I am pleased to announce that I am the proud owner of the new Luby's 60th anniversary cookbook. Well, I don't exactly have it in my possession, but I pushed submit after entering every detail of my life known to man (including those crucial credit card numbers) and supposedly it is on its way to my mom's house, a fact she has yet to be informed of.
Why luby's, you might ask? Luby's is none other than my all-time favorite restaurant when it comes to good ol' southern style cooking, and it comes with a double helping of memories, too. Ninety percent of my memories of luby's center around my grandparents; I would guess that nearly every time I spent the night at their house or was with them during a meal time, I was given the special honor of walking the line at luby's. It became sort of a tradition - my papa driving his caddy down the bumpy backroads which I could never seem to follow as an 8-year old, getting chicken fried steak with double macaroni every time, my papa always asking for a sliver of my chicken fried when his was all done, and splitting strawberry shortcake among all of us. I remember when I was very young hearing nana warning me, something about the extraordinary amount of starchy foods I was consuming in a single meal, but as I grew older, I think she just gradually came to expect me to get the same thing (is that right, nana?!)
When we were back in the states last year, if I was meeting nana for lunch (which I'm sorry to say, I should have done about 75 more times than I did), it seemed strange if we didn't eat at luby's. One time we ate at chilis, and really, who can argue with chili's, what with their great fajitas and molten chocolate cake? But, luby's was usually the place of choice, and that's the way it should be. In fact, I even considered delivering samantha at a hospital only because it was five minutes drive from luby's.
Then, for some reason, all the luby's (ok, well two of the three) in oklahoma city started shutting down, and the nearest luby's was 40 miles away. that is a crying shame, I tell you.
But now I own the luby's cookbook. Not that I will be able to whip up a batch of mac & cheese just like luby herself, but at least I've got a tangible way to clutch those memories whenever I want. Plus, it's just cool to say that I own the luby's cookbook.
Here's a question for anyone who wants to help me out - the luby's recipe calls for grated american cheese...but I've never seen grated american cheese, only sliced (like for sandwiches) and processed (like velveeta). What's up with that?
So anyway nana, come on over...we can whip up some luby's together... :)
2 comments:
I have heard PeggyO talking about how crazy american cheese was when she moved to OK. Apparently in other parts of the USA there is ammerican cheese that is nothing like what we Okies know of american cheese. This is probably what your recipe is calling for! By the way, hope my fam makes it to you via mechanical diff and strange hotels.~ Alicia O
Okay, if your mom & nana go to Hawaii to meet you halfway, there is no way they are keeping me from going. I love Luby's too. Even my daughters (the reds) choose Luby's when Nana asks them where they want to go. And as for Papa's Caddy? Dwayne still has it. We don't drive it very often, but we for sure aren't getting rid of it. Let me know how the cookbook is.
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