Today’s thoughts started out revolving around my go-to recipe for congo bars (aka Grammy Brownies.) I’ve made them so often that I haven’t needed to look at the actual recipe in years. It’s been passed down to the next generation. When my daughter was trying to decide what dessert to take to a friend’s house, my granddaughter suggested, “Grammy Brownies.” And that’s what they made.

My thoughts started there, but the real focus shifted to the indispensable two quart Pyrex measuring cup that I reach for on a regular basis. My day started by taking it out of the refrigerator where it had spent the night housing bread dough. It’s the perfect “bowl” for mixing No-Knead dough and letting it rise. Good tip: cover the bowl with a thin shower cap. The see-through, cheap kind that you can get at Walmart or from the bathroom of your next hotel room. Lots easier than plastic wrap, and the elastic keeps it in place.

Back to the measuring cup. I use it for everything. It has measurement lines on the side for ingredients and a handle to hold while using a hand mixer. It’s glass, so you can melt butter in it. It has a spout, so you can pour pancake or waffle batter. To say nothing of mixing cake batter and pouring exactly the same amount into each of two cake pans.

The recipe for “Grammy Brownies” is a definite keeper. It’s simple to put together, and can easily be doubled and baked in a half-sheet pan if you’re baking for a crowd. Needless to say, I start by reaching for my two quart Pyrex measuring cup. Of course, you could use any mixing bowl, but being able to melt the butter right in the bowl in the microwave is a time-saving feature.

2 C flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 sticks melted butter
1 3/4 C light brown sugar
3 eggs
1 (12 oz) package chocolate chips

1. Melt the butter. Cream the butter and  brown sugar.
2. Beat in the eggs, one at a time.
3. Add the combined flour, baking powder and salt and gently beat until the flour is incorporated.
4. Stir the chocolate chips into the batter with a wooden spoon.
5. Spread the batter in a greased quarter sheet pan.
6. Bake in a preheated 350 oven for 35 minutes. Should be firm to touch in the middle.
7. Cool completely on a wire rack before cutting.