Brownies from scratch

Can you make ooey, gooey, chocolate brownies that aren't from a box? No? I can. And there ain't no vegetable oil, neitha.

And they're fast enough to keep up with your fleeting chocoholic cravings. Done in about 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Melt 1/2 cup (1 stick) of butter and 4 oz. of chocolate and let cool (if it doesn't cool, you'll have heavy and dry brownies).

You can use the cheap Hershey's cocoa mixed with shortening or you can use expensive chocolate--the taste isn't much different for some food science reason far above us.

Beat 4 eggs (they should be at room temperature) and 1/4 tsp salt until light and foamy.

While beating, gradually add 2 cups sugar and 1 tsp vanilla. Beat until well creamed.

Gently and with as few strokes as possible, fold chocolate mixture into eggs and sugar. You better do this by hand.

Before completely uniform, fold in 1 cup all-purpose flour.

Before that is uniform, fold in 1 cup pecan meats. Pecans are yummy, but I like a major chocolate kick and nuts are the shin guards. Just give me a quick kick with a chocolate overload.

Instead of pecans, I like to add 1 cup chocolate chips. Don't use nasty chocolate chips for this, get a good brand of chocolate.

Bake in a greased 9 x 13 pan (or smaller if you like fat brownies like I do) about 20 minutes.

You better grab a big fork, a large bowl, some fresh whole milk, and a frozen mug, because I smell a party going on. You might even get away with watching Roman Holiday or Little Women while cuddling with a blanket and talking to your mom on the phone while you cry because you just ate all the brownies and are going to make one more batch even though you know you shouldn't.