A Guide to the Perfect, Rainy Day Brownies At least once every two weeks, most people have one of those days that never seems to end. Many try to counter these days with a hot bath or some alone time; however, there is only one real cure for such moments. This remedy has the ability to warm a body from the inside out and bring people together. The medicine contains a melt-in-your-mouth taste sensation, a one-of-a-kind flavor explosion, and, best of all, a great deal of chocolate. Making the perfect brownies for bad days can be accomplished in just under an hour by following only a few simple steps. The first step is one that is not usually found in any brownie recipes. It is to find someone to make the brownies with. Baking alone never produces the same effects as sharing it with someone who is either going through a rough day as well or is just plain fun to be around. I usually choose my baking partner for the latter reason, and, more often than not, my partner is my mom. In fact, my mother is the one who taught me this family recipe that we have tweaked here and there. Now that I am in college one hundred miles away from home, I fully understand the brilliance of Skype. If a baking partner is not available at that moment, baking with someone special via Skype is a fun alternative. The final step before actually beginning the baking process is to make sure all of the ingredients are at hand. These ingredients include eggs, flour, sugar, vanilla, cocoa powder, almonds, and chocolate chips. The almonds can be left out if there is a nut allergy or if one simply prefers his or her brownies without nuts. Nothing is worse than beginning to mix the ingredients, then realizing that more ingredients need to be purchased. A very large bowl and an eight-by-eight pan will also be needed. It is very important that the bowl is large enough for all of the ingredients to fit and still have plenty of room for stirring as well. I usually use the biggest bowl that came in the set I have at home. This bowl is an eight-quart bowl which works well; however, if a bigger bowl is at hand, it would be best to use it. While gathering these ingredients, the oven should be preheating to 325 degrees. The next step is to add a cup of flour, ¾ cup of sugar, and ¾ cup of cocoa powder to the bowl. All of the dry ingredients are placed in the bowl first to make the mixing easier. A half-tablespoon of vanilla should be added to the bowl next, followed by three eggs. It is usually easier to crack them in a separate bowl to insure that no shells get into the mix. After the eggs are added, the mixture is ready to be stirred. This is when the big bowl comes in handy. If the bowl is too small, the powder will go flying across the room and will attract an assortment of bugs that should remain outside. The best advice is to stir slowly to begin with to be sure that the bowl can handle all of the ingredients. Try not to over-stir the mix because the flour will cause the brownies to be chewy like bread. The batter should be stirred just until the powder is dissolved in the liquid. When over-stirred, the batter becomes very runny. Now, setting the mixed brownie batter to the side, it is time to deal with the chocolate chips. One bag of chocolate chips should be poured into a bowl and put into the microwave for about forty-five seconds or until slightly melted. The chocolate should not be melted until it is the consistency of chocolate syrup; however, if the chocolate is not slightly melted, the brownies are harder to bite into. For similar reasons, the almonds should be cut up into small pieces so as to not hurt anyone's teeth when biting into the brownies. Unfortunately, I learned both of these tricks the hard way. The chocolate and almonds should be mixed in at the same time. Next, the eight-by-eight pan should be greased with shortening. This should be done in a thin layer so that the brownies do not become greasy. Also, it is crucial that the sides are greased as well. No one wants only half a brownie because the rest of it is stuck to the side of the pan. It is equally as important that the pan is an eight-by-eight pan as well. This is because the brownies will burn if the batter is spread any thinner. The bottom of the pan should be covered completely and evenly with the brownie batter. Now the brownies are finally ready to be baked. They should be placed into the oven for twenty-five minutes. This is when baking with two people comes in handy the most. The baking partners now get to entertain each other while they wait for the brownies. Every oven cooks a little differently, so be sure to check the brownies often to insure that they are not burning. As my grandmother always says, “The brownies can always be baked more but they can never be unburnt once they are overcooked.” To be sure that they are not burnt, use “the toothpick method.” Most people stick the toothpicks in the middle to see if the brownies are done; however, I prefer to place the toothpicks near the edges because these are most likely to burn first. Brownies are always better soft and moist rather than hard and dry. The last step can sometimes be the hardest. Once the brownies come out of the oven, the bakers are going to want to cut into the brownies right away and begin enjoying what they have worked so hard to accomplish. However, they must refrain for at least ten minutes before cutting in. If the brownies are cut any sooner, the slices will fall apart in the pan. After that last ten minutes, the brownies are ready to be devoured. It is up to the bakers how fast the brownies go. These can last over a week if stretched or under an hour if shared with friends. Brownies clearly have powers beyond anyone's full understanding. They have the ability to turn a day around and bring people together. Instead of crying over the little things, wash them away with warm, gooey, chocolate brownies. Although most people are afraid to make brownies without using the store bought mix, they will find that making brownies from scratch is not hard and tastes better. This process of making brownies produces the best results in the same amount of time as the mix with only a few more simple steps. Best of all, a day ended with these brownies is guaranteed to be the best day of the week.