This recipe is a family favorite that Sonja's Grammy Vogell would always make. She is known for her terrific baking, all made from scratch, from Chocolate Eclairs to Pecan Pies to these fabulous moist and chewy brownies, one of her most requested treats!

Ingredients:

4 ounces of good bitter chocolate (typically 4 squares), melted

4 eggs, well beaten

2 cups sugar

2/3 cup shortening (prefers Crisco)

2 teaspoons real vanilla extract

1-1/3 cups all-purpose flour

pinch of salt

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 cup chopped walnuts, chopped by hand (optional)

1 clean flat paper bag and some paper towels

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9 x 13-inch baking pan. In a small glass bowl, gently melt the chocolate in the microwave (take care not to over-cook). Set aside. Beat the eggs in a mixing bowl. Beat in the sugar, then the shortening. Add the vanilla extract and mix well. Beat in the flour, salt, and baking powder and then mix in the melted chocolate. Fold in the nuts (if desired). The batter will be thick.

Scrape batter into greased pan and smooth the surface with a spatula. Bake for 25 minutes, then test to see if it is still too soft by touching the surface. It should not stick to finger. It may need 5 more minutes. The toothpick test does not work as the center will still be wet when done. You want it moist.

When ready, remove from the oven and immediately cut into squares. With a spatula, take out the squares and place them on the clean flat paper bag, separating the squares from each other. They will be hot and sticky to handle, but this is her secret to success - she said that you must ignore the rest of the world until you have removed the brownies from the pan (don't answer the door or the phone!). The brownies will set wrong if left in the pan. Cover them with one layer of paper towels and let them cool enough so that they will no longer stick together. It is best to store them in a tin with wax paper between layers. Enjoy as is or make decadent brownie sundaes with them!

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