If someone asks what’s your favorite color, most likely brown is not high on the list. Yet for those who love walking in the November forest, the burnt siennas, umbers, chestnuts, taupes, rusts and many related hues offer a earthy warmth to calm the soul. Among my favorites are the leaves of young beech trees that, through late fall and into the winter, glow golden bronze when they catch the late afternoon sun.
It’s gratitude for an abundant harvest, culminating in the Thanksgiving feast that brings people and nature’s bounty together. I read an interesting article recently on the symbols associated with the holiday. The cornucopia, or the horn of plenty, graces many Thanksgiving tables and ephemera. The most likely source is a story related to the Greek god Zeus. As an infant he was hidden from his father, Kronos, who would otherwise consume his children. He was kept in a cave with the goat Amalthea, who fed him. One day Zeus accidentally broke off one of her horns, which had the power to provide food without end. Enjoy the season and be thankful your family is more congenial than Zeus’s!
You can turn these “Brown”-ies into Thanksgiving treats by using candy corn as decoration on top, after baking.
Ingredients
- ½ cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup cocoa powder
- ¾ cups chocolate chips
Directions
Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9×9-inch square metal baking pan with parchment paper or aluminum foil. (Or just butter the pan.)
Melt the butter and set aside until cool. Whisk together with the granulated sugar and vanilla extract in a large mixing bowl. Whisk in the eggs, stirring until fully incorporated.
Add the dry ingredients (baking soda, salt, flour and cocoa powder) to wet ingredients. Stir until combined and fold in the chocolate chips. The batter will be thick.
Spread the batter into the prepared pan. Bake at 350°F for 25-30 minutes. Let cool for 30 minutes before cutting.