Mint Brownies

Traditionally done with green frosting instead of pink, I really rocked the boat using this recipe and red dye.  (Just a bit of sarcasm there). The teeny tiny Valentine's sprinkles were too cute to resist, and they look much better with pink frosting than with green!

I think every one's had these brownies at some point or other.  Yummy, minty, chocolatey (spell check is telling me that it's chocolaty, but that just doesn't look right!) bites.  My friend, Jen, gave me her delicious recipe.  Which is a lot like Paula Deen's recipe for them.... but, guess what.  I just checked her site (Paula Deen's) to link you to the recipe--- and it's not on her site anymore!  What happened to it???  So. Weird. 

I'll let you in on a secret, though.  I usually just use a family-sized (9X13 pan size) boxed brownie mix instead of making the homemade brownie.  So much easier and faster (not to mention cheaper)!  Just follow the instructions on the box, only you do need to add an extra 1/2 an egg for a 9 X 13 (or a whole egg if you are really opposed to wasting the other half).  This gives it a more cake-like texture so it is firm enough to hold all that frosting.  Bake and let cool, all standard instructions except for the 1/2 egg.  (How do you add 1/2 egg?  Only add the yolk or the white!  Pick your poison!  Or if you are completely type A, you can whisk the egg to scramble it, measure how many Tbs. it is, and use half of it.  But, that really is over the top.  Get help.) 

I've started just using the standard buttercream recipe for it, halved.  So, you'll want to mix in 1/2 cup butter, 2 cups powdered sugar, 1/2 tsp. peppermint extract, and 1 Tbs. milk. Mix in whatever color of food coloring you want.  Then, beat the heck out of it.  You've got to whip air into it to get it light and fluffy!  Wait until the brownies are completely cool before topping with buttercream, or else it will melt into minty soup all over your brownies!  Spread the buttercream over the brownie and chill. 

Then melt 1/4 cup butter and 1 cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips together, stirring until it's all smooth.  Be careful to not cook it too hot or too long or the chocolate will seize up (go yucky and  grainy).  Then stir in 1 tsp. vanilla extract.  Pour and spread over the surface of the brownie.  If you want to add sprinkles, add them on top of the chocolate glaze while it's still wet.  Cover and chill until the glaze is firm. 

We had made the green mint brownies just last week for something, I forget what. Then when I made them again, all Valentined up, it was so funny--- the family acted like they hadn't had them before, and were dying to have one.  They even "MMMmmmm"ed like they tasted better somehow.  Other than the pink frosting and the sprinkles, it was the exact same as last week's brownies.  It's funny what a little dressing up the food can do!