Bena Mae’s Kitchen: No more washday blues

Ladies of my generation may remember when Monday was Washday, the worst day of the week. It had to be the origin of the term Blue Monday. If Medals of Honor were awarded for hard work in those days, they surely would have gone to our mothers.
Long before the invention of the wringer washer and later the automatic washer. there was no task more arduous and laborious that came around the day after Sunday, as sure as the sun set and the moon rose.
So, ladies, every time you think you’ve got it tough and housework is taking its toll on you, read the following recipe for doing the family laundry in an era that is thankfully long gone. It was written in a bygone era by a Kentucky grandmother to a new bride.
RECIPE FOR WASHING CLOTHES
“Build fire in backyard to heat kettle of rain water. Set tubs so smoke won’t blow in eyes. Shave one hole cake of lye soap in boilin’ water.
Sort things, make three piles, one pile white, one pile colored, and one pile work britches and rags. To make starch, stir flour in cool water to smooth, then thin down with boilin’ water .
Take white things, rub dirty spots on washboard, scrub hard and then boil. Rub colored but don’t boil, just rinse and starch. Take things out of kettle with broomstick handle, then rinse. Hang old rags on fence, tea towels on grass. Pour rinse water on flower beds. Scrub porch with soapy water. Turn tubs upside down.
Go put on clean dress, smooth hair down with hair combs. brew cup of tea and rock a spell and count your blessings.”
Recently my trusted old washer gave up the ghost. For the three weeks it took to replace it, I went into a deep funk. When the new one was delivered and set up, I thought about calling in a priest to bless it with Holy Water. .
Personal Note: When I was a kid, Mama would keep one of her children out of school to help her on wash day. The load of laundry was so heavy she couldn’t do it by herself. This was accepted by the school because many families found it necessary to keep a child at home to help with the chores when they became insurmountable
I remember scrubbing clothes on a washboard until my knuckles were raw….not a happy memory.

Buttery Broccoli Cheese Casserole
How often do you find a recipe that calls for only 4 ingredients?  (although I do add a little chopped onion to mine.)

Ingredients
2 – 10 oz blocks of frozen chopped broccoli
10 oz process cheese spread (like Velveeta), cut into cubes
1 1/2 sticks butter (3/4 cup), divided
1 sleeve Ritz crackers, crushed

Instructions
 Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease or spray a 2 quart casserole.
Cook broccoli according to package directions; drain well and set aside.
In a microwave-safe bowl,  melt the cheese spread with 1/2 stick (1/4 cup) of butter.  Stir until smooth.  Add broccoli and mix well.  Place in prepared casserole.  In a medium saucepan, melt the remaining 1 stick (1/2 cup) butter and add crushed crackers, mixing well to coat with butter.  Top broccoli mixture with buttered crumbs.
Bake in a 350 degree oven for 20-30 minutes or until bubbly and cracker crumbs begin to turn golden brown.