Cashew Brownie Pizza

Okay, I know, this was originally a blog for dinner items. We've been doing a lot of grilling so no new recipes. Last night we had Sesame Pork - okay, but in the words of my son, "It was okay, but not a 'keeper', Mom."
Okay then.
So as I eat the leftovers of my 'Okay, but not a Keeper' Sesame Pork, I decided it was time to expand the blog. No cooking blog is complete without CHOCOLATE. So here is my first entry in the dessert category.
I've made this quite a few times; most recently for the hubby to take to work for his office buddies. They liked it so much a GUY actually asked for the recipe.
So here it is:

BROWNIE
1 package (21 ½ ounces) Pillsbury Traditional Fudge Brownie Mix
1/3 cup water
¼ cup oil
1 egg
2 Tablespoons flour
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (maybe a little more so you can taste test as you go. You wouldn't want to put "bad" chips in your dessert)

*Now, I totally screwed up and bought a brownie mix that was too small. Worse, I didn't notice until I had all the rest of the ingredients mixed in with it. So I figured, what the heck, I'll throw it in the oven anyway. It was flatter and less 'brownie-chewy' than normal, but apparently still good.

TOPPING
2 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese
1 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 can (10 ounces) cashews (again, I'd get extra; you want to taste test.)
½ cup hot fudge ice cream topping

Heat oven to 350. Line 15” round pizza pan with parchment paper. In bowl, combine brownie mix, water, oil, egg and flour; beat 50 strokes by hand. Stir in chocolate chips. Pour brownie mixture on parchment paper. Spread into 14” circle. Bake 22 to 25 minutes. DO NOT OVERBAKE. Remove brownie from pan, do not remove parchment paper. Let cool completely.
Combine cream cheese, powdered sugar and vanilla until smooth. Spread evenly over brownie. Sprinkle cashews over cream cheese mixture. Microwave fudge topping on high for 45 seconds or until warm. Drizzle over cashews.

*this was originally from a Pampered Chef flyer I received many years ago.