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NEWS&VIEWS by Jacqueline Bennett

Posts from the “Family” Category

Col. Harry Generous Organized CT Air National Guard/ Cousin & Brothers Led Generations of Family Service to USAF

Posted on May 18, 2015

By Jacqueline Bennett newsandviewsjb.com   Since near the dawn of American aviation members of the Generous family have taken to the skies to serve their country. Harry, Al and Oliver (“Bunker”) Generous had roles in American aviation history. Commencing in the early half of the 20th Century to the present day, four generations of the Generous family have a proud lineage of USAF service that spans close to a century, in the U.S. Air Corp which became the U.S. Air Force, and in the Air National Guard.   Last Memorial Day I wrote a piece for newsandviewsjb titled “Quiet Heroes from Connecticut’s Quiet Corner” about two of my mother’s brothers who served during World War II, with a focus on her brother Oliver “Bunker”…

New England Patriots Win Super Bowl, Defeat Seahawks – From ‘Sea to Shining Sea’ We Had It Covered

Posted on February 2, 2015

By:Jacqueline Bennett newsandviewsjb.com   When the camera panned from a night view of Boston, Massachusetts to one of Seattle, Washington during the opening of the Super Bowl last evening as John Legend sang the lyrics “from sea to shining sea” in “America the Beautiful”, it really struck a chord. Super Bowl XLIX was especially exciting in my family with those of us living in New England as stalwart Patriots fans and my Seattle relatives huge Seahawks fans. No matter what, I thought to myself, our family was going to win because as the beautiful lyric goes – “from sea to shining sea” – we had it covered.   If both teams could have won, I would have been pleased. That said, since only one could bring…

Mom’s Recipe Box: A Very Special Birthday Cake ! Series Conclusion

Posted on January 23, 2015

                            Mom’s Recipe Box Family Series Conclusion – A Very Special Birthday Cake!   What better way to conclude Mom’s Recipe Box Family Series than with a homemade birthday cake for the anniversary of my mother’s birthday that was on the 12th of January. Mom/Nana, Cecelia G. Bennett ( or as my dad called her, ‘Cecelia G.’), passed away in December, 2010. In the “Mom’s Recipe Box” series, that began on July 4, 2014 and ran weekly on Fridays, those who loved her so much – her family – added to and celebrated Mom’s/Nana’s collection of recipes. For the conclusion of the family series, my sister Candy volunteered to bake a very…

Mom’s Recipe Box: Great-Grandmother Reeve’s English Plum Pudding with Brandy

Posted on January 16, 2015

                  Great-Grandmother Reeve’s English Plum Pudding   During the “Mom’s Recipe Box Family Series” that began seven months ago, in the process of looking for photos to accompany the recipes more was discovered. Well, it happened again. A few days ago, while searching through my mother’s old photos for a picture to include with the series, came a wonderfully astonishing find – a journal of old family recipes penned more than one hundred years ago. It is handwritten in script by  Great-Grandmother Reeve, Gram Bennett’s (Bessie Reeve Bennett’s) mother, and my father’s maternal grandmother. I would imagine the journal was given to my father by Gram, which he in turn had my mother hold for safekeeping. She had kept it…

Mom’s Recipe Box: Crepe, Goldbread and Apple Griddle Cakes

Posted on January 9, 2015

                                    “Crepe, Goldbread and Apple Griddle Cakes”     No Bennett Family recipe series would be complete without my mother’s “Crepe” and “Goldbread” – a type of French Toast – or my father’s  “Griddle Cakes”.   Although one would assume crepe would be a breakfast item, for us it was more often a Sunday night “supper”. On the heels of holiday dinners, Mom’s Homemade Crepe was a near certainty the Sunday evening afterwards. Cooked up in her heavy, black, iron skillet, Mom made the crepes one by one as each of us sat at the dining room table with our mouths watering waiting to enjoy this treat. Mom always topped her crepes with molasses, a…

Mom’s Recipe Box: New Year Greetings with Bennett Family Favorites of Glen Jr., Kayleigh and Keri – Classic New England Lobster, Pumpkin Pie & Shepherd’s Pie

Posted on January 2, 2015

                “New Year Greetings with Bennett Family Favorites of Glen Jr., Kayleigh and Keri”   Family favorites are a good reason for a gathering.   Here are The Bennett Favorites at Glen Jr.’s house: Glen’s Favorite Classic New England Lobster; Kayleigh’s Favoite Pumpkin Pie; and Keri’s Favorite Shepherd’s Pie                         Glen’s Favorite Classic New England Lobster INGREDIENTS 2 or 3 tablespoons salt; 4 live lobsters (about 1 and a half pounds each); 1 half cup (1 stick) melted butter; Lemon wedges. PREPARATION Fill a large stockpot about half full of water. Add the salt and bring to a boil. When the water has come to a rolling…

Mom’s Recipe Box: Nathan’s Cranberry Bacon Reduction; Plus, “Great for a New Year’s Eve Gathering” Sweet & Sour Meatballs from Wayne

Posted on December 26, 2014

                      Nathan’s Cranberry Bacon Reduction   My fond memories of visiting my Nana and family in New England were usually around the holidays. Here is a simple recipe for my favorite cranberry sauce that teleports me to that time and place with a tasty twist. This recipe always goes over well. It tastes sweet, bitter, sour, salty, and savory. Serve it warm or cool. My favorite application is for the day after a great holiday meal. I slather the cool cranberry reduction on either a ciabatta or a telera roll along with cream cheese, turkey, stuffing, green leaf lettuce, and more crispy bacon (see picture). It will be one of the best lunches you’ve…

A Father’s Dedication – Dad in the Car Trunk with the Christmas Tree

Posted on December 24, 2014

Holiday Reflection: By Jacqueline Bennett newsandviewsjb.com   *For several years after my father passed away, some of his grandsons (my nephews) – Lance, Eric and Glen Jr. – stepped in to carry on Dad’s Christmas tradition of visiting a Northeastern Connecticut tree farm that had special meaning to the family, sawing down our huge tree, then lugging it to the car. Once inside the house, we all – Lance, Eric, Glen Jr. Jillian, Deb, Candy, Mom/Nana, Aunt June and I –  had turns over time joining in the decorating !                        As the youngest of seven siblings, I had a big say in the selection of our family Christmas Tree. The ceilings in our…

Mom’s Recipe Box: Hamburg Dressing – the Crowning Glory of My Mother’s Holiday Recipes, Plus New England Pumpkin Pie & Cinnamon Sugar Treats

Posted on December 19, 2014

            Hamburg Dressing – the Crowning Glory of My Mother’s Holiday Recipes   For me, and I would dare say all of us who grew up enjoying it, the aroma and taste of my mother’s hamburg dressing is quite simply the aroma and taste of Christmas and the holiday season. Assuming it was safely in Mom’s recipe box, the first Christmas after her passing in 2010 I went in search of her hamburg dressing recipe. It was nowhere to be found – leaving those of us who loved it so, to try and recreate the formula. Each of us could vividly recall Mom/Nana standing vigilant by the stove with her black, iron skillet – which had belonged to her mother…

Mom’s Recipe Box: Holiday Encore & More from Candy – Pumpkin Cake, Banana Bread, Peanut Butter Bread and Cranberry Walnut Bread!

Posted on December 12, 2014

                Holiday Encore & More from Candy – Pumpkin Cake, Banana Bread, Peanut Butter Bread and Cranberry Walnut Bread!   I enjoy baking. It’s a feeling of accomplishment and anticipation of sharing. My Pumpkin Cake became a favorite to bring to family Christmas gatherings. I also would bake one for my school colleagues during the holidays. It’s my idea of a terrific recipe – easy to make and it can serve many people! The Banana Bread is my mother’s recipe. The bread always smelled good while it was baking as the aroma permeated the kitchen. Not every holiday, but often enough, Mom baked Peanut Butter Bread. I also bake it once in awhile and decided to add it to this…