Monday's with Mom ....I found it!!!

My very first cookbook was the Betty Crocker Cook Book for Boys and Girls, I had every page memorized. I tried almost every recipe in that book, and it was like a good friend to me.

But somehow, somewhere down the line, it disappeared. Maybe my older sister has it, I'm not sure. I think it was originally hers anyway, and passed on to me. But I haven't seen it in years.

Until...my daughter and hubby came up for the weekend and we took them to our favorite tiny used bookstore in town. Both of them (and Brent) love to read action books, so they like to hit every used bookstore they can. They still appreciate reading from a real book..no Kindle for them..yet.. anyway!

I was digging around in a box on the floor while they were looking.....and there it was....my old Betty Crocker cookbook for kids!!!! I was SO excited! It's a reproduction of the original, but still dear to me. AND it was only 2 bucks! The first thing I thought of was my mom, and how she taught me to cook using that book.  

 

Mom literally let me cook and bake any time I wanted. I can't ever remember her saying no. If we had the ingredients on hand she always said yes...and if we didn't.... she would put them on her list. She was always by my side as I was baking, giving me hints and tips she had learned along the way. 

Well, as soon as the kids left for home ( we had a great time) I took the cookbook out and read it from cover to cover. Then I made a list of all the recipes I wanted to make again that are so familiar to me from my childhood. 

First on the list were the Brownies. 

Of course it would be a recipe with chocolate! If I could have a dime for every time I made these, I'd be rich by now. Honestly, they were such a favorite of just about everyone. My friends and I made them all the time, and ate the whole pan as soon as they were cool enough to handle. Rich and fudgy...just like a good brownie should be. No icing needed on these!

SO, I made them, and with the first bite, I closed my eyes, and I was back home again, in the kitchen... with mom!

Brownies

(BC Cook Book for Boys and Girls)

2 squares unsweetened chocolate (2 oz. )

1/3 c. shortening

Put in a mixing bowl. Set bowl in a pan of hot water and let melt. ( I used a microwave..didn't have one back then..haha)

1 c. sugar

2 eggs

Beat into chocolate mixture.

3/4 c. flour

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

Stir altogether. ( can add 1/2 c. chopped nuts, optional)

Spread in a greased 8" square pan and bake at 350 for 30 to 35 minutes, until toothpick comes out clean. Cool and cut into squares.