#5 Peppermint Brownies

I think brownies are supposed to be a fairly simple thing to make. But I have always found them to be a little complicated. It's hard to figure out exactly when they have been baked just perfectly. And until now, I have not found a from scratch recipe that I liked better than the boxed brownie mixes you can buy in the store. But this recipe does it for me!  These brownies are moist and fudgy and decadent.

Here's what you need to get started:

1/2 cup butter

2 cups chocolate chips (dark or milk)

3/4 cup brown sugar

3/4 cup granulated sugar

4 eggs

3/4 tsp vanilla extract

3/4 tsp peppermint extract

1 cup flour

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup of mint chocolate chips

Here's how to put it all together:

Use a 9x13 inch pan.  Line the pan with foil and grease it with shortening or vegetable oil. Start by melting the butter in a saucepan over low heat, then add the chocolate chips until melted stirring all the while. Remove from Heat and stir in both of the sugars. Next mix in the eggs, and both the vanilla and peppermint extract. Finally,  stir in the flour and the salt and mix until just combined.  Pour into the baking dish and top with the mint chocolate chips. Bake for 35 to 45 minutes at 325 degrees.  You know its done when the edges have started to pull away from the sides and the center is firm, not jiggly.  You must let it cool completely before trying to cut into squares.  Lifting it out of the pan by the foil edges makes cutting easier than cutting from the pan itself and scraping the brownies out.  The brownies are soft and fudgy with just the right amount of peppermint flavor, just the way I like 'em!