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Thin Mintz

Recently I have been hearing mentions of it being “girl scout cookie time”, and although now I obviously abstain, I still get a little nostalgic thinking about my short lived years peddling those things. I was a girl scout for just five years… but in that time, I easily ate hundreds (no thousands) of girl scout cookies. I mean, I had to spend my allowance on something, right?  The flavor I loved the most was thin mints… by a long shot. I could crush an entire packet of those things in one sitting, without a single complaint from my belly. That’s like 30 cookies at once. We had a very serious relationship, thin mints and I.

Happily, I found my love re-kindled with a homemade version of the classic cookie. When I was making the ice cream sandwiches last week, I was thinking that the dough would make an excellent crunchy wafer if baked a little longer. Then I thought about how I could easily slip some minty flavor in there, dip it in chocolate and re-create my childhood cookie love. The rest is history.

These babies taste pretty damn good and authentic, if I do say so myself. No hydrogenated oils, gluten, or animal products needed.

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Peanut Butter Ice Cream Sammies

I don’t think that this post needs a sentimental explanation as to why I actually wanted to create this recipe… because to me, it’s pretty self explanatory. Peanut Butter Ice Cream Sandwiches.  Nuff said.

Although, I will say that I have been cranking out some ice cream lately (yes, it’s still snowing here in Ohio), and I fell head over heels with this PB version I came up with. Smooshing the ice cream between two chocolate wafer cookies seemed like a logical evolution.

You can easily just make one of the recipes listed below, rather than combine them both, and still have an easy nostalgic treat.

Whether you go for the peanut butter ice cream, the chocolate wafer cookies, or both (and I highly recommend both) you will most certainly have a happy tummy.

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Vegan & Gluten Free Twixx

A few days ago, I got this hankering for a twix bar… or more likely a hankering to create a vegan and gluten free version of the popular candy that I grew to love as a child. I distinctly remember there being three varieties offered for sale in my small midwest village grocery store: peanut butter, cookies and cream, and caramel. I always loved each one for their own uniqueness… but for some reason, the caramel variety was my favorite.

Today, I barely remember what the darned things taste like… but I get the gist: a crunchy vanilla-ish cookie, creamy caramel, and a thin chocolate coating.

Easy enough, right?

Eh….

This recipe does take a little patience, finesse… and an even temper. But, it’s definitely worth a go if you too miss twix bars like I do *whether you are gluten free, vegan, or both*.

Not exactly the same, but close enough to be worth the little bit of extra effort.

(updated— the amazingly rational Kittee came through in the comments with a stellar idea to make these super easy! She had a ridiculously good suggestion to pipe on the caramel sticky filling using a piping bag and flat tip. Genius!) see * below

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Chocolate Candy Cane Cupcakes

After taking a nice long vacation due to needing to recover from all the MoFo action, I have returned… with an offering of cupcakes. Holiday themed cupcakes, at that!

Typically, I am not one to jump on the winter holiday excitement… due to being semi-ambivalent about the season, loathing cold weather, a disinterest in consumer driven holidays, as well as having such an aversion to Christmas music that I will avoid most retailers well past January 1st (I know… “bah-humbug”, right?). However, my son is an 8 year old boy. And he is the sweetest 8 year old boy I have ever come to love. And, he was begging us for a “traditional” Xmas setting in our home during the holidays this year. So, since my husband and I adore him… we broke down and put up a tree last night.

I’m pretty sure we go through this every single December. Ah, holidays.

I have to say, I do like the twinkling lights all over my house. I may actually leave them up. Maybe forever.

Also, we purchased a truckload of candy canes to decorate the tree with… and, oh boy, I can’t even tell you guys how much I love candy canes.  Especially combined with chocolate… and buttercream frosting. Every year I have to make myself some chocolatey-pepperminty-cupcakes to go with my ginormous mug of nog.

I guess this time of year isn’t all bad. I do love the over-consumption of baked goods part. :)

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Dark Chocolate Chipotle Cake

Today marks the last day of VeganMoFo!

I have to say, this has been one helluva MoFo; this month I have gained some wonderful things: an incredible amount of inspiration, new (and old) friends, a million more blogs to look forward to in my feedreader… and so many other warm fuzzies that I couldn’t possibly list them all right here, right now.

And, can you believe all of the food? I mean… holy stromboli there was a lot of food!

Since today is the final day of this glorious month of vegan food, I made a cake. I like to reserve cakes for celebratory times in my life (I know, super traditional), and even in those times I often opt to make a pie or some cookies (lazy traditionalist). So, when I break out a cake, you know it’s important.

Thank you to everyone who’s been there throughout the whole MoFoing month. ♥

And huge high five to everyone who participated….

I have a lotta catching up to do. Do you?

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Chocolate Covered Potato Chips

So, I was running behind today with my VeganMoFo post and was trying to find something superquick to make up for it. As I wandered into my kitchen, I immediately spotted two of my favorite foods: potato chips and chocolate chips. I considered today’s post done!

I know this isn’t exactly a recipe… at all. It’s much more of an assemblage. But, chocolate covered potato chips are BIG where I come from (holla, Midwest!), so any of you unfamiliar to this insanely unhealthy flavor explosion: this post is for you. ♥

Plus, it’s almost Thanksgiving, ya know?!  That’s right…add some mashed potatoes and gravy and we would have ourselves a three-course dinner, folks. :)

What can I say? I’m a simple kinda gal.

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Buckeye Candy (with a Hint of Cardamom)

I was raised on the idea that: if you want a treat, you best learn how to make it yourself. And, if you want to learn how to make it correctly (or in other words: taste like my mom’s), you must follow the recipe exactly. The first part, I agree with- but the second part… bah. Not so.

Beginning when I was just fifteen I had started veganizing all of my mom’s, grandmother’s, aunts’ and cousins’ recipes out of an old box that my mom kept on the very top shelf of her highest kitchen cabinet (good thing I was one heck of a climber). Buckeye Candy*- popular here in the state of Ohio, where the magical buckeye trees flourish- is one of the first recipes I got my little vegan hands on.

I happen to think these vegan buckeye candies taste just as they should: incredibly unhealthy, rich and so so so delicious.

* I added the cardamom for extra yumminess, ’cause that’s how I roll.

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Chocolate Toffee Popcorn Balls

Popcorn balls are one of those things that never EVER cross my mind to make or even eat. I have no idea why. Even though I’m not a huge fan of eating fistfulls of popcorn, I absolutely love popcorn when it is slathered in buttery flavored sugar and shaped into a sphere! I also love that they are sweet and salty and will make you totally sick if you eat too many.  :)

Plus, these things are friggin cute. Seriously… they are so easy, but you can make them look like you spent hours making them- and because of this, they make the perfect “bring along to someone else’s party” food.

Happy Halloween!!

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Chocolate Acorn Squash Baked Custard

I woke up this morning determined to create something wonderful with this little acorn squash that had been rolling around on my counter-top for the past few days.

After mixing up all of the ingredients,  I had no idea that I had just created my new favorite Autumn treat. I’m serious! This dessert tastes remarkably like a chocolate pumpkin pie, or a pot de créme,  or simply what it is: an awesome baked custard (no eggs or cream needed). And it’s so easy to make!

Creamy, rich, and chocolatey, I dare you to eat just one bite.

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Blackberry Brownies

This is more or less a simple brownie recipe with some blackberries sprinkled on top- but what a humdinger of a simple recipe it is!

It’s somewhere in between a “cakey” brownie and a “chewy” brownie.  And, while I admit that I generally prefer the chewy variety to the cakey variety… these are right up there with the best chewy brownies I have ever had. They’re soft and moist on the inside, while chewy and slightly crispy on the outside.

The blackberries are optional, but they add a really nice touch.

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Double Chocolate Chip Cookies

Hiya all!  I’m back.

Well, truthfully I hadn’t gone anywhere. I have been sitting on my computer for the last week and a half trying my damn-dist to get this blog all fixed up. Unfortunately, my former webhost  had some  issues and both of my websites with that host were hacked. Fun.

It occurred while I was on my super fun mini vacation. My family enjoyed a quick getaway with my long time BFF from Philly and her fams.  It was a blast. Good eats, fireworks, my favorite people all in one place, swimming pools, and dogs galore.

But coming home to my website spewing out maliciousness was pretty horrible. :)

Needless to say, I had to do some major cleaning up, and I had to switch hosts… and it took a bit of time to do so.

But, no worries.  Everything is happy and secure and fresh and new, and I’ve brought along some extra chocolatey chip cookies. Or, at least the recipe.

It feels so good to be back up.

Whew.

Thank goodness for BFF’s from Philly who know how to fix broken websites. Thank goodness for my supportive hubs who spent all hours of every day working hard and freaking out along side of me, but doing a much better job of keeping his cool than I.  Thank goodness for puppies… for just being so darn cute and snuggly when I needed it the most.

And thank goodness for you understanding and wonderful readers. ♥

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Chocolate Raspberry Cake with “Anniversary” Glaze

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My hubs and I just celebrated our ♥ wedding anniversary ♥.  I made this raspberry chocolate cake for us to indulge in, along with a bottle of wine from our wedding. The cake (which has since been completely polished off) had a delicate crumb and fragrant ribbon of fresh raspberries and preserves in the middle of each slice. The “anniversary” glaze, a simple mix of red wine, confectioner’s sugar & coconut oil, made the cake extra special.

It turned out to be a really good cake.

Alright, it was better than good. It was amazing.

Flavorful. Excellent. Almost gourmet-ish.

My husband and I were devouring the leftovers of the glaze straight from the bowl. Even as I am writing this post, we keep talking about how stupid good that cake was. Maybe we are biased because it was our anniversary cake… but I have my doubts. :)

If anything, try using the just the glaze on something else: a cookie or scone, strawberries, a piece of toast, a spoon, anything! I recommend a shiraz or tempranillo blend (because I love them), but wine of any sort would be pretty good… even the super cheap stuff. The result of combining confectioner’ s sugar with wine creates a sweet (but tart) and classy coating that compliments the chocolate and raspberries with the utmost generosity.

I only managed to jot down my measurements for the cake. So, use your best judgment when making the filling and the glaze. The filling should be the consistency of a thick jam, and the glaze should be the consistency (before hardening) of Elmer’s glue. Yes, I’m serious.


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Double Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins (GF)

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Sometime last week, as I opened up my Google reader, I was greeted by this.

Is that not the most wonderful and genius muffin ever? It made me mad with muffin envy. Those bad boys just looked so damn good I set myself a goal to make muffins ASAP. I wanted to de-glutenize Mihl’s version, but I had no Dandies or cranberries. Plus, I really suck at looking at/using other people’s recipes. I pretty much never follow them as written. Admittedly, when I look at all the other fabulous food blogs out there, I skim over the whole “recipe” part and get right to the photos.  Look again… you know you want to.

But, back to the issue at hand…

Before I started to even preheat my oven, I realized that I hadn’t yet created a gluten-free version of my own chocolate muffins. Naturally, I decided to nip that problem right in the bud. I started by making a simple chocolate muffin that accompanied our family on a long hike this weekend. By round two, I had created the muffin monstrosity pictured above.

I also happened to pick up some Dandies at the grocery this past weekend while we were out in “the big city” gorging on ridiculously huge and ever-so-tasty dosai (plural? for dosa).  It all made for a pretty spectacular weekend.

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