Bena Mae’s Kitchen: Gwen, The Homeless Doll

In the 1930s, lovable Shirley Temple dolls became a symbol of happiness and hope in the midst of the Great Depression. It was the dream of every little girl to own one. At that time they were selling at 1.5 million a year.

The little dimpled curly haired doll became enormously popular among depression era children and set in motion a craze for Shirley Temple curls by every little girl who wanted to look just like her. On reflection, it seems my mother took hours to shape every curl on my head in an effort to imitate the real thing.

There were dolls of every size and shape, from Tiny Tears, a doll that cried real tears, to Betsy Wetsy, baby dolls that said “Mama,” sleeping dolls, crying dolls, bride dolls. And remember the set of the Dione Quintuplets…Barbie…Betty Boop? My favorite was always the dolls you could cuddle. 

Contrast the dolls of that era to one of the latest dolls called “Gwen, The Homeless Doll,” a homeless person living in 2009. This begs the question “aren’t dolls supposed to give joy to the owner?”

The stories told in the books accompanying these dolls are supposed to be educational and heart-warming. But how can they charge $100 per doll when they’re making a statement about the recession? I say give $100 to the homeless instead of Mattel, the company that makes them. Besides, dolls are not supposed to make a social point.

You’ll read about how Gwen’s father walks out on her and her mom. The mother and daughter lose their house, spend time living in the car, and bed down at a homeless shelter. But they eventually get their lives back together and move into an apartment.

Children should be allowed to be children. There’s time enough for them to take on the realities of adulthood. Childhood passes all too quickly the way it is.

Jif Peanut Butter Bars

1 cup Jif Creamy Peanut Butter

2/3 cup butter or margarine, melted

3 eggs

2 cups packed brown sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup sifted all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup sifted powder sugar

2 teaspoons water

Preheat oven to 350º F.

In mixing bowl combine Jif and melted butter.

Add the eggs, brown sugar and vanilla; mix well.

Stir in flour and salt. Beat until smooth.

Spread in greased 13 x 9 x 2 -inch baking pan.

Bake in 350º oven about 35 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.

Meanwhile, stir together powdered sugar and water until smooth.

In saucepan heat chocolate and Crisco® shortening over low heat until melted.

Drizzle powdered sugar mixture, then chocolate mixture over warm cookies.

Cool. 

Cut into bars.

Makes two dozen.