A Sunbeam Mixer and 1950s Brownies

Lillian and the Sunbeam mixer – 1952

In 1952, I was working at Procter & Gamble’s corporate offices in downtown Cincinnati.  I was a secretary in the Radio/TV Advertising Department and worked for the two department heads plus three young members of the staff.  On May 31, 1952, early in the morning of the day I was to be married, a special delivery letter arrived.  It contained a cute page made up by my co-worker, Bert Berman, had the signatures of the rest of the men in the department  and  informed me that I was going to be receiving a SUNBEAM ELECTRIC MIXER.

I was completely surprised since Mr. Smith and Mr. Craig had already sent beautiful sterling silver pieces, but there was nothing I wanted more than an electric mixer.  The manual/cookbook that came with the mixer was my baking bible for the next ten years at least.  It’s in tatters now with the cover and a couple of pages missing.

I made a lot of good food with that Sunbeam and manual.  This is a picture of my older daughter and son, waiting for me to start mixing his first birthday cake in 1957.

One of the family’s favorites was an easy recipe for brownies.  I named them my “Best Brownies”, copied from my recipe binder below.

BEST BROWNIES

• Servings: 9
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¾ cup sifted flour
½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
1 cup sugar
½ cup shortening or margarine (started using Imperial margarine in 1989)
1 tsp vanilla
2 eggs, unbeaten
4 tablespoons cocoa
2 cups chopped nuts

Sift together the flour, baking powder, salt, sugar.
Add shortening, vanilla and eggs.

Beat one minute, then add the cocoa and nuts.
Beat ½ minute longer.  

Pour into greased 8×8 pan.  Bake @ 350 for 30-35 minutes.  Cut while still warm. 

Old 1950s recipe from original Sunbeam mixer cookbook.  Have made a thousand times.

Saying that I have baked these brownies 1,000 times over the past 60 plus years isn’t too much of an exaggeration.  I made up a batch today just for old time’s sake.

My Sunbeam  mixer lasted 30 years until 1982.  By that time, I was doing a lot of bread baking and wanted a very strong unit along with dough hooks.  I chose a Kitchen Aid mixer which is still working beautifully 33 years later.  It has served me well, but has never given me the surprise and thrill of that first old Sunbeam.

Blonde Toffee Brownies

Back in 1994, a co-worker of my husband invited us to a big pig roast at his house in Indiana.  He had a large backyard with plenty of space for all of his guests to visit and munch on appetizers while waiting for the roast to be ready.  Each guest was asked to bring something and I chose these Blonde Toffee Brownies because I knew they would hold up well in the heat.

After enjoying the succulent roast pork and side dishes, we were instructed to go into the kitchen and pick out a dessert.  I was not prepared for the array of desserts on that Indiana table.  There was every imaginable kind of pie, cake and cookie – and lots of them.  I doubt that my brownies were even touched that day, but I’m sure they went home with someone who could enjoy them later in the week since they keep well for several days.  These brownies are very sweet and rich – a small serving will suffice.

• Servings: 12
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• 1-1/3 cups all-purpose flour
• ½ tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp salt
• 2 eggs, room temperature
• ½ cup each granulated sugar
• ½ cup light brown sugar
• 1/3 cup butter, melted
• 1 tsp vanilla
• ¼ tsp almond ext
• 8 oz. pkg. toffee bits, divided
• ½ cup chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
8 inch square pan, greased

In a small bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder and salt.  In a medium bowl, beat eggs, gradually add granulated sugar and brown sugar.  Whisk in melted butter and vanilla/almond extracts.

Gently stir in flour mixture until all is moist.  Fold in 2/3 cup toffee chips and add nuts.  Pour into prepared pan …

…and bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees F.  Remove from oven and immediately sprinkle remaining toffee bits over top.

Cool completely before cutting.  Makes 12 brownies. 

Mother’s Brown Sugar Brownies

In 1945, I was 13 years old, in the 8th grade at old Highland School in Cincinnati’s East End.

I especially loved my home economics cooking class and our teacher, Mrs. Geoghan.  We spent a lot of time chatting together and she would show me a few vintage (even at that time) cookbooks she had on her desk.  I especially coveted one called All About Home Baking published by General Foods in 1933.  There were a few pages in color that I really enjoyed…

….and loads of black and white how-to photographs along with their great recipes.

I wasn’t in the habit of asking for things, even of my parents, but for some reason felt comfortable in asking Mrs. Geoghan if I could have this book – and she gave it to me!

It was an absolute treasure to me – I read and reread the recipes and gazed at the pictures, imagining myself making all of these wonderful baked goods.

My mother didn’t own a cookbook and normally didn’t keep recipes, but she did write a favorite brownie and frosting recipe on a back page in the book.

These brownies were in her repertoire of brunch-type foods to make in the summertime when my sister and I would sleep until almost noon and come downstairs to a baked treat of some kind.  She didn’t include instructions for the brownies, but I made some recently to see if they were as good as I remembered them.  They are.  I omitted the frosting this time but it’s also delicious and easy to make.

I baked mine the way Mother always made hers – in a 9×13 pan which results in a very thin bar.  We only had butter in the house for Thanksgiving, so I’m sure she used margarine (oleo) for her frosted brownies.

• Servings: 12-16, depending on size
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• ¼ cup butter
• 1 cup light brown sugar
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1-½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• ½ cup chopped nuts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F

Grease and flour a 9×13 baking pan

In a mixing bowl, cream the butter and brown sugar, add the egg.

In a separate small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt.  Stir into the butter mixture just until blended.  Stir in vanilla and nuts.  Spread and pat into a greased and floured 9×13 pan.

Bake @ 350 degrees for approximately 12-15 minutes.  Bars should be slightly soft when removed from oven.  Place on a rack to cool.

Serve plain or with Mother’s Quick Caramel Frosting.  Cut into bars to serve.

MOTHER’S QUICK CARAMEL FROSTING

1 cup light brown sugar (packed)
2 Tblsp. butter
2 Tblsp. water
1 tsp. vanilla
1-½ cups confectioners’ sugar

Put brown sugar, butter and water in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil.  Cool slightly.  Add vanilla and confectioners’ sugar.  Beat well and spread on brownies. 

This wonderful cookbook often turns up in antique malls and in various versions on a lot of websites such as Amazon and eBay.

My Mother, 1945

SKILLET APPLE BROWNIES

I was looking for a way to use up some apples when I found these brownies on allrecipes.com.  I was also intrigued by the use of the cast iron skillet.  These are wonderful – easy and delicious.

• Servings: 6-9
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• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 2 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp. ground nutmeg
• 2 cups tart apple – peeled, cored & chopped
• 1/2 cup toasted pecans, chopped
• 1/2 cup melted butter
• 1 additional Tblsp. butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Place a 9-inch cast iron skillet into the oven to preheat.

In a large bowl, stir together the granulated sugar, light brown sugar, eggs and vanilla.

In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg.

Toss the apples and pecans in the flour mixture.  Stir this into the egg mixture until combined.  Add the vanilla and  1/2 cup melted butter, mixing well.

Remove the skillet from the oven (carefully – very hot) and place the one tablespoon of butter in it, swirling to coat the pan with butter.  Pour the batter into the hot pan and put back into the oven.

Bake until the sides are dry and a toothpick inserted into the center of the brownie comes out clean – approximately 35 minutes.

Cool in the skillet on a wire rack  for 20 minutes before slicing into wedges.

Servings:  6 to 8 

A low-key dessert, not too rich, but delicious.

Kentucky Brownies

In honor of the Kentucky Derby on Saturday, I made a batch of my favorite brownies from one of my favorite cookbooks, What’s Cooking in Kentucky.  I have several good brownie recipes but I seem to go back to this one most often for the ease of preparation and great results.

• Servings: 12-16
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• 1/2 cup butter
• 2 squares of unsweetened chocolate or 3 Tblsp. cocoa
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
• pinch of salt
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Grease and flour an 8″ baking pan.

In a medium saucepan over medium low heat, melt the butter and add the chocolate or cocoa, stirring occasionally until the chocolate has dissolved.  Remove from heat.

In the same pan, stir in the granulated sugar and eggs, mixing well.

Stir in the flour and salt, beat well.  Stir in the vanilla and nuts.

Pour into a greased and floured 8″ baking pan.  Bake for approximately 25 minutes @ 350 degrees F.  Cool in the pan on a wire rack.  While still warm, cut brownies into 16 small or 12 large pieces.  

I have a note in my recipe binder:  “First made March 24, 1985 – Excellent.”