Schoolhouse Recipes: Dirt Pies (aka brownies)

Cook like an American, speak like an American...Halloween Dirt Pies!
There are some recipes in life that are just too easy to NOT make from scratch.
Pancakes is one. Scrambled eggs is another. Garlic toast is another, and brownies is definitely on the list as well.

I can remember making Betty Crocker brownies out of a package as a kid...that was our American way in our American household. Wherever you are reading this and however you do your brownies, give this recipe a try. It takes no time to whip up, and the sweet snack you end up with is sooooo yummy.

This post is dedicated to the fabulous and fun girls Shannon and Liz of Ladybirds Playgroup here in Rome, who organized a great Halloween Costume Party last Wednesday and hosted countless toddlers and their families...and lived to talk about it. (You deserved those brownies I stashed aside for you and more!) Can't wait for the Holiday Party in December...

Here's what The English Schoolhouse brought to the festivities...Dirt Pies!
Enjoy...and let us know if you make them!

So first you'll need to preheat your oven to 350 F/160 C and spread a bit of olive oil around a large baking pan.

melt 1/2 a cup of butter and mix it with 1/2 a cup of cocoa powder

throw in 1 cup of sugar

mix w/ a fork

crack in an egg

and some vanilla

I feel like I should have my own show on Food Network when I use real vanilla...
just slice it open and scrape out the good stuff inside

add a pinch of salt and 1/2 a cup of flour
then mix, but not too much, just 'til it's all combined

and then bake for 20 minutes

I decorated/upcycled a tomato paste can we had lying around

Liz from Ladybirds said they could use it and kept it

Most important question...were they good???

well they say a pic is worth a thousand words