Everyone likes being complimented on his or her cooking. We’re pleased that a friend or relative found something to be tasty, and we’re flattered by the comments. It’s even more pleasant if the recipe is an old family favorite that has special meaning. We love to say, "that was my mother’s pie" or cake or casserole. Let someone ask for the recipe, however, and the response might be surprising.

There are two kinds of recipe possessors: Those who share, and those who absolutely, positively do not. Anyone belonging to the first group is capable of dropping whatever he’s doing and rattling off a list of ingredients as the recipient scribbles madly on a napkin. Not so for the non-sharing crowd. A recipe request will generate a haughty, "I never give out my recipes" reply, which may leave the other person a bit offended. Hey, it’s just a recipe — and guests don’t ask unless they liked what they were served.

Club chefs have access to thousands of recipes from cookbooks, the Internet, and their own creative ideas. They also have a cache of treasured family recipes. Many are handwritten, tucked inside an old notebook, or filed in a box with dividers to separate "Meat" from "Bread." Executive chef Dan Shattuck of Laurel Springs Golf Club in Suwanee, Georgia, inherited his grandmother’s recipe box. "She was the best cook," he says, "and she made great pies. I remember that she loved to use fresh berries." She also taught him to cook, Chef Dan says, with what he calls "a great deal of patience."

Grandmothers helped instill a love of cooking in many of us. Perhaps they had more time than working mothers, or maybe they needed ways to entertain a grandchild, but they enjoyed kids in the kitchen. "My grandmother was very influential in my becoming a chef," comments Steve Pilon, executive chef at Oak Pointe Country Club in Brighton, Michigan. "My mom was a single parent and didn’t have a lot of extra time. I spent many holidays with my grandmother in Arizona and she loved to cook. We spent hours in the kitchen together."

Mike "Gabe" Gabrielson, executive chef of the Piedmont Club in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, has a different twist on the origins of an old recipe. "My grandfather," he says, "made the most wonderful baked beans. No matter what holiday or party the family was celebrating, they insisted he bring his beans." The recipe was passed along to Gabe’s mother, and then to Gabe. It hasn’t been shared outside the family at all. "He was pretty secretive about the recipe," the chef admits, "but I want to share it in his honor. I think he’d be pleased to see it published."

Recipes may be passed from mother to son or daughter or to a favorite sister, but, from that point, they could land in almost anyone’s hands. "I have tons of recipes," says executive chef Martha Yost of the University Club of Jackson in Mississippi, "and, of course, I know the special things my mom made. But there are recipes that have been in my family for ages. Unless Aunt Somebody’s name is written on the card, I’ve forgotten where it came from." Chef Martha likes to include a couple of her family recipes in the holiday and spring classes she teaches each year. "I hate to see classic recipes disappear," she says, "and some of our younger members are just beginning to find their way around in the kitchen. I want them to have a chance to learn how to prepare new foods, but also to preserve the recipes that link us to our ancestors."

The chefs were happy to share family favorites, along with a few memories.

CRANBERRY DESSERT WITH MARSALA CREAM
Save this cranberry-apple crisp recipe for fall, when fresh cranberries are plentiful, suggests Martha Yost, executive chef of the University Club of Jackson in Mississippi.

• 2 cups fresh cranberries, rinsed and picked over
• 3 cups chopped, peeled apples (about 3 large apples)
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 cup oatmeal (regular or quick, not instant)
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 cup chopped nuts (pecans or walnuts)
• 1 stick butter, melted
• Marsala Cream (recipe follows)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 2-1/2-quart baking dish. Combine the cranberries, apples, and sugar in a bowl, tossing to distribute the sugar. Mix the oatmeal, flour, brown sugar, and nuts together in a separate bowl. Use a fork to blend the melted butter into the oatmeal mixture, mixing until crumbly. Spread the topping over the fruit mixture. Bake 1 hour.

To serve, spoon the warm crisp into dessert bowls and top with a spoonful of Marsala Cream.

Yield: 8 to 10 servings.

MARSALA CREAM

• 2 cups heavy whipping cream
• 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
• 1 tablespoon marsala wine

Whip the cream until soft peaks form. Add the powdered sugar and marsala, whipping until blended. Taste and add more sugar and marsala, if desired.

CORN BREAD SALAD
Paul Fisher, executive chef at Timarron Country Club in Southlake, Texas, says his mother-in-law serves this salad at family events.

• 2 boxes Jiffy corn muffin mix (see note)
• 2 eggs
• 2/3 cup milk
• 1-1/2 cups chopped green onions
• 1 green bell pepper, diced
• 3 Roma tomatoes, diced
• 8 slices bacon, cooked, cooled, and chopped
• 1-1/2 cups grated cheddar cheese
• 1-1/2 cups mayonnaise

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Prepare the corn bread according to the package directions, using the eggs and milk. Pour into two greased 8-by-8-inch baking pans. Bake 20 to 25 minutes, until lightly browned. Let the corn bread cool completely.

Crumble the corn bread into a large bowl. Add the green onions, bell pepper, tomatoes, bacon, and cheese, tossing to combine the ingredients. Gently fold in the mayonnaise. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours to blend the flavors.

Yield: About 12 servings.

Note: The recipe also may be prepared using about 6 cups of crumbled homemade corn bread.

CRABMEAT AND SHRIMP CASSEROLE
This quick entrée is a family favorite from executive chef Martha Yost of the University Club of Jackson in Mississippi. It’s also a popular cooking class item.

• 1 pound lump crabmeat, picked over
• 1 pound cooked shrimp, shelled and de-veined
• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 1/2 cup finely chopped green pepper
• 1/4 cup finely chopped onion
• 1-1/2 cups finely chopped celery
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 2 cups crushed potato chips (one 5-ounce package)
• paprika

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Butter a 2-1⁄2-quart baking dish. Combine the crabmeat, shrimp, mayonnaise, green pepper, onion, celery, salt, and Worcestershire sauce in the dish, tossing gently to mix the ingredients. Top with the potato chips and sprinkle with paprika.

Bake 20 to 25 minutes, until thoroughly heated. Serve hot.

Yield: About 8 servings.

POSOLE
Steve Pilon, executive chef at Oak Pointe Country Club in Brighton, Michigan, says this is his grandmother’s soup recipe.

• 1-1⁄2 pounds of pork shoulder, cut in 1-inch pieces
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 small onion, diced (about 1 cup)
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
• 1⁄2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1⁄2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1⁄2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 1⁄4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 can (1 pound, 13 ounces) white hominy, drained and rinsed
• 1 can (7 ounces) chopped green chilies
• 1 whole dried New Mexico red chili
• 5 cups chicken broth
• salt
• sour cream
• fried tortilla strips

Sauté the pork in the oil until seared on all sides. Add the onion and garlic and cook until the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the black pepper, cumin, red pepper, cloves, hominy, chilies, and chicken broth. Bring the soup to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer 1-1⁄2 hours. Remove and discard the red chili. Taste and add salt as desired. Serve garnished with sour cream and fried tortilla strips.

Yield: 4 servings.

KEN LANDSKRON’S BAKED BEANS
Executive chef Mike "Gabe" Gabrielson of the Piedmont Club in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, shares a recipe from his grandfather, Ken Landskron.

• 3 jars (3 pounds each) great northern beans
• 3 tablespoons dry mustard
• 1 large onion, diced
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 2⁄3 cup Karo syrup
• 1⁄3 cup molasses
• 3 cans (6 ounces each) tomato paste
• 1 can tomato soup, undiluted
• 2 pounds bacon, diced, cooked until crisp, and drained on paper toweling

Drain and discard about half of the liquid in the beans. Combine the remaining liquid, beans, and other ingredients in the pan of an electric roaster (see note). Set the temperature at 250 degrees, and cook until the beans begin to bubble around the edges, about 15 minutes. Lower the heat to keep the beans just at a simmer (175 to 200 degrees) and cook 3 hours.

Yield: 20-24 servings.

Note: An electric roaster such as a Nesco, Westinghouse, Hamilton Beach, etc., is the preferred method of cooking this recipe. Cooking the beans on top of the stove or in an oven may cause the beans to burn. The Landskron family advises that the taste won’t be the same unless a roaster is used.

OATMEAL SCOTCHIES
Jessica Rush, executive chef at Nicklaus Golf Club at LionsGate in Overland Park, Kansas, says this recipe of her mother’s keeps everyone happy since "we’re not a raisin family."

• 2 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1-1⁄2 cups brown sugar, firmly packed
• 2 eggs
• 1 tablespoon water
• 1⁄2 teaspoon orange extract
• 1-1⁄2 cups quick oatmeal
• 1 package (12 ounces) butterscotch chips

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. In a small bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Set aside. In the large bowl of an electric mixer, combine the butter, brown sugar, eggs, and water. Beat until creamy. Gradually stir in the flour mixture. Add the orange extract. Fold in the oatmeal and butterscotch chips. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto greased cookie sheets. Bake 8 to 10 minutes, until golden brown. Cool on wire racks.

Yield: About 5 dozen, 2-inch cookies.

CHEFS’ FAVORITES
Brad Evers, executive chef at Stonebriar Country Club in Frisco, Texas: "My family loves Yeast Sticky Rolls. My mom makes them, and the recipe came from her mother. But I have to confess, I’ve never made them myself."

Jessica Rush, executive chef at Nicklaus Golf Club at LionsGate in Overland Park, Kansas: "Wow, tons of things make me think of my mom. She made wonderful cookies. And my boyfriend’s mother makes the best banana bread. It has big pieces of pecans and a crisp top crust — it’s to die for."

Tim Durand, executive chef at Aspen Glen Club in Carbondale, Colorado: "I remember my mom’s Southern-style scrambled eggs with spicy sausage. She served them with the most awesome homemade buttermilk biscuits."

Kevin Grafton, executive chef at Hackberry Creek Country Club in Irving, Texas: "In our family, we always have s’mores for Christmas Eve dessert. When we lived in Wisconsin, we would gather around the fireplace to make them. Of course, now we’re in Texas, so we light up the fire pit outside."

Scott Schwartz, executive chef at Buckhead Club in Atlanta: "My mom made the best corn bread stuffing. She made it in a terrine mold and would have sausages lined up so that when you sliced it, it looked like an elegant pâté."

Paul Fisher, executive chef at Timarron Country Club in Southlake, Texas: "When I was growing up, my mom made banana fritters for me. They are still one of my favorite things. I don’t know if she’d make them on Mother’s Day, but knowing the kindhearted woman that she is, I’m sure she’d make them with a smile on her face."

SPECIAL DAYS
Special days have been set aside to honor our parents and grandparents. Mother’s Day was officially proclaimed by President Woodrow Wilson in 1914 as the second Sunday in May in the United States. Nearly 40 other countries celebrate this holiday. Father’s Day followed in 1966, when President Lyndon Johnson set aside the third Sunday in June. President Jimmy Carter designated the first Sunday after Labor Day as Grandparent’s Day in 1978.

We’re all busy, but most of us will take an extra step toward actually making these days special. We’ll skip the e-cards, flowers, and dutiful telephone calls, and instead gather a crowd of family members and friends to enjoy each other. A family event is an opportunity to tell stories, share memories, and, of course, eat together. It’s a good time to dig out old recipes, make copies, and pass them around. And if the menu includes one or two of these favorites, the occasion will be memorable for all present.