Ultimate Brownies

So maybe you're like me and you HAVE to show up to your halloween/ pumpkin carving parties with a totally sinful dessert.  These are your answer. I know, I know, you're thinking, "Wait a second, wasn't she just talking about how I can eat good food and it can be HEALTHY too?" Yes, I was.. but today, let's forget I ever said that for the sake of chocolate. Sound good? Good.
This recipe is one that I adapted from my all time fave Hershey baking book. Just so you know ahead of time, I NEVER use margarine.  If you do, that's cool, but I would HIGHLY recommend making the permanent switch to butter. In my opinion, if you're gonna eat the fat, it might as well be the real thing. (and the taste of real butter makes a WORLD of difference, really.)  So here goes!

Ultimate Brownies:

FOR THE BATTER YOU WILL NEED:

• 3/4 cup Hershey's Cocoa- I use their 'special dark' cocoa, but either will do just fine
• 2/3 cup butter melted & divided (whats divided? just separate it into 1/3 cup & 1/3 cup)
• 2 cups sugar
• 1& 1/3 cups all- purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 cup boiling water
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 & 1/4 cup semi- sweet chocolate morsels- I'm a die hard TollHouse fan

FOR THE FROSTING YOU WILL NEED:

• 6 tablespoons butter, softened, not melted
• 2 & 2/3 cups powdered sugar
• 1/2 cup Hershey's Cocoa- again, I use dark but if you like a 2-toned look, use regular cocoa
• 1/3 cup milk- I use skim or almond b/c that's normally what's in our fridge but any will do
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease your 13x9x2- inch baking pan OR two 8 inch square baking pans. Stir together cocoa and baking soda in a large bowl. Stir in 1/3 cup of melted butter. Add boiling water and stir until mixture thickens (it will still be watery). Stir in sugar, eggs and remaining 1/3 cup melted butter; stir until smooth. Add flour, vanilla and salt and blend with your electric mixer until smooth. Stir in chocolate chips. Pour into prepared pans.

Bake for 30-35 minutes or until you see the brownies start to pull away from edges of pan. Let cool completely on wire rack before frosting. Frost however you please! I like to frost with a rubber spatula for broader looking strokes but a good ol' butter knife works too!

FROSTING:

Beat softened butter in a medium bowl. Add cocoa and powdered sugar alternately with milk and beat until spreading consistency. Stir in vanilla well. Makes about 2 cups frosting.

Hopefully these will help you along the way...

ENJOY these delicious treats and let me know how much EVERYONE loved your homemade goodies!