Chocolate Mint Brownies

     These are my favorite brownies.  I love the mint but Bryan likes me to make a section without. The brownie recipe and glaze are delish without the mint.

Chocolate Mint Brownies                                                                                                    

1 c butter                                                                                 1½ c flour

2 c sugar                                                                                  1 tsp salt

4 eggs                                                                                      2/3 c cocoa

2 tsp vanilla

     Cream butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla.  Add dry ingredients. Spread in greased and floured 10x15 inch pan.  Bake at 350* for 20 minutes.  Cool in fridge then frost with mint filling.

    Mint Filling

            1 lb. powdered sugar                                                  ½ -1 tsp. mint extract

            6 Tbsp melted butter                                                   2-3 drops red or green

            3 Tbsp. evaporated milk                                                       food coloring

                Combine all ingredients. Mixture will be very thick.  Spread on brownies and cool again in fridge.  Top with chocolate glaze

    Chocolate Glaze

            3 Tbsp butter                                                              ½ tsp vanilla

            3 Tbsp water                                                               1 ½ c powdered sugar

            3 Tbsp cocoa     

             Melt butter. Add cocoa and water.  Stir constantly. Do not boil.  Remove from heat.  Cool slightly.  Blend in 1 ½ c powdered sugar and vanilla.  Pour over top.

Lemon Bars

     Amelia isn't real crazy about cakes so she likes to choose something different for her birthday.  This is one of her favorites.

Deer Valley Resort’s Lemon Bars                                                      

2 cups plus ¼ c flour                                                   4 eggs

½ cup plus 1¾  c granulated sugar                              4 tsp grated lemon zest

1 c (8 oz) unsalted butter, cut into                              ½ c lemon juice

       ½ inch pieces                                                        powdered sugar to sprinkle on top

½ tsp baking powder

Preheat oven to 325*

     Mix 2 cups of flour with ½ cup sugar. Cut in the butter, mixing until the dough resembles sand.  Press evenly into the bottom and a little bit up the side of a 9x 13 inch baking pan.  Bake 15 to 20 minutes until the crust loses its shine and barely begins to show a hint of color.  Let cool.

     In a large bowl, sift the remaining ¼ c flour with the remaining 1 ¾  c sugar and baking powder.  In another bowl, beat together the eggs, lemon zest and lemon juice.  Mix into the sugar/flour mixture until the ingredients are homogenous.  Pour over the crust.  Bake until the filling has set and the edges are light golden, about 20 to 25 minutes.  Let cool.  Place in the refrigerator to chill.  Cut into 2-inch squares.  Dust with powdered sugar.  Makes about 24 bars

    .

Pam's Pumpkin Bars

My friend, Pam, has some great recipes.  She helps her friends with receptions and this is one that she gave me for my son and daughter-in-laws wedding reception. My daughter-in-law's favorite dessert is Pumpkin Pie but that is too messy to serve so this fit the bill perfectly.

Pam’s Pumpkin Bars

1 Yellow Cake Mix (Reserve 1 cup)

½ cup butter, melted

1 egg

-Mix above ingredients (except reserved 1 cup cake mix), pat into bottom of a 9”x13” pan.

1 large can pumpkin

3 eggs

¼ tsp salt

2/3 c evaporated milk

1 cup sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

½ tsp ginger

½ tsp nutmeg

¼ tsp cloves

-Mix all ingredients and pour over cake mixture in pan

1 cup reserved cake mix

¼ cup flour

¼ cup sugar

¼ cup softened butter

-Mix until crumbly.  Sprinkle over pumpkin mixture.  Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour or until knife inserted into middle comes out clean.  Serve with whipped cream.

Zucchini Coconut Bread

     I love coconut even more than zucchini so this is my favorite bread. I picked it up from someone at church when I lived in Chicago and have never come across it since. I have a lot of loaves frozen to keep me happy through this winter.  Bryan made some last week and put in 2 cups of semi-sweet and 2 cups milk chocolate chips -probably overkill on the chocolate but oh so good.  It was like eating a candy bar. Make sure you eat it warm.

Zucchini Coconut Bread

3 eggs

2 cups sugar

1 cup oil

3 cups grated Zucchini

2 tsp. vanilla

3 cups flour

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. cinnamon

1 cup coconut

½ cup nuts (optional)

Mix all the above ingredients well.  Pour into greased loaf pans. Bake for 1 hour at 350*

Zucchini Bread

     It is that season.  Thanks to Dan and Alyssa we have been enjoying zucchini.  I love pretty much anything made with zucchini.  This recipe for bread from Bryan's mom is a good one. The best part is when it comes out of the oven and has that nice caramely crust.  If I don't watch myself I could just keep eating it. Sometime I am going to try making it with 1/2 cup applesauce substituted for a 1/2 cup of the oil, splenda and replacing some of the white flour with wheat.  It would probably still be really good and better for the diet.

Zucchini Bread

3 eggs

2 cups sugar

1 cup vegetable oil

2 cups grated zucchini

2 cups flour

¼ tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. baking soda

2 tsp. cinnamon

2 tsp. vanilla

Set oven to 325* and grease 2 loaf plans.

Beat eggs and add sugar and oil. Add zucchini and mix well.  Sift together flour, baking powder, salt, baking soda and cinnamon. Mix into wet ingredients. Add in vanilla. Pour into the loaf pans and bake for 1 hour until toothpick comes out clean.

White Chicken Chili

     Since it has been stormy, dark and dreary all day I decided for dinner I wanted to make something new and in the line of comfort food.  I pulled out the trusty Holbrook cookbook and found this recipe that Aunt Ann submitted.  It fit the bill perfectly.  I'm looking forward to the leftovers already. She used 1/2 cup butter. When I cook I always replace at least 1/2 the butter with olive oil.  It raises the burning point and is healthier but still gives you a nice buttery taste. I also get a little skimpy on the measuring.  I know we were a taught to make a roux with equal parts butter and flour (i.e. 1 Tbsp. butter with 1 Tbsp. flour and then mix in 1 cup milk) but I have found that I can make it with about 1/2-2/3 the fat.  You have to stir a little harder to get it mixed in but it works and makes it a little lower fat.
     I also put the sour cream as a little dollop on the top of each bowl for decoration instead of mixing it in.

White Chicken Chili

1 lg. sweet onion, chopped
1 lg. garlic clove, minced
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 cup flour
1 cup chicken broth
2 cups milk
2 medium cans white beans, rinsed and drained
6 chicken breasts, cooked and diced
1-1/2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp cumin
2 (4 oz) cans diced green chilies, drained
1 1/2 cups Monterey Jack cheese
1 Tbsp. Tabasco
salt and white pepper to taste
1/2 cup sour cream

In skillet, cook onion and garlic in 1 tbsp. butter and 1 Tbsp. olive oil until soft.  In a large pot, melt remaining butter and oil over low heat and whisk in flour to make a roux.  Cook while stirring for about 3 minutes. Don't brown.  Stir in onion and garlic mixture and gradually add broth and milk, whisking until mixture comes to a boil. Turn down heat to simmer until mixture is thick, about 5 minutes.  Stir in all remaining ingredients and cook over med-low heat for 20 minutes. Stir in sour cream and serve.

*If too thick add milk or broth
*Good served with cornbread