My grandma was an absolute redneck. The only foods that were especially noteworthy were the pan fried catfish; along with the canned tomatoes and green beans (but only because she grew them in her backyard.)

Everything else was a “secret recipe” straight from the back of a mayo tub. (Or similarly disconcerting.)

And the thing about the catfish is you do not want to know how much lard it was fried in. (Maybe the recipe came the lard box?)

I love her, though, and I have to be clear: she was not the “bad” kind of redneck.

Now grampa? Both his dad and grandfather were moonshiners, and I still have their heirloom recipe book. Apparently grandma didn’t know he kept a still in his shed. (Which, incidentally is where her mason jars disappeared to.)

Also need to shout out an honorable mention to my neighborhood Abuela. Not that’s she’s gone yet. Her Tamales will be missed by hundreds. And I have an arrangement- I provide tomatoes, peppers and garlic (which i grow,) and we split the resulting salsas and moles 50/50.

Id say her tamales were to die for- but really, all you have to do is ask. (Or catch a cold. A pregnancy is practically a lifetime supply…) (giving and sharing food is how she expresses that she cares, and she basically loves most people.)

Yep my grandma would always do ready meals with that gross fake mash lmao