I HAVE A LOT ON MY MIND, as I expect many of you do. So this morning I baked blonde brownies. Nothing healthy about this sweet treat. Nothing healthy at all. The brownies are loaded with sugar. Two cups of brown sugar, to be exact. But on this day I don’t care.
Today I’m continuing to read A Fever in the Heartland by Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter and author Timothy Egan. If ever there was a book that opened my eyes to American history, this is it. I’ve had to read this book in doses given the heaviness of the topic. Every. Single. Person. Should read this book. The content is relatable to today in many aspects. And that, my friends, is beyond frightening.
Lastly, it’s Friday. The sun is shining brightly. Laundry is drying on the line. And I’m waiting for a friend, who just lost his dog, to stop over for a brownie.
Enjoy your weekend, everyone! Take a walk. Meet a friend. Defiantly bake brownies.
© Copyright 2024 Audrey Kletscher Helbling
Minnesota Prairie Roots 
This book has been on my to-read list for awhile; thanks for the encouragement to get it done.
You’re welcome. Be forewarned that it’s difficult to read what’s written therein. Yet, so important to read.
I am curious: ” Defiantly” – or – “Definitely” ? Works either way for me.
It would be “defiantly,” Kevin. You can read into that what you will, or read between the lines.
Bake oatmeal cookie bars—and cut the sugar to 1 1/2 cups—-that would be somewhat healthier.
Good suggestion. I’ll have to find a recipe for those. But today I just needed to bake and didn’t much care about healthy.
An oatmeal cookie recipe (with semi-sweet chocolate chips) can be baked in a 9 X 13 pan (or larger for a large recipe or thinner bars).
Good to know. Thank you.
Good for you Audrey! Enjoy the brownies!!! Sounds like a wonderful afternoon.
Definitely enjoying the brownies! 🙂
a śweet treat and a good book are sometimes the perfect balm for what ails us. this book sounds very intense and I can see why you might need to read it in small doses.
The book really didn’t “help” in the sense of taking my mind off issues of great concern to me. But I wanted to finish it. The brownies definitely helped. I don’t often bake anymore, but this was a day I needed to bake.
I think it’s all going to be a moving target, and we all need to do whatever we have to do to practice self-care during this time.
I absolutely agree with you.
I’m going to add that book to my list. Thanks for sharing that. And, tonight I’m making dinner for friends: crispy mustard chicken with breadcrumbs, baked four-cheese farfalle, mixed greens salad. Maybe tomorrow I’ll bake some brownies! Yours look very yummy.
Yes, Kathleen, you absolutely must read this book. I would term it intense, enlightening and relevant.
The meal you made for friends sounds delicious. 🙂 Enjoy your brownies, whenever you make them.
Thanks for the recommendation and will add it to my reading list. I find when the crazy business of life starts I either binge read (maybe TV if something is binge worthy) or end up in the kitchen prepping, cooking, or baking. I recently stocked up my baking supplies and all set until probably the end of the year if not into the new year. There is nothing better than gathering around the table to enjoy a drink/treat, catch up and kick back for a bit 🙂 Happy Day – ENJOY!
If we lived closer to each other, I could see us gathering around the table to enjoy a drink, a treat and good conversation. Thanks, as always, for your thoughtful comment. 🙂
The brownies look delightful. I made pumpkin spice cookies last week and they went fast! Need to go back to the kitchen and start baking again. 🙂
Yum, pumpkin spice. I need that recipe.
And you added another book to my read list. Today is my (yup, it is after midnight) it is my actual birthday and I need to get out of the house and I know of a really cute shop most women would love to be in – it is kinda cutesy – but too many ruffles and frills for me. Aside from all that the coffee is up there – GREAT! And they have Raspberry cheesecake. Any mention of Raspberries has my attention! Not that I would turn up my nose at cheesecake. However – I am waiting with baited breath for Eggnog! Oh Heavenly Days – Eggnog!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, Gunny! If I was in Texas, I would join you for raspberry cheesecake. Cheesecake is my favorite dessert and I like raspberries a lot also. Have a truly joyful day! And many more birthdays (a saying from sw MN)!