Pechin's Famous Andes Mint Brownies

In college, the musical organizations I was in did bake sales to make money! I started making my famous Andes Mint Brownies for those bake sales.  Then, they were expected!  Students and professors would walk up to the bake sale table and demand my brownies, even when it was an organization I wasn't in!  The original idea actually came from eating at the Olive Garden. As you leave, they give you Andes Mints to cover up the smelly garlic breath stench.  I had roommates that worked there, so, they would always give me extra ones to take home.  One night, I got home, and I realized, I had about fifteen of them.  I was really craving brownies at the same time.  I decided to bake the brownies, and throw the Andes Mints on top of them.  My recipe has developed and changed over the years.  I started making them from scratch, and I started adding mint extract to the batter.  I took them to work when I worked in Carol Stream, and a coworker kept calling them toothpaste brownies.  (YUCK!)  This is how I really make my famous brownies!
The last time I made them, I used the Hershey's Brownie Recipe for the base.
Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 2/3 cup butter or margarine, melted and divided
• 1/2 cup boiling water
• 2 cups sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1-1/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup HERSHEY'S SPECIAL DARK Chocolate Chips or HERSHEY'S Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
• 1 Package Andes
• 1 Tbs Mint Extract

*Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. 
Follow the recipe instructions the link above provides.  Add the mint extract and mix it in. Then, pour the batter into your baking pan.  After that, start placing the Andes mints on top of the batter. 

 Andes Brownies Raw

Bake for 35-40 minutes.  Take it out and check it.  I use raw spaghetti sticks to check to see if it's done baking.  Stick the spaghetti stick in, and if it comes out clean, the brownies are done!  I started doing this when I figured out, I never have tooth picks in my kitchen!

Pechin's Famous Andes Mint Brownies

I love making the brownies from scratch, because they come out more cake like than the box mixes do.  When I would make them for bake sales, I would double the recipe.  If you like chocolate and mint together, you will definitely love these brownies!  Enjoy!