The Laughing Matriarch: Take-Out Two

Book Club!

Every three months six of our long-time friends meet for book club. This time it was Carolee's turn to impress us with her culinary skills and she didn't disappoint.

For three days she put us up in her home- the best unofficial B&B we've ever stayed in-and on the night of book club she outdid herself-and almost me! (I kid- she's awesome!)

So book club started at noon (with lunch) and we discussed three great books and by dinner we were yelling and laughing and crying over politics and unions and kids and books and everything else we could come up with until midnight when we started passing out.

So check out these impressive photos of Carolee's feeding frenzy and when you stop drooling you can make the yummy brownies she served at the end of the night before we stumbled off to bed.

" Guests, like fish, begin to smell after three days." Benjamin Franklin

Cocoa Brownies with Browned Butter and Walnuts

Ingredients

Nonstick vegetable oil spray
10 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 1/4 cups sugar
3/4 cup natural unsweetened cocoa powder (spooned into cup to measure, then leveled)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs, chilled
1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon unbleached all purpose flour
1 cup walnut pieces

Preparation

Position rack in bottom third of oven; preheat to 325°F. Line 8x8x2-inch metal baking pan with foil, pressing foil firmly against pan sides and leaving 2-inch overhang. Coat foil with nonstick spray. Melt butter in medium saucepan over medium heat. Continue cooking until butter stops foaming and browned bits form at bottom of pan, stirring often, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat; immediately add sugar, cocoa, 2 teaspoons water, vanilla, and 1/4 teaspoon (generous) salt. Stir to blend. Let cool 5 minutes (mixture will still be hot). Add eggs to hot mixture 1 at a time, beating vigorously to blend after each addition. When mixture looks thick and shiny, add flour and stir until blended. Beat vigorously 60 strokes. Stir in nuts. Transfer batter to prepared pan.
Bake brownies until toothpick inserted into center comes out almost clean (with a few moist crumbs attached), about 25 minutes. Cool in pan on rack. Using foil overhang, lift brownies from pan. Cut into 4 strips. Cut each strip crosswise into 4 brownies. DO AHEAD Can be made 2 days ahead. Store airtight at room temperature.

The Laughing Matriarch