Recipes and Memories

As I was flipping through my recipe box this morning I came across some old hand-written recipes I've had for years. They brought me back to when I was first married, nearly twenty six years ago. Time marched on as I shuffled the cards: a recipe for Chili Con Carne, my best girlfriend when I was growing up Mom's recipe. Her mom just recently died... My grandmother's coffee cake recipe, and my other grandmother's sour cream cookie recipe, written on a torn piece of paper. I wouldn't be able to make the cookies from the tattered, yellow paper, but I refuse to throw it away as it's the only hand-written thing I have from her. And my other grandmother's coffee cake recipe is the only one I have from her. As I went through the cards, not only did I find recipes from dear ones long gone, I also found recipes from neighbors and friends I haven't heard from in years. Helen's home-made BBQ sauce, Sue's peanut butter and jelly bars, Sherri's chocolate zucchini cake and many more. My older kids grew up with these womens' children. Some of them I still keep in contact with or hear through the grapevine how they are, while others I just wonder about. Memories flooded my mind. The years pass so quickly. I'm glad to have a special piece of each one of these ladies. My 'ol recipe box holds much more than ingredients and directions... yes, lots of memories are tucked away in that box, too.
Here is a recipe my mom gave me many years ago. She used to make it for me and my brother as a special treat. I don't know where she got it from but I do know I'm going to make it today for my kiddoes to have for dessert tonight.

Pineapple/Cherry Squares
Crust:
3-1/2 cups flour 1/2 cup shortening
3-1/2 tsp baking powder 3 egg yolks, beaten (save whites)
1 tsp salt 1 cup ginger ale
1/4 cup sugar 1 tsp vanilla
Mix until crust holds together. Press half the crust onto a cookie sheet.
Filling:
1 large can crushed pineapple with juice
3/4 cup sugar
1 small bottle cut cherries
4 TBS corn starch
Bring first three ingredients to boil, thicken with corn starch. Cool and spread over crust. Roll out the other half of the crust and place on the filling. Beat three egg whites. Brush on the crust and sprinkle with chopped walnuts or pecans.
Bake at 350 until bottom crust is brown; about 25-30 minutes.