Momma's Brownies

For the Arkansas Food Blogger Bake Sale this past weekend

my momma was kind enough 

(as she always is)

to make me some brownies!  

(Thanks mom!)

Now my momma's brownies are by far the best brownies around.
(And I might fight ya if you say otherwise!)
She uses the recipe from the 1963 Betty Crocker Cooky Book (one of the best cookbooks I own BTW)
and I'm not sure why but even when I follow the same recipe mine are not quite as delectable.
(She must do something secret I'm not aware of...)

Here is that recipe:

Brownies from the Betty Crocker's Cooky Book 
4 squares of unsweetened chocolate (4 oz)
2/3 cup of shortening
2 cups of sugar
4 eggs
1 1/2 cups of flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 cup chopped nuts

Heat oven to 350.
Grease a 13" x 9" x 2" pan.
Melt chocolate and shortening over low heat.
Beat in sugar and eggs.
Blend flour, baking powder, and salt and stir in.
Mix in nuts.
Spread in pan and bake 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick stuck in the center comes out clean.
Cut into bars!

Mom's Brownies on Display!

Change in the form of chocolate?

Recipes and Ruts-

Seems we all seem to get in them, don't we?

I know I have my favorite recipe for something and don't vary from it- mainly where baking is concerned. (Honestly I'm not one to actually follow a recipe otherwise- such the rebel, eh?)

For example:

Brownies

I adore chocolate, and brownies... can you get any better than one straight out of the oven with a cool glass of milk? (Chocolate chip cookies come in a close second in my book.) The ultimate comfort food.

I use two recipes for brownies normally. The "Fudge Brownie" recipe that makes a small glass square pan (so I won't eat more) from BHG's "New Cook Book" from 1989,

Or

The old time Betty Crocker's "Cooky Book" recipe from the 1963 edition (mom uses this one.)

It makes a 9x13" glass pan so I only do that one when I know the kids will devour most of them before I do.

Well...

Last night I had a brownie craving and made the BC recipe in (gasp) my Pampered Chef jelly roll stone pan! And... I iced them! The kids were in shock this morning when I revealed them.

"But these don't look like brownies, mom."

"These are different."

Sometimes change is good I think. The pan is a third gone already!