“Very Important Phyllis” is my loving mother! 

Here is a short list of my favorite traditions.

TOP TEN

1. Chocolate Chip Cookies – Friend’s favorite homework destination. Everyone wanted to study homework at our home because VIP always had plenty of cookies.   VIP always had large pickle jar full of chocolate chip cookies.  She added extra pecans! 

2. Grand Mother’s Beef & Noodles – Developed during the depression, Grand Mother’s recipe for noodles was a take on German Spaetzle on top of mashed potato and a side of boiled beef.   Lots of carbs!

3. Red Velvet Cake – I was born on George Washington’s birthday and VIP was looking for a special red, white & blue birthday cake for me.  She started making the original Waldorf Astoria recipe for red velvet cake, cream cheese frosting and blue patriotic decorations.  

4. Sunday Dinner Roast – VIP would take a pot roast, add canned French onion soup, mushroom soup, packaged onion soup, carrots, and potatoes wrapped in aluminum foil.  She would put in the oven as leaving for church.  After church we a feast.  She added rice, yes, rice for me, and a salad. 

5. Fried Chicken Dinner – VIP made the best fried chicken every Wednesday.  It was double dipped in spiced flour and egg wash.  She would then fry in Crisco and served hot. 

6. Oyster Dressing/Stuffing – VIP made oyster dressing for me every Thanksgiving.  No one else liked it but she made it just for me!  Siblings preferred cornbread dressing (to me, not a thing). 

7. Oyster Stew – Someone would always drop off fresh oysters.  Since VIP did not like raw oysters on the half shell, she would make up a batch of oyster stew with crackers.  Delish!

8. Fried Eggs & Grits – Still my favorite breakfast no matter where I am.  Fried sunny side eggs (she called it a “dip-its”), side of bacon, grits and topped with grated cheddar cheese. First the egg, then chopped bacon, grits poured on top and topped with grated cheddar cheese.  I would proceed to mix all together!

9. Grilled cheese sandwich and tomato soup – Still a favorite on cold evenings, VIP would fix most Sunday’s evenings for supper.  Since we had a big dinner, this was a “lighter” supper.

10. Decorated sugar cookies – Every Christmas, VIP would make many shaped sugar cookies to decorate.  She set up an assembly line of colored frosting and decorations of sprinkles, sugar pearls and raisins (side note:  I never used raisins on my cookie master pieces).     

Runner Up:  Canned sliced pears with a dollop of cottage cheese on top of a leaf of lettuce – also known as a salad.  World famous 70’s salad!