Best Basic Brownies Ever. Really.

Hello!

 I know I'm really big on eating healthily....

(in fact, I'm planning on talking more about healthy decisions in eating, and a lifestyle of healthy eating vs. dieting here in the near future.)


but there come occasions that one really needs to just throw caution to the wind and indulge a bit. Like, after a long day of whiny kids and cold temperatures or..any...day...as long as it's not EVERY day.
Everything in moderation, right?

*random rant begins..*

Well, not everything in moderation. High fructose corn syrup is not good even in moderation. Neither are trans fats. Or drugs. Or genetically modified foods.   And that doesn't even cover the non-food portion of our lives!
Okay, I proved myself wrong. But the point is, you can't always resist those ooey gooey desserts, and it's better if you have them once in a while and be satisfied then crave them so much you totally fall off the rail and regress into unhealthy eating habits.

*randomness over. maybe.*


I am about to share with you my go-to dessert recipe for whenever I have to bring anything sweet to an event, or if we're having people over for dinner or even when I'm just craving chocolate.

(Haha. Everyone knows that when a lady craves chocolate, it's not just a craving. It's a necessity! If you didn't know that, take note. It's true.)

I found this recipe about 3 years ago from an Every Day with Rachael Ray magazine and have never used another since. This is saying something, because I was one of the boxed brownie buying kinds of girls before, and making brownies from scratch is SO much yummier and really not any harder than what you do with the boxed brownies. You just mix the dry ingredients together yourself instead of someone else doing it for you. And to satisfy my healthy food loving self, I use whole wheat flour and free range eggs. I actually like the way it tastes better with whole wheat flour than with white- it adds a nice depth to the brownie, and a hint of nuttiness.


Are you ready for some chocolatey goodness?

Here we go:

(Oh, did I mention there are only six ingredients? That's right; six. Easy Peasy. If you didn't think you could make anything from scratch, think again.)

Best Basic Brownies  

The Recipe:


1 1/2 sticks butter, melted
2 cups sugar
3 eggs
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup cocoa powder
1 cup flour

Mix together melted butter and sugar.  Add eggs, one by one (or all at the same time) and mix til slightly fluffy and smooth. Add salt, cocoa powder and flour. Mix together til smooth. Pour into a greased 9x9 baking dish and bake at 350F until they hold still when you jiggle the pan; about 35-40 min. (check them at 30.)

Note: if you add about a teaspoon of vanilla to the batter, it's even better. Also, if you sprinkle almonds on top and let them get toasted while the brownies bake, they are delicious. If you add re-constituted dried cherries into the batter, it's so rich it's almost sinful.

There they are. They were devoured shortly after this, and I enjoyed every single bite. MMM!

Now, go make some for yourself and taste the goodness! :)