Favorite food dishes from childhood

[Gráinne]

As an aside, I make my own potato thins (when industrious) by slicing potatoes really thin, tossing in just a little olive oil, then sprinkling with light salt and sometimes oregano. Something like 425 oven for 15 minutes. I got that from a book, though.

My mom was an OK cook but a fabulous baker. She made rhubarb pie with rhubarb from our garden. Every Christmas, she made a giant pile of cookies. I found the recipes at my brother's. She used to make cakes from scratch, but mixes always tasted homemade, somehow.

Anyway, some of her dinners were:

Stouffer's Creamed Chicken on rice. I haven't found creamed chicken in years, but could probably find the recipe or something close.

La Choy Chow Mein and sweet rolls. Sounds terrible, but I make this myself.

Meat loaf. Her recipe was, "Oh, I don't know, I never measure". I like mine, but it doesn't come close.

Her spaghetti sauce, which only I like. It was very tomato-ey and strong. I do have that recipe, and like to make a huge batch and freeze in bags. My kids won't eat anything but Prego.

My dad made first-class pancakes, and he was the undisputed cook for his service organization's pancake breakfasts. He made them for us every Sunday. Of course, mine can't come within light-years.