The Family Brownie Recipe and All That Jazz

Fresh, homemade brownies are divine!

What's better than a pan of rich homemade brownies on a snowy day?  Hmm...I can't think of anything.  And below is the recipe for the yummy brownies pictured above!

This recipe has been part of my family's cookbook for almost 40 years.  My mom's friend from Wisconsin made them for a party and my mom could not believe how incredibly delicious they were so she asked for the recipe.   

We've since adapted it a little bit.  Here are some of the variations we try throughout the year even when it isn't snowing: (1) No semi-sweet chocolate chips on top, (2) Peppermint chocolate chips with semi-sweet chocolate chips on top, and (3) Tiny marshmallows with semi-sweet chocolate chips on top.   

I enjoy these brownies when they are hot, but I actually think the chocolate flavor is more robust after they've been frozen and allowed to thaw just a bit (so you don't break a tooth biting into them.)  As an aside, my family freezes everything--literally--and I grew up knowing the virtues of spreading baked goods over days and weeks.  I also loved the refreshing "coolness" of the slightly thawed baked goods!  Some other great frozen then slightly thawed baked goods I ate growing up are molasses bar cookies, rolled gingerbread cookies, and drop sugar cookies.

We need a song to go with the recipe below so what is a good brownie song?  And I don't mean the camp songs for girl scouts.  For me the brownie song would be "All the Things You Are" sung by Ella Fitzgerald since how can you not love "all the things" about homemade brownies, and Ella's singing?

So enjoy the family recipe...and the jazz!

Brownies

• 10 T. Land O' Lakes butter                             
• 1/4 c. milk                  
• 1/4 t. salt                                 
• 1 c. Hershey's semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 2 c. sugar                               
• 2 t. vanilla                   
• 1 t. baking powder
• 2 large eggs                          
• 1 1/3 c. flour
• 1/2 c. Hershey's baking cocoa

1. Soften butter.  Add sugar and eggs.  Cream until smooth.  Mix in milk and vanilla.
2. Spoon flour into measuring cups then level off.  Put in large bowl and whisk the salt, baking powder, and cocoa into the flour.
3. Add flour mixture to butter mixture.  Mix until smooth.
4. Spray a metal 9"x13" pan with Pam.  Spread batter into pan.  It will be a thin layer.  Sprinkle chocolate chips over the batter.                   
5. Bake at 350 degrees for 25-32 minutes on the middle oven rack.  Edges of brownies should pull away from sides of pan and be a little crispy.  Center of brownies will be soft and gooey.  Cut after cooling for a few minutes.  Let set in pan before serving.