Kaye Leo loves baking these family-favorite brownies when her family visits her and husband Dennis on sunny Hilton Head Island.

Kaye Leo of Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, takes a break from golfing and volunteering at the local resale thrift shop to bake these brownies for her grown sons when they visit. “Our two boys no longer ‘eat chocolate,’ but make an exception when the brownies appear,” she chuckles.

“They were my grandma’s recipe and I used to make them all the time when the kids were growing up,” she adds. “It wasn't until years later that they told me they used to sell them to other students at school (out of their lunchboxes) because they were so good and in such demand. They are still their favorite.”

Frosted Brownies

These tempting treats are from Kaye Leo.

• 1/2 Cup butter-flavored shortening
• 2 1-ounce semi-sweet chocolate baking squares (or 6 TB. COCOA POWDER)
• 2 eggs
• 1 Cup sugar
• 1 tsp. PURE VANILLA EXTRACT
• 3/4 Cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt

Frosting

• 2 Cups powdered sugar
• 1 tsp. PURE VANILLA EXTRACT
• 3 TB. COCOA POWDER
• 2 TB. butter or margarine
• 1-3 TB. warm water

Preheat oven to 350°. Grease and flour an 8x8 pan and set aside. Melt the shortening and chocolate in a heavy saucepan over low heat. If using COCOA, sift it into the pan over the melted shortening and stir well. In a mixing bowl, beat the eggs. Add the sugar and VANILLA and mix well. Add the chocolate mixture. Add the flour, baking powder and salt. Stir until combined and pour into the pan. Bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Let cool completely before frosting.
Frosting:  Combine the powdered sugar, VANILLA, COCOA, and butter together in a bowl. Mix well. Stir in enough water to reach the spreading consistency you desire.

Nutritional Information: Servings 20;
Serving Size 1 brownie (43g); Calories 180; Calories from fat 70; Total fat 8g; Cholesterol 20mg; Sodium 85mg; Carbohydrate 28g; Dietary Fiber <1g.