LoDette's Brownies

Vera Lee

There comes a time in every girls life when she contemplates changing her name. Lurlene has called me VeraLee for quite some time and it certainly is a fine enough name. The name Lurlene.....well when you hear it you know....this is a woman to be reckoned with. The name VeraLee.....it just sounds like the name of someone who could be your doormat. Sometimes you just get tired of trying to be that nice, sweet girl next door and you just want to kick some big-ass butt. That is the time when you need an alter alter ego. Just like the two sides of a coin......there are two sides to every person. One side may deal with the dingbats at work and one may come to the aid of a friend. VerDell and VeraLee are the two sides of this old coin.

I came to the realization of my inner VerDell last weekend at the Cape. I was there with Bubba and the daughter LoDette to attend the Epiphany Party. The people in the Cape....well they are serious about helping each other out of hard times. Each year, Saint Christopher of the Cape organizes a community party at the firehouse. He cooks up a big pot of chili and invites everyone to come and share a bowl. People are asked to bring an appetizer, a desert, or a bottle of wine.....and their least favorite Christmas gift. The gifts (from really nice gift certificates to pink flamingoes to games of "Pin the Junk on the Hunk") are auctioned off with all the money going to a worthy cause.

Well....little LoDette....she loves her some chocolate and she was just bound and determined that we were going to make some brownies to take to the party. Of course, the cupboard was mostly bare and I was just tired and didn't feel like trekking to the store so I pulled out the cookbooks looking for a brownie recipe that could be made with what we had on hand. As I was flipping through the pages I ran across a recipe called "Verdell's Brownies". Well, Verdell just sounded like someone you did not mess around with....I liked her immediately. Another plus, the recipe called for 3 sticks of butter and cocoa. These happened to be ingredients we had on hand.
Now I have been trying to pass on my cooking knowledge to little LoDette for quite some time. So far she has learned that whenever a woman goes into the kitchen to cook the very first thing she must do is open up a bottle of Champaign....and so we began our recipe. Lodette put two sticks of butter in the pan with the cocoa and it wasn't long before she decided that the cocoa was scorching and perhaps we should melt the butter first. Being the problem solver that she is.....Lodette used the microwave to overcome this slight difficulty. Then came the issue of what pan to use.....the recipe said to use a "sheet pan" but Little LoDette thought that brownies always were cooked in a square pan so square pan it was. After cooking for 20 minutes as suggested in the recipe, the brownies were still liquid....this resulted in an additional 20 minutes of cooking time and the opening of another bottle of Champaign.

When the brownies had cooled a bit, it was time to make Verdell's icing. Her recipe called for 4X sugar but LL (Little LoDette) had never heard of such a thing. I started pulling things out of the cupboard looking for powdered sugar when Lodette said, "Well it won't matter if you can't find it, we will just use four times the amount of regular sugar." I was trying to explain to her the fine distinctions between multiplication and varieties of cane, powdered, 4X, 10X, and confectioner's sugar when Little LoDette downed that rest of the second bottle of Champaign.

Soon, it came to my attention that LL has been doing some unsupervised TV watching. When those brownies had been iced she proceeded to get out three plates and cut samples from the corners, edges, and middle of the pan. She ran to get Bubba so that he could "judge" her brownies. Needless to say she was in chocolate heaven......so much so that she missed her afternoon nap.

Finally LL arranged her brownies on a plate (leaving a few in the pan......just in case of a chocolate emergency) and proudly took them to the Epiphany Party. Well.....they must have been good because they were all gone in a second and I didn't even see them fly by. Somehow I was conned into helping serve the chili (see where the name VeraLee will get you) while LoDette and Bubba conversed with the neighbors. By the time I made it to the table to sit down, LoDette had polished off yet another bottle of Champaign, greeted a student, held an impromptu parent conference, and was on stage showcasing auction items in the vein of Vanna White.

This recipe is from the Cape Charles High School Centennial Cookbook (1885-1995) which was a reprint of the 1984 Cookbook complied by the Cape Charles High School Parent-Teachers Association. Verdell Russell was a biology teacher at the school.

VERDELL'S BROWNIES
(LoDette's suggestions are also included in italics)
1 Cup margarine (butter)
4 Tablespoons of cocoa
3 eggs
2 Cups of sugar
1 1/2 Cups of flour
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1 teaspoon of vanilla

(Open a bottle of Champaign and start drinking while you read the recipe.) Melt margarine and cocoa together. (Melt the butter in the microwave and then add the cocoa.) Add remaining ingredients. Bake in a waxed paper lined (what the heck, just spray the pan with Pam) sheet pan (what is a sheet pan? Brownies are always baked in a square pan) at 350 degrees for about 20 to 30 minutes. (It will probably take at least 40 minutes so you better have another bottle of Champaign chilling in the frig. Come into the kitchen every 10 minutes to check on the brownies and to refill your glass.) Do not over bake. (My Grandma taught me that!)

ICING
2 Cups 4X sugar (This is now called powdered sugar and comes in a box.)
1/3 Cup margarine (butter)
2 Tablespoons cocoa
1 teaspoon vanilla
Milk (to thin)
Lemon juice (I don't think so.....)
1/2 Cup chopped nuts (Not today....)

Melt margarine and cocoa together. (Melt the butter in the microwave and then add the cocoa. It looks and smells really good but don't taste it. Trust me. Wait until you add the sugar.) Add 4X sugar. (This is now called powdered sugar and comes in a box. It looks lumpy so I used a sifter which is like a big cup with a screen at the bottom. You put the sugar in the top and then turn the handle thing and the sugar comes out the bottom and into the bowl.) Thin with milk and add a squirt of lemon juice. Nuts may be added. (Black walnuts are best.) (The recipe should stop with "Thin with milk" which means just add a little at a time until you just want to lick the spoon. We didn't have lemon and who puts lemon in a brownie anyway?)

Swallowin Sunshine

This mornin' I was gettin' breakfast on the table for Buck, makin sure his pills were all out; when one of my favorite memories of my Uncle Vaden floated up.

It had to do with vitamins. Now I never took vitamins cause they were just too big for me to swallow. Try as I might, they would stop mid-goozle and fly back out like I had a squat little catcher in the back of my throat hollerin, "Foul", while tossin' it back. .

So because I hate gaggin, I just never took'um. But, be that as it may; one night I had to spend the night in Danville cause I was in "that end of the state" and it would have been rude not to.

Now it is well known that my Aunt Irene was not much of a cook, so Uncle Vaden had plenty of vitamins that he would dole out every mornin. He had the alphabet, let me tell you.

"Here you go Gee-Nawlmon," he'd say in his big ole Moses voice, "I put some sunshine out for ya."

Sunshine, in the form of a pill the size of Texas, I surmised as the little "catcher" crouched down for the snap. But while my mind was crunchin' on just how the hell I was gonna git that golf-ball down the hatch, somethin' else caught my eye.

They say presentation is everything, and sure enough, he had placed that golf-ball (along with some friends) in a little ceramic hand, the one my Grandma Maude used as an ashtray when she and her foursome were playin Bridge. I had to smile, cause regardless of the provenance; those vitamins sittin in that little hand, just said love, to me.

That little ceramic hand, the one that used to be filled with burned down Camels, now offered-up my daily dose of health and well-bein'. I felt my throat start to relax as my heart filled with the beauty of that simple gesture; and then I swallowed sunshine.

Taking Down Christmas - One pound at a time

Winter in the Friendly Village is a foray into the world of taters and all things gravy. Every dinner has its “fluffy” part; fluffy rice fried with garlic and egg, or a pot of Yukon Gold potatoes smashed with a stick of butter and a cup of sour cream. Then there is the ultimate fluffy, that which tops cakes and is whipped into cream and folded into cookies. Each gathering provides just a little more comfort and joy, why even the rum is served Hot and Buttered. Its time out of time, a season without reason, it is indeed a “Marshmallow World” in the winter.

Somewhere between the harvest tones of golden roasted turkey gravy with dressing and the last spoonful of New Year’s Macaroni and Cheese, reality sets in and something mildly depressing occurs; skirt zippers don’t quite reach the top (forget the button, now secured with a rubber-band), the cleaners “shrink” your favorite pants, and you suffer from a chronic case of general “gaposis buttonholis”. Just the other day, Buck casually asked, “What’s that in your shirt, Babe?” to which I screeched, “Christmas, damn-it!”

So here I am in mid-January, joining the zillions of celebrants faced with the task of, “Taking down Christmas” one pound at a time. Let’s face it, we all do it; making resolutions and strict rules about what we “can or can’t have”, rules that are likely to be “bent” or downright broken at the next family gathering. I’ve made peace with that, it’s all good, in moderation. And so I commit.

This time I’m using the arts to focus my journey. My tools are not scales and measures but a focus on colorful foods located outside my favorite “fluffy pallet”. My journal is filled with photographs, drawings, quips and aspirations; and while these are my inspiration, I would be remiss if I neglected to share my passion for Weight Watchers on-line. (Go Jennie from the ‘hood) When Buck was diagnosed with diabetes after much education and classes on how to “balance” meals to keep blood sugar at its optimal rate, I found Weight Watchers, which, to this day I believe is the best “method” plan for a healthy lifestyle there is. So that’s my shout-out for “the Cult” as my friends used to call it. It is what it is; I have to have a goal, a proverbial carrot to chase. It’s the way I’m made.

So be that as it may, I promise I will NOT turn this into a self-absorbed weight-loss blog, but because I like to say in 100 words what most could say in 20. Here are some of the really great foods I prepared last week. (I will spare you the “not so great” ones)

Eating Orange Revisited: Winter Veggie Bisque

This meets my insatiable desire to eat things that are orange

1 large onion, peeled and chopped

1 tart apple, peeled and chopped

3 carrots, peeled and chopped

1 russet potato, peeled and diced

1 Tbsp olive oil

3 packages (12 oz each) of frozen, cooked winter squash or the equivalent of fresh baked butternut squash. (I had two packages of frozen and one fresh squash and it worked out well)

4 cups of fat free chicken broth

1 teas ground ginger

¾ teas salt

½ teas ground cinnamon

1/8 teas cayenne

Sauté chopped veggies (I used the food processor) in oil for about 7 min or until tender.

Stir in squash, broth, ginger, cinnamon, and cayenne and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for about 30 minutes.

Take soup from heat and when cooled, puree until smooth in the blender. (Do this in small batches)

Return to heat and bring to a simmer. Serve.

And finally, because I love beets and pink cheeks, a fun recipe from the “Cult” files. This is a great “chewy” dish that if fiberlicious and guaranteed to provide you with a stimulating trek to the local Trader Joes or Whole foods grocery.

Roasted Beet and Wheat Berry Salad

2 pounds of fresh beets, golden or ruby red

1 cup of uncooked wheat berries

2 TBS fresh orange juice

1 Tbsp Sugar Free Apricot Preserves

2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

2 Tbsp Apple cider vinegar

5 scallions sliced (white and light green) or to taste

1/3 cup fresh parsley

½ cup of orange sections cut in quarters (you may use mandarin oranges)

1/3 cup low fat feta crumbled

¼ teaspoon salt (or to taste)

¼ teaspoon black pepper (or to taste)

Instructions – To prepare beets

Preheat oven to 400. Coat baking sheet with cooking spray ( or lightly grease with olive oil)

Cut beets in half and lightly grease or spray, place (sliced side down) on prepared baking sheet and cover with foil.

Roast until tender (about 1 hour depending on size)

Remove from oven and allow to cool, rub with paper towel to remove skin.

Dice or cut into thin match-sticks and set aside

To prepare Wheat Berries

Rinse and place in a small saucepan. Cover with about two inches of water (use you finger to measure, this should be up to your knuckle)

Bring to a boil: reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, until wheat berries are tender but not “opened”. This should take about 50 minutes to 1 hour. Drain well and set aside

Vinaigrette

In a small bowl, combine oil, vinegar, orange juice, salt and pepper.

Preparation

Toss wheat berries and vinaigrette together with scallions and parsley.

Top with roasted beets, sectioned orange, and garnish with sprinkle of feta cheese.

I cooked the beets and Wheat berries the day prior to serving. This salad can be served warm or cold.

Bonus: If you got this far in this post, you deserve a little sumpn' special

Hot Buttered Rum

Drinking melted butter seems counterintuitive, but it does slide down easily. In the old days, people used to put all the ingredients in a glass and heat it with a glowing fireplace poker. These days, you use a microwave.

1 pat of butter (see, moderation)

1 teas. Brown sugar

½ teas. Ground cinnamon

¼ teas. Nutmeg

3 oz. dark rum

Hot water

Put butter, sugar and spices in a glass, pour in rum and dash of hot water. Stir, Heat. Makes one serving.

That’s it for now…time to fix Buck a ham sandwich with mayo.

First Step

"Faith is taking the first step, even when you don't see the whole staircase." --Martin Luther King

What's the Opposit of Wonton?

And on the 7^th Sunday of Advent, also known as Spicy Mexican Sunday, the faithful gathered around the long table of Bubba and VeraLee to feast. Given there is always plenty at this table, those seated around it questioned the sin of gluttony, which lead Lushious, in yet another blond moment to once again ask, “So what is a virtue?”

I don’t know why Lushious always starts this conversation, unless she is becoming fearful for her soul during the dark winter nights before a “touch-up”. But again, she asked and again, we looked at one another and started to fumble through the opposites of the sins we knew so well. It was sad. Ten village disciples at the table and yet in our combined wisdom, we couldn’t succinctly name all seven. We took to askin’ questions like, “What’s the opposite of just don’t give a fig", in an effort to piece-meal the seven, but it just went downhill.

Given Patience is not one of my personal virtues it didn’t take me long to dismiss the struggling minds, now dimmed by a boatload of carbs and Sea Breezes, and order VeraLee to just “Google it” for God’s sake.

While there were many spins on this theme I think Pope Gregory did a nice job of summing the seven up in layman’s terms. So for the record, we are going to publish this in the Book of Mustard.

(Note:The following is basically lifted without shame or humility from: http://changingminds.org/explanations/values/deadly_sins.htm)

Sins have always been popular areas of focus in the church. An early 2nd century document, the Didache, contains a list of five. Origen produced a sevenfold list and at the end of the 4th century Cassian amended this sevenfold list. Eventually, the Seven Deadly Sins (or Vices) we know today were defined in the 6th century by Pope Gregory the Great, as a set of negative values: the values that you are supposed to adopt is that you will avoid these things and actually adopt their opposites. So we were so very close.

1. Pride is an excessive belief in one's own abilities (ex: Lurlene proudly answers to her nickname, LKIA, Lady Know It All..or the short version, Liar.)

2. Envy is wanting what others have, be it status, abilities, or possessions. (ex: Deedg walked out with one of my camels because he needed one for his nativity)

3. Gluttony is the desire to eat or consume more than you require. (ex: folks who go into the kitchen and secretly sop gravy with a biscuit, the last biscuit)

4. Lust is a powerful craving for such as sex, power and money. (ex: none needed)

5. Anger is the loss of rational self-control and the desire to harm others. (ex: the torpedoes the Manager put on his front bumper)

6. Greed is the desire for material wealth or gain. (ex: may I have your dining room furniture?)

7. Sloth is laziness and the avoidance of work. (ex: long naps, very long naps)

Note how many of these are very similar: envy, gluttony, lust and greed are all about desire. While there is a hidden lack of concern for others in envy and anger. As with other religious rule-sets, these pretty much hit the nail on the head in terms of a system for social harmonization or social control (depending on your viewpoint).

The number seven, by the way, is not only a cabbalistic magical number, it also just happens to be the size of our short-term memory, which is a real limit to the number of things we can hold in mind at one time. This is very frightening because twelve of us couldn’t come up with seven things.

When Pope Gregory defined the seven deadly sins that we should avoid, he also included a counter-balancing set of values that we should espouse and adopt. These are:

1. Faith is belief in the right things (including the virtues!).

2. Hope is taking a positive future view that good will prevail. (ex: I hope she isn’t planning on wearin’ that)

3. Charity is concern for, and active helping of, others. (ex: La’s request that we Please give her birthday gifts to a charity of our choice)

4. Fortitude is never giving up. (on getting that camel)

5. Justice is being fair and equitable with others. (ex: I will only tell you and you can only tell one other person)

6. Prudence is care of and moderation with money. (not bein’ stingy, just prudent)

7. Temperance is moderation of needed things and abstinence from things which are not needed. (ex: Lushious said she wanted Temperance to be her new Teena name…like we need another name, Tempie!)

And so there they are….in a nut-shell. At least that is all I shall explore. For the over-achiever, feel free to explore the other sets listed below:

· The Seven Contrary Virtues which are specific opposites to the Seven Deadly Sins: Humility against pride, Kindness against envy, Abstinence against gluttony, Chastity against lust, Patience against anger, Liberality against greed, and Diligence against sloth.

· The Theological Virtues: Love, Hope and Faith, as defined by St. Paul (who placed love as the greatest of them all).

· The four Cardinal Virtues: Prudence, Temperance, Courage and Justice.

· The Seven Heavenly Virtues: Faith, Hope, Charity, Fortitude, Justice, Temperance, Prudence.

· The Seven Corporal Works of Mercy are a medieval list of things you can do to help others: feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, give shelter to strangers, clothe the naked, visit the sick, minister to prisoners, and bury the dead.

· The Seven Bushido Virtues: Right decisions, Valor, Benevolence, Respect, Honesty, Honor, and Loyalty.

Piles of stuff

Now I lay me down to sleep
My pile of sweaters
Seven deep.

If I should die before I wake
I pray the cashmere, VeraLee should take.


God bless my intentions to pick and sort
God bless the day, for it was short

God bless efforts to keep it all straight
God bless and save for another date.

God bless my socks that do not match
And the mistakes that I didn't catch.

Bless my husband, patient and true for saying nothing about what I didn't do. Amen!