gluten-free brownies with mint frosting

Jaden is my brownie maker. When he was six he started making them better than I could make them. I tried a couple gluten-free recipes and decided that this was the closest I would get to his brownies.

I started with a recipe from "My Gluten-free Kitchen" and adjusted it to be closer to my recipe. She suggests making them over a couple of days. I make the brownies at night, put them in the fridge and finish the rest in the morning.

Here is the link (and it's worth a visit just to see the beautiful stack of mint brownies).
My Gluten-free Kitchen Mint Chocolate Brownie

My results…

Gluten-free Brownie Recipe
1 cup butter, melted
1 cup cocoa
5 eggs
1 cup white sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
3/4 cup gluten free flour mix
1/2 cup almond flour
1/2 tsp. xanthan gum (optional if it is already in you GF flour mix)

Preheat oven to 350.

Beat eggs until frothy. Add sugar, cocoa and butter. Beat well. Add remaining ingredients and beat on high for 2-3 minutes.

Pour into a greased 9x13 pan. Bake 25-30 minutes. Remove and allow to cool then place in the fridge to get cold.

Mint Frosting
1/2 cup butter, softened
3 cups powdered sugar
3 Tbsp. milk
1/2 tsp. mint (1 tsp. if you like it really minty)
Food coloring (optional)

Beat butter until fluffy. Add remaining ingredients and beat well. Spread onto the brownies and place in fridge while making the ganache.

Chocolate Ganache
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/3 cup butter or whipping cream (I prefer the cream)

Melt in microwave for 1 minute. Stir. Continue melting and stirring in 30 second intervals until it is smooth.

Carefully spread ganache over the mint frosting. Return to fridge to harden.

Store covered in the refrigerator or freeze in ziploc bags.

Ashley's gluten-free peanut butter chocolate chip oatmeal raisin scripture cookies

Really just…Monster Cookies!



Ashley had such a fun time teaching family home evening tonight that she wanted me to post the results along with the longest possible cookie name. So there you have it folks!! She was that excited! :o)

Instructions: Look up the scriptures to find the missing ingredients...

Gluten Free Scripture Cookies

3 _________________ Isa. 10:14

1 1/4 cups light brown _________________ Jer 6:20

1 cup _________________  Jer 6:20

1/2 tsp ________________ Matt 5:13

1 stick __________________ Psalms 55:21

2 teaspoons _________________ soda Matt 13:33

4 1/2 cups __________________ for the horses... D & C 89:17

1/2 cup __________________ 1 Sam 30:12

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 12-ounce jar creamy peanut butter

1 cup chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Beat everything together. Drop into large spoonfuls (8 per large cookie sheet) onto a non-stick or lined baking sheet.

Bake for 8 minutes. Let stand for a few minutes before placing on wire racks.

Answers:

3 eggs Isa. 10:14

1 1/4 cups light brown sugar Jer 6:20

1 cup sugar  Jer 6:20

1/2 tsp salt Matt 5:13

1 stick butter Psalms 55:21

2 teaspoons baking (leavening) soda Matt 13:33

4 1/2 cups oats for the horses... D & C 89:17 (make sure they are gluten-free oats)

1/2 cup raisins 1 Sam 30:12

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 12-ounce jar creamy peanut butter

1 cup chocolate chips

Guatemalan Pan Dulce Crescents

I've tried finding a good pan dulce recipe for years but they are all just a little too dry. This is the closest I've come to the pan dulce that I used to buy at Paiz on Carretera El Salvador. 

I created this recipe by combining my brother-in-law's Fat Tuesday roll recipe and a Guatemalan sweet roll. So here you have it…sorry about the pictures, but I am too tired to get my real camera out.

Pan Dulce Crescents

1 Tblsp yeast

1 cup warm water

1/3 cup sugar

1/4 cup powdered milk

1 egg

1/2 cup butter

1/2 tsp salt

3 1/2- 4 cups flour

1/2 tsp cardamom  or 1/2 tsp cinnamon

Topping:


2/3 cup white sugar


1/2 cup butter


1 cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

Proof the yeast in warm water. Add powdered milk, sugar, butter, salt, egg and half of the flour. Beat for several minutes. Gradually add the remaining flour and knead for several minutes.

Place in a large greased bowl, and turn the dough to coat. Cover, and let rise in a warm place until doubled.

Topping:

Beat sugar and butter until fluffy. Add the flour to make a thick paste. Add vanilla.

Cut dough into two parts. Pressinto a circle and cut 12 pizza slices. Roll crescents by starting at the wide end and working towards the narrow point. Place patties of topping on top of the roll and pat down lightly. Use a knife to cut grooves in the topping. Cover and let rise until doubled.

Preheat oven to 375. Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until golden brown.

How I Roll

Last Summer I made a little collage to sum up the joys of the season...
camping, water balloon fights, fresh foods and Yellowstone National Park.

Kind of a silly collage, but it means so much to me. The good times started just 6 weeks after my stroke. I was struggling in so many ways and still barely walking, but the sunshine and happy family moments created rich and beautiful memories.

Zucchini Dinner Puffs

Two weeks ago we tore out five of our zucchini plants but we still have plenty to enjoy.

Here are some easy quiche-like puffs we made last night. Please forgive the poor photo quality- I used my phone. I hadn't planned on posting this but half way through dinner Dallin exclaimed, "What is this? It's not yummy. It's DELICIOUS!".

Zucchini Puffs
1 Tbsp. butter
1 onion, chopped
1 large carrot, grated
1 large zucchini, grated
2 bacon strips, chopped
Garlic

Sauté for several minutes until tender and a little dry. Set aside to cool.

Mix
3 eggs (I used 6 egg whites)
1 cup cheese, shredded
1/4 cup cream
1/2 cup flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp dry dill
1 tsp dry parsley

Add veggies beating until well mixed.

Fill greased muffin tins or silicone cups with the batter. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes (less if you use mini muffin tins). Makes 24 regular sized muffins.