Recipe: Blonde Brownies

It's the day before Thanksgiving, and all across the United States (and for AG and her brood in Glasgow!), families are preparing for their big feast. What will Ralph and Ella be bringing as guests to the Thanksgiving table? I bet all the grandkids can guess: blonde brownies! And mashed potatoes with horseradish, and salmon ball, of course!

Ralph is known as the maker of blonde brownies, but he's quick to caveat that by saying that it's Ella's recipe - he just provides the "mixing strength." And Ella "adds her loving touch with the chips."

These brownies are present at not just Thanksgiving, but really any family gathering, formal or informal, and it sure seems that Ralph and Ella's cookie jar is always full with them any time we stop by for a visit. My favorites are the chewy corners! 

Earlier this week, in a moment of pregnancy craving and being in a sentimental mood at the holiday, I whipped up a half batch, enjoying them both late at night and before breakfast the next morning too. Yum! 

Enjoy the recipe, below!

Ella's handwriting on this recipe card.

Ella evenly distributing the chips on her batch. (I just dump them in!)

A pre-breakfast treat at my home - Nov 2014

Blonde Brownies

2 cups sifted flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

2/3 cup butter

2 cups light brown sugar

2 eggs, slightly beaten

2 tsp vanilla

1 pkg chocolate chips

In a medium sized bowl, mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together. Set aside. 

Melt butter in a sauce pan. Remove from heat, add brown sugar and stir well. Add eggs and vanilla to the mixture in the sauce pan and mix well. 

Add the flour mixture, half at a time, mixing well after each addition. 

Turn into a greased 9" x 12" pan. Sprinkle chocolate chips over the top. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes. 

Meet Robert Bruce of Burravoe (1827-1865)

Robert Bruce and Wilhilmina Inkster

Born 17 October 1827, Robert Bruce was the 4th of 11 children of Robert Bruce (1804-1852)  and Mary Young (1795-1842). Born in Edinburgh, he lived as an adult in the village of Burravoe on the south-east corner of the island of Yell, Shetland, in the Manor House. There, he was a laird, or a member of the landed gentry. 

How is it that he came to be born in Edinburgh? Records indicate that his parents were both born in Scotland, but his paternal grandparents were both Shetlanders (Robert Bruce, 1766-1844, and Ursilla Katherine Bruce, 1770-1808). And it's unclear how much of his youth he spent in Edinburgh - he was christened in Edinburgh, but according to the 1841 census, when he'd be about age 14, he was living in Burravoe. (Source)

When he was 27 years old, Robert married Wilhilmina Inkster (1835-1896)(1) on 1 May 1855at the Free Church of Scotland in Lerwick, on the main island of Shetland. She was 20 years old. Together, they had six children in their ten years of marriage. However, these were not the only children that Robert had: He had 6 children with 5 other women during this period of time, including one child born just two months after his marriage to Wilhilmina.

Christina's cottage is the one with the black roof, in the center
of the frame - Sept 2014

Christina Stove (1835-1919) was one of those mistresses, who (according to family lore) was a favored servant at the Manor House. And as the stories go, she was given a cottage on the hill in the village of Neapoback, overlooking the Manor House. Robert and Christina had two children together: Mary Jane and Laurence. It's Mary Jane who was "lost and found" by Ella and who is the great grandmother and great, great grandmother of our dear Shetland cousins.

A wider view of Christina's cottage, taken from the parking
lot by the Burravoe marina, near the fence surrounding
Robert's Manor House - Sept 2014

Robert died at the age of 37 on 16 August 1865 in Symbister House on the island of Whalsay, Shetland; the cause of his death being unknown, but Shetland Family History notes that he was "found dead in his bedroom" (Source). He was buried at the Kirk of Hamnavoe on the island of Yell - in an area partitioned off but in an unmarked grave.

Wilhilmina was 30 when he passed. She remarried at age 34 to Duncan Campbell (1847-bef 1896) on  24 February 1870 in Lerwick. 

..........

Questions:

• How did Robert and Wilhilmina meet? She was born in Tain, Scotland.
• What was the cause of Robert's death?
• Did Robert have the Manor House built? (According to the 1851 census, it looks like Robert's father was also living at the Manor House. Source.)
• Shetland Family History lists Robert's residence as 1 Shore, Burravoe in 1861. Is that the same as the Manor House?
• What additional stories about Robert have been passed on?

Notes:

1. Pronounced as "WILL-yum-EYE-na", there are many spelling variations in different records. For example: Wilhelmina, Williamina, Inster