By Nola Straub

The snow is melting and dirt roads are muddy. It’s a good time to curl up in the sun and take a catnap. Take time to live today instead of tomorrow. Seize today and pamper yourself or your family. Remind yourself that it is okay not to be perfect today. Enjoy your life and family before it is too late. You will never regret it because you will have good memories.

It is okay to live without “a big picture” in mind.

Norma’s Banana

Drop Cookies

In memory of

Norma Bodeman

Cream 1 c. butter & 1 c. sugar

Add 1 egg

Mix in:

1 1/2 c. flour

1/2 t. salt

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 t. soda

Add:

1 c. bananas, mashed

1 3/4 c. oatmeal

Nuts, if desired

Mix well, drop by teaspoon on well greased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 12 mins. or till lightly brown. Best if allowed to mellow. 4 doz. — From Leona Baxter.

Treasure Bars

Tried 1965 Nola

1 c. sifted flour

1/2 c. brown sugar

1/2 c. butter

Combine flour and sugar. Cut in butter. Press into greased 9x13” pan. Bake 12 min. at 350 degrees.

1 c. brown sugar

2 eggs, beaten

1 tsp. vanilla

1 Tbs. flour

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. salt

1 c. chopped walnuts

1 c. shredded coconut

1/2 c. chocolate chips

Gradually add brown sugar to eggs, beating until light and fluffy. Blend in vanilla. Add sifted dry ingredients. Stir in nuts, coconut, and chocolate chips. Spread on baked crust. Bake for 25 minuets. Cool and cut into bars.

Keep within your heart a place for dreams. . . But, in the back of your mind give them a reality check.

1975 Davy’s Bakeless Cookies

(Made at Mesa School in Cortez, Colo., by our fifth grade son’s class on a small electric burner & pan in the classroom.)

In pan, mix the following:

1/2 c. butter

2 c. sorgar (sugar)

1/4 c. coco

1/2 c. milk

Boil l min and add:

1/2 c. peanut butter

3 cups oat meal

Drop by spoonfuls onto wax paper to cool and harden.

I know that you have all seen this, but it tickled me to see it in his spelling and hand writing.

H. David Straub went on to cook in a café in high school, rough necked on oil rigs, drove a semi hauling Bentonite, and now works for a Black Hills Bentonite Company as a Caterpiller mechanic in Casper, Wyo. Loves hunting and cooking his game for the family from wild hogs, rainbow trout, salmon, elk, deer and antelope.

The more difficult the obstacles, the stronger one becomes after hurdling.

Gloria’s Lush Cookies

Gloria Chambers

Cream in first bowl:

1 c. Crisco oil

1 c. butter (two sticks)

2 beaten eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

1 c. granulated sugar

In second bowl sift & mix:

4 c. flour

1 tsp. soda

1 tsp. cream of tarter

1/2 tsp. salt

Add to first bowl 1 cup dry ingredients at a time until mixed well. Bake on slightly greased pans at 375 degres for 10-12 mins.

You could add chips, nuts, raisins, cranberries, M&Ms, etc. of your choice.

Busy Bee Sour Cream

Raisin Pie

Busy Bee, Buffalo, WY 1987

1 baked pie crust in pie pan

2 eggs beaten, mix with:

2 c. sour cream

3 handfuls raisins

3/4 c. sugar

2 Tbs. cornstarch

Cook in double boiler until thick. Pour into the baked pie shell and cool.

Cherry Cheesecake

Cupcake Style

Cupcake paper fillers in holes of cupcake pan.

Box vanilla wafers - place a vanilla wafer in the bottom of each cupcake filler

2 8 oz. cream cheese

3/4 c. sugar

2 eggs

1 Tbs. lemon juice

1 tsp. vanilla

Blend cheese mixture. Spoon over vanilla wafers. Bake 375 degrees for 15-20 mins.

Spoon 1 can cherry pie filling on the tops and chill.

Send recipes/memories to: Sharing with Wauneta, P.O. Box 303, Wauneta, NE 69045.