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All Things We're Cooking is a series featuring kitchen gems from you, our readers and listeners, and the special stories behind them. We'll continue to share more of your recipes throughout the holidays.

When making Thanksgiving dressing, Grandma Monnette had one simple rule

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

She loved Mom's picadillo but never got the recipe. TikTok moved her to get creative

After her mother died, with 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.

Friends and family flip over these krumkake cookies

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

The 'human cannonball' is gone, but his lasagna recipe lives on

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.

It took clever thinking to write a recipe for this Irish soda bread, a family favorite 

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.

Her husband's love of crispy prosciutto transformed a green bean casserole

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.

All Things We're Cooking is a series highlighting family recipes that have special meaning to you, our readers and listeners. Earlier this year, we asked you to share your most prized recipes and explain why these dishes evoke such fond family memories. Working in collaboration with NPR member stations, we received responses from across the country. We've been interviewing some contributors and will continue to share their stories through the holiday season. All recipes and photos were provided by NPR audience members.

Reporting by Wynne Davis, with Isabella Gomez Sarmiento and Maison Tran

Editing by Desiree F. Hicks and Pam Webster

Design and art direction by Daniel Wood, Emily Bogle, Kaz Fantone and Alyson Hurt

Audio versions of stories produced by Rose Friedman and Isabella Gomez Sarmiento, with assistance by Maison Tran

Additional editing by Gerry Holmes, Nicholas Charles and Neda Ulaby

NPR member stations collaboration by Franklyn Cater

We all have that one dish that excites our palates and calls to mind special memories with Mom, Dad, Grandma or a favorite aunt who created delicious, comforting dishes. 

Favorite family recipes and the stories that make them memorable

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