All wonderful memories are not necessarily homemade...

 This past Saturday, February 13, 2010, my paternal grandmother passed away quietly at the age of 96. She had not been well for quite some time and had lived in a nursing home for many years. Physical disabilities aside, her mind was as sharp as a tack until a couple of years ago. On her 95th birthday, September 13, 2008, my husband and I were married. That afternoon, before the ceremony, my nieces; her great-grand daughters, my step-daughter & I went to the home to visit her so she could see us all dressed up for the wedding. She was clearly overwhelmed and so genuinely touched that she started to cry. We had pictures taken with her that day and I will cherish them forever.

I’ll always remember how beautiful she was when she was young; her skin was like silk, her hair was always done, she was extremely stylish and she NEVER left the house without lipstick. She used to take me on shopping sprees downtown… JJ Newberry’s, Tompkins and the Keds store by the train tracks then, on every occasion we would go to Woolworth’s to sit at the counter and have lunch together. Even back then it was no secret to me how she kept herself so young, slim and gorgeous… she was very disciplined with her eating habits. She would almost always order a hamburger and when the waitress brought it she would take the bun off of the top, reach into the old, metal napkin dispenser for a firm handful then pat as much of the grease off of her burger as possible. Sometimes she would order tuna salad on dry toast, promptly instructing the waitress, “No extra mayo please”. She would always let me order dessert though; I should have taken a cue from her then and maybe I wouldn’t always have had to battle the bulge! Tied onto the coat racks attached to the booths there were lots of balloons. Each balloon had a little piece of paper inside of it. The waitress would pop a balloon for me and whatever price was written on the slip would be the amount that Nana would pay for my banana split… sometimes it was free! Then she'd finish her coffee, re-apply her lipstick, pop a Sen-sen into her mouth, and we'd be on our way!

She knew the importance of vegetables as well and made sure that my brothers and I ate them… whether we knew it or not! She used to puree carrots or spinach then mix the pureed veggies in with pastina & butter… we loved our “colored macaroni” and ate as much as we could.  Come to think of it... she did smoke cigarettes way back in the day but she never inhaled and besides... she looked so "Vogue" doing it that I have to let her slide on that one! 

It’s amazing to me that so many memories come flooding back when someone you love passes away. I can remember the smells and the distinct echoes in the hallways where she & my grandfather lived. I remember the light scent of her cherry & almond Jergens moisturizer and also the Dove soap that she used. Every Tuesday we would pick her up from work and take her home where she would cook dinner for my family. Nana was my “Italian” grandmother however, since she was among the workforce, she rarely made anything homemade. She used jarred sauce and made a quick meatloaf with ketchup baked on top. She served Italian bread from the corner store and mashed potatoes out of a box. And if you can believe it… those were some of the best dinners I ever had; we were together, she fussed, and she loved me!

Nana had two sons; my uncle Frank and my dad, who had two and three kids respectively. I think the boys in our family were horrified to go to the nursing home to visit; the smells and sounds experienced while walking down those long corridors were poignant and heartbreaking to say the least. I used to go as often as I could however, I always knew it wasn't often enough. It just hurt so much. Then in 2004 I moved away and visited her almost everytime I returned home. My dad and uncle insured that she had everything she possibly needed and would alternate visiting her so she would have someone with her at least once a week.

My beautiful cousin, Leslie however remained the never faultering constant through Nana's years in the home. She not only visited often but her visits always brought some degree of unpleasant caregiving which she endured with the gentle compassion, consideration and love that no nurse could ever bring to our grandmother and I know that Nana was always warmed and comforted by her kind and tender heart. I hope she knows that all of the time that she spent and every piece of her heart that she gave has never gone unnoticed by me; she is an amazing person; a true angel and I love her very much... She is the sister I never had. Thanks, Les... for everything...

I have to stop now; the Kleenex are gone and there are too many memories to count; Nana always had one tucked in her sleeve for just this reason. In honor of my grandmother, I wanted to share a healthy recipe with you... something light, fresh, easy and delish... something Nana would be proud of and also something that I think Leslie would love...

Warm Spinach Salad w/Shrimp, Bacon & Honey Dijon

3 Shallots (sliced)

¼ C. Extra Virgin Olive Oil + 3 T. for sautéing Shrimp

½ C. Red Wine Vinegar

¼ C. Dijon Mustard

¼ C. Honey

Salt & Pepper to taste

½ pkg. Pre-Cooked Bacon (or Turkey Bacon)

1 lb. Large Shrimp (uncooked, peeled & deveined)

1 Lg. bag of pre-washed Baby Spinach Leaves

1 Medium container of crumbled Feta Cheese

In a blender, combine the Shallots, ¼ cup of the Olive Oil, the Vinegar, Dijon Mustard and the honey. Cover and blend for about 1 or 2 minutes. Add Salt & Pepper to taste. Pour dressing into a medium saucepan, heat on medium until it bubbles then simmer on low.

Lay the bacon on a paper towel lined plate and microwave on high until very well done; about 1 minute. Remove bacon, let cool so it crisps even more then crumble.

Meanwhile, heat the 3 T. Olive Oil in a medium skillet; add the Shrimp and cook for about 2 minutes per side. Give the Shrimp a good stir to make sure they are cooked through then pour the Shrimp into the saucepan with the warm dressing. Turn off the heat under the saucepan immediately.

Lay the Spinach Leaves on a large platter. With a slotted spoon, carefully transfer the Shrimp to the platter and scatter on top of the Spinach. Drizzle on the dressing then top with crumbled Bacon and Feta Cheese. Serve any extra dressing on the side.

Rest in peace, Nana... I am grateful that the suffering has ended and that you are once again young, healthy & happy!