2 c. sugar
1 1/4 c. all-purpose flour
3/4 c. cocoa
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 cubes (1 c.) butter
Shortening to grease pan
8 or 9-inch baking pan
1/4 tsp. salt (optional)

Smear the inside of the 8 or 9-inch baking pan with shortening. Melt the butter over a low heat. Watch it. It is easy to burn.

In your mixing bowl, stir your cocoa and sugar together. Then stir in the butter. Add the eggs and vanilla, and stir again. Now add the flour and salt, and mix just until smooth. Not too much. (If you're adding walnuts, now's the time.) Scrape the mixture out of the greased pan and spread out into an even layer.

Bake in a 350 degree oven until the brownies just begin to pull away from the sides of the pan (or until you can stick a toothpick in and pull it out with no batter sticking to it.) Takes about 40 to 50 minutes. The hardest part. Let cool before cutting.