Wynne Davis

A long-distance video lesson from Mom also offered a chance to write the recipe down. Cold weather and a marble slab work best to cool this homemade confection, which has helped the family bond.

Friends, family and co-workers clamor for the quirky, pistachio-flavored pudding cookie treats that come out looking green.

Parents, kids, aunts and a cousin gather on Black Friday to make a big batch to mail around the country. It's shared far and wide at Christmastime and was featured on a bike ride across Iowa.

A young Jan Kincaid Clifford wasn't even tall enough to reach the stove. That didn't stop her from stirring the pot. And stirring. And stirring. Her dad's recipe requires patience, but it pays off.

A circus performer known for being fired out of a cannon liked to make dinner for the people he worked with. One of them still makes his inspired lasagna today, and it has some surprising ingredients.

Maureen O'Reilly wanted to make the treat for her husband, but first she had to watch his grandmother make it — and measure out each ingredient rather than just eyeballing it.

After her mother died, using tips from her aunts, Miriam Piccolo re-created a dish that tastes like home to her. Coming home from school to this meal meant that her mom had been thinking about her.

Lisa Hovis learned to make these traditional Norwegian cookies by baking alongside her grandmother. The recipe and fond memories remain.

Parmesan cheese and panko breadcrumbs round out this dish. Just don't expect any cream of mushroom soup or fried onions in this twist on a traditional recipe.

Rather than stuffing the turkey, Rebecca Monnette made dressing balls with a few simple ingredients that safely cook separate from the bird. Her grandson carries on the tradition.