BYU Mint Brownies

For all of the Cougars reading this, I know the title of this post is enough to sell you on the recipe. Go make it. For anyone else, these brownies are divine. Heavenly. I wish I could bottle up my mom's reactions when she eats some of my food. I brought a pan of these over to her house last week and before we had even eaten dinner, she sneaked a peak under the foil to look at the mint brownies. Her knees buckled and she kind of shook her body with excitement. So funny. 

Growing up, these brownies were such a treat every time we went to Utah and now, it's nice to know I can make them in my own home.

From BYU Dining via The Girl Who Ate Everything

YIELD: one 9x13-inch pan of brownies
PREP/COOK TIME: 90 minutes; COOL TIME: 1 hour

INGREDIENTS:

{for the brownies}:

1 cup margarine or butter, melted
1/2 cup cocoa
2 Tablespoons honey
4 eggs
2 cups sugar
1 3/4 cup flour
1/2 Tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup chopped walnuts (optional--I keep them out)
12 oz. chocolate icing (make your own or purchase from the store)

{for the mint icing}:

5 Tablespoons margarine or butter, softened
dash of salt
3 Tablespoons milk
1 Tablespoon light corn syrup
2 1/3 cups powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
1-2 drops green food coloring (again, optional--I left it out)

DIRECTIONS:

Start by making the brownies. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.

Melt the margarine or butter and stir in the cocoa. Allow to cool. Add honey, eggs, sugar, flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix well. If using, add nuts. Pour batter into a greased 9x13 inch baking pan. Bake for 25 minutes. Cool. (Though it may be tempting, resist putting brownies in the freezer or fridge to cool as this will dry them out slightly. Let them cool naturally at room temperature.)

Prepare the mint icing. Soften margarine or butter. Add salt, corn syrup, and powdered sugar. Beat until smooth and fluffy. Add peppermint extract and (if using) food coloring. Mix. Add milk gradually until the consistency is a little thinner than cake frosting.

Spread mint icing over cooled brownies. Place brownies in the freezer for a short time to stiffen the icing. Remove from the freezer and carefully add a layer of chocolate icing.

Enjoy!

Chick Pea Salad

I have a special place in my heart for Mediterranean food as my grandmother often makes it for large family gatherings. (She perfected her skills after living in Baghdad and Beirut for 20+ years.) I love the simple salads and side dishes this food genre has to offer. And I love the nutritional and filling nature of chick peas. And who doesn't love feta cheese? Lots of love here in this dish. :)

INGREDIENTS:

2 cans chick peas, drained, rinsed and patted dry

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 1/2 Tablespoons fresh mint, chopped

olive oil

Juice of one lemon

1/3 cup feta cheese

salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS:

Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees. In a bowl, mix chick peas, garlic, and mint and drizzle with olive oil. Mix to coat. Lay mixture in a single layer on a baking sheet.

Bake for 8-10 minutes. Remove mixture from oven, and let cool slightly. Transfer chick peas to a serving bowl and add lemon juice, feta cheese and salt and pepper.

Enjoy!

Lemon Mint Chicken

As promised, here is the second mint recipe. I love how simple the ingredients are and, of course, the delicious flavor they create. Have a happy weekend!

INGREDIENTS: 

2 skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces

1 clove garlic, crushed

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup margarine

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

1/2 cup chopped fresh mint leaves

DIRECTIONS:

In a medium bowl, mix together chicken pieces and garlic. Toss with flour to coat and shake off excess. 

Heat the margarine in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken pieces. Cook and stir until browned. Add the mint leaves and lemon juice, cover and steam for about five minutes until chicken is just cooked through, being careful not to overcook. 

Enjoy!

Shrimp with Basil and Mint Pesto

Cooking with Mint. I've always loved mint in my desserts and candy, but I've never thought about trying it in an actual meal until I spotted this recipe. My goodness. Scrumdiddlyumptious. And I have another equally delicious mint chicken dish coming later this week. Mint adds an element of cool freshness that perfectly balances a savory, warm meal. This will make you feel fancy, even though the dish is quite easy.

*From Giada De Laurentiis

INGREDIENTS:

1 pound uncooked shrimp, peeled and de-veined

1/2 cup lightly packed fresh mint leaves

1/4 cup lightly packed fresh basil leaves

2 Tablespoons pine nuts, toasted

1 garlic clove, minced

2 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 Tablespoon grated parmesan cheese

Salt and freshly ground pepper

1 Tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

DIRECTIONS:

Blend the mint, basil, pine nuts, and garlic in a food processor until finely chopped. With the machine still running, gradually add 2 Tablespoons olive oil, processing until well blended. Transfer the pesto to a medium bowl. Add parmesan cheese and season with salt and pepper to taste. 

In a large bowl, toss the shrimp with EVOO, salt, and pepper to coat. 

Heat a heavy, large skillet over high heat. Add the shrimp and sauté until just cooked through, about 3 minutes. Toss the shrimp with pesto to coat and serve. 

SERVING SUGGESTION:

Serve with couscous: Cook one box of plain couscous according to package instructions. Add 3 Tablespoons butter and 1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese to cooked couscous and mix until fully incorporated. Serve shrimp over couscous. 

Chocolate Soufflé Cupcakes with Mint Cream

I was asked to be in charge of dessert for my mom's Mother's Day dinner this year. My mother also kindly reminded me that every year between Mother's Day and her birthday (June 18), she swears off sweets. Understanding that mine would be the last sweet she eats in over a month, I laughed to myself, "Ok, no pressure." As soon as I found this recipe, I knew it was perfect for the one and only Dianne Parker: cupcakes, chocolate, and mint. I couldn't have been happier with the reaction on Mama Dianne's face when she took her first bite--it was like her whole body relaxed: her eyes lazily closed and her lips swooned. A little, "ohhh..." came out of her lips. 

My one-word description of this treat: Heavenly.

Thanks again, to Smitten Kitchen, for making gourmet cooking so easy.

*adapted (slightly) from Smitten Kitchen

INGREDIENTS:

For the cupcakes:

6 oz. bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate (I used the Bakers brand squares) 

6 Tablespoons butter (3/4 stick), cut into pieces

3 large eggs, separated

6 Tablespoons sugar, divided

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the white chocolate mint cream:

4 oz. white chocolate, finely chopped

6 oz. whipping cream

1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract

DIRECTIONS:

Start by making the white chocolate mint cream. Place the white chocolate in a medium mixing bowl. In a saucepan, bring the cream to a simmer, then pour over white chocolate to melt. Let sit for one minute, then whisk well until smooth. Add peppermint extract and whisk again. Place saran wrap over the bowl and chill in the refrigerator until very cold, about 2 hours.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line 12 muffin cups with paper liners. 

Stir chocolate and butter together in a saucepan over low heat until mostly melted, then remove from heat and whisk until fully melted and smooth. Set aside.

Using an electric mixer, beat egg yolks and 3 Tablespoons sugar on high speed in a medium bowl, until mixture is thick and pale, about two minutes. Briefly beat chocolate mixture, then vanilla extract into yolk mixture. Using clean dry beaters, beat egg whites in another medium bowl (on high speed) until soft peaks form. Gradually add remaining 3 Tablespoons sugar and all of the salt until medium-firm peaks form. Fold whites into chocolate mixture in 3 additions. Using a 1/4 cup, divide batter among prepared cups, filling each 3/4 of the way. 

Bake cakes until tops are puffed and dry to the touch and a tester inserted into the center comes out with some moist crumbs attached, about 15-20 minutes. Cool in pan, on a cooling rack. The centers will start to fall, which is where the mint cream comes in...

Beat mint white chocolate cream with electric beaters on high until soft peaks form. Remove cupcakes from pan, arrange on a platter, and fill each with a dollop of white chocolate mint cream. 

Enjoy heaven in your mouth.