Judy's Brownies

"Another recipe I got from my mother. We made this when I was little, and then when I got older I made them a lot at home. My recipe has my childhood handwriting and it's covered in cocoa....it's a great keepsake. I'm not sure where she got the recipe."

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened

2 cups sugar

2 cups flour

4 eggs

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla

12 tablespoons cocoa

Optional add-ins:

1/2 cup chocolate chips

1 1/4 cups nuts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In large bowl, cream together butter and sugar. Add eggs and mix well. Mix in baking powder, salt and vanilla. Add flour and stir well, then last the cocoa and optional add-ins. Spread into 9x13 baking dish that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Bake 30 minutes.

Note: If you're not sure how to "cream" something:

Definition:
To beat vegetable shortening, butter, or margarine, with or without sugar, until light and fluffy. This process traps in air bubbles, later used to create height in cookies and cakes.