Happy Easter, Mom!

We had a lot of traditions in our house growing up but none stand out as vividly as the pies my mom would make for Easter and Thanksgiving. Each Thanksgiving, my mom would make coconut creme pie because it was my grandfather Jack's favorite. Jack loved anything coconut -- we used to buy him coconut covered marshmallows and he'd eat the whole bag. I remember my mom slaving away the night before Thanksgiving making his favorite pie. She'd back the crust and then put it in the freezer to cool down. Then she'd read the recipe off the back of the coconut pudding box and then fill the pie shells (usually it would make two). The next morning she'd whip up cream in the carton and toast the coconut while I watched.

On Easter she'd make my favorite pie of all -- strawberry pie. She'd make the crust the same way and then follow a recipe for the strawberry filling. After she died, a few family members, including myself, tried to make that pie but the filling would never set and the pie a disaster. We joked that she left something out on purpose to taunt us.

Last night, I found a similar strawberry pie filling recipe and lo and behold, it turned out. My pie is tempting my husband as we speak. When my brother called this morning I told him about the pie and he was ecstatic to find that I have the pie crust recipe he's been searching for the longest time for. It's even in my mom's handwriting. Ya see, I have my mom's recipe box and in that box was the recipes for all the things she's made over the years. My brother has been searching for that coconut creme pie filling which I explained is on the back of the box of coconut pudding and the pie crust recipe (though I use my grandmother's recipe). He still doesn't believe me but I'm tempted to go to the grocery store and check the box.

I owe my love of food and cooking to my mom who taught me the basics (the Food Network gets the rest of the credit). I hope to pass on my strawberry pie recipe to my kids when they're older.