November 16

Julius Caesar Watts, Jr.'s Birthday

There have been a few anachronisms in Washington politics - two being gay Republicans and Black Republicans. The man that once offered hope to the Republicans that they could attract strong Black leaders to their party as the former college football quarterback for the Oklahoma Sooners. J.C Watts, Jr. served in the US House of Representatives from 1995 to 2003 representing the 4th congressional district Oklahoma and was the first African American elected from a southern state in over 120 years. Instead of joining the Congressional Black Caucus, he was chosen chair of the 1996 House Republican Conference. Strongly criticized by many Black Democrats for his Republican theology on Fox's Hannity and Colmes. he took on his critics with a memorable quote, "...they [Jesse Jackson, et al.] said that I had sold out and Uncle Tom. And I said well, they deserve to have that view. But I have my thoughts. And I think they're race-hustling poverty pimps." He is now a commentator on CNN. Watts, who was also a former Southern Baptist associate pastor, later blasted his own party for taking both blacks and evangelical Christians or granted and  said,  "Pastors need to be careful in this endorsement game." He also said that he was disappointed at the way the Republican Party leadership and John McCain's 1998 presidential campaign did not include a single black American.

When Watts was requested to submit a favorite recipe for a collection  of Congressional recipes, he wrote, "I am proud to be a Congressman from the Fourth District of Oklahoma. But nothing thrills me more than being called Dad or youth minister. It was such a privilege to be an influence on young lives and help steer and guide them through the tumultuous teen years. Cultural renewal in this country requires that the strong institutions like church, family, community, schools be strengthened and I got a firsthand lesson on that topic as a youth minister. This particular recipe came in handy with all of our church functions. It serves a bunch of hungry kids. We served this at a lot of church suppers when I was a youth minister."

So what better way to honor the classy J.C. Watts on his birthday than to serve up some Oklahoma Mud and watch him  when he was the Oklahoma Sooners Quarterback in a DVD of the 1981 Orange Bowl. 
 

Ingredients
 

1. Cream together (first 4 ingredients) the sugar, 2 sticks margarine, eggs and a tsp vanilla. Mix together flour, coconut, chopped nuts, and 3 tablespoons cocoa then fold into the creamed mixture. Spread into a 9 x 13-inch greased and floured pan and bake at 350º F for 45 minutes or until done.
2. After removing from oven, immediately spread one jar of marshmallow cream over the top and while it cools, make icing.
3. Mix powdered sugar, 1 stick margarine, cocoa, evaporated milk and 1 TB vanilla well and spread it over the cooled cake.