Rich.

Decadent.

Dark. Hunky.

Sweet.

Easy.

Luscious.

Sounds like the perfect man, right? But it is far better than a man.  It’s silent, scrumptious, doesn’t care what you look like and satisfies you anytime, anywhere. It’s one of my favorite comfort foods from childhood: my Mom’s Magic Camping Brownies.

Okay, so that title doesn’t quite give them the justice they deserve, so I shall explain.  Growing up we didn’t have much junk food in our house–Oreos were not an after school snack nor did Fruit Loops ever grace our breakfast table (except on my birthday).  But we always had dessert.  Never a Ho Ho or a Twinkie, but a freshly baked portion of utter deliciousness.

Mom usually reserved these treats for special occasions and baked upon request for parties, school events, and the regular group camping trips.  Forgetting the beer or even breakfast would have been forgivable, but we would have been fed to the alligators if we showed up without the famous brownies.

When I went away to college Mom sent them in care packages.  What else could a college freshman possibly want when she woke up Saturday “morning” at 3 p.m. than to nibble on a little piece of gooey chocolate and caramel heaven.  They were also popular at late night parties, and once, perhaps while a little intoxicated, I called them “Magic” brownies.  The accidental misnomer excited the party-goers to a near frenzy to grab at the delectable morsels.  They were only slightly disappointed when I insisted they were not, ah em, spiked with special herbs.  But by then everyone was too busy reveling in chocolate ecstasy to really care and the name stuck.

Mom’s “Magic” Carmel Brownies

• 24 kraft caramels (7 oz) unwrapped
• 1 5 1/3 oz can (2/3 cup) evaporated milk
• 1 package devil’s food cake mix
• 1 cup chopped walnuts
• 6 tbsp. melted margarine
• 1 small bag (1 cup) chocolate chips

• Combine all but 2 tbs. evaporated milk, cake mix, walnuts, and margarine; mix well (it will be thick).
• Spread half the cake mixture in a well greased 13x 9x 2 inch pan.
• Bake at 350 for 10 minutes.
•  Meanwhile,  melt caramels and 2 tbs. evaporated milk in a small saucepan over low heat until smooth.
• Sprinkle half the chocolate chips over the hot baked crust.  Drizzle the melted caramel on top.
• Drop the remaining cake mixture by spoonfuls all over the caramel and carefully try to cover as evenly as possible (it will still be lumpy).
• Sprinkle the remaining chocolate chips on top.
• Continue baking at 350 for 20 minutes more.
• Cut into bars while still warm (but not hot).
• Cool in pan.
• Enjoy.   If you don’t there is something wrong with you.