Day 2: Magic Brownies!

Okay, so not *those* kinds of magic brownies, but pretty darned magical all the same. These are a favorite modification of mine, especially by Dragon, because we're all about the chocolate/peanut butter combo around here.

Faux-Magic Brownies

First up, rounding up the ingredients. You've got your brownie mix (so sue me, it's really rare when I make brownies from scratch. *Really. Rare*), veggie oil, 2 eggs (because we like 'em cake-like), bag o' Reese's chips, two little bags of chopped pecans.

Not pictured? Water.

Also not pictured? Dragon pacing around behind me in anticipation of chocolatey, nutty, peanut buttery goodness. I made him sit in the Norse Nook for a timeout while I worked unimpeded.

Is it just me, or does this look almost like Jack Skellington in my bowl? That, or I'm somehow summoning the Ancient One. Cthulu-nies, perhaps?

Either way, this is about as straight forward as it gets. Dump brownie mix in big bowl. Add eggs, water, oil. Stir.

A note here: I have yet to figure out a good way to hand-stir my brownies and not miss incorporating all the mix at the bottom. It's like opening a present when I go to pour... suddenly, dry brownie mix! Huzzah! *Insert furious incorporation into whatever mix remains.*

Essentially, when you're done, it's going to look like so. 

<--

I'm one of those people who doesn't mix it into oblivion until no lumps remain. Because said lumps actually seem to help the rest of the ingredients not just sink to the bottom of the pan.

Or, at least, that's what I tell myself.

It's really up to you. If you want silky smooth batter, by all means, whip that puppy until it weeps bitter ganache tears of woe. You Monster.

Now we incorporate the rest of the goodies. One bag of pecan chips goes in. As does half the bag of Reese's chips. 

You really don't want to dump the whole thing in. Trust me on this. 

It's just occurred to me that really, you don't have to have just pb & pecans. If you like a different nut, chuck that in instead. Maybe dried fruit would be tasty... perhaps cranberry/walnut combo? It's really only limited by your imagination. So let that creative flag fly (and seriously, if you make these different, gimme a shout so I can see what you did!)

Stir, stir, stir, but don't overwork it. Just get everything all distributed through, nice and evenly. 

This is a good time to really try to make sure you get all the dry powder at the very bottom of your bowl, if you haven't already. 

Either way, chunky chocolatey goodness. The biggest bone of contention by this point? Who gets to lick the bowl and/or spoon?

This is entirely optional, of course, but as cook, I tend to claim first dibs on the spoon. Because yum.

Into the (lightly greased) pan it goes. All the rest of those chips and pecans? Yup. They go on top. Be generous.

You'll thank me later. (Your hips might not, but your tastebuds will.)

Also? Meet Brownlee. This is my favorite brownie pan, ever. No, really. I refuse to make brownies in anything else. You get the awesomeness of the edge pieces, that slightly crusty edge, and plenty of the chewy center to balance it all out. 

Those who designed this pan, I salute you. 

32-ish minutes at 325 degrees (F). Your mileage may vary, of course, depending on your altitude, pan, and oven. 

Your best bet? Follow the baking instructions on the back of the box for your area. No one knows your cooking appliances like you do, right?

Grab a drink, sit back and desperately try to ignore the impatient rumblings of your tummy as the smell of freshly baked brownies floats through your house. 

When they're finally done, pull 'em out of the fiery inferno of your oven and let them rest until mostly cooled. 

I say "mostly cooled" because there's little else quite as tasty as a still-warm from the oven brownie, stuffed full of pb & pecans.

Yummeh!

~Snarkstress