Cooking is a gratifying experience of bringing people together to make memories they will cherish for a lifetime. Families hold recipes near and dear to their hearts, representing their identity, culture and voice. Holding onto these recipes when separated from family can help students feel more at home in a new place.

The recipes below are from students who have stayed close to their family roots. They have kept these recipes close to their heart, maintaining a strong connection to an important part of their identity.

Sophomore Samantha Croix is a biomedical, chemical and biological engineering student at Colorado State University. One of the most valuable recipes in her family is kolaczki, which has been passed down for generations. Kolacki is essentially a Polish cookie with a fluffy, pastry-like bottom and a sweet jelly filling. Croix said this special treat is a staple during the holiday season. She happily recalled when her and her family would make dozens of these cookies at Christmas time.

“I feel like this recipe is a little glimpse into my heritage, and it’s something very unique to my family,” Croix said. “My family has always made these to share. They bring joy, so it’s an easy little recipe that goes a long way. Sharing culture through food is one of the best ways to learn about others.”

Kolaczki

Ingredients:

• 1 pound cream cheese
• 1 pound butter
• 4 cups flour
• Canned apricot and raspberry filling

Directions:

1. Let cream cheese and butter stand until they become soft.
2. Cream both the cheese and butter together until they combine. Then, add the flour a little bit at a time.
3. Mix until smooth and the mixture forms a dough.
4. Roll out the dough, and use a round glass to cut out the pieces. Then, fill each round piece with the apricot and raspberry filling, and prepare for baking.
5. Bake at 350° for 20 minutes.
6. Sprinkle with powdered sugar, and enjoy!

Vaishnavi Satish Sonarikar is an MBA graduate student at CSU. The most valuable dish from her family is wheat flour sheera. This dish is a specialty in the Marathwada region of the Maharashtra state of India and is considered a sweet pudding that has many flavors. Sonarikar has been eating this sweet item throughout her childhood, making it an essential part of her sense of self.

“The world will become a very nice and welcoming place to live in if we learn to appreciate the differences in our backgrounds, cultures and ethnicities,” Sonarikar said. “We call love … the universal language, but I think food is one more. By sharing recipes close to us, I think we are taking one more step in upholding the CSU Principles of Community.”

Atta sheera (whole wheat flour sheera)

Ingredients:

• 1 cup atta or whole wheat flour
• 1/2 cup pure ghee
• 2 cups water
• 1/2-3/4 cup jaggery (noncentrifugal cane sugar)
• 1/4 cup raisins (optional)
• 1/4 cup chopped almonds (optional)

Directions 

1. Place the whole wheat flour in a heavy-bottomed pan and roast on medium-low heat. Set the timer to 20 minutes. You need to continue roasting until the whole wheat flour turns medium brown.
2. Turn off the stove to allow the heated pan to cool slightly and avoid burning up the flour.
3. Add in the ghee, and stir until the ghee is well incorporated. Turn the heat back on, keeping it on a medium-low flame.
4. Add in the water and the jaggery, and allow it to cook, stirring frequently until the water is absorbed and the mixture thickens considerably. The consistency should resemble a thick oatmeal.
5. If you would like to include raisins and almonds, add those in after stirring.
6. Cool slightly, and serve warm.