The easiest brownies you will ever make

Okay, that's probably not true. You could make a brownie mix; that would be easier. And maybe you'd be happy with that. Who am I to judge? But it's just that I love these brownies so, so much, and I want you to enjoy them too. So I share this, perhaps my favorite recipe ever, not because I think I'm some brownie expert, and not because I want to condemn your brownie mix, but just because I love you. And I want you to eat these brownies. Tonight.

Here is how you make them. Just look how easy this is.

1. Mix the brownie ingredients in a bowl. First the first 4, then the second 4. You don't even need beaters. Just a spoon.

2. Mix the ingredients for whichever kind of swirl you want. I do use beaters for this. You'll have to soften the cream cheese, but that's the only remotely tricky part.

3. Now you have two bowls of batter. Spread about half of the chocolate batter in your greased cake pan.

4. Then spread the other batter on top, like this.

5. Then plop the rest of the chocolate batter on top, in little blobs, just however you can. (It doesn't have to look good, or even cover all of the middle layer.)

6. Then take a butter knife and make swirls. This is fun. Abe and Seb always want to help me. You just do long snakes, back and forth, first vertically and then horizontally.
7. Then you bake them for 45-55 minutes at 325. A toothpick should come out mostly clean, maybe just with a few crumbs (but not wet batter) on it.

And that's it! And they're my favorite. And you will like them.

Now, here is the recipe.

My favorite Brownies

1 cup canola oil

2 cups sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla

4 eggs

2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

½ cup baking cocoa (I use 1/4 c. cocoa, 1/4 c. carob, but don't mind me.)

Spread batter into greased 9 x 13 pan; for PLAIN brownies, bake at 350 for 30 minutes.  For SWIRL brownies, add one of the following extra batters, and change baking time and temperature as follows:

1. Peanut Butter Swirl:
1 package (8 oz.) softened cream cheese

heaping ½ cup peanut butter

1/4 cup sugar

1 egg

2 tablespoons milk
[Beat until smooth and creamy.]

2. Cream Cheese Swirl:
1 package (8 oz.) softened cream cheese
5 tablespoons softened margarine
heaping ½ cup sugar
heaping 2 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 T. milk
[Beat ingredients together until smooth. ]

Spread half of chocolate mixture (brownie recipe above) in greased 9x13 pan. Spread swirl mixture over, then top with rest of chocolate mixture. Gently run a knife through the layers to create a marbled look. Bake at 325 for 45-55 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.