A Taste of Tradition: From Norma's Kitchen

My Grandmother is the best cook I know. She loves feeding people and trying new recipes. Last year, she compiled a cookbook of all her favorite recipes, some her own and some from her family and friends. My Mother blames herself for the fact that none of her children have ever really learned to cook, other than frozen dinners, ramen, and maybe the occasional vegetable. I think we just didn't try hard enough to learn. Now that I am married and will be having children within the next few years, I have developed the desire to learn to cook. I want my grandchildren to enjoy my cooking as much as I enjoy my Grandma's cooking.

And so I am starting a project: The Erin/Norma Project. Yes, I stole the idea from the movie "Jule and Julia", which tells the story of Julie Powell cooking and blogging her way through Julia Child's cookbook Mastering the Art of French Cooking. Julie Powell's blog is called "The Julie/Julia Project." I considered attempting the same feat by making all 524 recipes in Julia Child's cookbook in 365 days, but I came up with a better idea. My grandma's cookbook, A Taste of Tradition: From Norma's Kitchen" contains recipes for: 7 appetizers, 6 dips, 5 beverages, 8 soups, 11 salads, 2 salad dressings, 19 side dishes, 21 vegetables, 93 main dishes, 3 crusts, 35 breads and rolls, 18 pancake/waffle/french toast recipes, 20 desserts, 31 cakes, 3 ice cream recipes, 20 pies, 4 pie crusts, 3 frostings, 6 candies, 11 cookies, 11 rubs, 4 syrups, 13 sauces, 4 salsas, and 2 pickle/relish recipes. That is a total of 359 recipes, which I will make in 365 days. Obviously, by making one recipe per day, I should accomplish my goal in just less than a year, but some days will require more than one recipe per day, and considering that I only have to feed my husband and I, some days will be devoted to the consuming of leftovers rather than making a new recipe.

So "The Erin/Norma Project" begins today and ends November 11, 2010.

Stay tuned and Bon Apetit!

-Erin