Wednesday, April 19, 2006

Monday Night @ Grandma Yoder's

Yep, EVERY Monday night Grandma Yoder (Darin's grandma) has her entire family over for the weekly meal. She brings out her best table clothe, always has fresh flowers in the middle of the table, and an endless supply of homemade bread. She used to buy bread or would share loaves that her friends would make her but over a month ago Darin made the comment that he can tell the difference when she makes her own bread.. every meal since, she's made her homemade bread. I guess hungry, bread loving grandson's get whatever they ask for. =)

The food is AMAZING!! If I can cook 1/2 as well as she does when I'm 79, I will have my own show on Food Network. The meal always consists of pork that has been slow cooking for hours, the BEST meatloaf I have ever tasted or chicken perfectly marinated. She makes the most wonderful cheesy potatoes, delish potato wedges and her mashed potatoes never seem to have the lumps in them that I always seem to make. There is always a salad.. fresh tossed, oriental or yummy broccoli & cauliflower. Of course you have to have that vegetable to make the meal balanced.. I don't even mind the peas that she makes!! (I HATE peas!! I always had to eat as many as I was old when I was growing up.. still to this day, I pick out 25 peas and choke them down.. I've given up the plugging my nose trick.) She always tells me I don't have to eat them... I can handle 25. =) Her baked beans are the best I've ever tasted and she always has homemade bread with lots of strawberry jam that she made the summer before. Desserts are usually a pie or cobbler of some sort. Now that I think about it, I've never had chocolate at her house! It's SO yummy and I look forward to Monday nights all week. My old roomies have offered money to attend Grandma Yoder's meal!!

Not only is the food excellent, but the company and conversation always is too. I LOVE Darin's family. Seriously, I couldn't have asked to marry into a better family. Monday nights is the time where I miss Jim the most. Jim is my father-in-law that passed away last November in a tree cutting accident. Jim was always early and beat everyone to grandma Yoder's. He usually sat quietly.. typical of Jim.. enjoying his food. Even 5 months after his death, there still seems like something's missing on Monday nights.

Grandma Yoder has given me a desire to have a family meal every week when Darin and I are grandparents. She has done it for YEARS and no one misses Monday nights if they can absolutely help it. Thanks for reading about my favorite night of the week. =)

16 comments:

Kat said...

wow- that sounds soooooooooooo good! i'm so jealous, my grandma's live in iowa so i almost never get to eat their homecooked meals! and that bread looks really freakin good. i'm a big bread person (yeah, the no carb diets don't go over so well with me.......)
so awesome that you have that special meal w/your family each week. i want to start doing something like that with steve's family.
great post : )

Anonymous said...

GOOD POST!!! WAS READING WHILE WYATT IS EATING (TO PASS THE TIME) & I'M WONDERING IF HIS "BOOB JUICE" TASTES AS WONDERFUL TO HIM AS GRANDMA YODER'S MEALS SOUND!!! DO YOU CRY FOR HER MEALS LIKE HE DOES FOR THE MEALS I CREATE FOR HIM? MAYBE, IF YOU INVITED ME TO JOIN G. YODERS MEAL W/ YOU HIS "JUICE" WOULD TASTE BETTER! MY THOUGHT FOR THE DAY. DO IT FOR HIM, DARC. I'M FREE NEXT MONDAY NIGHT, ASK G. YODER HOW 7 SOUNDS. TAKE CARE. WENDY

Unknown said...

What a great tradition! Sounds like some yummy food.

Send some down to Indy next time you get a chance ;) We don't really get to eat TRUE homemade food unless we go to Chris's parents' house!

I bet you're already looking forward to next Monday night.

Mara said...

grandma Yoder sounds like a rock star :)
that food looks GOOD.
And i am HUNGRY....
mmm...
great tradition, sweet d.
xo.

island jen said...

i would like an order to go please!!

Beth said...

How stinkin' cool is that? I love it, and how awesome to carry it on with your future family!!

Jill H said...

what an awesome tradition for your family, and it'll be great for you & Darin to carry on when you have grandkids :)

& the food looks YUMMMMMY!

Valerie said...

That is so awesome!! My grandparents lived in Holland or Mexico so, I never had dinner with my grandparents. But, Jared's grandparents always include me, and I love it!! I want to continue the same thing when I have grandchildren. Those dinners look yummy!! I hate peas too!! Have never liked them!!

Felicia said...

What an awesome tradition. The food looks wonderful. 25 peas...he he he that's cute.

Michelle W. said...

you are making me so hungry!!!

Michelle

Wendy said...

WOW, that is like one of the best family traditions ever. The food looks so good, too. What a good way to keep your family close!!
Glad to hear about the non-lumpy mashed potatoes. Growing up I always preferred instant b/c my mom couldn't make them w/out lumps.

Just Me said...

oh...that looks yummy

Anonymous said...

What a great tradition! and so cool you have that weekly bonding time with the family :)

Elizabeth said...

oh my gosh, I would probably not eat the other nights of the week, in order to save up for Mondays!!
Grandmas are the best at cooking.. and they always have such big meals.. you should take down her recipes for continuing your own tradition.

e said...

ok, i'm sooo emailing you tomorrow...because now colin is telling me his parents know the yoders....
the same ones? i don't know...
i think this is a lovely lovely post...what a wonderful tradition...and the food..
it looks amazing.
xxe

Unknown said...

Love family dinners...this makes me miss my family. Adrian's family was great...but I have to say that I was a little bit bummed..ok i won't lie...I really missed my family this Easter...lately I have really missed everybody...i think it is because my mom and I actually have a lot to talk about with me applying for a teaching position...by the way thanks for the encouragement...really needed it today.. Funny thing darce that you would understand...Adrian went in to Unforgettables today and voted for my LO...it was really awesome...but funny to me too.