Old School Brownies

When I was little I had no idea that cakes, muffins, and brownies could be made from scratch. I just assumed everyone made them from a box and before there were boxes . . . well I guess I hadn't thought about before there were box mixes. These days I wouldn't dream of making a cake or brownies from a box, especially since it's much easier then you may have guessed. Here's an old school brownie recipe that's as easy as it is delicious! It was originally published in a Boston Cooking School Cook Book in 1911. So it really is old school.

Tip: use semi-sweet baking chocolate in the bar form. Also, I am not a nut in brownie fan so I omit them but you could add any nut you like.

16 Tbsp. butter (2 sticks)
4 oz. unsweetened chocolate, finely chopped
2 cups sugar
2 eggs, beaten
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 cup walnuts, chopped (optional)
1 cup flour

Coat an 8x8 baking pan with cooking spray.

In a large bowl melt butter and chocolate in microwave in 30 second intervals until fully melted, stirring mixture at each 30 second interval. Stir in sugar, mix well. Add eggs and vanilla. Stir until batter is smooth. Add walnuts (optional) and flour and stir until incorporated. Pour batter into baking pan and spread evenly. Bake at 325 degrees for 60 minutes or until toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.