Brownies From Childhood.

My mom specialized in banana pudding, all sorts of pies, a small variety of cakes, a few candies but never brownies.  Mom would get ideas from either the local Home Demonstration Club, friends, or cooking shows on local TV stations.  As an aside the Home Demonstration Club was a program started as a service to women in rural areas.  More info can be found here.  Best I can remember the lady that let the sessions in the Chambersville  community was Mrs. Daspet.  Once Mom went to work at TI the food creations were expanded.  Italian Cream Cake was a good addition.  

 Momma not cooking but serving cereal!  Ha!

Ironically Mom never actually taught us daughters her cooking techniques.  Her pie crust was the flakiest,  Sis # 2 was a professional cook so that is how she developed her cooking techniques.  We four girls did take what was known as Home Economics which did give us some of our cooking skills.  Mostly my cooking has been a series of learned from failures.  Ribs stands out as an early marriage failure.  Then there was the squash that grew out of our compost pile.  That turned out to be a horrible tasting goard.

One thing I did make that was always a success were brownies.  I never remember my Mom making brownies.  But as my son was a child through his high school years there were usually brownies in the house.  Lots of women would ice their brownies with a thick chocolate icing.  I found that icing sort of over powered the basic brownie flavor and really make it just too sweet, overall.  My preference was a dusting of confectioners sugar.

Last evening we joined our son, DIL, a couple of grandsons and DIL's dad for dinner at Son's home.  When son texted giving the time I asked what I might bring. Dessert.  I thought I had time to mix and bake those brownies from that 40+ year old recipe.  Well, I did not see his answer intime to prep and bake anything.  A quick mix of the old brownie recipe, pour into the greased pan, cover with wrap and bake while we eat dinner.  I did substitute almond flour and coconut oil for the wheat flour and butter.  A couple of sprinkles of cinnamon were added as I had heard cinnamon enhances chocolate.  The almond flour was used as DIL's dad has a gluten allergy.  I did not sprinkle with confectioners sugar.  Son noted it was missing.

There was only 1/2 of a square left at the end of the evening.  There were 9 people and 16 2.5 inch squares.  Today Son texted that DIL said those brownies were the best thing she had tasted in a while.  I text thanks.  Son texted they taste like childhood.  I loved that.  

Hope all are well and safe,

Janice