Nana's Lunch Lady Brownies

Yesterday I went to cook with my mother to get some of her best and most requested recipes.  She has so many that I want to feature on here for people who have asked over time for the recipes, but we decided to do her from scratch brownies and her homemade yeast rolls which are both to die for.  When I refer to Nana on here it's because my mother is Nana to her five grandchildren who are now basically all grown up, but she will always be Nana to them.  Her recipes and certain things she cooks will always be Nana's also.  Each one of them has their favorites and Nana knows what they are for each one.  When they are visiting those dishes are going to be prepared and ready for them.  I am starting with these brownies because they are actually one of my favorites. Once you make these brownies, the boxed mix will never be the same to you again.

My mother actual got this recipe many years ago from the lady that ran our elementary school cafeteria, who was an excellent cook herself.   I always looked forward to lunch on the days we had these wonderful brownies.  I still remember the big sheet pans they baked them on and drooling as they cut them in the perfect squares to serve us. 

 What ever happened to school lunches serving real, from scratch, food like that?  Maybe, they do in your area still and I hope so, but I can tell you the schools I have been in, do not.    I always considered these my mother's brownies, but when several of you asked me about 'lunch lady' brownies, I remembered that Mama got the recipe from Mrs. Drummond, our very own lunch lady, so I changed the name and wanted to give her the credit.  Here is what you will need:

Ingredients:

2 cups sugar
2 1/2 cups self rising flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1 cup water
1 stick butter*
1/2 cup vegetable or canola oil
4 Tbs. cocoa
1/2 cup buttermilk
2 eggs
1tsp. vanilla

Icing:

1 stick butter*
4 Tbs. cocoa
6 Tbs. half and half
1 lb. confectioner's sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)

**You can use margarine in this, but we basically never cook with margarine.  The recipe will turn out fine, but it will not taste as good.  Margarine has a lot of water content in it, especially the whipped varieties and we know what water tastes like. 


Here is what you will need for the cake part of the brownie:

Vanilla, vegetable or canola oil, cocoa, butter, sugar, salt, self rising flour, buttermilk, baking soda and eggs.

Sift  2 1/2 cups flour into a mixing bowl, add 2 cups sugar, 1 tsp. baking soda, and 1/2 tsp. salt. Mix together.

Place one stick butter, 1 cup water, 4 Tbs cocoa powder, 1/2 cup oil in a saucepan over medium heat and bring just to a boil.  As soon as it begins to boil remove from heat.  Pour over the dry ingredients and mix together just until moist.

Beat up two eggs with wire whisk, add 1/2 cup buttermilk.  Add this mixture to the cocoa mixture and mix just until blended with wire whisk.  Add 1 tsp vanilla and mix.  Do not over mix and do not use electric mix, just use the whisk.

Pour this into a greased 11" x 15" pan.  This is a sheet cake pan.  If you don't have a sheet cake pan, you could use a 9" x13" pan and an 8" x 8" pan.  Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes. 

During the last ten minutes of baking, start your icing.  Here is what you will need:

1 stick butter, 4 Tbs cocoa, 6 Tbs. half and half, 1 lb. confectioner's sugar, 1 tsp. vanilla and 1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)

Place 1 stick butter, 4 Tbs. cocoa,  and 6 Tbs. half and half in a pan.  Bring to boil, as soon as it boils remove from heat and add 1 lb. confectioner's sugar and 1 tsp. vanilla.  Beat well with whisk until smooth.  You can add 1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts or if you don't care for nuts, leave them out. 

Pour over the warm brownies and spread to cover. Let them sit and cool just slightly, you can serve them while still a little warm though.

Yummy!  These are absolutely the best brownies you will ever eat. Everybody always loves them!