By Ann Farabee

 Very good

Recipes? Where do you keep yours? Only in your mind? Or do you have a recipe box or recipe drawer or recipe book? I have all those!

In the 1960’s when I was growing up, our kitchen in our mill house was loaded with cabinets and drawers. My favorite was the recipe drawer.

My dad cooked a lot, but he was not a believer in recipes. He just kept tasting what he was cooking to see if it met his expectations. If not, he added something – I think he referred to it as a little bit of this and a little bit of that.

Does anyone remember a grease can?

Yes, he had one where he saved grease for the next scrumptious delicacy he prepared.

Making gravy was his specialty.

I am fairly certain we had gravy most days.

No special food was necessary to put the gravy on – any food would work.

Potatoes and gravy.

Meat and gravy.

Eggs and gravy.

You get the idea.

Cook it – put some gravy on it.

I have saved quite a few recipes, and I have a recipe box that definitely includes some memorabilia.

Recipes were written down – often in different places:

*Carolina Special Convention -Jamestown NC notepad

*Tithing envelope from church

*Cannon Mills note pads -Daily Cutting Production- from the Dye Department- in my mom or dad’s handwriting

*Note cards

*White’s Office Supplies note pad

*Post-its

*On the back of a bill from the Animal Hospital is a recipe for a casserole and a great dessert

*Index cards with recipes from coworkers, churchgoers, and friends

Some are in my handwriting, my mother’s handwriting, my mother in laws handwriting, my sister’s handwriting, and in the handwriting of my coworkers, and friends.

Some of the recipe cards were official since they were cut off the back of a box of food.

That recipe box! It holds more memories than it holds recipes!

The additions to the recipe box continue even today.

I did not know it at the time, but not only was I getting recipes, I was also making memories.

Even today, my adult children ask to look at my recipes.

We must admit – food is very good!

To me – the recipe matters.

The recipes came from coworkers, family members, and church friends.

So, when the recipe card is given, it also includes the name of the one who took the time to write it on a card for me. The recipe box has become worn and torn, but so have I!

It sure holds great memories – and great recipes!

My mother saved her recipes in the 3rd drawer in the kitchen.

I save my recipes in a box in the cabinet.

A few weeks ago, my adult daughter asked me if she could have my recipe box when I died. It made me smile. I had asked my mother the same thing.

My daughter really did not have to ask me that. It would have gone to her anyway.

Food is a gift from God. It strengthens our body, nourishes us, brings people around a table to eat together, and it gives us happiness.

Food is mentioned in the first chapter in the Bible in Genesis 1:29-30. It says, “Then God said, I have given you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the earth and every tree has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food. And to every beast of the earth and to every fowl of the air, and everything that creeps on the earth, where there is life, I have given every green herb for meat; and it was so.”

Remember this account about food in the Bible? If you ever went to Sunday School, you probably heard it there –

Jesus had a recipe to share with 5000 people:

He took five loaves and two fishes. He looked up to heaven.

He blessed it.

He broke it.

He gave the loaves to his disciples.

The disciples gave it to the multitude.

They ate. They were full.

Jesus  multiplied it – and it was enough.

Genesis 1:31 says that God saw everything He had made and it was VERY GOOD.

No matter what we give to Jesus – time, talent, treasure – He can multiply it!

And He has the recipe to make it VERY GOOD!