Best Gotta-Have-It Brownies

This recipe won Reader's Digest's "Best Gotta-Have-It" Brownie contest. I've tried it a few times, and I have to agree - definitely a diet-buster. The recipe came from right here in Utah, from a lady named Kay Baker in Layton. Her mom always made these brownies when she was little. When Kay was just 14, her mom passed away, so she doesn't know where the recipe came from before that. But she makes them now for her 2-year-old son, who loves them. Just goes to prove that making brownies just might be the most important thing mothers do!

Kay Baker's Best-Gotta-Have-It Brownies

Brownie:
1 cup butter, softened
2 cups sugar
1/3 cup cocoa
4 eggs
1 1/2 cups flour
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups chopped nuts, optional

Topping:
1 pound mini marshmallows
1 2/3 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/3 cup cocoa
1/3 cup canned evaporated milk

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 1-inch-deep baking sheet or jelly roll pan. Mix together, butter, sugar and cocoa. Stir in eggs. Add flour, vanilla, salt and nuts. Pour into prepared pan and bake for 20 minutes or until done.

Remove from oven and cover top of brownies with marshmallows. Return to oven and bake 3 minutes.

Mix together powdered sugar, butter, cocoa and evaporated milk. Pour frosting over marshmallow layer and cool.

(Hint - The frosting needs to be thin enough to pour over the marshmallow layer, so you may need to put it in the microwave for a few seconds.)

A few long-overdue photos.

At Hogle Zoo with Dad and my preschool class.

At the San Diego Zoo with Grandma Michiko.

At the beach in San Diego.

Happy Birthday Lane!

Easter - Grammy made us these dresses.

Lane people-watching.

Hana at the Children's Museum.

Lunch in the park

Happy Birthday Hana!

Hana in shamrocks.

When we asked her what she wanted for her birthday, she said "Birthday hats!"

She's hoping to wear her new dancing outfit to church tomorrow.

We went to Los Hermanos to have tacos for dinner, just like Dora. Instead, Hana ate several desserts. Dessert #1

Dessert #2

Hana's "Dora the Explorer" cake. Finally, Dessert #3

Just a little commentary, but lots of pictures.

Our new wagon.

Blue raspberry sherbet.

Hana in curls.

A lovely dress from Hannah and Judy...

...sweaters from Nana and Valentine outfits from Grammy. A very well dressed pair!

Hana learns the letter "T"

Happy Australia Day!

Dinner at the Brick Oven with Tim Coulson the night before the MTC.

Doing our best as matchmakers. Hana and Charlie, and Lane and Briton

Just some photos

First tooth

Our little boy is getting so big. On Monday Damian got his first tooth and it is so sharp. He rolls over onto his tummy all the time and then gets stuck and can't get back, he gets so frustrated. I will be very pleased once he learns to roll back onto his back so I don't have to flip him all the time.