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Dec. 17, 2004 Never let it be said that my childhood was boring. Quiet at times, but not boring. Many new things came out in the 60s and 70s, and for my family, new products they were often considered with a strange eye. Take something as innocuous as Hamburger Helper. Hamburger helper came out when I was little girl. I say little because I was still riding my bike and wearing smaller clothes than now. It was the 1970s and life was simple. Big cars in the driveway, riding your bike on a quite street, hanging out at your friend's garage, Kool Aid stands, Mr. Frosty and The Good Humor Man delivering quarter treats in the street. You know nice. My mother eyed those boxed dinners with suspicion. From Kraft Macaroni and cheese (that orange stuff that was so good, as I found out when it became a staple in my later years), Kool Aid (was a no no it wasn't real, too much sugar) and Hamburger Helper. Now you wouldn't think that it would be something that would take a person almost a lifetime to experience and enjoy. But there is living proof that my mother was wrong. To my mom, why buy a box dinner that costs so much, when you could buy the ingredients and make it yourself and make as much of it as you want. It¡¦s a good theory. And yes at times it does make sense. But consider Lasagna alone. That stuff for a little tray costs a fortune. So why not buy a kit. We bought the frozen type. And it was good. So was the years I grew up with, either big frozen styles, or make it yourself. All of the other families considered it "normal" to have these things. And of course we also had the days of the week that foods were eaten. At the time I grew up it was normal to have Meatless Monday, Prince Spaghetti Day on Wednesday, and Fish on Friday. I remember when StoveTop„µ came out. It was an unheard of food. But Moms in my neighborhood made it with 23 cents a pound Shake-N Bake chicken. Most of the moms embraced those boxes of goodness with joy. And the aromas that wafted through my neighborhood were nothing but heaven. How could stuff that smelled that good be so bad? I was often invited to dinner, but I politely refused. My mom thought it was begging to be invited to dinner and eat at someone else's house. She also thought it an insult to her cooking. So on those rare occasions my friends would regal me with what they had. As I remember one girl friend o my saying a typing HH meal was green beans and canned Pillsbury„µ biscuits and ice cream or home made cake and Kool Aid. I was actually embarrassed to tell them I had round roast sliced thin with home made gravy mashed potatoes and fruit pie and Iced coffee. I was eating good food. But to me, I wanted to try those forbidden things. What could have been so bad about it? Mom continued to explain that it wasn¡¦t bad, just expensive. And that the seasonings and so on just weren't worth it. Perhaps overeating and mass amounts were her key. Years passed and that little box beckoned to me as I go older. I learned to loath it simply because my mom did. And I was taught to. I was 20 something before my mother gave into those Boxed Mac and Cheese dinners. And it quickly became a staple of every shop and quick dinner we could think of. As I got older I of course wanted to give my daughter everything I didn't have as a kid. And that was thing I never experienced and foods I never experienced. Of course the good things I did experience and do as a kid I freely gave as well. But it would be along time before she would experience some foods, without animosity or a cross look. It wasn't until she was 11 that these finally came to bear fruit. My husband god bless him grew up on those forbidden items. So now it was my chance and my daughters chance to get to taste those things. HH was first introduced to me a few years ago.. Why did I wait so long? My husband said he loved it, I never made it and so began an adventure in new taste sensations that is still going on today. Cheese was first. It was good. Cheese, noodles, meat, What could be so wrong? It was sinfully delicious. Made with frozen buttered green beans and fresh biscuits it was heaven. Those little boxes yielding flavorful dinners.. it was a miracle. Each week, two times a week we would have these magic boxes. I never knew which one I was going to make. And yes sometimes I add extras to it to make it different or expand it. I tried every flavor and we have favorites. It wasn't until about a month or so ago that I tasted my first Tuna helper. It was nothing like what I had tasted once before that was poorly made. It was a symphony of cheesy and noodley goodlness. It was tuna nirvana. Now I enjoy food. I am into portion control so these boxes are great. No over indulgence, and every flavor imaginable. So now we have 60s' dinner night. A throw back to a part of my life that I never got to experience; but now enjoy. Kitchy plates, kitchy cups, Green beans smothered in butter, hamburger or tuna helper and kool aid with canned biscuits and a simple desert. Could it get any better than this? With reruns in the back ground¡K. Or over a good game of Clue, cards or Yatzee. Maybe it's the combination of all things combined that make it great, maybe its I am going against my mother all those years¡K or may. Just maybe.. THIS STUFF ROCKS! ------------ About the author: Julia Sherman is now a BA student at SNL@ DePaul University. Working on a New project of making a mummy for a museum exhibit. Her Factoring Diabetes is available at Booklocker.com, and Dollmaking at Lionsong.com. She live son a 30 acre farm, that is slowly being converted in a Haunted Farm for next years Haloween. Email: jimmysdevoted2@bellsouth.net Tell a friend about this site! ------------ |
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