Planning a special meal at home with your favorite Valentine’s recipes can make a great date night. I recently found a cookbook from the early days of our marriage. It is one of the ways I learned to cook, so I thought it would be fun on Valentine’s to reminisce through our newlywed days by sharing some of our favorite recipes. So, with permission from the Baddour Center, I share from the often-turned, food-splattered pages of a much loved cookbook.
Valentine’s Recipes
I received this cookbook in August of 1980 at a wedding shower and used it to prepare the very first meal I made for Mr. Cozi. I didn’t know until I decided to ask permission to use this book, that the proceeds made from the sale of this cookbook benefited the Baddour Memorial Center, a residential village for the mildly retarded young adult. What a nice gift! I wish I could remember who gave it to me.
Using the internet for most recipes these days, it had been years since I picked it up, but I turned immediately to page 205. It was a recipe we had perhaps once or twice that first year, due to the cost of beef, but on many occasions since. In 1980, we paid about $2.80/pound for round steak and that was on a college student’s wages. In 1980, minimum wage was $3.10/hour, so spending an hour’s wage for one meal, wouldn’t have been in the budget.
The complete meal included green beans, salad and corn on the cob.
Mr. Cozi’s favorite dessert was my first attempt at baking from scratch. We were pleasantly surprised at the outcome.
Mr. Cozi and I have reservations for Valentine’s night, but this will be our menu for one night during the month of February. We will celebrate our first Valentine’s together almost 35 years ago. Only we might splurge on a bottle of champagne … too bad it doesn’t cost the same as it did in 1980-81.
After contacting the Baddour Center, I received the sweetest email and want to share part of it with you. In case you are looking for a cause to support, I think this is one worth checking out.
“A member of the Baddour family (and obvious cooking enthusiast) authored the cookbook and directed all proceeds to The Baddour Center. He’s no longer alive, and I’m guessing any decision along these lines is up to us. I don’t foresee any issue with your responsible use/sharing of some of the recipes, provided you don’t replicate large chunks or the entirety of the book. I want to believe he would be flattered by your use (even though I never met Mr. Charles). I hope this makes sense and sure appreciate your reaching out to us beforehand. (Also, I admit that I like your tagline. If you visit our website, you’ll note ours is “Close friends. A good job. Home.”) Thank you for your thoughtfulness.”
Parke Pepper
A huge thank you to all involved with this cookbook, especially if you are the gracious giver from 1980. One added tip to newlywed brides: write in your cookbooks who you received them from because someday you might not remember. 😉
The Baddour Center, Inc.
3297 Highway 51 South (physical address) / Post Office Box 97 (mailing address)
Senatobia, Mississippi 38668
662.366.6920 (direct line)
662.562.2417 (cell)
662.562.6979 (fax)
www.baddour.org (website)
www.facebook.com/baddourcenter