Bake Brownies and They Will Come... {Recipe: One Bowl Brownies}

I always want my kids' friends to feel welcome in our home. The only thing I wish is that my kids would give me 24 hours notice, but that is not always possible. Two things that are quick and easy to throw together on a moments notice are a big bowl of fruit and a big pan of brownies. It is not surprising that kids like the brownies, but I am surprised by how excited they get over fruit!  Now if I could just figure out how to clean the house on a moments notice...

One Bowl Brownies

These are just about as quick and easy as boxed brownie mix. 

Ingredients:

3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

3/4 cup unsalted butter

2 cups sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt 

3 large eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup semi-sweet or milk chocolate chips. depending on preference

Preheat oven to 350°F.  Prepare a 9"x13" baking pan by lined with a parchment or foil sling and grease with cooking spray. Place the cocoa powder and butter* in large microwave safe bowl for 1 to 2 minutes or until the butter is melted (start with 1 minute, stir, then microwave more if needed until butter is completely melted). Stir until completely combined. Then add the sugar, eggs, vanilla, and salt, mix well. Add the flour until just blended, then add 2/3 of the chocolate chips to the batter.   Mix until well blended, but do not over do it! Spread into prepared baking pan, then sprinkle with the remaining 1/3 cup chocolate chips. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out with fudge like crumbs--do not over bake! Cool in pan. The brownies can be lifted out with the parchment or foil sling and cut unto serving sizes on a cutting board.

*Tip: Cut the butter into about one tablespoon chunks for even melting in the microwave.

Update: Using the baking instructions for Alton Brown's Cocoa Brownies 2.0 found @altonbrown.com makes for a very fudgy delicious brownie. The baking instuctions are: Preheat oven to 300ºF. Bake brownies for 15 minutes, remove from oven for 15 minutes (my daughter read somewhere to tap the pan on the counter a few time at this point helps make the brownies fudgy as well, so we did this too). Return brownies to oven and bake another 20-30 minutes or until an instant read thermometer when inserted in the center reaches 195ºF.

P.S. Alton Brown's recipe for Cocoa Brownies 2.0 is very good, but has a very deep dark chocolate flavor.  My kids and their friends prefer the lighter chocolate taste of these brownies

Enjoy!