Basic Brownies and more

If you have a hankering for some great yet simple brownies - try these.  You can make them plain or fancy them up with some of the add-ins that following the recipe.  I found the original recipe on Backyard Chickens.  http://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=206016

Basic Brownies
Ingredients
2 c sugar
1/2 c cocoa
4 eggs
1 Tbsp vanilla
1 c butter or marg
1 c flour

Mix sugar and cocoa well to prevent lumps.  Add butter, eggs and vanilla.  Mix with electric mixer until well blended.  Add flour and mix well again. 

Pour into ungreased 9x13 baking pan. 

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes.  Do NOT overcook.  The toothpick test does not work with brownies. 



Add-ins:

Marshmallows and walnuts for rocky road
chopped up caramel, coconut, and pecans for German chocolate
chocolate chips for extra-chocolaty
chopped maraschino cherries and chocolate chips for Black Forest
peanut butter chips
white chocolate chips and macadamia nuts
nuts 

your own invention

I made Rocky Road Brownies.  I added 1 cup of walnuts and 1 1/2 cups of marshmallows. 

I didn't have any mini mallows so I used my kitchen shears to cut up large ones.  I found that rinsing them often in hot water and wiping them dry works great.  I also dropped the marshmallows into some icing sugar so they wouldn't stick together.  I found that all the marshmallows floating to the top and the brownies looked like a lunar landscape. 

I don't know if mini mallows would do the same or if they would stay down in the batter.  I would also use more marshmallows - 2 to 3 cups total.



Yummy!  Enjoy!  ;)