Estimated time:
15 min. prep., 30-40 min. baking time, plus cooling time

Number of servings:
24 bars

Ingredients: (Hit your return key to start a new line)
4 squares (1/2 box) unsweetened baking chocolate*

3/4 c. (1 1/2 sticks) butter

2 c. sugar

3 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

1 c. flour

1 c. chopped nuts (optional)

Directions:
Heat oven to 350 degrees F. (325 degrees F. for glass baking dish). Line 13"x9" baking pan with foil, extending the edge of foil over the sides to form "handles". Grease the foil.

Microwave the chocolate and butter in a microwavable bowl on high for 2 minutes, or until the butter is melted. Stir until the chocolate has also melted Completely.

Stir sugar into the chocolate mixture until completely blended. Add eggs and vanilla; blend. Stir in flour and nuts; blend. Spread into prepared pan.

Bake 30-40 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out with 'fudgy' crumbs. Do not overbake...but know that exact oven temperatures vary a bit. You do desire an 'un-liquid'/set up final product.

Cool in the pan. Lift out of pan onto cutting board. Cut into squares. Makes 24.

Other suggestions and comments:
If I happened to be out of aluminum foil, I'd go ahead n' make the brownies; it just might be Slightly harder to bust 'em out o' the pan. I don't see that as a Major Deal for chocolate-lovin' families armed with a decent spatula ;-) The foil does make for a nice, neat final product (avoiding the 'crusty edges') and makes clean-up of the pan a snap, for those who hate to scrub the cake-y junk out of the corners ;-) It might also be handy if one is faced with baking more than one batch of Bar Cookies, and owns just one right-sized pan. Slide out one batch; start another.

Variations:

--Cream Cheese swirl--- add one more egg when mixing batter. Spread mixture in pan. Mix up the following topper: one 8 oz. package of cream cheese (softened), 1/3 c. sugar, 1 egg, 2 Tbsp. flour) Spoon this over the brownie batter; swirl with a knife to 'marbleize'. Bake approx. 40 minutes.

---Rocky Road--- Prepare mix as directed. Bake as directed; sprinkle with 2 c. mini marshmallows, 1 c. semi-sweet chocolate Chunks, and 1 c. nuts. Bake 3 more minutes, or until topping begins to melt together.

---Peanut Butter Swirl--- prepare as directed, reserving 1 Tbsp. of the butter (melted) and 2 Tbsp. of sugar. Spread the brownie mixture in the pan.

Mix reserved ingredients with 2/3 c. peanut butter. Spoon mixture over brownie batter. Swirl with knife to 'marbleize'. Bake as directed.

--Cakelike Brownies--
Stir in 1/2 c. milk with the eggs and vanilla, and increase flour to 1 1/2 c.

*substituting cocoa for baking chocolate (squares):

each square = 3 Tbsp. cocoa + 1 Tbsp. shortening

Choc-o-late is the single greatest Food Group ev-er!

I gave a lovely pan of brownies to the neighbor who fed my cats while we were at the beach. Her son has braces, and can't handle nuts; she loves 'em. The solution was to arrange nuts just on Top (perhaps a checkerboard pattern?), or just have 'em on there so shallow that they can easily be 'picked off', vs. 'buried in the batter' ;-)