Brownies Extraordinaire!

Our family is contributing cookies for the 50th Wedding Anniversary reception for our parents, Arvin and Grace Olson. I'm doing chocolate. I chose "Chocolate Crinkles" because I remember Mom making these as a kid and loving them. Either I was supposed to make them the size of a nickel, or the recipe lied. 6 dozen my foot.

Well wouldn't you know, Symphony bars were on sale this week, and I stocked up. (Who can beat 10 for $10?) I had these chocolate bars and 2 brownie mixes and made 2 pans of "to die for" brownies. I'm not kidding, these are really that good. I know Mom wanted cookies, but after one bite of these, any number of transgressions will be forgiven!

Here's how you make them:
Killer Brownies
1 box brownie mix (9 x 13 size)
1/2 cup veg. oil
1/4 cup water
2 eggs
3 large or 4 medium Symphony bars

Make the brownies according to the directions. Place 1/2 of the batter in a greased 9 x 13 pan. Lay the unwrapped chocolate bars on top. Depending on the size of the bars, sometimes you need to break them into pieces to fill the pan. Pour the rest of the batter over the brownies. Bake at 350 for 28 - 33 minutes. Cool the brownies for 20 - 25 minutes and then cut them into 24 pieces. If you wait too long to cut them, the chocolate bars get too hard.

One of the cleverest hints I've ever gotten was from Darlene Davis. She said to cut fresh brownies with a plastic knife (or the handle of a plastic spoon or fork.) It's marvelous! The brownies don't stick to the knife and cut smoothly.