Sanner Family Stories: January 2010

Wednesday, January 13, 2010

January Sanner Reunion Planning Meeting

0 comments 7:35 AM Posted by See The World with Bob and Sue

Here's a picture of cousins working on planning for our July reunion:
(Bob took the picture so he's not shown)

(Seated L-R) Denise Safranek, Juli Sanner, Patti Sanner, Jennifer Sanner
(Standing L-R) Susan Christenson, John Sanner, Carrie Jerome, Michelle Sanner
Steven Sanner, Jeanne Bright, Tom Baker

January 2010 Meeting

Bob & Sue's house

Attendees: Tom Baker, Jeanne Bright, Denise Safranek, Patti Sanner, Jennifer Sanner, Michelle Sanner, Juli & John Sanner, Carrie Jerome, Steven Sanner, Bob & Sue Christenson

The group met with renewed excitement to plan for our reunion now less than six short months away. We were happy to see Jeanne Bright and John & Juli Sanner.

Steven and Sue reported hearing from several who are planning to attend the reunion. There are still a few "Save the Date" cards to send to members of the Ole Sanner family. Mark Sanner e-mailed a genealogy chart to be updated. Susan will attach it to the minutes. Please e-mail Mark with any updates.

Patti secured the Moraine Space at Clifton E. French Park, 12605 Rockford Road, Plymouth, MN 55441 for our Saturday, July 3rd gathering at a cost of $268. Thanks, Patti, for your hard work to secure the perfect spot for the pot luck!

Tom and Kathy Baker visited a restaurant in Hugo that would accommodate 50-80 dinner guests for our Friday evening dinner. The restaurant would give our group three entree choices (beef, chicken, and pasta) at a reasonable cost ($12-$14). We do want to know if the restaurant will provide kids' meals at a lower cost, and whether or not they have patio seating or how they might accommodate more than 80 people. We decided to have a social hour from 5-6 p.m. and dinner at 6. Tom and Jeanne will also check out a banquest site in Coon Rapids prior to our next meeting.

We talked about how to make the pot luck on Saturday successful. We will purchase paper/plastic dinnerware and a cold drink, e.g. McDonalds Orange Drink. Those attending from out-of-town will have the option of donating money to buy pop, chips, or other supplies. Some ideas for games include volleyball, sack game (we will request those who own this game to bring it on Saturday), Bocce Ball, water balloon toss, craft table, and, of course, cards!! Juli volunteered that Nick Sanner could put together a Sack Toss tournament. Bob and Sue will bring a sound system to use for announcements, etc. Carrie will check with Mary Jo or Lon about getting playing cards. We also discussed any "must have" dishes for pot luck, such as potato sausage and potato hot dish. Does potato sausage even taste the same in the summertime? There will be a craft table for the youngest children. Patti assured the group there is playground equipment, too.

John provided an update for the Friday evening program. It appears he and Brad Keil made extensive plans to properly entertain everyone. According to John, Brad has volunteered to emcee the evening. Actually, John has not spoken to Brad, but did have lots of great ideas for the program Friday evening. We think it's important to have some genealogy/history as past of the program alson with "You know you're a Sanner if......." statements, and family trivia. Awards will be given out for the person traveling the farthest, oldest, youngest, etc.

Jennifer and Carrie are working on securing t-shirts and buttons color coded by family member. Buttons will be given to each participant and t-shirts will be ordered as a part of the RSVP and paid for at that time. Carrie thought the cost would be approximately $6-$7 each.

Denise has received some pictures for the CD/DVD. She did put a plea for pictures on the blog. We talked about including pictures taken during the July reunion on the CD/DVD that Denise will create.

Pictures will be taken at 11 a.m. on Saturday at the park. Steven has volunteered to take the photos and put them on his website so reunion participants can order any pictures they would like from him. So nice to have a professional photographer in the family!

The next communication will go out in February with the RSVP. Susan will have a letter ready to be sent by the next planning meeting.

Our next planning meeting will be held on Wednesday, Feb. 10th at 7 p.m. at Bob & Sue's house. All cousins are invited to attend and offer suggestions/support/or, in Brad's case, his own defense!

Friday, January 1, 2010

Potato Dumplings

0 comments 12:27 PM Posted by See The World with Bob and Sue

Potato dumplings are an Oscar Sanner family favorite. Oscar and Clara made them often for their large family.

Making Potato Dumplings

It all starts with the recipe:
(According to Floyd and Peggy and Glenn and Harriet)

You will need at least two roasting pans filled to one third with simmering water.

Ingredients:
5 pounds of red potatoes
2 cups whole wheat or graham flour
2 large yellow or white onions
white flour - enough to make dumplings stay together when placed in simmering water
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Grind peeled potatoes and peeled onions and mix with the rest of the ingredients. Place dumpling on slotted spoon that has been dipped in boiling water. Place dumpling carefully into simmering water and leave it long enough to "set" before stacking dumplings in roasting pan(s).
Simmer at least one hour at 350F. Serve with side pork or thin pork chops and water gravy made from the pork. Season gravy with salt and pepper. Add "Kitchen Bouquet" for color and taste, if needed.

Hints: It works best to mix the dumpling mixture with your clean hands.

Peggy instrucing Dolores on how small to cut the potatoes to fit in the grinder?

Floyd and Al doing the grinding

Dolores makes another version of potato dumplings to which she adds Allspice. We guess that Oscar and Clara had many recipe alterations over the years.

Potatoes, onions, salt and pepper.

Ready to add the flour.

Muriel, Dennis, Susan, Dolores and Allen looking at some old pictures Muriel brought. (See recent blog)

Placing the dumplings into the simmering water.

Looking at the old pictures

Placing and moving the dumplings is a delicate process. Peggy instructing Susan to make sure dumplings aren't moved before they are set.

Muriel and Dennis

Oh, yes, the cards. A game of "Nickels" may be a more recent Sanner tradition.

Floyd, Peggy, Jan, Royce, Dennis, Muriel, Dolores, and Al

Pictures and Newspaper Articles

0 comments 11:12 AM Posted by See The World with Bob and Sue

Recently Muriel and Dennis Keil visited us. Muriel had received some old scrapbook pictures and articles from Leona Goodhard who currently lives in Surprise, Arizona.

We scanned all the pictures and articles; some are very familiar and some we have no clue but included them anyway for the rest of you to review. To the extent we can, we'll add what information we know.

Finally, this blog is an excellent way to share some truly special stuff!

Clara (Hermanson) Sanner
We have heard so many wonderful stories about Clara. This picture was cropped from one of the other pictures to show a very neat picture of her.

Doris, Clara, Eunice, and Oscar Sanner

Clayton Sanner

Doris (Sanner) Baker