History Food at Funerals

[donna]

After reading the thread on Funeral Sandwiches, thought post a little history on foods at funerals in America.

In early days of America, funerals were important events. They offered not only time to remember one who passed away but for people to socialize and eat.

Prior to 1870's almost all funerals were held in the home. The body was usually viewed in the parlor.

On the day of the funeral, people would arrive early. One person would greet the guests, mark the horses with chalk to prevent mix-ups and make sure the animals were cared for.

The funeral dinner signified " the reuniting of the family and the restoration of order in their lives. Some foods, which were commonly preserved and easy to prepare, came to be known as funeral foods. Dried foods and pickles were common, and raisin pie became known as "funeral pie".

Also at funerals were funeral tokens. Theses might include religious pamphlets, copies of hymn sung at the service or copies of bible verses. The most popular token was the "funeral biscuits". They were ornamented with symbolic motifs. They were intended to be eaten but some were often saved from one funeral to another, to remind mourners of particular individuals.

From: "Old Fashioned Celebrations" Bear Wallow Books, pages 10-12.

 

[donna]

Raisin Pie or known as "Funeral Pie"

1 pound seedless raisins
4 cups water
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoon flour
2 eggs well beaten
juice and grated rind of one lemon
9 inch double pie crust, unbaked

Soak raisins in water for 3 hours. Boil soaked raisins and add sugar and flour mixture. Stir often. Boil a few minutes. Beat eggs well and add 2 to 3 tablespoons of hot liquid from raisins into eggs. Stir to blend. Add eggs to raisins and bring to a boil. Boil until thickened. Remove from heat and stir in lemon juice and rind. Let cool before putting in pie shell. Cut vents in top crust. Bake at 450 degrees for ten minutes, then reduce to 350 degrees and bake 30 minutes more.

 

[Eleanor Rose]

Funeral Potatoes:

Ingredients:

· 1/2 cup butter

· 2 cans cream of chicken soup

· 2 cups sour cream

· 1 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese

· 1/2 cup chopped onions

· 32 oz package frozen shredded or cubed hash browns

· 3 cups coarsely crushed corn flakes

· 2 tablespoons melted butter

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 350º. Spray a 9×13 inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.

Melt the 1/2 cup butter in a large bowl. Add the cream of chicken soup, sour cream, cheese and onions and mix to combine. Stir in the hash browns. Spread into the prepared baking dish.

Sprinkle the corn flakes evenly on top of the potatoes. Drizzle the 2 tablespoons butter over the top.

Bake in the preheated oven. For shredded hash browns, bake about 30 minutes. For cubed hash browns, bake for 55-60 minutes

 

[mofederal]

Eating at or after funerals reminds me too much of sin eating, so I just go home after a funeral. I did so after my wife's funeral too, it also helped that I hate her sister. I hope to never see her again. I know others do not think so about eating after funerals. so I just leave. I think we are still too Victorian about funerals. No photos either. You still have great recipes though.

 

[Eleanor Rose]

Eating at or after funerals reminds me too much of sin eating, so I just go home after a funeral. I did so after my wife's funeral too, it also helped that I hate her sister. I hope to never see her again. I know others do not think so about eating after funerals. so I just leave. I think we are still too Victorian about funerals. No photos either. You still have great recipes though.

I can totally understand how you feel. Sometimes these situations can be uncomfortable or even awkward.

 

[JohnW.]

Funeral Potatoes:

Ingredients:

· 1/2 cup butter

· 2 cans cream of chicken soup

· 2 cups sour cream

· 1 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese

· 1/2 cup chopped onions

· 32 oz package frozen shredded or cubed hash browns

· 3 cups coarsely crushed corn flakes

· 2 tablespoons melted butter

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 350º. Spray a 9×13 inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.

Melt the 1/2 cup butter in a large bowl. Add the cream of chicken soup, sour cream, cheese and onions and mix to combine. Stir in the hash browns. Spread into the prepared baking dish.

Sprinkle the corn flakes evenly on top of the potatoes. Drizzle the 2 tablespoons butter over the top.

Bake in the preheated oven. For shredded hash browns, bake about 30 minutes. For cubed hash browns, bake for 55-60 minutes

Well I'll be (again)....I had no idea.

 

[JohnW.]

I gotta hit the store later...I'm running out of a few funeral foods.

 

[nitrofd]

Funeral Potatoes:

Ingredients:

· 1/2 cup butter

· 2 cans cream of chicken soup

· 2 cups sour cream

· 1 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese

· 1/2 cup chopped onions

· 32 oz package frozen shredded or cubed hash browns

· 3 cups coarsely crushed corn flakes

· 2 tablespoons melted butter

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 350º. Spray a 9×13 inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.

Melt the 1/2 cup butter in a large bowl. Add the cream of chicken soup, sour cream, cheese and onions and mix to combine. Stir in the hash browns. Spread into the prepared baking dish.

Sprinkle the corn flakes evenly on top of the potatoes. Drizzle the 2 tablespoons butter over the top.

Bake in the preheated oven. For shredded hash browns, bake about 30 minutes. For cubed hash browns, bake for 55-60 minutes

It would not take a funeral to get me to eat these.

 

[JohnW.]

It would not take a funeral to get me to eat these.

Me neither

 

[donna]

Those potatoes sound delicious.

 

[Anna Elizabeth Henry]

What a yummy recipe for funeral potatoes! I'm a sucker for hash browns. We could rename the dish 'Comfort Potatoes' when not eaten for a funeral. After all cheese and hash browns are very comforting!

 

[donna]

Another potato recipe for funerals. This recipe is adapted from one in the "Virginia Housewife".

Mashed Potatoes with Onions

6 medium potatoes
2/3 cup milk
6 tablespoons butter
salt and pepper to tast1/2 cup onions that have been sautéed

Peel potatoes, cut in half, and then place them in saucepan. Add water to cover them. Boil until tender and drain. Add half the milk and 5 tablespoons of butter. Rub through a colander or use potato masher to remove lumps. Add the remaining milk, salt and pepper and stir with spoon. Mix half cup chopped onion sautéed in butter into the potatoes before serving.

 

[Anna Elizabeth Henry]

Here's the Amish variation of Funeral Pie - it's very similar to Donna's recipe with some additions.

Ingredients -

2 cups raisins
2 cups water
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
pinch salt
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
3 tablespoons butter
2 disks My Homemade Pie Dough (see below)

Directions - http://www.thekitchn.com/the-amish-pie-perspective-69281

Casseroles are also very popular for mourners to bring to the family. I know my father mentioned when his sister died tragically when was only eight years old, people kept stopping by with casseroles for his family. Unfortunately he said it took him years to actually enjoy any type of baked casseroles again as he associated the various incarnation of the dish with a very difficult time in his family's life.

Here's a link to various funeral comfort foods - https://www.recipelion.com/Editors-Picks/Best-Funeral-Foods-Easy-Potluck-Recipes-for-a-Crowd

 

[JohnW.]

After all cheese and hash browns are very comforting!

They are better than an electric blanket

 

[donna]

The potatoes are nice but I do enjoy my electric blanket.

 

[JohnW.]

Recipe: Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad
©From the Kitchen of Deep South Dish
Prep time: 20 min |Inactive time: 8 hours | Yield: About 8 servings

Ingredients

• 6 slices bacon
• 1 medium carrot, grated
• 2 cups of uncooked small shell pasta
• 2/3 cup of real mayonnaise
• 1/2 teaspoon of onion powder
• 1 packet (3 tablespoons) dry ranch dressing mix
• 2 tablespoons buttermilk or milk
• 1/2 cup of sweet peas, frozen or canned (such as Le Sueur), thawed and/or well drained

Instructions

Cook the bacon until crisp; remove to drain on a paper towel, chop and set aside. Put grated carrot into a microwave safe bowl, lightly sprinkle with water, cover and cook on high for 2 minutes; set aside to cool. May also saute in a skillet, or boil in a saucepan if you don't have a microwave. Let cool, and wrap the cooked carrots in several layers of paper towels and squeeze out any residual liquid. Set aside.

Prepare pasta according to package directions; rinse and drain. Pat with paper towels. Transfer to a serving bowl, or storage container. Toss with mayonnaise while pasta is still warm, until well blended. Add the chopped bacon, the cooked and cooled carrots, onion powder and ranch dressing mix; stir. Add a splash of buttermilk or milk, and stir in until creamy adding additional milk as needed for desired consistency. Gently fold in the peas, cover and refrigerate for several hours or overnight before serving. Allow to rest at room temperature before serving and refresh with a spoon of pickle juice and/or additional mayonnaise if needed.

Cook's Notes: Canned Le Sueur peas are perfect for this, but very tender, so add them after you've mixed everything else well, then gently toss to avoid mashing them. As with most pasta salads, there are lots of add-ins you can use - celery, black olives, red onion, green or red bell pepper, a seeded and chopped tomato, just to name a few, and of course, all kinds of shredded cheeses - there really are endless possibilities. If you do want to add in tomato, clean, seed and chop it and add it right before serving to avoid making the pasta watery.

Source: http://www.deepsouthdish.com

Read more: http://www.deepsouthdish.com/2010/05/bacon-ranch-pasta-salad.html#ixzz4x6qnTAdY
Under Creative Commons License: Attribution Non-Commercial No Derivatives
Follow us: @DeepSouthDish on Twitter | SouthernRecipes on Facebook

Check this (and this website) out!!! This recipe was under funeral foods.

 

[Deleted User CS]

Funeral Potatoes:

Ingredients:

· 1/2 cup butter

· 2 cans cream of chicken soup

· 2 cups sour cream

· 1 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese

· 1/2 cup chopped onions

· 32 oz package frozen shredded or cubed hash browns

· 3 cups coarsely crushed corn flakes

· 2 tablespoons melted butter

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 350º. Spray a 9×13 inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.

Melt the 1/2 cup butter in a large bowl. Add the cream of chicken soup, sour cream, cheese and onions and mix to combine. Stir in the hash browns. Spread into the prepared baking dish.

Sprinkle the corn flakes evenly on top of the potatoes. Drizzle the 2 tablespoons butter over the top.

Bake in the preheated oven. For shredded hash browns, bake about 30 minutes. For cubed hash browns, bake for 55-60 minutes

Eleanor. Are these potatoes similar to scalloped potatoes? What an unusual recipe: cream of chicken soup and Corn Flakes! Yuk. LOL. David.

 

[Deleted User CS]

Recipe: Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad
©From the Kitchen of Deep South Dish
Prep time: 20 min |Inactive time: 8 hours | Yield: About 8 servings

Ingredients

• 6 slices bacon
• 1 medium carrot, grated
• 2 cups of uncooked small shell pasta
• 2/3 cup of real mayonnaise
• 1/2 teaspoon of onion powder
• 1 packet (3 tablespoons) dry ranch dressing mix
• 2 tablespoons buttermilk or milk
• 1/2 cup of sweet peas, frozen or canned (such as Le Sueur), thawed and/or well drained

Instructions

Cook the bacon until crisp; remove to drain on a paper towel, chop and set aside. Put grated carrot into a microwave safe bowl, lightly sprinkle with water, cover and cook on high for 2 minutes; set aside to cool. May also saute in a skillet, or boil in a saucepan if you don't have a microwave. Let cool, and wrap the cooked carrots in several layers of paper towels and squeeze out any residual liquid. Set aside.

Prepare pasta according to package directions; rinse and drain. Pat with paper towels. Transfer to a serving bowl, or storage container. Toss with mayonnaise while pasta is still warm, until well blended. Add the chopped bacon, the cooked and cooled carrots, onion powder and ranch dressing mix; stir. Add a splash of buttermilk or milk, and stir in until creamy adding additional milk as needed for desired consistency. Gently fold in the peas, cover and refrigerate for several hours or overnight before serving. Allow to rest at room temperature before serving and refresh with a spoon of pickle juice and/or additional mayonnaise if needed.

Cook's Notes: Canned Le Sueur peas are perfect for this, but very tender, so add them after you've mixed everything else well, then gently toss to avoid mashing them. As with most pasta salads, there are lots of add-ins you can use - celery, black olives, red onion, green or red bell pepper, a seeded and chopped tomato, just to name a few, and of course, all kinds of shredded cheeses - there really are endless possibilities. If you do want to add in tomato, clean, seed and chop it and add it right before serving to avoid making the pasta watery.

Source: http://www.deepsouthdish.com

Read more: http://www.deepsouthdish.com/2010/05/bacon-ranch-pasta-salad.html#ixzz4x6qnTAdY
Under Creative Commons License: Attribution Non-Commercial No Derivatives
Follow us: @DeepSouthDish on Twitter | SouthernRecipes on Facebook

Check this (and this website) out!!! This recipe was under funeral foods.

John W. As far as I am concerned, you can put bacon and mayo on a car tire and it would taste fantastic. David.

 

[JohnW.]

John W. As far as I am concerned, you can put bacon and mayo on a car tire and it would taste fantastic. David.

Couldn't agree more!!!!

 

[Blessmag]

Church Basement ladies:

"Funeral food was as heavy as it was predictable where Janet Letnes Martin grew up in rural North Dakota. "We had to feed the men who came in from the fields for the service," she said. The co-author of the books that have been adapted into the long-running "Church Basement Ladies" musicals, Martin remembers the standard spread, the handiwork of bustling Lutheran matrons.

"We always had hot dish, pickles, red Jell-O and cake. Sandwiches. Minced ham on white, egg salad on wheat and Cheez Whiz with olives on rye."