Brownies are my favorite way to eat chocolate. Home-made brownies. Hot, fudge brownies with vanilla ice cream. I can taste preservatives in a brownie mix brownie a mile away. Blech! These are so much better ...The " My Favorite Brownies" that are also posted on my bog are gourmet and perfect, but if you want a quick no-fail brownie--these are the best! No muss, no fuss and you almost always have the ingredients. I Served them last night at church and there were none left!
Note: If you want these to taste ultra-good, use unsalted butter. If you don't have unsalted butter (I usually don't) use salted butter and decrease the salt to 1/4 t. Almost as good. If you use a 9X 13" pan, double the recipe. These brownies are much better thicker than thinner. Grease the pan with lots of shortening or oil or vegetarian "butter" as they have a tendency to stick. Don't use butter to grease your pan, it burns too easily.
Ingredients:
1 C walnuts, chopped (optional)
1/2 lb. unsalted butter
2 C sugar
3 eggs
1 t vanilla
1 C sifted flour
1/2 t salt
3/4 C. unsweetened cocoa powder (I use Nestle or Droste-- the others are too bitter)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease an 8X8" square pan. Brown walnuts on a baking sheet in the oven for 5 minutes only. Or skip this step entirely. You can even opt to not use walnuts if you wish. Up to you. Beat first 3 ingredients with a mixer until fluffy. Add vanilla. Then mix in remaining ingredients. Bake 30-45 minutes depending on your oven and how fudgy you like them. Other Options: Add chocolate chips to the batter or frost to make them extra-delectable.
Smith Fudge Frosting: (from my husband's family)
After brownies are cool. Bring 1 C salted butter,12 T milk and 2 C sugar to a gentle boil in a 2-qt. saucepan with a sturdy bottom over medium-low heat boil until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat. Stir in 1 C chocolate chips until melted. Then place saucepan contents into a 2-qt. bowl over a larger bowl of ice water and beat until thick and creamy. Immediately spread on brownies.
