While I was only 6 years old when my mother passed away, I can still remember things she and I did together (thankfully).
One of those things was baking. In her kitchen, Hazel had a table and chairs similar to this (which is why, to this day, I still have a mostly red kitchen):
I had a little red polka dot apron, and she would put it on me, and stand me on a chair at the table (I was probably only 3 or 4 years old at the time), and I would get to help her mix up the brownie batter. Then I got to lick the bowl when we were finished!
And when Daddy came home from work, I was always so proud and excited to show him what I had made, as if I had done it all by myself!
While the brownies were cooling, she would set me down and put me to work on embroidering a tea towel. My first memories of sewing — doing cross-stitch (very poorly and crudely) of a cute little puppy stamped on a flour sack towel. I guess she realized if she kept me busy, I was less trouble! Haha!
My big brother, Gary, was in school, and my baby brother, Darin, must have been napping!
This is the brownie recipe we used, adapted a little from her trusty Better Homes & Gardens cookbook, and Mama always frosted them with Mocha Frosting, which made me like them much better. These brownies are more cake-like than dense, which I also prefer, since I’m not really a chocoholic.
Hazel’s Favorite Brownies
1/2 cup Crisco
2 1-ounce squares unsweetened chocolate
3/4 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup walnut pieces
Melt Crisco and chocolate together over hot water. (Do not do this step in a microwave — it does not work the same!)
Beat eggs until light; then stir in sugar. Add the chocolate mixture, and blend.
Mix flour, baking powder, and salt together; add this to the chocolate mixture, and mix well.
Stir in vanilla and walnuts.
Pour batter into a greased 8″ x 8″ pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes. Cool, then frost with Mocha Frosting.
Mocha Frosting
3 tablespoons cocoa
3 tablespoons hot coffee
3 tablespoons butter, melted
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 – 1 3/4 cups powdered sugar
Combine cocoa and coffee; add butter and vanilla; beat until smooth. Add powdered sugar gradually, until frosting is of spreading consistency.
(This frosting is also great on cake! Yummy!!)
They sound really good! I’ve been dealing with a colicky horse all day, so I deserve a treat. I’m going to stir some up right now!
Love these Hazel stories. For those who didn’t know Shelly at age six, she was cute as a button, and still is. Can just see you in the red apron.
Hazel would be so proud of all you have accomplished, knowing it started in that red kitchen. ❤️❤️
So nice to have those good memories! She would be so proud of you.msg
The formica table and chair remind me of the set my mother had. Her kitchen had red congoleum (at least we called it that) about 2/3 of the way up the wall. And gray tile floor. Her red and gray kitchen set looked good in there.
I used to want a formica table for my kitchen. Or a table like my grandmother had.