Three Layer Mint Brownies

This, my friends, is one my very best recipes. I got the recipe a LONG time ago from a friend in college and it's been part of our Christmas tradition ever since. They are delicious any time, though. In fact, I made them for Michelle's reception (in pink, of course!) BYU is famous for their mint brownies, but I promise these are better. Now, like most recipes I've had for a long time, I've made changes. The bottom layer especially has undergone revisions over the years. I think the end result is, like I said, one of my very best recipes:

Three Layer Mint Brownies

1st Layer

Line a 13 x 9 pan with parchment paper. Spray with cooking spray. (I like to spray the pan, too to hold the parchment in place.) Leave ends out so you can pull the brownies right out of the pan when they are done.

Preheat oven to 350.

4 bars (4 ounces) unsweetened baking chocolate, broken into pieces

3/4 cup (or 1 1/2 sticks) butter, cut into pieces

Put chocolate and butter into a glass bowl and melt in the microwave until mixture is smooth when stirred. Check often and be careful not to burn it! Depending on your microwave, it should probably take about 1 1/2 - 2 minutes.

Add:

2 cups sugar

Stir with a spoon until well blended, then add:

3 eggs

2 tsp. vanilla

Blend well, then add:

1 cup flour

Mix and spread into the prepared pan. Bake at 350 for about 30 minutes. Cool completely.

2nd Layer:

1 stick butter (1/2 cup)

6 T. milk

4 T. instant pudding, vanilla (if you're making the frosting green. If you're making pink frosting, butterscotch pudding is delicious- it makes it taste kind of like those butter mints)

4 cups powdered sugar

1 tsp. (or less) mint flavoring

Few drops green or red food coloring

Mix well with a hand mixer or in a stand mixer. Spread on completely cooled 1st layer. Put in fridge until well set.

3rd Layer:

Melt in microwave:

3 squares(3 ounces)  unsweetened or semi-sweet chocolate 

4 T. butter or shortening  

Again, melt until you can stir it until smooth, but it needs to be liquid. Pour over 2nd layer tip pan and gently spread until covered and even. Put in fridge until set. Pull the whole block of well chilled brownies out with the parchment paper. Cut into squares. Store in airtight container. You can layer them between waxed paper. They also freeze very well. Merry Christmas!!!

* When I'm in a hurry, I use two really good brownie mixes made according to directions in place of the brownie layer.  It's almost as good.