Recipe: Fudge Brownies

Fudge Brownies
rec.food.cooking/Marcia

Several years ago, on New Years Eve, we were all in the mood for something something chocolatey, but I didn't have any cake mix or brownie mix around. We skimmed through my chocolate cookbooks, but of course I didn't have the raw ingredients for almost everything. However, we stumbled upon a one pot brownie recipe, calling for mostly ordinary stuff, which I had around, so we figured it wouldn't be too bad.

What we didn't know we'd found was a recipe that is only slightly more work than a mix, and is absolutely fantastic. I've made these more times than I can count, and invariably someone wants the recipe - and doesn't believe when I tell them it's basically a "throw everything together and bake" recipe. These brownies have become my signature recipe :-).

1/2 cup margarine or butter
1 pkg (12 oz) semisweet chocolate chips
1 2/3 cups sugar
1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
3 eggs
1 cup chopped nuts (if desired)

Heat oven to 350F. Heat margarine and chocolate ships in 3 qt saucepan stirring constantly, until melted. Beat in remaining ingredients until smooth; stir in nuts. Spread in greased rectangular pan 13x9x2-inch.

Bake until center is set, about 30 minutes; cool completely. Cut into bars. Makes 36 brownies.