Reunion muffins
For 50 years we held a family reunion on the last Sunday in July. It began as a birthday party for my great-great-grandfather, who I never knew.
It was always a fun time, with games for the kids and visiting with extended family. I loved hearing all the stories as the older people in the family reminisced.
Each family brought a dish to pass and a meat dish. There were always wonderful desserts. And everyone complimented each other and proclaimed that we were a family of good cooks.
The last reunion was held in the 80s after attendance had started dropping and except for our immediate family, the other relatives had become so distant that no one even knew each other! We made the decision that we would end on the 50th.
In the later years of the reunion we put together a family cookbook and I shared this recipe for muffins. I had forgotten about it! But it's always a good time for muffins!
Ingredients
Oatmeal Carrot Muffins
1 Cup buttermilk
1 Cup quick cooking rolled oats
1/2 Cup grated carrots
1/4 Cup packed brown sugar
1/4 Cup butter, melted
Egg, beaten lightly
1 teaspoon grated orange rind
1 Cup flour
1/4 Cup granulated sugar
Boxing up muffins and leaving them by the neighbors door to welcome them home from work. They are great cooks and often share food back.
Nothing better than a warm muffin and an afternoon cup of tea!
!BEER
For 50 years, you have been holding a family gathering on the last Sunday in July as a special event. Because many families are now starting to distance themselves from each other. When adults reminisce about old memories, it brings both curiosity and fun to children. Before my grandmother passed away, she held a party at her house every year on April 14th, with every member of the family involved.
Families are not as close as they used to be. Those old stories gave a sense of family history and a feeling of having roots. Often kids today are missing out on that.
!INDEED
Beautiful program...
Thanks!
I can only imagine with these ingredients that these would be divine.
It's so heart warming to taste again a cherished recipe from the past.
With cream cheese frosting on top they would be very similar to individual carrot cakes!
I thought it looked like that might be the case and it made me want to pull out a carrot cake recipe I found when I was selling cakes many years back. Maybe I will get it out and put the ingredients on my next grocery order. We'll see!
Very much appreciated!
Muffin + warm tea is a perfect combination, especially enjoyed on a drizzly afternoon.
I agree! It's perfectly comforting!
I really liked your post for several reasons. The first was the beautiful tradition that lasted half a century of holding a family gathering where all the members of the extended family would meet to celebrate, hear stories remembered by the elders of the family, and treat each other to delicious dishes. It is also a wonderful gesture to leave delicious muffins for the neighbors to welcome them when they return from work. These are traditions that, unfortunately, are being lost due to the fast pace of contemporary life. However, I defend the ideal that we should try to recover this lifestyle that allows us to slow down, free ourselves from stress, and enjoy a better quality of life, without rushing or urgency, with a tasty oatmeal and carrot muffin.
The best we can do, I suppose, is lead by example and hope the younger generations see the value.
I absolutely agree with you. The younger generations learn more from our example and our perseverance in teaching them the value of the important things in life, rather than a world of frantic pursuit of non-essential things that undermine the values of love, solidarity, sharing, and empathy. I sincerely appreciate the careful work you do in helping all those who have the immense joy of reading your publications to grow as individuals.
This is such a beautiful tradition, and the muffin recipe makes it even more special family memories baked right in.
I'd sure try this out someday, thank you for sharing
Do let me know if you bake muffins!
Wow,this is a great gathering.I think this is already a tradition to your family and muffin is a very tasteful dessert for the gathering.
Muffins are tasty anytime!
Im not into sweets but everytime my mother brought a muffin I cant help but to have a bite.
Much appreciated! Thank you.
I love sharing, it's a very nice thing to be able to enjoy the delicacies that we cook with so much love, your recipe is great, I will make it to share at home this weekend ☺️🤗
Let me know if you enjoy the muffins!
Some good muffins I see 🥰
Almost like cake! 😘
Those do look yummy! I had the same experience with family reunions back in the 80's. Both sides of the family had reunions once a year, but as after the 80's the older generation began passing away and the reunions vanished too. I even have first cousins who I've only met once at my father's funeral, my uncle had remarried and so those cousins just vanished...
I think it's nice you leave the muffins for your neighbors, that's very kind of you!
!BBH
!LADY
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It was after the oldest generation began dying that the reunion was discontinued. Attendance went from 110 to 30 as the grandparents started dying, Many of the grandchildren had been attending to keep grandma happy, but stopped coming when it was no longer expected.
My immediate family started a cousin's luncheon that we held in different homes every month. That was quite successful and I loved it, but that ended with Covid The cousins Facebook group they started is a poor replacement.
Sharing with neighbors is very beautiful. The Muffins looks good.