Mint Chocolate Brownies

Ok, folks. Mint + Chocolate + Brownies = a no-fail crowd pleaser!  These are from-scratch, so none of that out-of-the-box stuff here. (Although, I don't mind some out of the box brownies. Really.)

Mint Chocolate Brownies  by Erin Taylor

Brownies:
1 1/4 C. Flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp. salt
2/3 C. unsweetened cocoa powder (not dutch-processed.)
2 1/4 C. granulated Sugar
1/2 C. chopped nuts* (pecans, almonds, walnuts... whatever. *Optional.)
4 eggs
3/4 C. butter, melted

preheat oven to 350 deg.
Throw everything in a big mixing bowl and stir until all ingredients are combined. Pour into greased 9 X 13 pan and bake for 25 to 30 minutes. Cool completely before frosting and serving.

Mint Frosting:
1/2 C. butter
1/2 C. Shortening
4 c. Powdered Sugar
3 Tbsp milk
1 egg
1-2 tsp peppermint extract (depending on how minty you like it.)
dash of salt
green food coloring (about 4 drops, but you can make it as green as you like.)

Whip all ingredients (but food coloring) in mixing bowl until light and fluffy.  Add food coloring and whip until mixture is all one uniform color. Spread over cooled brownies and drizzle with chocolate drizzle. (below)

Chocolate drizzle:

1 C. semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 Tbsp. Shortening

Melt chocolate chips and shortening in microwave safe bowl in 30 second increments, stirring after each, until chocolate is smooth and melted. Dip spoon into chocolate and drizzle in sweeping motions back and forth across the brownies. Repeat until all chocolate is used, or until brownies look to good to wait to eat any longer!

Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole

Ha! I dreamed this recipe up in my sleep, but in the morning when I went to look for a recipe for regular Chicken Cordon Bleu, I found a gazillion recipes for the casserole! So much for an original idea. But, it's creamy and delicious, so I'm making it.  But mine has peas in it!

Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole  by Erin Taylor

2 med. chicken breasts, cubed (uncooked)
1 C. cubed ham (I used deli sliced ham and it worked really great.)
1 box. Penne Pasta, prepared accoring to directions (Use whole wheat and get more fiber!)
1  12 oz. package frozen peas
2 C. Breadcrumbs mixed with 3 tbsp. melted butter (for topping)
2 C. Swiss Cheese (one for the sauce)
Swiss White Sauce recipe (below)

Preheat oven to 375 deg.
Spray bottom and sides of a 13 X 9 baking pan and pour in drained noodles. Add cubed chicken, ham, and frozen peas. Pour white sauce over the top and mix throughout. Spread 1 C. shredded swiss cheese over top. (*note: if you like a runnier sauce in your pasta, pour 1/2 C. milk over the mixture at this point and gently mix in. It will make your casserole a bit 'saucier'.) Sprinkle breadcrumb mixture over the top and bake, uncovered for 30 minutes.

Swiss White Sauce

1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
3 1/2 cups milk
1C. shredded Swiss Cheese
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese (green bottle from store is fine.)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1-2 tsp. dijon mustard (or yellow mustard for a lighter taste)

 Melt butter in a heavy saucepan over low heat; whisk in flour until smooth. Cook 1 minute, whisking constantly. Gradually stir in milk over medium heat, whisking constantly, until mixture is thickened and bubbly. Stir in Swiss and Parmesan cheeses, salt, and dijon mustard, stiring until cheese is melted and sauce is smooth. Salt to taste.  Pour over pasta and chicken mixture.

Pecan Sandies

Delicious buttery shortbread cookie loaded with chopped pecans and bits of chocolate. Melt in your mouth deliciousness!

Pecan Sandies  by Erin Taylor

2 sticks of butter, softened (or one stick and 1/2 C. shortening)
1/3 C. sugar
1/2 C. powdered sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla
2 C. flour
1 C. pecans, finely chopped
1/2 C. chocolate, finely chopped (I used a Hershey bar, but choc. chips would work great, too.)

Preheat oven to 350 deg.  In mixing bowl, combine butter sugars, salt, and vanilla. Mix until creamy. Add flour, nuts, and chocolate and mix until encorporated and no longer crumbly. It takes a minute or two so it isn't crumbly, but it will come together.

Divide into two balls. Roll each ball into a long tube abou 2 inches in diameter. Wrap in plastic wrap and put in freezer for about an hour, or until firm.

Slice in 1/4" slices and place on baking sheet. They will not spread much so they can be placed closer together. Bake for about 15 minutes or until barely golden on edges. Remove from oven and let cool before removing from baking sheet.  Serve with plenty of cold milk!

Rootbeer Float Cookies

(picture taken from amybakeseverything.com where I got the original cookie recipe, and tweaked it a bit.)

Rootbeer? In a cookie?  Don't knock-em til you try them, my friend. Also known as Whoopie Pies, these have a lovely rootbeer flavored soft cookie surrounding fluffy clouds of marshmallow creamy goodness.
Go ahead and try to eat just one!

Roobeer Float Cookies by Erin Taylor

Preheat oven to 375

In a bowl, blend  together:
2 1/4 cups flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
set aside.

In a separate mixing bowl, cream:
1 stick butter or margarine
1 cup brown sugar, packed
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1/8 cup Root Beer Concentrate
1 Tbsp Molasses

Add dry ingredients and stir just until combined.

Scoop out onto a baking sheet by teaspoonfulls, (NOT big blobs- you want to make little cookies and sandwich them together.) Bake for 8-10 minutes or until the cookies are firm and spring back when tapped. Allow to cool on wire racks. Fill with White Mountain Frosting filling below.

White Mountain Frosting for Filling:

In saucepan over medium heat, combine:
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup light corn syrup 
2  tablespoons water
cook until candy thermometer reads about 242 deg. Remove from heat.

Beat 2 egg whites until stiff peaks form.

While mixer is still running, slowly pour sugar syrup in. Mixture will become very glossy. Add:
1 tsp. vanilla
1/4 tsp. salt

continue mixing for about 7 minutes or until cooled.

Spoon filling into a plastic bag and squeeze out enough to fill each cookie. Place top on cookie, and enjoy! (Keep in a sealed container. Best if refrigerated.)