The Sunflower Recipe Box

I used the photograph of this sunflower recipe box on a previous blog but that got me to thinking about old recipes and what’s in this box.

The handmade sunflower recipe box was actually a gift. The sunflowers were carefully stenciled or stamped on a wooden recipe box. The sunflowers were then painted shades of green, light brown and bright yellow.

I have it stuffed full with various recipes, some I use frequently and some I have never tried. I keep thinking one of these days, I’ll try them all out. The recipes I use the most like the pie crust recipe or bakery-style muffin toppings, I keep on the inside lid of the box so I can find them quickly.

The order of the box is pure mess and it takes me forever to find anything. I have to go through each recipe in the box. When I entertain for the holidays, I put the recipes that I will be using at the back of the box or use a magnet to post them on the refrigerator.

So what type of recipes are in the box? Tar pit chicken wings, chocolate pinwheel cookies full of butter, banana muffins, sour cream coffee cake, lemon squares, shrimp dip, baked beans, pumpkin cheesecake, etc. It really is a lifetime collection of what my life has been like and good eating. I’ve often pulled out pages of recipes from magazines that look good to add to my collection.

I remember my mother-in-law was the best cook ever. I still have a couple of recipes from her including her homemade creamy salad dressing and lady locks cookies. I actually bought a new package of old fashioned clothespins to use as molds for the lady lock cookies. However, I’ve never gotten around to making them and I believe I used the clothespins for other things.

When she passed away, her recipe box, was sadly tossed out. She kept it on a certain shelf in her kitchen. Gone were all the recipes that we loved to eat except for a few that we had previously asked for and written down. What a treasure it would have been to gone through those recipes recalling all our favorites.

Now a days, I’m not sure how many people do any home cooking. Seems a lot just makes runs to the nearest fast food restaurant or pick up premade meals.—too much effort, too many dishes to wash, or what ever.

For now, I’m keeping my recipe box and the memories of good times and good meals.