The Home Front
As America experienced growing pains and wars, so did Alabama. Our citizens stepped up to do their part to defend our country. We are savagely dedicated to our football, but more importantly, we are dedicated to defending our God and country. During these painful times, mommas cooked and prayed, and our soldiers went off to war and dreamed of coming home to the love of family and Momma’s home cooking. 
Many of my family members fought, bled, and some died in the different wars faced by America- World War I and II, the Korean War, Vietnam, the Gulf War, and the war in Afghanistan. Great-Uncle Bert Swann was at Pearl Harbor when it was bombed, defended his country, and then returned to Sweet Home Alabama to raise a family. Uncle Nelson Campbell was in Vietnam. Uncle Jack Daily was a sharpshooter in World War II and earned many medals. Among my many relatives who served was my Great-Uncle Loyd Parker. He fought in World War II and was in a prisoner of war camp for eighteen months. His family didn’t know if he was dead or alive. They didn’t hear anything to know his fate or his whereabouts. Can you imagine the anguish the Parker family faced not knowing if he was dead or alive for a year and a half? The many tears and prayers that went up on Loyd’s behalf?
What got them through? A deep faith in God and many prayers and support from the community carried them through the wilderness of this tribulation. Loyd’s mother, Great-Grandma Parker, had her hands in the dough bowl making biscuits for the family when the joyous word came that he was alive and coming home. She wiped the flour off her hands with gusto and cried, “Whoopee! Loyd’s coming home!” and left her biscuit making and ran down the road to tell her son, Avis, the great news. When Loyd came home, a great celebration was held with lots of good hugs and his momma’s home cooking as the whole community joined to celebrate. I wasn’t born at the time, but l am sure one of Grandma Parker’s yard chickens was on the menu. I hope you enjoy this family recipe!
-Danna Standridge
Author of Happiness is Homemade Y’all!
Read her faith story at www.birminghamchristian.com/issues.
Join her in the kitchen on Facebook and YouTube.
Yummy Chicken Pie
In memory of Great-Grandma Maude Hardin Parker
Ingredients:
3 Ibs. cooked chicken, deboned
2 cups chicken broth, homemade or store bought
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 stick melted butter
1 cup self-rising flour
1 cup buttermilk*
pepper (to taste- I use 1 teaspoon)
Instructions:
Cut chicken into bite-sized pieces and spread into a greased 9″x13″ inch pan. Heat broth and soup till boiling and pour over chicken. Mix melted butter, flour, pepper, and buttermilk and spread evenly over chicken. Bake at 425°F for 25-30 minutes or until browned on top. *Hint: Don’t have buttermilk? Use a cup of milk and add a tablespoon of vinegar. It will do the trick!
