Mama said NEVER eat fish and drink milk in the same meal.  Wonder how that works with clam chowder, oyster stew, etc?  She said her mama always said it would make you sick. :P

Mama had a list of things that must be cooked in cast iron pans...cornbread, pineapple upside down cakes and fried eggs to name a few.  Did you know that cooking in cast iron is healthier for you?  Of course, we've all heard the evils of cooking in aluminum and Teflon, but a doctor 'prescribed' every meal cooked in cast iron for my uncle, who had a serious problem with anemia.  Hmm, interesting!

Mama cooked every meal that she cooked on high heat.  My m-i-l always said that you should NEVER cook on high, it wasn't good for your stove or your pans.  (Wonder why they include a 'high' setting, if you shouldn't use it? lol)

Mama was known for pulling out the stuff from the backs of the cabinets to cook with lol...one time she commented on the green beans she had served for supper, "Mmm, aren't these beans good?"  (Hint:  When Mama commented on her own cooking, wait for the other shoe to drop lol, there was usually more to the story.)  Knowing this tidbit, we all sat making noncommittal grunts and hums.  Mama continued, "Yep, these were some that Grandma canned."  UM...Grandma, God rest her soul, had been gone for about 5 years at that point.  :O  Mama didn't believe in being wasteful LOL!

OK, Mama didn't do this, but it was her brother, so I'm including it anyway :P

My uncle was in charge of making the sweet potato casserole for Thanksgiving, it's a family tradition to have the one that has melted marshmellows on top.  So the family sits down together, all having heaped the casserole on their plates as a family favorite.  After the first taste, everyone knew something wasn't right.  Seems that my uncle had run short on sweet potatoes, so he just substituted rutabagas in the recipe!  Rutabagas, sweet potatoes and ...marshmellows?  EWWWW! lol