52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks: Week 49: Family Recipe

For generations of my Williams family line one of the most loved foods has been homemade noodles. Noodles could be paired with beef or chicken, but either way they were delicious. I grew up watching my mom make noodles, just like she had watched her mom and grandma make them. Once I got married I asked for the recipe, but it turns out there wasn't ever one written down. Instead, the noodles were made by example, by watching, and by learning just how the dough should feel when it was just right for rolling out.

Well, I'm a recipe follower. I needed more specific directions before I'd try them on my own. So one day as my mom made noodles I wrote down as closely as I could what was happening so once she wasn't there I'd have a record of the process. It's still not precise, but I do have a starting point.

Meem's Noodles

-About 2 cups of flour

-4 whole eggs, beaten with a fork

Gradually add flour to the eggs until it forms a ball you can handle

that's not too sticky. Place the ball on a floured board or counter and

roll out thin. Let the rolled dough dry for about two hours, then cut

it into fourths and stack the pieces. Slice into pieces about 3" long and

however width you want them. Toss the noodles with more flour and

spread out to dry further before cooking in broth.

As a little kid, my favorite way that Mom served them is when she would open a can of beef that my grandpa had given us from one of his cows, mix it with beef broth, and simmer until the beef was tender. Then it was time to get the mixture to a stronger simmer and to add the noodles a few at a time, stirring to make sure they didn't clump together. The noodles would absorb some of the beef broth and thicken the mixture a little. They were best served along with mashed potatoes and a vegetable. I know, that's a lot of carbs on one plate. But there was something magical about noodles and beef and mashed potatoes all mooshed together on my plate that made me eat and eat until I couldn't take another bite.

Mom was cleaning up here after noodle making in this shot taken at my house in Texas in 2012. We had a mini-reunion for Mom with her brothers Bob and Leo; their wives Pat and Bev; my Aunt Kay (widow of Mom's brother Joe); my dad and my sister Janet; and my cousin Bobbie Jo and her husband Jeff. This day Mom made noodles for us just like Grandma would have. We had lots of laughs and fun that week hearing the stories that Mom, Bob, and Leo told us about their lives and sharing some of the foods they grew up with.

Now, just eleven years later, Uncle Bob is gone. Aunt Bev is gone. Dad is gone. Aunt Kay is in assisted living. Uncle Leo is in assisted living, debilitated by lung cancer. Mom is in assisted living hampered by memory loss. I'm so glad we had that week together while they were all healthy and able to travel because the memories I have will always be in my heart.