Mint Brownies

Mint brownies

Betty Crocker original supreme with Hershey's syrup - cook with high altitude instructions in side of box.

Peppermint frosting

5 cups powdered sugar

2 cubes of butter slightly softened but still cold

2 tbs of peppermint extract

1/4 cup milk poured in 1/2 at a time

4 to 5 drops of preferred food coloring

Beat for 2 minutes with electric mixer until well blended.

( frosting should look like thick paste)

Spread on cooled brownie

Chocolate topping

11.5 oz package milk chocolate chips

1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips

2 cubes butter

Pour into large microwaveable bowel and heat for 2 minutes and stir till all chips are dissolved.

Pour onto frosted brownies and smooth out

Then chill in freeze or fridge until set

Serve cool

Makes 35 1 1/2 inch square brownies

Easy Chocolate Ganache Cake with dipped strawberries

Easy Chocolate Ganache Cake Using a cake mix

1 chocolate cake mix (milk chocolate, devils food, or fudge cake mix)
4 eggs
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup vegetable oil
3/4 cup buttermilk or soured milk( use 3/4 cup milk and add 1 tablespoon vinegar and 1 tablespoon lemon juice; let it sit for a few minutes until it is thick and slightly curdled
1 3-ounce pkg. instant chocolate pudding mix.
Add all ingredients together and let beat for 2 minutes.
Pour into 2 9-inch greased and floured cake pans, or 1 9 x 13 cake pan.
Bake round 9 -inch cakes at 350° for 25 to 27 min or until tests done in center of cake.
9 x 13 inch pan should bake at 350° for 35 to 38 minutes.
Take from oven and cool for 10 minutes then remove from pans and let cool on wire rack.



Chocolate Ganache Recipe:

24 oz bittersweet chocolate (finely chopped) you can also use 24 oz. chocolate chips either milk chocolate or semisweet.
2 cups heavy cream unless you want it thicker, add less cream

Directions:
Place chopped chocolate into a bowl. Slowly heat the heavy cream in a medium saucepan on the stove until it comes to a simmer (do not boil) As soon as the cream starts to simmer, remove it from heat and pour it gently over the chocolate. Let sit for 3 minutes, and then stir with a spoon or a mixer on low to blend the cream and chocolate. The mixture should be smooth. Allow it to cool for a few minutes until slightly thickened. Make sure WATER does not touch the chocolate or mixture or it will go really hard and will ruin your ganache.
Put ganache mixture in a covered container over night and leave on counter or in a cool place to thicken over night. If you need to use it right a way put it in the refrigerator or freezer for an hour or two. Take out and stir. Ganache can be whipped to make creamy ganache frosting or spread it on cake just after it is thickened and cooled. For layers of chocolate: frost cake with thickened ganache in middle layer. Save 1 1/2 cups of thickened ganache for top. Then whip remaining ganache with mixer until creamy frosting consistency. Then frost cake over all layers and decorate putting saved thickened ganache over top of cake and let drip down sides. Then decorate with dipped strawberries. Keep cake refrigerated.

Chocolate Dipped Strawberries for top:

Wash several large strawberries and let dry completely.
1 large bag of milk chocolate chips
Melt milk chocolate chips in microwavable bowl for 1 minute. Stir and melt another 30 sec. Take out of microwave then stir until smooth and completely melted. May add 1 tablespoon margarine or shortening to thin chocolate if it is too thick. Dip strawberries in chocolate one at a time using a fork or hors d'oeuvres stick. Place in tray covered with parchment paper and let dry. Wait for several minutes to roll in chopped nuts or chocolate sprinkles then return to parchment and let dry. When completely dry put on top of cake.

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Tristans & Samatha's Birthday cakes when they turned 1 yr.

Tuscan Soup

Tuscan Soup

6 large Potatoes (wash and slice with peel on)
1 med onion (sliced thin)
1 lb. ground sausage (hot or mild)I like half pound of each.
5 cups chicken broth
¾ cup whipping cream
1 bunch green kale (about 1 cup roughly chopped)
3 cloves garlic or 1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 tsp dried oregano
1 ½ teaspoons salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
A pinch of red pepper flakes(8 to 10
if you use mild sausage or if you like the soup a little more spicy add 1/16 tsp.
Instructions:
Brown sausage in a large pot on med high. Drain off grease and put back in pot. On med heat add sliced onions pepper flakes and seasonings. Cook until onions are soft. Add chicken broth. Add sliced potatoes. Cook on med-high heat until potatoes are tender. Reduce heat until soup is not boiling; then add the cream. (do not add the cream while soup is boiling or it will curdle) Wash the Kale and take off the stems, chop into large chunks. Put into soup just a few minutes before serving. (Kale will turn too dark if it cooks too long.) Salt and pepper to taste.

I love this soup because it is easy and full of flavor. It is like the one from Olive Garden but just my own version.

Cream fudge

Cream Fudge Laurel Bean

4 1/2 cups sugar
1 large can milk
3 (60z) pkg choc chips
1 tsp vanilla
1 large jar marshmallow cream
1 cup butter
2 cups whole walnuts
In a large cooking pan, combine sugar and milk; cook, stirring constantly, until it reaches soft ball stage. Before syrup comes to a boil, in a large mixing bowl, place the rest of the ingredients. When syrup reaches soft ball stage, pour over ingredients in large mixing bowl.
Bean on low speed until chips are completely melted. Pour into large buttered pan (13 x 9 x 2 inch)
Let it set overnight in refrigerator. For butterscotch fudge use butterscotch chips or for mint use mint floavored chips.

Carmels

Caramels

1 qt Karo Syrup
4 cups sugar
Bring to boil. Stir constantly

Add: 2 cubes butter(1 at a time)
1 (13 1/2 oz ) can evaporated milk
1 pt whipping cream

Stir for about 45 min. until exactly 233°-234° F Take off heat. Add 2 teaspoons vanilla
and stir. Add 1 cup chopped walnuts if desired. Pour into a large buttered cookie sheet with sides. Must set overnight before cutting. When cut, wrap in wax paper.
(I like this recipe for caramels, it turns out light colored and creamy. Be sure to not let it get hotter than 234° when you cook it; then it stays just the right soft texture)