Brownies

Hi! I'm still here... just been busy with real life like work, and spending time with my family, and other things that take me away from writing.
But mostly I've just been suffering from terrible terrible writers block. Its an awful thing really. But I have to tell you about these brownies I made!
About a year ago I bought one of those mini cookbooks that plague the checkout stands at wal-mart. You know the ones that have all those nifty recipe cards that you swear you are going to use but never do? Well I made about 50% of the recipes in that one because it was a Christmas one and my friend Jordan and I were doing a baking spree from hell. Literally.

The final product from the baking spree
from hell...

Anyways, we survived it and I love buying those little books. This recipe comes from one of those books- the Taste of Home Brownies and Bars to be exact. They are called Treasured brownies and I have to say they are to be treasured. I made them for the first time on Saturday for a BBQ at my former roommates house. They were a hit so I was a happy camper!
Now, I did not use the icing recipe on the brownies since I didn't have time to make it. Instead, I frosted the brownies with Nutella, and sprinkled powder sugar over them. I think I will do that from now on with them since they were so good. I hope you enjoy them as much as I did...
(Also- sorry for the lack of pictures on this one. I was to busy making these and some chocolate chip cookies.)
Treasured Brownies Recipe

        from the Taste of Home

Ingredients

• 1 cup butter, melted and cooled
• 3 eggs
• 1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 3/4 cup baking cocoa
• 1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 cup chopped nuts
• 
  ICING:
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1-1/4 cups confectioners' sugar
• 2/3 cup baking cocoa
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 2 tablespoons hot brewed coffee
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

• In a large bowl, beat the butter, eggs and vanilla. Combine the dry ingredients; gradually add to butter mixture. Stir in nuts (do not overmix).
• Spread into a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking pan. Bake at 350° for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack.
• In a small bowl, beat the icing ingredients until smooth. Spread over cooled brownies. Cut into bars. Yield: 1-1/2 dozen.