My friend Stirling Greenlee’s sense of humor is as well developed as her cooking skills. She admits to being a fervent potluck lover, and I suspect it may be because she says that for years her idea of formal dining was eating from a tablecloth without cat hair. One of her most amusing potluck stories involves a less than successful event where guests were asked to bring something that “reminds you of your childhood.” Much to her horror, everyone brought white food—bland grits, milk toast, angel food cake. “As soon as everyone got out of there I imagine they bolted and went straight to Burger King,” she recalls. Too bad no one thought of butterscotch brownies, a childhood favorite of mine. This version features a sugary, lightly caramelized butter icing that ensures the brownies stay moist and travel well. On top of that, the king-size recipe makes it a top-tier candidate for large potlucks, as well as picnics and family gatherings.

　　

Ingredients

makes about 2 1/2 dozen 2 by 3-inch bars

　　

Brownies

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature

　　3 cups firmly packed golden brown sugar

　　4 large eggs

　　1 tablespoon vanilla extract

　　3 cups all-purpose flour

　　1 tablespoon baking powder

　　1 teaspoon kosher salt

　　2 cups chopped pecans, toast

　　

Icing

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter

　　2 cups firmly packed golden brown sugar

　　4 cups powdered sugar

　　1/3 cup half-and-half

　　1 tablespoon vanilla extract

　　

Step 1

TO MAKE THE BROWNIES: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a half-sheet (13 by 18-inch) pan with aluminum foil and grease with butter or cooking spray. Using an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the 1 cup butter and the 3 cups brown sugar on medium-high speed until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the eggs and 1 tablespoon vanilla and continue beating for another minute. In a bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Beat the flour mixture into the butter mixture on low speed until incorporated. Stir in the pecans. Pour into the prepared pan, smoothing the top. Bake until the bars are set and slightly puffed, 25 to 30 minutes. Cool completely before icing.

　　

Step 2

TO MAKE THE ICING: In a saucepan set over medium heat, melt the 1 cup butter and 2 cups brown sugar. Once the mixture is lightly bubbling, decrease the heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally, for 2 more minutes; set aside. Using an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the powdered sugar, half-andhalf, and vanilla on medium speed until creamy, about 1 minute. Add the melted butter mixture and beat until combined. Pour over the cooled brownies and spread evenly. Let the brownies sit for about 30 minutes to allow the icing to firm up before cutting into squares.

　　

do it early

Step 3

Left uncut in the pan, the bars will keep at room temperature, covered, for up to 3 days. Cut them the day you’ll serve them. Once cut, they can be wrapped and frozen for up to 3 weeks.

　　

tip

Step 4

For an old-fashioned look that doubles as brownie holder and sticky finger protector, wrap each brownie in parchment paper halfway up. For an attractive presentation, stack them overlapping and at an angle on a serving tray.

　　Pastry Queen Parties by Rebecca Rather and Alison Oresman. Copyright © 2009 Rebecca Rather and Alison Oresman. Published by Ten Speed Press. All Rights Reserved.A pastry chef, restaurateur, and cookbook author, native Texan Rebecca Rather has been proprietor of the Rather Sweet Bakery and Café since 1999. Open for breakfast and lunch daily, Rather Sweet has a fiercely loyal cadre of regulars who populate the café’s sunlit tables each day. In 2007, Rebecca opened her eponymous restaurant, serving dinner nightly, just a few blocks from the café.  Rebecca is the author of THE PASTRY QUEEN, and has been featured in Texas Monthly, Gourmet, Ladies Home Journal, Food & Wine, Southern Living, Chocolatier, Saveur, and O, The Oprah Magazine. When she isn’t in the bakery or on horseback, Rebecca enjoys the sweet life in Fredericksburg, where she tends to her beloved backyard garden and menagerie, and eagerly awaits visits from her college-age daughter, Frances.Alison Oresman has worked as a journalist for more than twenty years. She has written and edited for newspapers in Wyoming, Florida, and Washington State. As an entertainment editor for the Miami Herald, she oversaw the paper’s restaurant coverage and wrote a weekly column as a restaurant critic. After settling in Washington State, she also covered restaurants in the greater Seattle area as a critic with a weekly column. A dedicated home baker, Alison is often in the kitchen when she isn't writing. Alison lives in Bellevue, Washington, with her husband, Warren, and their children, Danny and Callie.