Rocky Road Brownies!

This is my mother's "Rocky Road Brownie" recipe that she has been making for years.  She always makes these when her grandchildren are coming to visit, along with tons of other sweets.  These grandchildren are all pretty much grown now, the youngest being a set of twins who just turned twenty, but when they are all around you would think not one of them is over five years old. 

Of course, that is what is so special about both being a grandparent and having grandparents, the relationship doesn't have to actually grow up.  It's the one place, you can always go back to and still be that dependent, adored child that never does anything all that wrong or disappointing, because grandparents never see it from any viewpoint, but yours.  

 Every person should have that "Nana" or "Papaw" that adores them like they were five all of their lives.  My son and his cousins have had that and will have that as long as they have their Nana and Papaw and for that, today, I am very thankful.  I hope they are as thankful and realize how blessed they are.  I think they know, even if they don't always express it as much as they should.  

These are a 'from scratch' brownie, but they couldn't be easier.  They look really appetizing and make a nice item for a dessert tray or even to make as a home baked gift for that special person that would be inexpensive to give.  Here is what you need for these brownies:

2/3 cup butter, softened

1  3/4 cup sugar

3 eggs

2 tsp. vanilla

1/2 cup cocoa powder

1  1/2 cup self rising flour

2 cups miniature marshmallows

1 cup chopped nuts (optional)

6 oz. chocolate chips

1 tsp. shortening

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cream together the butter and sugar.  Add in the eggs.  Mix in the cocoa powder, flour, and vanilla.

Spread in a well greased 9"x13" baking pan.  Bake for 25-30 minutes.  Don't over bake this.

Remove from oven and sprinkle the top with the nuts if you are using nuts and the marshmallows.  Place back in the oven for 5 minutes.  The marshmallows should be just starting to slightly brown.  Watch carefully so the marshmallows don't get too brown.

Melt the chocolate chips with the shortening in the microwave for 1-2 minutes and stir to blend well.  Drizzle the melted chocolate over the top.  We use a squirt bottle to do this and it makes a thinner line and you can control where it goes a little better, but you can just drizzle with a spoon.  Anything with chocolate drizzled over it makes a nice presentation!  That's it..."Rocky Road Brownies"!  Aren't they easy?