Grandma's Famous Marshmallow Brownies

I have many wonderful childhood memories. They are layered with not only people and activities, but smells, tastes and textures.

My grandmother passed away when I was fourteen. I was distraught. It was a shock. It was painful. I vomited for two weeks straight from the stress and from the void I felt for the first time in my life. She was ...well, wonderful doesn't seem to do her justice. She was the grandmother that every child would love to have. Nurturing, warm, soft...that is how I remember her. Crocheting with arthritic hands in her green chair, or cooking in the kitchen, that is what I remember her doing.

Her eyes crinkled when she smiled: I get that from her. Sometimes I can pull off a culinary feat that would make her proud. One time my brother was staying with us for the weekend; I made a roast for Sunday dinner and had it in the oven while we were at church. We walked in and Matthew said, "mmm. It smells like Grandma Frankman's house!" That is one of the greatest compliments I've ever received.

Now I am left with a few pictures, a cookbook, my mother (the best gift from my grandmother), and smells, tastes and textures.

I will share with you one of the latter: a smell, taste and texture.

Grandma would make these incredible brownies and store them in the freezer. A few years ago my mom made these and put them in the freezer. What a treat that was to open the freezer and see those wonderful edibles peeking out from under foil. I don't think there is a better way to eat these than partially frozen. I assume these were put in the freezer to keep, not to serve that way; and yet, that is how I like them.

Food is an incredible medium for memory. One bite of these and I am brought back to that yellow shag carpet, the green chair we use to fight over at the table, the white sheers covering the windows that I was constantly reminded not to touch, the hill we could ride the wagon down on, and the most cherished: my grandparents. There is a smell in my memory bank that I cannot distinguish enough to describe--but it is their smell--and all this comes back to me. A gift of going back in time, from one bite.

Grandma's Famous Marshmallow Brownies

4 eggs
1 cup butter or margarine, melted
2 cups sugar
1/3 cup cocoa
1 1/2 cup flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cup nuts
2 teaspoons vanilla

Mix above ingredients together and bake for 20 minutes at 350.

While hot place 1 pound cut marshmallows on top and return to oven for five minutes. Cool.

Frost with 1/2 stick butter, 1/3 cup cocoa, 1/3 cup cream and 1 pound package powdered sugar.

I hope you enjoy these as much as my family has.