The past few weeks have been a blur, leaving intermittent periods for cooking:
- Beloved family visited with grandson
- Daughter moved out to live in an apartment
- Addition of a new family member through fostering
Whew, I’m tired just thinking about it all!
While family was home, we visited my husband’s grave in the military cemetery in Marion, Indiana. My nearly-one-year-old grandson never got to meet his patriotic grandpa, but he will learn patriotism from his family and he will learn much about his wonderful grandpa of whom he shares a middle name.
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More good news! My swollen foot is all better with no pain! And my iron count is up to nearly normal so my energy level is good as well. Weather has been superb (70-80s, no rain, little wind, lots of sun!) which helps with emotions. Walking outside is now a ritual. Hurray!
Due to the unusually great quality of weather, my porch swing has become a favorite afternoon spot. We in the Midwest know not to take a gorgeous weather day for granted! We like to soak in every minute of sunshine!
When I sit and look at the blue sky, I think about how far my journey from a year ago.
Back then, less than a year from the time my husband died, I looked at the sky and wished I was in heaven with him. Nothing awaited me here to cling on to life. I have been a Christian since I was 13 years old so I understand our lives are in God’s hands. Don’t judge me. If you’ve not lost a loving spouse, you can’t know the desolation of being left behind.
While the kitchen table is no longer filled with paperwork to be sorted as the result of his passing, I still cling to his memory. It was just a few months after his 70th birthday party that we received his diagnosis of prostate cancer. I’m so glad we had the party and celebrated his life with family and friends.
Now that family have gone to their own homes, I’m alone for the first time in my life. People have asked how I’m handling it.
That question has been another impetus to contemplate from the porch swing.
I think I’m ok. I’m not scared to be here because I live in a quiet, safe neighborhood. A couple of neighbors would help if needed.
My days are filled as much as I want with activities. I eat out with friends, attend Bible Study (actually 2 Bible studies during the school year), do errands, and walk.
The important thing is, I’m not busy all of the time. That’s the way I want it. I enjoy days when I don’t have anything on the calendar.
Those are the days I bake and deliver items to people who may need a boost in their lives via sweets.
In the past week I’ve made baked goods for people in local nursing homes (cookies), our fire/police departments (sheet cakes), Bible Study friends (more cookies), and a neighbor who had a baby (even more cookies!).
Please know I’m not bragging, but just thankful to again be able to work in my kitchen with feet that don’t hurt and a good energy level. I’m making up for lost time!
It is a joy to share with others – some of whom I don’t even know (the nursing home folks–friends deliver them). I encourage you to do the same. Especially if you’re feeling down. Nothing cheers me more than sending cookies to someone.
Today, I plan to make these Chocolate Molasses Brownies and deliver them to another law enforcement agency in my area.
I’m still working on getting my iron level to where it should be (sometime over the winter it dropped to an alarming rate, no idea why). So after my doctor recommended the addition of iron to my diet (in addition to an over-the-counter iron supplement), I searched for molasses recipes. These Chocolate Molasses Brownies are from ‘The Joy of Cooking’ Cookbook (1953).
I write somewhat shamefacedly that this is the first recipe I’ve used from The Joy of Cooking collection. It is considered some of the finest in our nation’s history.
Written by Irma S. Rombauer and Marion Rombauer Becker (Irma’s daughter), they are thick cookbooks full of thousands of tasty-sounding recipes (except for aspic—you’ll never find a vintage recipe for aspic at this blog. Ugh).
After making Chocolate Molasses Brownies, created more than 70 years ago, I can understand why there are millions of fans for these cookbooks.
I have always made brownies from a mix because from-scratch recipes I tried turned out dry.
But these were moist, gooey, and nutritious because of the molasses inside. Molasses had not been a favorite of mine because I thought it had a strong taste.
But after making these brownies with molasses, I’ve changed my opinion of the sweetener. It was a popular ingredient of vintage recipes so now I always have a glass jar of it on my shelf.
This edition was published by The Bobbs-Merrill Co, Inc.
These other copies of The Joy of Cooking on my bookshelf were published in 1964 (2 copies), 1975, 1991.
I’ve not examined them yet, but, rest assured, they will share my porch swing with me this summer, as I peruse them for good recipes. There is even a podcast under ‘The Joy of Cooking’ name that is fantastic!
Chocolate Molasses Brownies are a good choice for summer get-togethers, picnics, reunions, parties. Besides being nutritious, they’re not messy, are economical, require no frosting, and can be made with little fuss.
I plan to make them next week for a library cookbook club party.
What dietary habits do you observe for health reasons? Are you a Joy of Cooking fan? Please share a recipe that you love.
Enjoy!
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My Notes about the recipe:
- I used butter, rather than margarine.
- The author may have melted margarine and chocolate in a double boiler—the recipe is copied exactly as printed in the cookbook so it doesn’t specify. I melted the butter and chocolate in a medium-sized glass bowl in the microwave at 15 second increments to avoid burning. Stir gently until it reaches the desired consistency.
- Coat the measuring cup with butter spray before adding the molasses to help it run out easier.
- I cooled my chocolate mix for 30 minutes.
- I left out the nuts.
- The original recipe gives a yield of 32 bars; I cut mine larger and got 16.
- A sprinkle of powdered sugar is a nice final touch.
1953 Chocolate Molasses Brownies
Melt:
1/3 cup margarine (I used butter)
2 ounces chocolate (I used unsweetened)
Add:
1/2 cup sugar
½ cup molasses
Cool slightly.
Add:
2 eggs, beaten
½ teaspoon vanilla
Combine and stir in:
2/3 cup flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
½ cup nuts
Bake ingredients in greased 8×8” pan at 325 degrees for 30 minutes.
Yield: 32 1×2” bars
Vintage Eats of Kayleen Reusser 
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