Pearl's Green Beans Caesar

Pearl and Dean in Moms Kitchen

FROM DAR HANSON

This recipe was really from Betty Crocker Cookbook circa 1957- Mom tweaked it a little and we don't mind a bit sharing it with "Betty"- HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Mom's Green Beans Caesar
serves 4 - 6

Green Beans,1 1/2 lb fresh, cut into 1 inch pieces (or 3 cans cut green beans, drained)Olive Oil, 2 TVinegar, 1 TMinced Onion, 1 T , or finely chopped fresh onionSalt, 1/4 t Garlic, 2 cloves, crushedPepper, 1/4 t Dry Bread Crumbs, 2 T Parsley, 1/4 C fresh chop Parmesan Cheese, 3 T grated  (Dean & I use 'Pecorino Romano' from the great ROMA DELI)
Butter, 1 T, melted
paprika

1. Heat beans and 1 inch of salted water to boiling. Cook uncovered for about 5 minutes. Cover and cook until tender, 10-15 minutes, on medium heat. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Drain beans when done. (or drain canned beans)
2. Toss beans, oil, vinegar, onion, salt, garlic, and pepper. Pour into ungreased 1 quart casserole dish.
3. Mix bread crumbs, cheese, parsley and butter. sprinkle over beans. Sprinkle with paprika.
4. Cook uncovered in oven for 15 to 20 minutes. Enjoy!

MOMS NOTE IN THE COOKBOOK: "IT'S NICE IF YOU LET IT SIT A LITTLE -GOOD W/ TURKEY"

Thanksgiving on Pioneer Drive

Our front yard in winter

Our backyard in winter 

FROM DAR HANSON, daughter and 2nd child of Rudy and Pearl Hanson)

(Pioneer Drive Thanksgivings included Rudy, Pearl, Dave, Dar, Doug,
Darrell and later Dean Hanson/Uncle Phil, Aunt Alma, cousins Tim, April
& Bridget Kelly- PEARL & ALMA are sisters...)

MY MEMORIES:

-Us kids sledding at the "canyon" before dinner...(back when it snowed big in November!)

-Those toasty hugs from mom coming in from the cold...

-Dad wiggling the turkey legs to test for doneness.. he always said "just how I like it- falling apart!" (yah swede)

-Mom scouring the house into oblivion the week before (das German).

-The 'kids table' that you never seem to graduate from..."maybe next year" Aunt Alma sympathized...

-The chairs all matched with a piano bench here, & a phone book there....

-"Helping" mom pick out the linens from the linen closet...

-Dad hauling out the extra "table leaves" from the front hall closet...

-Mom's "golden wheat" pattern on the good dishes...

-Itchy sweaters....

-Aunt Alma & cousins Ape and Brigee bringing the DEE- licious pies made all the way from scratch...

-Uncle Phil's cool car where the doors opened like a limosine!

-The roasting bird driving us nuts...how the adults tortured us kids by "visiting" for what seem like HOURS before we could dig in...(if we had it our way, we'd just knock each other on the shoulder, show off any new toys and EAT..)

What are YOUR childhood memories?? 

"THE KID'S TABLE"  MY COUSINS BRIDGET KELLY, APRIL KELLY (ALMA'S GIRLS) & DAR HANSON- THANKSGIVING ABOUT 1968

 "THE MIESKE SISTERS" PEARL MIESKE HANSON & ALMA MIESKE KELLY- LATE 60'S

 MY FATHER RUDY DOING THE DISHES- PIONEER DRIVE

L to R STANDING: GRANDMA MIESKE, APRIL KELLY,  TIM KELLY, DAVE HANSON, MOM PEARL HANSON, DOUG HANSON, OUR UNCLE PHIL KELLY (ALMAS HUBBY)- BOTTOM SEATED L to R: BRIDGET KELLY, DEAN HANSON, AUNT ALMA KELLY &  DARRELL HANSON- THANKSGIVING PIONEER DR. ABOUT 1967

L TO R: RUDY HANSON, OUR UNCLE ROBERT HANSON, OUR COUSIN TIM KELLY, HIS DAD OUR UNCLE PHIL KELLY- FRONT DOUG HANSON, DARRELL HANSON- THANKSGIVING ABOUT 1965 ON PIONEER DRIVE.

 FROM BOTTOM TO LEFT: APRIL KELLY, BRIDGET KELLY, DAVE HANSON, DEAN HANSON (IN HIGH CHAIR), TIM KELLY & DARRELL HANSON- THANKSGIVING ON PIONEER DRIVE ABOUT 1967..

Hide n' Seek

By: Ethan Hanson

I was trying to think back on some memories of Grandpa Rudy and Grandma Pearl...

I don't remember a whole lot about Grandpa Rudy, I was fairly little when he passed. But I do have one memory that sticks out, the game 'Egore'.   Us kids would run around and hide in the basement of their old house which had one large white room a hallway with the staircase and then the room with the heater, washer and dryer that was unfinished with pipes sticking out everywhere.  I remember few places to hide, but we always found somewhere in the dark...then the fun would begin, Grandpa Rudy would come down the stairs with his arms partially in the air saying in a deep voice, 'Eeeeegore'.  A few of us (Kellan Hanson, Brian Hanson and Matt Hanson our cousin) might squeak a little, laugh or make a movement and he would make his sudden movement in that direction.  Soon he'd find one and then the other...I remember my favorite place to hide was in the unfinished area over by the pipes above a wash area.  My memory is faint, but it makes me happy when I think about it.

I used to love to visit Grandma Pearl's house, everybody knows she let you eat whatever you want.  Ice cream for breakfast, ok, toast with extra butter and cinnamon, no problem!  I remember after breakfast, we'd play in the family room where there was a spiny chair, and we would spin and spin until we became dizzy we fell to the floor.  While we played, Grandma would work on her puzzles, the big and difficult kind.  After spinning we'd build big forts out of blankets and play under them for hours, she'd even let us sleep under them at night!  We always had fun at Grandma's house.

Ethan Hanson (Son of Grandma Pearls son, Darrell Hanson)

Family Picnic RUDY BURGERS!

FROM DAR HANSON

(for Hanson eyes only!)

One Father's Day I surprised my dad with a new Weber Grill. Shortly after,  "RUDY BURGERS" were born.  Rudy Burgers are always served with "secret formula" potato salad. I tried in vain to peek over Dad's shoulder to find out how he made both- other than the opening and closing of alot of cupboards, the only thing he told me was "potatoes can take A LOT of salt"...ok Dad-  anyway they were killer and we miss Dad manning the grill...here's the recipes we deduced: (BROTHERS: please correct any of this I missed)

The SECRET INGREDIENT for RUDY BURGERS was this awful liver powder, but I swear it made those burgers tender and juicy and full of flavor...

DAD'S FAMOUS "RUDY BURGERS" 

  -Couple lbs (and a 1/2) of hamburger
  -1 raw egg
 - Dried Onion Flakes
 - Season Salt
 - Dried Parsley
 - Dash Kitchen Bouquet (liquid)
 - (THE SECRET) Couple tablespoons desiccated liver powder. 
- Lots onion & garlic powder
 - Celery Salt 
 - Pepper
 - Big blob of Ketchup
 - Squirt of Mustard 

- Mix together with a ** LIGHT HAND ** so meat doesn't get tough

-Shape into patties

-Poke an indentation in center of each

-Place patties between wax paper and leave in fridge on a plate for a few hours to blend flavors

-Bring to room temp before grillin' 'em up. 

DADS FAMOUS "SECRET FORMULA" POTATO SALAD

-Boil peeled, cut up  Idahos

While taters are still warm, BUT NOT COMPLETELY COOLED, add:
-*Lots* a onion and celery salt

-Garlic Powder

-Pepper

-Miracle Whip

-Mustard

-Dash of white Vinegar

-Dried Onion Flakes

-Bottle of Kraft French Dressing (old fashion bright orange kind -- NOT Red Russian)-Chopped hard boiled eggs

Salad will be kind of soupy, but will absorb flavors and some liquid as it cools. cover in fridge.  Decorate with rounds of hard boiled eggs, cover with paprika and dried parsley.  Stick in Mom's big serving spoon before talking it out to the table.

Put word out to family and friends, set the picnic table on the porch with Mom's red and white checkered tablecloth, her old Melmac "picnic" dishes and plastic glasses, set out a jar of sweet pickles, ketchup, mustard, a bag of super soft Holsum Ham "Burgler" Buns, (bread for the kids), a plate of hot buttered corn from Dad's garden, Frito's and pop.  

Pile the burgers up on the side of the black Weber on the outdoor patio.  Those guests who are new to the game will try to get recipes from Dad.  Dad smiles and repeats two words -- "Secret Formula".  Mom will push vanilla or chocolate ice cream from big round paper tubs (Clark the milkman delivered) for dessert.  

(LATER)..Man, I'm full! 

Dean, Gramma Pearl, Billy George (Doug's best bud), and Brian Hanson

 L to R: Karen & Darrell, Kathy, Doug, Brian, Sherri, Dean, Gramma Pearl, Grandpa Rudy on our porch in Jackson, Mich- about '87

Pearl in front, Dar (standing), the rest Dean's buddies..)

"SWEDISH VALHALLA = PASTIES ! " ("borrowed" from the Cornish miners)

From Dar Hanson

A HANSON TRADITION

Here is an original "pasty" shop on U.S. 41 in Marquette, Michigan- the very road where RUDY'S childhood home was, OTTO & GREAT GRAM KRISTINA'S homestead too... this shop was one of many in Michigan's upper peninsula. Rudy's cousin "Auntie Verle" claims nowdays the best pasties are made at the Lion's Club or the church where the old guard knows what they're doing ( LARD for the crust- crisco for the wimps).. dad's other cousin,"Auntie Leona" is 91 and still drives herself to church during pasty week to do her volunteering- she puts the fresh pasties in a sack for those to go & refers to herself as the "Bag Lady" of pasties. Occasionally my brother Dean will bring me a few from a Cornish family joint up by his place- we make a joke- if he does something particularly good to help his old sister, I say "I **PASTY** love you for that!".....I know this post will make all the Hansons DROOL.."I'll have mine with lotsa 'Stokleys' catsup and whole milk in a jelly glass"........

Click on "pasty shop" or the logo to visit their home page. Some fun pictures there.

MOM EVEN KINDA LOOKED LIKE LUCY...

CONTRIBUTED BY DAR HANSON- this is how Mom "saw" it...

When Rudy and Pearl were young and my brother Dave was a toddler, they lived for awhile in one of those little silver round edged airstream trailers. it had abreviated versions of all the amenities, including a little couch. Mom had been pouring over magazines advertising the new "sectional" couches- apparently all the rage of that era. One day Pearl thought she'd "surprise" Rudy with her own version..they didn't have the money (or the space), so she decided to cut the couch in half, sew fabric over the raw ends and put a lamp in the middle. (like a Lucy episode). So mom started sawing away and Dave kept saying, "I don't think dad's going to like it"...(at this point of the storytelling, mom is

laughing and dad is glaring at her). She said dad came home from a long day at the plant and just stared at the couch, trying to compute what he was seeing...mom was sitting on one of the "sections" READING A MAGAZINE! the rest is history...

We're Haven' a Baby!

CONTRIBUTED BY DAR HANSON

Here's a good one about when Dave was born (Rudy and Pearl Hanson's first child)..as told to me by Mom.

When Pearl & Rudy were expecting their first baby they were both really just kids themselves...

One morning (when Pearl was very due) they were happily having breakfast together when suddenly her water broke all over the kitchen floor. Now mind you my father Rudy was a cool cucumber- the "go to" guy- the man with the answers- our protector...

well he came completely unglued (again like the lucy episode). Mom said he was rushing around in circles & when they finally got her and her suitcase in the car Dad drove her (get this)... to WORK! (he KNEW how to get THERE).. she said he pulled into a parking spot, threw it in park and just looked at her- then he threw it in drive and drove downtown to the hospital- neither of them said a word....

he'd had a lot of practice since that first one- by the time Dean came around he was the epitome of that cool cucumber we knew so well... here's a pic of Mom and Dave about 1947 or '48...

and the rest is history...

How Mom met Dad

BY DAR HANSON-

Pearl met Rudy while she and her girlfriend, Nina, were hitchhiking to a country carnival (it was ok to to do that during WW2).. Rudy was with his buddy Harold Knipper when they came upon the two girls. (Harold had a car- a big wup during the war). Pearl's friend Nina was a no nonsense type person and very protective of Pearl. Dad said Harold was showing the girls how to drive with his FEET and doing impressions of comedians to impress them...Mom laughed but Nina was quite unimpressed...they dropped the girls at the carnival, and then kind of followed them at a distance..whenever they got a word in or tried to ask them to go on a ride, Nina would head them off at the pass... Dad eventually won out but forever thereafter dubbed Nina, THE BODYGUARD. Here is a picture of Rudy and Pearl (despite Nina's efforts) after they became good friends..early 40's..(Mom imitating comic actor Harpo Marx)!

Ida and Her Daughter Verle

"CONTRIBUTED BY DAR HANSON"

"Auntie Verle" (seen here on far right with her family- son Paul, wife Karen, Lynn, Verle with Paul and Karen's two boys- around 2007) is actually my dad, Rudy's, 1st cousin- she was considered the matriarch of Skandia and still visits during summers..her full name is Verle Kellstrom (wife of Howard Kellstrom). They have two children- Lynn and Paul.

Verle is the daughter of Ida Victoria Hanson (7th child of Kristina and Pehr). Here is a picture of her mother Ida (seated bottom center at right) with the Bahrman sisters of Skandia.

Ida was born in Marquette, Mich Dec 6th 1889 and died young on July 12th 1939. Her hubby David Fredrickson served as postmaster, had a general store and full service station- all attached to the original homestead. It was the hub of community activity! see photo above. Verle herself served many long hours there..

  Ida and David married in Skandia, Michigan Dec 2nd, 1922 & had four children- Vernon, Verle, Violet (Vi) and Gloria. Verle can remember her father was very strict and did not approve of dancing, drinking, card playing and the like! He was a generous and long valued member of the community and died there in 1947..

Daughter Verle just celebrated her 87th b'day with her family on oct 29th, 2011 @ Palm Springs, California.

Verle's future husband Howard first saw her as a young girl sitting on the steps of her fathers store the very day of her mother's death. It was his first day carrying mail for the Star Route - after awhile he asked her to the movies, they courted for a few years, then married. At first Verle didn't want to get married- she was only 18, but Howard insisted she was the one!

Howard Kellstrom

"CONTRIBUTED BY DAR HANSON"

Here is a photo of Verle's hubby, Howard Kellstrom, from the West Branch book. Verle said Howard was a very smooth dancer. During their marriage he frequently took her for overnighters to a club in nearby Escanaba. She said Howard liked to dance so much that whe she tired she gave him permission to "dance with the widows"- and he did !

Like his father, Howard was Postmaster and with his family, ran the same compound at the family homestead during his era. Howard died at the young age of 68- a popular and highly regarded member of the community.

Shaw Homestead

"In 1890 Robert Shaw purchased the Shaw homestead of 160 acres from his father, and became a farmer." ~West Branch, Michigan History book- "posted by Amy Hanson"

"Ted" -- Axel and Anna's son -- 50th Anniversary

Ted's real name is Walfred Theodore Hanson. He is Axel and Anna's 2nd son, Rudy's older brother, still living in Marquette.

in photo: L to R is Greg, Shelly, Chris & Bucky (Brian) Hanson- all are Ted and Maddie Hanson's kids.

A Darrell Memory

So this is a bit long, but very enjoyable to read. You'll have to click on each "picture" to make it big enough to see. No date mentioned as to when Darrell wrote this. I can safely assume 1978.

Kristina's Family

These are some of the people mentioned in Ida's Obituary.

Kristina's brother, Charlie Gustafson, with his family in Marquette.

Eddie, Charlie's adopted son

BELOW: starting at upper left: Otto and Pearl wedding photo.

Otto was Kristina's youngest child- he was less than a year old when his father Pehr drowned @ Lake Superior

upper right: John Larson

Hilda Hanson's husband. Hilda is the oldest of Pehr and Kristina.

bottom left: Pehr Hanson

bottom right: Kristina Hanson

A (rather formal) Christmas greeting to Kristina from her brother Axel

Axel W. Gustafson was the first doctor in French Camp, California (near Justine?)

Kristina's Kitchen

We referred to Bert's wife as Aunt Pat- (Bert was my dad, Rudy's, 1st cousin -- Leona's younger brother and -- son of Otto and Pearl Robinson Hanson). Seems everyone was Auntie and Uncle in Skandia!

It was said when two young people started making "peepers" at each other, everyone ran to the Elders to make sure they weren't related! A small town phenom that still carries out to this day.

Here's a pic of Aunt Pat's Christmas celebration when they lived in Kristina's old house (Pat said about 1950). Love that kitchen- original beadboarding and wavy glass windows!

L to R:

-Martin Coppo (husband to Leona, Otto's daughter),

-Pat Bradley Hanson (standing more in front, with glasses)

-Pearl Robinson Hanson holding Bert and Pat's daughter, Pam

-Pearl's hubby, Otto

-Leona (Otto and Pearl's only daughter)

-Glen (Otto and Pearl's youngest son) My dad Rudy's 1st cousin and best friend!

Thought Pat's recipe would be a nice addition. OX Auntie Dar

This recipe from "Aunt" Pat in Skandia - she was a great cook but hated being away from the party...

*AUNT PATS HURRY UP CHICKEN*

-2 Boneless skinless chicken breasts

- Equal amounts of Dijon mustard and dark brown sugar

Rinse and pat chicken dry. Spray a shallow pan with PAM. Place chicken in pan. Smear heavily with mustard/sugar mixture. Cover with foil and bake 350 for 20-30 Minutes or until juices run clear.

USE EXTRA SAUCE FOR DIPPING. SOUNDS KILLER! ox Dar

Leona "Lee" Hanson Coppo- Family Historian

"WRITTEN AND CONTRIBUTED BY DAR HANSON"  on11-3-11 (the anniversary of our Dad Rudy's birthday- he would've been 87 today!)

Here is a picture of Leona (Hanson) Coppo surrounded by her lovely collection of Cambridge glass. As a young woman she was paid for a babysitting job in a piece of original Cambridge and has been hooked ever since. She has written for the Cambridge Glass Magazine, hosted and attended Cambridge Glass Club functions (with her daughter Carol) featuring the pieces in Flint, Michigan. Leona has the gift to make a written text come alive and is in the process of doing her own extensive scrapbooking project for her branch of the Hanson line. We often share photos & information, but best of all the STORIES! Leona has total recall about even the smallest details back when our great grandma Kristina and all those other names, dates and faces we wonder about were alive and we spend hours late at night in that magical space of living history. She is the COOLEST!

   Leona is the daughter of Otto and Pearl Hanson- born in 1920. Though I call her "Auntie", she is my dad Rudy's 1st cousin. She met her husband, Martin Coppo (as many seemed to in Skandia) at Fredricksons post office/general store. Here is my favorite pic of her in their "salad days"- about 1946.

They were married December 17th 1943 at Ypsilanti, Michigan when Martin was home on leave from the Navy (type U.S.S. Pequot in your browser to see an entire web circuitry about that WW2 ship Martin served on) . Leona lived in Ypsi and worked as a civilian for the Army Air Corps at Willow Run where they made the famous B-24 aircraft.
Leonas father was Otto Hanson, b.1891- d.1977 (Otto was Kristina and Pehr's last child- under a year old when his father drowned while working at Lake Superior). Leona's mother was Pearl Robinson b. 1893- d. 1980 (from the reknowned Robinson Family of Skandia)..Leona's Mom Pearl was considered the best cook in Skandia (i can attest to it personally!) & the ultimate homemaker..

LEONA'S BROTHERS

Glen was Leona's brother and Rudy's best friend growing up..Glen married later in life to Lillian Swanson of Skandia- they had no children...her other brother, Bert, married Pat Bradley of Detroit-(they lived in Kristina's old house while Bert built their new one across highway 41 in the 50's- Pat is the one with the chicken recipe in former post). Bert served both in WW2 and Korea- they had one daughter, Pamela..here is a picture of cousins Glen, Bert and my dad Rudy in front of the legendary Donckers Sweet Shop (still there in Marquette!) while Bert was on leave after boot camp about 1941 or 42, yet to see the horrors of war.

According to Leona, her Mom Pearl died at Norlite Nursing Home in Marquette, Michigan. Here is Otto and Pearl's wedding picture in January 1920 (not to be confused with Rudy's wife Pearl!) they were married at Green Bay, Wisconsin when Otto had a job at the Carnation factory there.

Here are each of Pearl's parents, Demmon Robinson b. 1866- d. 1922...and his wife, the legendary Minnie Goodman Robinson b.1872- d. 1945

Pearl and Rudy's Obituaries

Doug, Rudy's son, wrote his obituary and Darlene, his daughter wrote Pearl's obituary.

AXEL & ANNA HANSON Family Photo

Axel and Anna Hanson Family Photo

L to R back: Theodore Walfred "Ted", Leonard, Arthur Rudolph "Rudy"

Sitting: Axel Theodore father, Robert W. (the baby) and Anna

About 1940

"Uncle Robert was our favorite uncle when we were little- he was a quiet swede, but loved to toss us around like peanuts - he never tired of it and was always so kind. We would scream with delight when we saw him coming! (We agree that Uncle Robert is the spitting image of Great Grandpa Pehr!)" ox auntie dar

Aunt Marlene and Uncle Robert Hanson

Uncle Robert is Rudy's (Rudolph) youngest brother (mentioned in the Verle story). Also sons of Axel and Anna Hanson.

Fathers Connection: Rudy/Robert to Axel to Pehr

Great Grandpa Pehr is Robert's grandpa.

He is retired from the phone company and restores old cars and trucks as a hobby. Aunt Marlene is a retired nurse. they live in Marquette, Michigan.

Robert and Marlene at "Skandia Days" parade in front of a 1924 Ford Uncle Robert restored to drive in the procession.

Marlene and Robert with Verle (on right) while she was visiting them at "Little Shag Lake" near Skandia, Michigan.

Wedding Announcement and 50th Anniversary in newspaper "The Mining Journal" of Marquette, Michigan.