Bravo for Brownies

Made from scratch or a mix, these desserts are guaranteed crowd pleasers.

If you want a quick bar cookie, it's brownies to the rescue-but add some pizzazz, please. Stir a palmful of sweet ingredients into a brownie mix to create Banana-Split Brownies, or add peanuts and peanut butter for Elephant Stomp Brownies. If you have time to spare, pull out all the stops and showcase Beverly Nesbit's recipe for Caramel-Pecan Filled Brownies.

CYNTHIA ANN BRlSCOE

CARAMEL-PECAN FILLED

BROWNIES

MAKES 3 1/2 DOZEN

PREP: 35 MIN., BAKE: 25 MIN., CHILL: 40 MIN.

3 large eggs

1 1/2 cups butter or margarine, melted and divided

1 3/4 cups sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup unsweetened cocoa, divided

1 (14-ounce) package caramels, unwrapped

1 cup milk, divided

3 cups chopped pecans, toasted

10 large marshmallows or 1 cup miniature marshmallows

1 (16-ounce) package powdered sugar, sifted

WHISK together eggs, 1 cup butter, sugar, salt, and vanilla in a large bowl. Add flour and 1/2 cup cocoa, blending well. Spread into a greased 13- x 9-inch pan.

BAKE at 350[degrees] for 20 to 25 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool.

MICROWAVE caramels and 2/3cup milk in a large glass bowl on HIGH for 3 minutes or until melted and combined. Stir in pecans, and spread evenly over brownies. Chill 20 minutes or until set.

COOK marshmallows and remaining 1/2 cup butter, 1/2 cup cocoa, and 1/3 cup milk in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly until mixture is smooth and thoroughly heated. Remove from heat.

BEAT marshmallow mixture and powdered sugar with an electric mixer until smooth. Spread evenly over caramel mixture. Chill 20 minutes or until set. Cut brownies into 1 1/2- x 2-inch pieces.

BEVERLY NESBIT

WINSTON-SALEM, NORTH CAROLINA

BANANA-SPLIT BROWNIES

MAKES 1 DOZEN

PREP: 10 MIN., BAKE: 45 MIN.

1 (17.6-ounce) package chocolate double-fudge brownie mix

1/2 cup dried cherries

1/4 cup water

1 medium banana, sliced

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup sliced almonds (optional), toasted

Toppings: ice cream, hot fudge and caramel sauces, toasted flaked coconut, grated milk chocolate, chopped pecans, candy-coated chocolate pieces, whipping cream, maraschino cherries with stems

PREPARE brownie mix according to package directions, following cakelike instructions.

MICROWAVE cherries and 1/4 cup water on HIGH 1 1/2 minutes. Drain and cool.

STIR cherries, banana, vanilla, and, if desired, almonds into batter.

POUR into a lightly greased 8- x 8-inch baking pan.

BAKE at 350[degrees] for 40 to 45 minutes. Cool and cut brownies into squares. Serve with desired toppings. EMMA THOMAS ROME, GEORGIA

NOTE: For testing purposes only, we used Duncan Hines Chocolate Lover's Double Fudge Brownie Mix.

ELEPHANT STOMP BROWNIES

MAKES 2 DOZEN

PREP: 20 MIN., BAKE: 45 MIN.

1 cup quick-cooking oats

1 cup all-purpose flour, divided

1 1/4 cups butter or margarine, softened and divided

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons firmly packed brown sugar

1/2 cup creamy peanut butter

5 large eggs, divided

1/4 cup salted Spanish peanuts (optional)

2 cups granulated sugar

3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa

COMBINE oats and 1/2 cup flour in a bowl.

BEAT 1/4 cup butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy; gradually add brown sugar and peanut butter, beating well. Add 1 egg, beating just until blended. Add oat mixture, stirring until blended.

REMOVE 1/4 cup peanut butter mixture, and reserve.

ADD peanuts to remaining peanut butter mixture, if desired. Press evenly in a lightly greased 13- x 9-inch pan.

BAKE at 350[degrees] for 10 minutes; cool crust.

BEAT remaining 1 cup butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy; gradually add granulated sugar, beating well. Add remaining 4 eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until blended. Stir in cocoa and remaining 1/2 cup flour. Spread batter over crust, and sprinkle with reserved peanut butter mixture.

BAKE at 350[degrees] for 30 to 35 minutes. Cool and cut brownies into 2-inch squares.

CAROL NOBLE

BURGAW, NORTH CAROLINA

KITCHEN EXPRESS: Prepare crust as directed. Substitute 1 (19-ounce) box brownie mix for batter; prepare from package directions. Spread over crust, and proceed with recipe as directed.

Copyright Southern Progress Corporation Jul 2003
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