"The Best" Brownies

I thought I would share this very simple recipe with you. In fact, its so easy you will be wondering why you ever bought brownie mix. But its not just easy, its VERY good.

I have made these brownies more times than I can count over the years. With just a few ingredients and one mixing bowl I can turn out delicious brownies in no time. I prefer to use real butter instead of the oil. I also like to add chopped pecans but I didn't have any today and as we are waiting for Hurricane Sandy to pass I wasn't going out for any.

The original recipe did not use self rising flour but all purpose flour with baking powder and salt. I have always used self rising flour when making these and they have always turned out great. I know many of you are not SR flour fans however, so I included instructions for using all purpose flour w/ baking powder and salt added. (Self Rising Flour has baking powder and salt already added.)

This recipe is from an old Hershey's Cocoa Cook Book copyright 1979.

So here we go....

Assemble the ingredients

Blend melted butter, sugar and vanilla in a mixing bowl. Add eggs and beat with spoon.

Add the cocoa and flour

Pour evenly into pan and bake.

Enjoy!


Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup vegetable oil or melted butter. (1 stick)
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup self rising flour *
• 1/3 cup cocoa
• 1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional)

* or Mix together 1/2 cup all purpose flour, 1/4 teaspoon baking powder, 1/4 teaspoon salt.

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees
• Grease a 9 inch square pan
• Blend oil or melted butter, sugar and vanilla in a mixing bowl.
• Add eggs and beat well with spoon.
• Add flour and cocoa and mix well.
• Stir in nuts.
• Spread in greased pan
• Bake at 350 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes or until brownie begins to pull away from edges of pan.
• Cool in pan.
• Frost if desired
• Cut into squares, 16 brownies