OK -- REALLY delving into the family, my Grandma had an old German recipe for apple pie that probabaly included lots of lard, but it was the best dang apple pie I have ever tasted! Then on special occasions she would fix my Dad's favorite dish -- Maul Tasche, which is an old Swabian (southwestern Germany) recipe. Basically, it's a German version of ravioli with little dough pockets of spiced meat, swimming in a thickened chicken broth. Then for a special treat, Mom would fix sauerbraten, marinating the meat for at least three days in a wine/brown sugar/ gingersnap marinade. She always served it with potator pancakes and red cabbage. Lordy, it was good!