I REMEMBER NANA'S RECIPES

I REMEMBER NANA’S RECIPES

RECIPES FOR LIFE

BY

JACQUELINE “JACKIE” MARASCO-LANEY-DIBELLA


This book has been roaming around in my head

for over twenty years. In 1986 my second husband,

John, my son, Robert, and I went to see the movie,

Out of Africa, written by Isak Dinesen (a.k.a.

Karen Blixen). As we were leaving the movie

theater, my son said: “Mom you should write a

book, you have had more occurrences in your life

than Karen Blixen.” In the spring 2008, Robert

again said to me “Mom, why don’t you sit down and

write your book.” Thus, my son’s comments got me

motivated to sit down and start writing about

the ingredients of my life. I have lived the

majority of my life in the second half of the

Twentieth Century when the core beliefs and values

were unusual and different to today’s standards.

I have been told many times that I am a survivor.

I have always felt that it was not the mistake but

the recovery. I have been forced many times

to pick myself up – brush myself off and start all

over again. There are no other choices but to do

that. I never sweat the big stuff or the

little stuff. It takes minute gestures to make

life wonderful. This has been my formula for

living. I have been called capricious, whimsical.

passionate, motivating, stimulating, inspiring,

free spirited and “nuts.” That is me! I hope this

book and my life helps, stirs many into a positive

direction. Life will always have its ups and

downs. It is easy to deal with life’s ups – it

takes great audacity to face life’s valleys.

This is a chronicle written by a woman for

women but also for men to be aware of the

complexity of the other gender. Women are much

more personal and open about their thoughts,

feelings, and fears than the male gender.

Women can only hope that their male partners will

voluntarily reciprocate with self-disclosure. Both

men and women value friendship and romantic

relationships, but they are quick to express

closeness in different ways. This is an American

saga of a young girl losing the most important male

role model in her life and spending the rest of her

life trying to replace him and how she took on non-

traditional roles to be in control of her life or

perhaps just to subsist. A life that has made

many twists and turns.

The narrative will examine why some of us craft

the choices that we cause. I have had many

mountains and challenges in my lifetime but a very

successful business person in my community once

told me: “Jackie, there is always a key to unlock

the door.” There will always be challenges in our

lives but it so important to find the right key

to unlock the door to that challenge. My modus

operandi is that love prevails and it does! I am a

quintessential romantic.

This book is dedicated to several people who changed the course of my life:

My Mother and Nana, Isabelle Jeannette Scalise

Marasco – Thank you for being so courageous and

non-traditional. Thank you for your recipes of life

and food for the soul.

My father, Joseph Anthony Marasco – Thank you

for allowing me to know that you loved me. You

showed me how much you adored me and even today I

can still feel that love and adoration. Your love

allowed me to not be afraid to love.

My Uncle Norm, Norman Forman – Thank you for

introducing Manhattan – Broadway – front row center

– Cabaret and the spirit to live – live and live.

Thank you for being the rock of Gibraltar for Nana,

Robert and me.

My first love, Thank you for being my first

love. Thank you for always being there for me.

You gave me a passion and hunger to educate myself.

You opened the windows of the world for me to

obtain my education. Love can make the summer fly

or a night seem like a lifetime. Love can turn

one’s world around and the world seems as if it

will last forever. Love can make days seem longer

and words mean more. Love can make pain deeper than

before. Love can bring you glory and bring you

shame. Love can make you break rules that you

have lived by. Love can change everything and

nothing in the world will ever be the same. Thank

you for being my first love.

My first husband, William “Bill” Laney – Thank

you for our wonderful son, Robert. Thank you for

giving me the opportunity to travel the world.

Thank you for introducing the world of

communication to me

My second husband, John DiBella. Thank you for

your love and security. This may sound alarming

and unusual to some readers but your death was your

gift to me. For the gift of your death gave me

the opportunity to commence comprehending the death

of my father that was so sealed into my

subconscious. John was my Father, best friend,

husband, brother, and soul mate. Thank you for

introducing Talbot’s and designer clothes to me.

Thank you for giving me the honor to be your

caretaker and nurturer as you transitioned from

this life to a greater place. It was such a

privilege and mark of distinction gift that you

gave to me. Though the time was brief that period

made a remarkable change in my life.

My significant other from 1996 to 2005, Ray

Drouin. Thank you for helping me truly understand

trust. You were a solid rock in my life and gave

me the most stable time in my life.

My wonderful son, Robert William Laney. Thank

you – thank you – thank you for being my amazing

and superb son. You have been my greatest

deed. You have brought me so much joy.

You have been the perfect son. You are so

always focused – goal oriented – highly driven –

very bright – incredibly funny. You have brought

me so much joy and happiness. Whenever I have been

asked my greatest endeavor, my response

always is the same. “The honor of being Robert’s

Mother – he made it so easy.

My wonderful Lisa. Thank you for falling in

love with Robert. I could not love you any more if

you were my own daughter. You are beautiful

internally and externally. I love you.

Steve Klausz, my therapist – Thank you for

helping me save my life and to see the good in me.

David Stern Esq., my attorney since 1994

who encouraged me to write this chronicle and

who was at my college graduation party in 1999 and

many a court case. My liberal conversationalist

but conservative fiscal administrator.


To my precious COCO – who went to work with me.

every day. Traveled globally with me. COCO who

gave me unconditional love. My COCO CHANEL, my

West Highland Terrier. April 1987 to October 2004.