The Joy Of Brownies

4 oz Unsweetened chocolate

1/2 c Butter or margarine

4 Eggs

2 c Sugar

1/4 ts Salt

1 ts Vanilla

1 c Sifted all-purpose flour

1 c Broken pecans or walnuts

Serve with vanilla or chocolate chip ice cream. If you really want to indulge, add chocolate syrup or sauce to the ice cream and brownies. Melt chocolate and butter over very low heat. Stir frequently. Remove from heat and cool. Preheat oven to 325?. In a medium size bowl, beat eggs until light. Continue beating, and gradually add sugar and salt until light and fluffy. Stir in vanilla and chocolate-butter mixture. Stir in the flour, then nut meats. Baking options: For 9 giant brownies, bake in 9 x 9-inch pan; for 12 large brownies or 24 small ones, bake in 9 x 13-inch pan. Prepare pans by greasing and flouring. Bake 45-60 minutes depending on how fudgy or cake-like you prefer them). Don't bake beyond the point that a toothpick comes out a bit wet. These can be served out of the pan. Allow to cool completely before cutting. To remove from pan, cool 15 minutes after removing from oven, then loosen edges and turn over as you would remove a cake. Set top up to cool completely. Yield: 9 giant, 12 large or 24 small brownies. Martina Boudreau, St. Louis, MO Randy Shearer