1 cup butter
3/4 cup baking cocoa
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
1 cup flour
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips or chunks
1 cup chopped nuts -- optional

Preheat oven to 350ºF.

Melt the butter in a 2 qt. saucepan over low heat. Remove from heat, add the cocoa and stir until well-blended. Add the sugar and mix well. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add the flour, vanilla and salt; stir just until combined. Stir in chips and nuts.

Spread the batter in a greased 9x13" pan; bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until done.

Notes: I mixed the whole thing with a wooden spoon. The book has a bake time of 40 minutes but mine were perfect after 30.

More Stacy's Notes - in new oven and old metal 9x13 pan, just set to 325 and bake for 30 minutes. Baking at 350 makes them a bit too dry in the new house :)