I saw candles and a tablecloth. At their insistence I was to take a leisurely walk, and then pick a good movie on television, or get into a good book and do nothing.
My favorite memory was listening to the laughing and camaraderie of my boys as they went about the preparation. They had no idea that they were giving me everlasting memories that I treasure. Their working together, laughing together, and enjoying each other was truly the best part of my special day.

If I were cooking for my mother, I would plan to have a Family Brunch in her honor, where everyone could participate and bring a favorite dish. I would make this delectable French Toast Croissant, which she would love enjoying with Mimosa’s and her family!

French Toast, Croissant Style
Ingredients:
Vanilla sauce:
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
4 egg yolks
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 cups whipping cream
1/2 cup sugar
2 scoops vanilla ice cream
Berry sauce: Combine 2 cups unsweetened strawberries with 2 tablespoons sugar.
💌French toast:
4 croissants split
3 eggs
2 tablespoons butter
In a bowl, combine flour, egg yolks and vanilla; set aside.
In a saucepan over medium heat, bring the whipping cream and sugar to a boil; remove from the heat. Stir in a small amount of the hot cream into egg yolk mixture; return all to the pan, stirring constantly. Bring to a gentle boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat; stir in ice cream until melted. Set aside.
For the berry sauce, combine strawberries and sugar in a saucepan. (May substitute raspberries)
Simmer uncovered for 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
To prepare croissants: In a shallow bowl, beat eggs. Dip both sides of croissants in egg mixture. On a griddle, brown croissants on both sides in butter. Serve with vanilla and berry sauces, Makes 4 servings.

04/20/2017

IT'S RHUBARB TIME; AND I LOVE IT!!!!

Steve Jackman's "sissy pie" he made for a holiday.

See Book Chapter's 1,2, and 3 for more Rhubarb recipes & Tips.

Real Men Do Eat this Pie!
The first person I am aware of that made this pie was my great-grandmother Dagenais; she called it rhubarb-egg, by simply dropping three beaten eggs over sugared rhubarb. Her family loved the flavor combination, and from then on when she made plain rhubarb pies, she would also make rhubarb-egg. My grandmother followed this course, as did my mother, and somewhere along the way additions were made to create the version we now enjoy and call rhubarb-custard.
It was nearly fifty years ago that my father, his brother Leon, and their father, were having lunch at the kitchen table, my mother having just made several rhubarb pies including rhubarb-custard, her favorite. Two of my young brothers joined Mom in going for seconds on the rhubarb-custard, the men started to tease that “real men” eat plain rhubarb, and not “sissy pie” with custard. It was an affectionate tease that remains today, hence the name “sissy pie” has stuck.
My family fully loves anything with rhubarb, and we look forward to April to June when we can pick it fresh as my father and grandfather did on their farms all their lives.

Rhubarb-Custard Pie (lovingly called “sissy pie”)
Ingredients:
9 inch pastry crust; bought pre-made or Stella Jackman’s No Fail pie crust recipe: (See Chapter 1 for recipe)

5 ½ cups rhubarb, cut in half-inch pieces
1 and 1/2 cups sugar
3 large eggs
1 tablespoons whole milk
3 tablespoons flour
1/4 cup additional sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
¼ teaspoon salt (or as my grandmother would say “couple of pinches”)
Combine rhubarb with 1 ½ cup sugar. Put into pie plate lined with bottom crust. Beat together remaining ingredients until flour is dissolved. Pour over the rhubarb. Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes, than 350 degrees for 40 to 50 minutes or till set and rhubarb soft. Top crust not necessary, but at times I top uncooked pie with decorative pastry shapes or strips.

Stella Jackman’s pastry recipe; double-crust pie:
Mix together:
2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons sugar
Cut in 3/4 cup cold solid shortening until crumbly using a pastry blender or 2 knives.
Mix together:
1/3 cup cold water
2 teaspoons white vinegar
1 large egg
Shake or whisk well;
Add to flour/shortening mixture, mixing together with a large fork till it forms a ball.

04/07/2017

One Year Anniversary.
Excerpt from book; INTRODUCTION
Enjoy recipe: Coconut Pecan Scones

Introduction
More people than ever are “reading” cookbooks, seeking more information about a recipe, the “who, when, and where” that gives it life. I have poured over my collection of 500- plus past newspaper columns and have chosen recipes that were popular, interesting, and dependable, recipes of home and tradition that have been devoured by food lovers and home cooks who enjoyed them.

It all began in 2003, when I offered a recipe each week to our local paper from a huge collection of recipes I had inherited from Mom, both grandmothers, and Aunts. I started with the best recipes and kept going through the collections that came from these strong women of my past. The recipes had an aura of home, family, and tradition; I couldn’t throw them away. They represent years these women spent cooking for their families and how important that was to them. To the recipes I started adding what information I could gather about them. For example, my mother’s cinnamon roll-ups were a way to use extra pie dough. I added who made them first and when and how they were named “Just-a-Minute’s”. The response was overwhelming, interest was piqued as readers learned about my family, life, and travels; always letting me know that they loved more than just a recipe. I never lost sight though that the recipes couldn’t take a back seat, they had to be good.
I have gathered those recipes and stories that generated a lot of positive feedback and expressions of appreciation, along with thoughtful and enjoyable recollections of events, family, and experiences.
There is a fine line between living in the past and appreciating the past. All I have to do is remember my grandmothers, aunts, and my mother as they were in their kitchens, so much in their element, and it conjures deep feelings of respect and gratitude for their cooking, teachings, and love of family, much of it represented by the recipes they left behind, almost like a signature.

In Chapter five, you will be engaged by delightful home cooks who sent recipes, wrote suggestions, gave feedback and most of all taught me a lot. Meet just a few:
Barbara lives in Australia and introduced me to a Lamington, which is as popular to Aussies as our brownie is to us. Lamingtons are cake squares, chocolate frosted and rolled in coconut, found in bake sales and every convenience store in Australia. Barbara’s brother lives in New England and would send my column to her every week, and she would write me of her life in Australia. (Continues in book,Not Just a Recipe).

Recipe fom Chapter 6 "Tried & True":

COCONUT PECAN SCONES with Coconut Glaze
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Ingredients:
4 ¼ cups all purpose flour
2 tablespoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
¼ cup sugar, plus more for sprinkling
2 cups fresh shredded coconut
3 sticks cold unsalted butter, cubed
1 cup unsweetened coconut milk
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon coconut extract
1 and ½ to 2 cups finely chopped pecans, per your liking

Glaze:
2 tablespoons unsweetened coconut milk
¼ teaspoon coconut extract
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
½ to 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Whisk flour, baking powder, salt, granulated sugar, and coconut in a bowl. Beat in butter with mixer on low speed, then raise speed to high and beat until mixture coarse crumbs.
In another bowl, whisk coconut milk, eggs, and coconut extract together, stir into the flour mixture just until combined. Stir in pecans; careful to not over mix.
Scoop 2-3 inch mounds of dough onto prepared baking sheets (I use a large ice cream scoop). Sprinkle tops with a very small amount of sugar and bake until light golden brown, 14to17 minutes.
Make glaze by whisking coconut milk, both extracts, and ½ cup confectioners’ sugar until smooth, adding more sugar to thicken. Drizzle over scones while still slightly warm. (Makes 16to20)

03/19/2017

For the winter is passed.
The rain is over and gone.
The flowers are springing up.
And the time of the singing of the birds has come.
Song of Solomon 2:11-12

Celebrate the coming of Spring with a lamb dish from:

An excerpt from my book; Chapt 5...
THE Cooks & Food Chat.
Short stories that tell of my search for lost recipes from the past:

Joanne T. recalls Italian food and lamb recipe enjoyed in Boston 1951-52
Joanne’s e-mail:
“In the early 1950’s I dined frequently at a small Italian restaurant on Stuart Street in Boston, Massachusetts. I have never had Italian food since to equal it, and I am a lover of Italian food. Would you be able to find the restaurant’s name? Maybe there are descendants that still have a restaurant.
I also enjoyed eating at a Greek restaurant further up Tremont Street toward Egleston Square street-car-stop, actually a side street off Tremont. They served the most delicious Lamb with potatoes and string beans in a tomato sauce, it was to die for. I have never had it since. I would love to enjoy these foods again and would be grateful for your help.” Joanne T,
I called Joanne to let her know I found three Italian restaurants on Stuart Street, all having changed owners too many times over the years to help us solve that question.
However, I let Joanne know the lamb dish she is looking for is called “Arni me Fassolakia” (pronounced ahr-NEE-meh fah-soh-LAHK-yah); Lamb and Green Beans. This is a popular casserole cooked on top of the stove, with bone-in lamb preferred, stewed with tomatoes, potatoes, and string beans, seasoned deliciously with mint, cinnamon, and dill.
I have Lebanese friends who gave me their recipe for Lamb and Green beans several years ago and it is the same except for changes in the seasoning, no dill, using ground cloves and allspice instead.

LAMB & GREEN BEANS
Ingredients:
4 pounds lamb, cut into large pieces (shoulder chops best)
1 onion, chopped
½ cup olive oil
1 and ½ cups water
2 teaspoons kosher salt
2 and ¼ pounds fresh or frozen string beans (cut is best)
3 large tomatoes, peeled and pulped in blender
4 tablespoons tomato sauce
2 and ¼ pounds potatoes, peeled and cut into very large pieces
½ tablespoon chopped fresh mint
1 heaping tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 heaping tablespoon chopped fresh dill
In a large pot on top of the stove, sauté the onion in olive oil, adding meat and cooking over medium heat until well browned. Add water, tomatoes, sauce, and 1 teaspoon of salt. Bring to a boil, cover and simmer for about 1 hour until meat is tender. Add beans, potatoes, and remaining seasonings. Bring to a boil, cover and simmer again for about 45 minutes. Add water if necessary, but this should be thick like a stew; Let sit off heat for 15 minutes before serving.

Update from Joanne T. – “Finally had time to do some cooking and made the Greek lamb and bean dish, Bingo! I waited 56 years for that recipe, it was delicious. I can’t wait for native green beans to be ready. By the way this is what my son had to say about the Greek dish, “Wow Ma, this is good! I think you’re trying to keep me around with all these gourmet dishes.” Then he had a second helping. JOANNE T.

02/18/2017

Happy St.Patrick's Day

Read an excerpt from book, Chapter 3, Holidays & Events:

A Bit O’ Green Cake and Irish “Happy”

To write a column on St. Patrick’s Day one year, I wanted as much of the real thing from somebody who was Irish; perhaps favorite foods of the day, traditions they follow, what it means to them to be Irish; authenticity is what I was looking for.
I immediately thought of my Cousin Lee’s wife, Sue, whom I had been talking too recently about her Irish ancestry, deep Irish pride, and that St. Patrick’s Day is a favorite time for her.

SUE & LEE JACKMAN have lived all their lives in Fitchburg Massachusetts. They met, married and raised their family there. Sue’s maiden name is “Dower”; an old Gaelic family name. Irish is considered one of the important ancestries in Fitchburg, with a fascinating history of its own.
When Sue speaks of Irish pride, it’s her grandfather that is foremost in her mind and memories.
Sue’s Grandfather’s name was “Happy” Dower, called that most all his life she states, saying literally he was happy all the time, and the name stuck. According to memory and family artifacts, this is some of his story:

“Happy” Dower came to the United States from County Cork, Ireland when he was nearly fifteen years old. It was the early 1900s and Cork was a hotbed of Guerilla fighting, and Happy boarded a ship that would bring him to Fitchburg, which at the time was where factories were being expanded and waves of immigrants came to find work. When he saw Fitchburg for the first time he knew this was where he belonged.
For the rest of his life he would often say:
“I came from County Cork, divided by a river, to live here in this city, also divided by a river.”

But Happy’s life’s work was not in the factories, but in the railroad, known as the Fitchburg-Leominster Railway (the old F&L). Happy started by driving Trolley cars, and continued when the city switched to buses, driving for nearly fifty years. A favorite family memory was when Happy Dower would often bust out singing this favorite song;

I've been workin' on the railroad,
All the live long day.
I've been workin' on the railroad,
Just to pass the time away.
Don't you hear the whistle blowing?
Rise up so early in the morn.
Don't you hear the captain shouting
"Dinah, blow your horn?"

A favorite dessert on St. Patrick’s Day for Sue and some of Happy Dower’s twenty-seven grandchildren was this green jello Poke cake that became popular in the 1950’s.
Shamrock Green Cake

This is a very moist cake and surprisingly light.
Ingredients:
1 package white cake mix, regular size
2 packages (3 ounce each) lime gelatin
1 cup boiling water
1/2 cup cold water
Topping:
1 cup cold milk
1 package (3.4 ounce) instant vanilla pudding mix
1 carton (8 ounce) frozen whipped topping, thawed
** Decorations optional – green food coloring, green/white candies
Prepare and bake cake according to package directions, using a greased 13 inch x 9 inch baking dish. Cool on a wire rack for at least 1 hour.
In a small bowl dissolve gelatin in boiling water; stir in cold water and set aside.
With a wooden skewer or end of wooden spoon, poke holes about an inch apart into cooled cake. Slowly pour gelatin over cake. Cover and refrigerate.
In a large bowl whisk milk and pudding mix for 2 minutes (mixture will be thick). Fold in whipped topping; tint frosting green with food coloring, if desired. Decorate with green/white candies as desired. Cover and refrigerate.
Note - Do not poke holes too far apart; pour gelatin over cake very slowly so that it has time to seep in.