Tipper and Paul
Paul was a New Year’s Baby. I’ve heard Granny tell the story a blue million times. She knew he would be her last child-she was older and the pregnancy had been a difficult one. But as she neared the end she begin to dream that maybe she’d have the first baby born on New Years Day. Managing to deliver the first child born in a new year practically guarantees your picture will be in the newspaper-maybe even the front page.
As her labor started it seemed that’s exactly how it would work out-until right before she was about to give birth. Granny says “they rolled some little young thing in there, she was screaming and hollering and before I knew what happened she had her baby first-even though I’d been in labor since the day before.” So Paul was the 2nd baby born on New Years Day that year-and no they didn’t make the paper.
To add insult to injury-Paul caught a staph infection in the hospital. Granny Gazzie (you can see her in the pic above holding Paul) came and stayed with us for a week or so-since the new mother was exhausted and all the baby’s bedding had to be washed once a day and his bed or anything else he touched had to be washed down as well.
Not too long after Paul was born, we moved out of the little house in Martins Creek to the house Pap built in Wilson Holler. (you can see Pap’s homemade saw horses in the back ground of the picture and you can see Granny’s handy work in mine and Paul’s clothes-she made them)
Paul wasn’t shy and backward like me-by the time he was 5 or 6 years old he was doing Howard Cosell impersonations. After Sunday Dinner at Granny Gazzie’s when everyone was sitting around in the living room-Paul would take the floor and tell jokes like a stand up comedian-being cute as a button didn’t hurt his act any either.
I always thought kids who had birthdays any where near Christmas missed out on the excitment of summer, spring, or fall birthdays. By the time everyone had celebrated Christmas and rung in the New Year-Paul’s birthday seemed like it was an afterthought.
One year when money was tight-I got the idea to give Paul a box of his favorite cookies for his Birthday. He enjoyed them so much-that I’ve given him a box on every birthday since.
Back in the day when me and The Deer Hunter were dating, Miss Cindy made the best cookies I had ever eaten-Oatmeal Krispies. She gladly shared the recipe with me-and as soon as I got home I made some for the whole family. Everyone liked them-but Paul especially loved them.
After me and The Deer Hunter were married, Miss Cindy told me Bonnie, her mother, made Oatmeal Krispies when she was growing up. As time went on-Miss Cindy gave me Bonnie’s hand written copy of the recipe-what a treasure to have.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cup plain flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon soda
- 1 cup shortening
- 1 cup white sugar
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 eggs
- 3 cups oatmeal-quick cooking
- 1/2 cup chopped nuts (I’ve never added the nuts)
*First cream shortening and both sugars till well mixed. Sift dry ingredients set aside.
*Add eggs mix well. Add Vanilla mix well.
*Add dry ingredients mix well.
*Add oatmeal mix well.
*Roll dough into long rolls and wrap in foil or wax paper. Put rolls into refrigerator for at least an hour. The rolls will keep several days in the frig or you can freeze them.
*Slice chilled rolls into 1/4 inch slices. Bake at 400 for 6 to 8 minutes depending on oven-or till light brown.
Ever had Oatmeal Krispies?
Tipper
oops! makes that pensmanship ISN’T!
great sharing! you triggered many memories: those saw horses could be my grandfather(s); lovely, handmade clothes for Easter,little brothers being brought home 🙂 I was taken with the lovely handwriting on the recipe — too bad penmanship is taught in schools anymore (although I thought writing those interminable rows of connected “O” was so unnecessary). The cookies sound yummy.
Poor thing, she got robbed of having the first baby! I’ve never heard of those cookies, but I’ll be sure to try them.
Tipper,
This is a heart-warming story about Granny and Paul.
The oatmeal cookies look really good. I’ve always liked oatmeal cookies.
I hope you have a wonderful New Year. Did you get to attend Possum Drop this year?
Glynda-Chitter and Chatter are not the girls real names. Several years ago my niece started calling them Chitter and Chatter cause they talk so much : ) I’ve never published a cookbook-but I have been thinking about it.
Blind Pig The Acorn
Music, Giveaways, Mountain Folk
All at http://www.blindpigandtheacorn.com
Stacey-you got it the Granny I always talk about-is actually my Mother. Once the grandkids came along we all took to calling her Granny. Granny Gazzie was my grandmother.
Blind Pig The Acorn
Music, Giveaways, Mountain Folk
All at http://www.blindpigandtheacorn.com
Okay, I’m just a little confused. You said that “Granny” was giving birth then you said that “Granny Gazzie” came after Paul was born. When you say “Granny” you do mean your mother, correct, not your grandmother? In other words, you’re referring to your own mother as Granny, right?
Cookies look delish! Definitely gonna make them soon.
Happy New Year!
Stacey
Oooh, what a great birthday gift. These cookies look pretty fantastic.
I’ll have to try these.I love a crispy cookie.
Tipper,
I may be a day late, but Happy
Birthday Paul: your singing and
guitar playing is a blessing to
us all.
Looks like you got over all that
shyness you had as a kid, Tipper,because
when you created the Blind Pig we
all can see how you opened up to
show the life and times of a wonderful family in Appalachia.
Those cookies look great and I
love anything with oatmeal in it.
…Ken
I have not had these before, but thanks to a dear “imaginary” friend who took the time to post the yummy recipe, now I’ll get the chance– it will be my first new recipe of the new year!
Happy New Year to you and your family, Tipper!
🙂
Tipper, I really love your website and love reading the stories and especially the recipes. Have a very Happy New Year and all of 2011 with your wonderful family. Question: Are Chitter and Chatter the girls real names and have you ever produced a cookbook of all of these great old recipes. Glynda
This is the same recipe I have for what was called After School Cookies when I was growing up. My mother would make them, put them in the refrigerator and bake them when we got home from school. Sometimes she would use nuts, sometimes raisins, some time nothing but would put a pecan on top to the cookie. I still have her hand written recipe and make the coolies occassionaly.
Hey Tipper,
I need to try these cookies…right now I’m out of quick-cook oatmeal…do have whole rolled oats…It’s the old age thing..LOL..sometimes I get so tired of breakfast oatmeal!
The oatmeal cookies I used to make were’nt crispy…and I love crispy cookies. Also these would count as a chloresterol saver wouldn’t it, the oats and all…uhhhh maybe not with the sugar, 1 cup shortening and 2 eggs…but spread out among a couple dozen cookies or sooo..I’m trying to rationalize here..LOL
Happy Birthday to Paul…Holiday birthdays are the pits…but better than not having one at all..LOL
Our son born on Dec. 24…talk about a labor room party…not me but the nurses were having one…and not too sure that the doc that came to deliver him, had’nt been to one…he was almost too jolly!
Thanks Tipper…
One of my New Year resolutions is to be sure to tell people when they have lifted my spirit and Tipper – you have done this many times in the past year or more since my uncle Kenneth pointed me to your blog site. I love reading about your childhood reflections, the Appalacian vocabulary and the very informative articles about wildlife and fauna from the hills. So thanks and best wishes for a wonderful year.
Oh my god those look absolutely yummy. I love oatmeal cookies, they are my favorite.
Whitetail Woods Blog / Deer Hunting and Blackpowder Shooting at it’s best.
In Cyprus, babies born on New Year’s Day are regarded as the lucky babies of the year. I’m sure Paul was a lucky baby in more ways than one. Oatmeal Krispies? I’ve had them as a cereal but not as biscuits. I might just as well give your recipe a try.
What a wonderful story! I can’t believe I haven’t come across a icebox oatmeal cookie before. Icebox cookies (rolled up in logs, set in the frige) are some of my favorite to make, so these will certainly be added to the list of our cookies. I managed to not make a single batch of cookies in 2010. That is very weird for me! Bet made fig newtons for a friend and Dirt made chocolate chip but for some reason I didn’t make a single batch of anything called cookie until Christmas Day! So this year I am planning on having a cookie day each week! We’ll see how that goes. But your Oatmeal Krispies will be on that list for sure.
Oh Tipper, those were the best cookies. I remember my mom making them when I was little. I loved them….I loved anything with sugar it it! They were the only cookies Bonnie made. She really wasn’t much of a cook! She is gone many years now so I can say that without concern for hurting her feelings. She could make those Oatmeal Cookies, Mints, Spaghetti, a Cherry Nut Cake, and that’s about it. It was from my dad that I got my love of cooking and my creative style. You will recognize that style when the Deer Hunter is in the kitchen cooking!
Happy Birthday to Paul. He is such a sweet calm spirit in the world, he is a pleasure to be around….like Pap!
No I haven’t. But you can bet I WILL!! LOL
I haven’t make Oatmeal Cookies in years! I think I’ll give that recipe a try.
I have my parents box of recipes mostly handwritten, it is indeed a wonderful treasure!
Paul sure ain’t bashful, is he? Can’t wait to try the cookies on the kids. Have a blessed new year.
My mother-in-law made a similar cookie and used peanuts in them. They were SO yummy, and I really haven’t made them in some time, but should. Thanks for reminding me Tipper!
Tipper–I’ll share the recipe with Miss Ann (my wife), although I don’t know that she’ll make the cookies. Neither of us are particularly in need of addtional calories.
On the woes of birthdays close to Christmas, I’m sure our daughter, Natasha (born on Dec. 29,) and Don’s son, Josh (born on Dec. 28), would agree. There is a one-time plus though–a tax deduction. But for children born in the New Year, as Paul was, there’s not even that.
Happy New Year!
Jim Casada
http://www.jimcasadaoutdoors.com
this is a great story and I love it. cookies for birthday is my kindof gift, these look great to me. both of you were cute as a button. thanks for sharing
I used to make oatmeal cookies a lot when the kids were growing up, but they were a chewy cookie, not crispy. These days I’ve pretty much retired from all that baking, since Cliff and I can’t stop at just one.