A Chocolate Lover's Brownie

There really is nothing as satisfying as a melt-in-your-mouth chocolate dessert. If you glance at my Pinterest board, you'll be overwhelmed with recipes for a chocolate heart attack. In the world of internet recipes, there are hundreds of brownie recipes from which you can choose. I recommend the Hershey's Ultimate Brownie, with a teensy adjustment (Ghiradelli cocoa!) Yes, that is probably cheating. But who cares?

Ingredients: 

• 3/4 cup of Ghiradelli's Cocoa (or Hershey's)
• 2/3 cup of margarine melted and divided
• 2 cups of sugar
• 1 1/3 cups of all purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon of salt
• 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda
• 1/2 cup of boiling water (important, don't skip)
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
• 1 cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips or dark chocolate (if you so desire)

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 350. Grease a 13x9 or two 8x8s. (Honestly, I think you can just use an 8x8 if you like thick brownies! Which I do.)
2. Stir cocoa and baking soda in large bowl.
3. Add 1/3 cup of melted butter.
4. Add boiling water. Stir until mixture thickens.
5. Stir in sugar, eggs, and remaining butter. Stir until smooth.
6. Add flour, vanilla, and salt. Blend completely.
7. Stir in chocolate chips.
8. Pour into prepared pan.
9. Bake 35-40 minutes for rectangular pan or 30-35 for square pans.
10. Voilà! And enjoy. You can also serve with buttercream frosting.

ONE-BOWL BUTTERCREAM FROSTING

6 tablespoons butter or margarine, softened
2-2/3 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup Ghiradelli Cocoa
1/3 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Beat butter in medium bowl. Add powdered sugar and cocoa alternately with milk,
beating to spreading consistency (additional milk may be needed). Stir in vanilla.
About 2 cups frosting.

-Cara