Here is the recipe for my delicious chocolate brownies. I have to give credit where credit is due… I got it out of Thursday’s Taste section in the Star Tribune.

Brownie Ingredients

• 1 cup pecans, chopped
• 2/3 cup (10 2/3 Tbsp) butter or margarine
• 2 (12 oz) bags (4 cups total) semisweet chocolate chips, divided
• 1 cup minus 2 Tbsp sugar
• 4 eggs
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 cup plus 2 Tbsp flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt

Chocolate Ganache Topping Ingredients

• 3/4 cup heavy cream
• 2 Tbsp (1/4 stick) butter
• 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Directions (Read it all the way through, be prepared, do it… do it…)

Brownies
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease a 9×13 inch pan.

Toast pecans in a frying pan over low-medium heat, about 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they become fragrant and begin to color. Set aside.

In saucepan over low heat, melt together butter and 1 bag (2 cups) of the chocolate chips, stirring constantly. Pour the mixture into a large bowl of an electric mixer. Beat in the sugar, then the eggs (2 at a time), and the vanilla. Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt (yeah right) and briefly beat into the batter. Stir in the pecans and the remaining bag (2 cups) of chocolate chips. Bake about 30-35 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center (try several places, you might hit a chocolate chip) comes out clean.

Chocolate Ganache
While brownies are baking, combine the cream and butter in a saucepan over medium heat and bring just to a boil, stirring occasionally to melt the butter. Pour into the small bowl of an electric mixer. Stir in the chocolate chips, stirring until they are largely melted. Beat on low speed until the mixture is smooth and uniform. Pour the ganache over the pan of brownies. Cool completely, then cut and chill.