By Tara Fitzgerald

These brownies aren’t a family recipe, passed down through generations. They aren’t a super complicated, special dessert. They’re not part of an annual tradition. They’re just a simple, sweet dish to be enjoyed every now and then -- a nice little treat to make yourself as a reward for a huge success, or comfort food after a great loss.
The first time I had these brownies it was the latter. My family and I were cleaning out my grandfather’s house after he passed away from a stroke back in 2016. His things were still strewn about, his distinct “grandpa” smell still lingering in the air.
It was then that I saw my great aunt for the first time since I was too little to remember. She brought the brownies to share with us. We ate them as we discussed my grandfather and the extraordinary man that he was. He was a high school teacher for decades, as well as a mechanic. I still remember that old Ford Thunderbird that sat in his driveway that he spent years fixing up. He never actually completed the project.
We chatted about how loving and kind he was, how he put himself before others, whether that be in the form in feeding the stray cats that came to his door every day, or making sure everyone else had food before taking some for himself. He always put others first, always. (He’s even the founder of “Veteran’s Way,” a memorial park for army veterans.)
Since that day, my great aunt would make the brownies every summer when we saw her at my cousins’ cottage. She says I remind her of my grandfather. The brownies bring everyone together. There’s usually about fifteen people at the cottage who only talk in small groups. But when the brownies come out everyone takes one and reminisces on the meaning of family. Huddled up around the campfire, our faces barely illuminated by the dull orange glow, we all think of my grandpa as we enjoy the rich chocolate.
That’s what the brownies mean to me. And that’s what I think of every time I mix the ingredients together. Every time I turn the oven light on to peek at them as they bake. Every time I take a bite of the sweetness. Grandpa.

Ingredients (Brownies)
- 1/2 cup of butter
- 1 cup of white sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
- 1/3 cup of unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/2 cup of all purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon of salt
- 1/4 teaspoon of baking powder

Directions
- Preheat oven to 350°F
- Grease an 8 inch square pan
- Melt the butter then mix all the brownie ingredients together
- Spread the brownie batter evenly into your prepared pan
- Bake in oven for 35 minutes ​

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Ingredients (Icing)
- 3 tablespoons of softened butter
- 3 tablespoons of unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 tablespoon of honey
- 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
- 1 cup of confectioners sugar

Directions
- Combine all the ingredients together until they are well mixed (no lumps)
- Ice brownies after they are cooled