Czech cooking- Junie.

Mama requested that mama bring down her Czech Dancers Polka Club 1972 cookbook so they could do some baking.

Specifically, mama wanted to make the poppyseed rolls that Great Grandma Wagner makes at Christmas and weddings. They are simply delicious.

Mama sure looks happy. They worked a whole pound of butter into that big lump of dough. That batch made six portions that were rolled out, smeared with poppyseed or apricot Solo filling (very hard to find at a grocery store down here- we had to go to Greenville), rolled up jelly roll-style and baked. They made 6 big rolls. They had intentions of freezing some, but one roll went home with Grandma, and papa just finished the last one today. He says he doesn't understand why he gained 4 pounds last week.

Mama spent some time scanning recipes from the cookbook. There are many great traditional Eastern European recipes- rye bread, hassenpfeffer, and many cabbage and potato meals. Mama was also very delighted to find many 1970's-style casseroles and salads. There were a lot of taco and pizza casseroles. Of course, mama's favorite section was the "Salad" section, which is Midwest speak for "weird things you can do with jello. She scanned the cheese and pineapple salad especially for Aunt Jenni, who loves a good jello with cheese and meat. And we mean no offense to Grandma's neighbor- Mary. Because as much fun as we poke at any jello salad, mama still makes the Fruited jello salad featured on the left page and spent most of last week in a funk wishing someone would make her Tater Tot Casserole, which features ground beef and canned green beans drowned in cream of mushroom soup and topped with frozen tater tots. Now that's comfort food.