We are moving on to one of my favorite subjects…cookies! I love to bake cookies and by far the largest section in Gram’s Recipe Box is the cookie section, so she must have too.  :-) I like how old recipes are often written the way the person thought. For instance, several ingredients grouped together, bracket with instruction, several more ingredients grouped together, bracket with instructions, etc., with a brief note (sometimes) at the end about cooking time. Today’s recipes are very easy for a cook to follow, with details laid out in step by step order, and that is good. But, since I often cook with my nose, i.e. if it smells like it needs something I’ll keep adding, this more fluid recipe card is appealing to me, and it leaves room for improvisation.

A note about the ingredients. The recipe might have originally called for 1/2 tsp of soda, but really 1/4 tsp would do the job. I haven’t tried it yet so I can’t be certain what to do here. Just imagine knowing how soda reacts during the baking process and having the sense to reduce or increase the amount the next time you make the recipe. I myself don’t even really know what baking soda does. I know that either baking soda or baking powder causes cakes to rise, but beyond that I have no clue! Our ancestresses certainly were chemists, weren’t they?

Brown Sugar Squares

Melt 1/2 c shortening in pan

Stir together:

1 egg

1 c brown sugar

1 tsp vanilla

Stir in:

1 1/2 c sifted flour

1/2 OR 1/4 tsp soda

1/4 tsp salt

Add:

1 c coarsely chopped nuts

Bake in an 8″ square pan at 350 for 18-20 minutes. Do not overbake.