I started following some Crock Pot enthusiasts on Twitter recently. I’m not actually sure why I am doing this. Somewhere in the back of my head, I might be thinking a Crock Pot would be the solution for many of life’s problems! Since we’re wanting to eat a more Paleo lifestyle, I’m not sure how much the Crock Pot cooks are going to be able to help me. Still, I hope I find they are a tremendous resource.

Before we get back on the obsessively healthy track, following the Birthday Season, I was tempted by the suggestion of making Blonde Brownies in the crock pot! The mere mention of Blonde Brownies brings back a tremendous memory, one that I have used as a teaching point with my children many times. I could, of course, make the Blonde Brownies in the oven, as I always did in the past, but I thought it might be fun to experience a Crock Pot dessert. So we’re doing it! While the concoction bakes, I’ll write up my story!

Here’s the blog article with the recipe I’m using. Right here.

Here’s my story:
Once upon a time, in a land far away, I was a junior high student who lived in the city. My parents bought land in the mountains and we were soon to move to the rural mountain world of cowboys and cowboy-wannabes. My parents thought it would be good if I could have some friends before we relocated, so they had me join the mountain 4-H club and they drove me up to those meetings however often they took place. “What was a city girl doing here?” I suspect they asked. Eventually, I was assigned the dubious chore task of giving a presentation related to one of my 4-H projects.

Because I was taking Cooking, it was decided that I would do a demonstration making Blonde Brownies. I made them several times, wrote out what I would say and practiced in front of my mother. The day before the meeting I did the demonstration for real so that we would have a batch of Blonde Brownies for everyone to sample after my presentation. One of the key points in the demonstration was to add the flour s.l.o.w.l.y., I did that every time I practiced.

The fateful day came and we packed up all the supplies, got in the car, and drove up to the meeting. I was so nervous. I really wanted to make a good impression. I really wanted to be accepted. I really felt like an awkward outsider. The demonstration went pretty well, that is until I added the flour. In my nervousness, I added it all at once. (This was years before I heard of the Bosch with that super tight lid to put over the top.) Unfortunately, it was also years after the invention of the hand held mixer. I turned on the mixer, put the beaters down into my batter and . . . Oh my word, flour went everywhere! I guess nobody saw how red my face flushed because, of course, it was covered with flour!

I laugh about it today and I’ve used the story to illustrate lessons during teachable times with my own children. In the long run, the experience has been a blessing.

Back to today:
Maybe it’s just Blonde Brownies and ME, but things didn’t go so well here. My youngest and I mixed up the batter today. I don’t have a six quart crock pot. The one I used is four quarts and I don’t think I would have wanted any bigger. I didn’t know that my crock pot heats hot, so my brownies were overcooked. In fact, unlike Ginger, my Brownies were anything but tender and tasty! At least I tried something new! I’m actually intrigued by the whole dessert in a crock pot idea! How many times I’ve been just one (or two) ovens short of what I needed to really cook the meal I wanted to prepare.

Hopefully my new Crock Pot friends won’t give up me yet! I’m clearly a beginner at Crock Potology. Give me time! I’ll get there!

It’s interesting, in a way, none of my children know what Blonde Brownies taste like. I have the recipe in my old recipe box. I don’t think I’ve made them since I got married. Maybe there’s a reason!

In the Pot

Hopeless!