Bena Mae’s Kitchen: A memory of WWII in Europe

A memory of WWII in Europe

As the 70th anniversary of the end of WWII in Europe in early May of 1945 is being celebrated, my brain is awash with memories that won’t go away, even after all these years.

One thing I vividly remember is that I cried a lot during that time. Being a teenager, I was sensitive to everything about the war– saying goodbye to friends I feared I would never see again as they left for the battlefields, mourning the deaths of friends who had been killed in battle, including the death of my brother who joined the air force at the age of 21, dying of a plane crash sometime thereafter, seeing the gold stars in windows of my neighbors depicting a loved one who died in the war. There were many of them, seems like everyone in every household was affected and connected to the horror that was happening “across the pond” as we called it — and fearing that the horror could possibly reach our shores.

I mailed cartons of cigarettes and other things I thought would remind them that we were thinking of them, endured the rationing of many items that were taken for granted during peaceful times, doing all the patriotic things the government asked us to do. Thoughts of our soldiers were a constant presence in our hearts and minds and we were glad to support them in any way we could. Our sacrifice was minimal to what they were going through.

We voraciously read the newspapers for what was happening on the front lines and clung to every word spoken in such dire tones by the war correspondences reporting from London, France, Belgium, Germany, anywhere our boys were stationed. Many times the news was bad and a dark cloud hovered over our lives for long periods of time. One of my favorite writers was Ernie Pyle who wrote so poignantly and heartbreakingly of the foot soldiers’ daily lives. I cried every time I read his column.
Many of my generation who are still alive and reading this will never forget that time in history. By the Grace of God we are still here to tell it and remember it and hope that history will never repeat itself.

As Tom Brokaw wrote, “We Are the Greatest Generation.” And I proudly accept that.
But we must never forget our brave fighting men who gave so much to make it possible.

OLD-FASHIONED
CHICKEN CASSEROLE

You can’t live in the south and not have a couple of recipes that involve a potato, can of cream soup and a bag of frozen vegetables.

2.5 lbs Yukon Gold potatoes,
    cubed – not peeled, boiled and mashed
1 cup sour cream
1 cup shredded, cheddar cheese
1 – 2.8 oz. can french-fried onions
2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. coarse ground pepper
Combine ingredients and spread into the bottom of a baking dish or comparable oval baking dish. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
    – poached and shredded
1 – 26-oz. can cream of mushroom soup
1 – 16 oz. bag frozen, mixed vegetables
    – thawed and drained
1 c. sour cream
2 tsp. ground mustard
1 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 c. shredded, cheddar cheese
    – for sprinkling on top
Combine ingredients and spread over potato mixture. Sprinkle with additional cup of shredded cheddar cheese. Bake in oven for 45 minutes until cheese is melted and bubbly, serve and enjoy.