Scratch brownies were one of the first easy desserts I ever made. I saw Betty Feezor on TV. She did a local cooking show, and she went over how to make brownies. I wrote everything down and made my first batch followed by many more over the years-over 30 years now. Though I've tried other recipes, I've never found one that beats this one for homemade brownies.
Scratch Brownies
- 1 cup butter or margarine (melted)
- 2 cups white sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla flavoring
- 2 eggs
- ½ cup cocoa
- 2 cups plain flour
- optional - nuts, raisins, chocolate chunks, caramel pieces
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Cream margarine and sugar. This works well with a mixer, but you can do it by hand.
- After the creaming stage, do switch to a spoon for mixing. Brownies tend to get tough if worked too much.
- Add the vanilla and eggs and mix just until smooth.
- Pour in cocoa and flour. Again, mix until smooth and lumps are broken up. But, don't go to wild on the mixing.
- If you want to add extras, just fold those in easily.
- Bake for 18-20 minutes in 2 pans size 8 inches by 8 inches. You can use a larger pan like the 9 x 9 and cook for a little longer-25 to 30 minutes at 350 degrees F. If you use a single pan, then the Scratch Brownies are thicker.
These are always a hit with my kids, at Scout functions, and at pot luck dinners. They also work out well at barbecues, since they hold up much better than many desserts.
I don't know if Betty Feezor is still alive or not. I thought everyone knew her, since she was on TV. It was much later that I understood that she did a local show and that people in other parts of the country never had the joy of watching and learning from her. I always kept a pen and notebook handy when I'd watch the show with my mom. She was a fun part of my childhood, and I remember Betty Feezor every time I make her Scratch Brownies.
Cyndi Allison - Southern born and fed, Cyndi Allison is a college lecturer and newspaper advisor as well as being a freelance writer. She writes on ...
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