Easy Nutella Brownies

     Hold onto your proverbial hats everyone, today I'm baking from a box. In most cases, I avoid boxed baking mixes at all costs, but occasionally I do make an exception for brownies. Don't get me wrong, I still will never bake a regular cake from a box unless I really don't have a choice, but when I opened the pantry yesterday to find 4 boxes of brownies that expired a year ago, I knew I needed to get on that ASAP. And then I actually remembered that boxed brownies are really okay. In fact, they are the first thing I ever learned to bake. So I decided to give them another chance and add a few extra ingredients, including Nutella, because what dessert isn't improved with a little Nutella? I've made Nutella brownies from scratch before, but today's recipe is just as good, and correct me if I'm wrong, but I think you guys like the easier recipes. One last think I have to add is that I like thicker brownies, so I made mine in a 9x7 pan, which is not one of the recommended sizes on the box. An 8x8 pan would probably give you the same results, but if you insist on thin brownies, just follow the directions provided for a 9x13 pan.

INGREDIENTS:
1 box of your favorite brownie mix plus whatever other ingredients it requires (usually water, oil, and 2 eggs)
1/3 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons Nutella

DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 350 or other recommended temperature and spray your baking dish. I always recommend glass for brownies, although I don't really have a reason for that.
2. In a large bowl, beat together all of the ingredients listed on the box. Then, add the vanilla and 3/4 cup of Nutella. Once everything is evenly incorporated, stir in the walnuts last.

3. In a small non-metal bowl, microwave a couple extra spoonfuls of Nutella for 30-45 seconds until it thins out and becomes pourable. Fill the baking dish with the brownie batter, make sure the top is even, then use a spoon to drizzle the extra Nutella all over the top.

4. Bake according to the directions on the brownie box, then check them with a toothpick. I found that mine need an extra 10-15 minutes after the box recommendation. The extra Nutella makes it take longer, but not by much, so just keep an eye on it.

     Be as patient as you can to let these cool a little before serving. But I never eat brownies more than an hour or two after they come out of the oven. It just doesn't seem right to me. So enjoy these with their extra chocolaty goodness!