A Prayer for Momma & Cranberry Relish Recipe

RECIPESTRADITIONS

May 4

As I reflect all the years back, I believe it to be about December of 1935. It had been a cold winter, and we lived in a little four-room house. It was one of the best things that came in a small package. Money was as scarce as hen's teeth, but there was a lot of love in that home.

Our heat radiated from an oil furnace that sat in the corner of the tiny living room. Our meals were served on a card table that always was covered with a neat, clean table cloth. Momma always used the white linen napkins at each place. Even though she worked so hard every day, she wanted us to know what it was to like use some of the nice things in life.

“Momma always used the white linen napkins at each place ... she wanted us to know what it was to like use some of the nice things in life.”

Sometimes we had my favorite meal, which was boiled potatoes mashed on our plates with fresh diced onions and bacon fat poured over them. Our meat was sliced bacon that daddy had cured himself. He always had pigs to butcher. Momma made the best baked beans, and for dessert we had homemade bread with homemade apricot-rhubarb jam. It was all so good. Then there was always school work to do after ‘supper’, as we called it then.

A few years ago, I met a man that was just a kid like me back then, and he asked, “Do you remember what things were like then?”

He told me about his family, how it was so poor. I reminded him that all of us were poor, but we didn’t realize it because we had a whole life ahead of us and most people were in the same boat.

Over all of the years, I realized just how good God was to us. There were times that our meals were a little scarce, but we always had a stomach full when we were in our warm beds for the night. And many a night my momma burned the midnight oil to can everything that she could get her hands on. We always had a garden to have our own vegetables and we could trade what we had with others for a little variety in our diet.

Daddy made apple butter in an old copper kettle that still exists and is now used to plant flowers in. He built a hot fire under that kettle which held at least a bushel of pared apples with sugar and spices and a bit of cider. Then he stood with a big wooden paddle and stirred and stirred to keep the apples from sticking and burning. After it was all cooked, Momma put it in fruit jars and sealed it for us to use in the winter. Of course, they saved out a bowl of the delicious spread for us to have on homemade bread. There isn’t anything much better than a slice of warm bread and the fresh apple butter. What a treat that was.

That year, all of the canning was done and it was nearly Christmas. We all knew it would be sparse, but we wanted to do whatever we could do for each other. I was feeling sad because I had nothing for Momma. I remember being all alone on my knees by the couch. I was crying and asking God to show me something that I could give to Momma for Christmas. My eyes were so filled with tears that I could hardly see.

Suddenly, I heard a rustling noise in the corner. It was a little frightening at first. When I looked up I noticed the whole corner was filled with a bright light. I could only see a form. For some reason I was not afraid. Was this the answer to my request? Then as quickly as it came, it was gone. What was it? I knew I hadn’t imagined it. But what was it and what happened? No one was there for me to talk to about it.

“Was this the answer to my request? Then as quickly as it came, it was gone.”

Then, a short time later, there came a knock at the door. There stood two young ladies who said they were from the Peoples Church in East Lansing.

The two girls held a bushel basket between them. As I glanced at the basket I saw all sorts of goodies. There were oranges, beautiful apples, dates, and candies. And chicken—it looked like a whole dinner to me.

The young ladies said, “Have a merry Christmas!”

I thanked them and they left to go on delivering baskets to others. Well, I just wasn’t used to seeing such wonderful goodies. We didn’t buy the special things; we were always so thankful for the necessities of life. I guess we didn't know about the other things.

I had to sort through the things in that basket, and there in the middle was a lovely linen hankie with heavy lace on it. I just knew that no one would care if I took it out to give to Momma for Christmas. I knew that God had answered my prayer in such a lovely way.

I took it out and wrapped it in newspaper and drew a few trees on it. Momma was so surprised when she opened it that she nearly cried. She always loved pretty things, and it was so fun for me to see how God answered my prayer for Momma.

I wonder what happened to that beautiful hankie. Could one of my granddaughters or great-granddaughters have carried it on her wedding day? I am sure that momma kept it all those years. That basket was such a blessing to me that day. I still pray that I will always remember and that I might be a blessing to someone today.

That basket was such a blessing to me that day.

I still pray that I will always remember and that I might be a blessing to someone today.

Grandma’s Cranberry Relish

This recipe is a family favorite handed down from Marion Westra’s mother, and now enjoyed by her great grandchildren! Prep was far more time-intensive before the invention of the food processor. Now it comes together in minutes.

An easy way to rinse and sort cranberries is to put them in water. Since ripe cranberries have air pockets, the floaters are the keepers!

While the recipe says to pulse the apple, sugar, and orange first, it’s absolutely possible to dump everything in at once and process until it’s fully combined. We like a few bigger cranberry chunks and more texture, so we add the cranberries after chopping the other fruit.

It’s so pretty, isn’t it? Delightfully sweet, just enough cranberry bite. The perfect holiday accompaniment. Try experimenting with different apple varieties for subtle flavor differences.

Grandma's Cranberry Relish

Marion Westra | 2022

Servings: 8 | prep time: 5min | cook time: 5min | total time: 10min

Ingredients:

1 bag cranberries, rinsed and sorted

1 large apple, cored

1 large orange & 3/4 of the peel

3/4 Cup sugar

Instructions:

In a food processor, combine all ingredients except the cranberries; cover and process just until fruit is chopped and mixed.

Add the cranberries and pulse until desired consistency.

Refrigerate at least an hour or make the day before!