*Note – If you are making this in a high elevation of 6000 feet or more, decrease the baking powder, or it won't set up and will overflow. 

The other day I was going to my friend September's house to say good-bye to Hayden, her awesome son who went into the MTC on Wednesday, and thought I would bring along some brownies.  I remembered Kevin's mom making some delicious scratch brownies, and decided to share it with all of you as well :).  It makes a lot and is so yummy!

Valerie’s Brownies

(Fills a large cookie sheet)

6 eggs

2 tsp vanilla

3 cups sugar

2 cups oil or unsweetened applesauce

1 ½ tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

¾ cup cocoa

3 cups flour

Beat eggs well.  Add vanilla, sugar, and then oil.  Sift dry ingredients, and add to egg mixture.  Mix well.  Pour into a greased and floured jelly-roll pan (large cookie sheet) and bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes.

When they are cool, make the chocolate frosting (I used my mom's recipe, as I didn't know which one Valerie used with hers.) and frost away!

Chocolate Frosting

1/3 cup butter or margarine (softened)

3 ½ cups powdered sugar

4-6 T. cocoa powder

3-4 T milk

1 t. vanilla

Beat till smooth.

  Upload a printable copy of the recipe: Download Valerie's chocolate brownies

And if you want even more goodies, bake some of my Mrs. Field's Chocolate Chip cookies to go with it, like I did – yum!  Isn't that the perfect way to start off a new year?