How To ... Use up Halloween candy

If you have trouble getting through the bundles of Halloween goodies the children bring home from trick-or-treating (or you have leftovers from giving out candy), whip York peppermint patties into brownies.

PEPPERMINT PATTY BROWNIES

Serves: 16

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup baking cocoa

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

3 cups sugar

5 eggs

1 tablespoon vanilla

13-ounce package York peppermint patties (about two dozen 0.6-ounce minipatties)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly coat a 13-by-9-inch baking dish with cooking spray.

Into a large mixing bowl, sift the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt. Set aside. In a second large bowl, use an electric mixer to beat the butter and sugar until fluffy. One at a time, add the eggs, beating well between each addition. Add the vanilla and mix well.

Add the dry ingredients and mix well.

Spread about two-thirds of the batter into the prepared baking dish. Arrange the unwrapped peppermint patties in a single layer over the batter. Carefully spread the remaining batter over the patties.

Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the edges begin to pull away from sides of pan and a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. The top will appear uneven.

Cool completely on a wire rack in the pan, then cut into bars.

-- Recipe adapted from Taste of Home magazine's "The Taste of Home Baking Book"