Triple Chocolate Mint Brownies

Luckily these brownies turned out fantastic because they almost cost me a new pair of jeans. Ok, I probably shouldn't blame the brownies for my own stupidity. Am I the only one who has ever exploded an entire stick of butter in the microwave? It's not fun, don't do it. It is a huge mess to clean up, and in the process of cleaning it up, you might spill a little a lot on your new pair of jeans. Thank goodness for dish soap. If you are ever in this unfortunate situation, don't panic...just grab your dish soap and rub some directly on the stain, then wash as usual. Phew!

Back to the brownies...if you love chocolate and mint, then you will love these. I made super fudgy brownies from scratch using my favorite recipe, but you could easily use a boxed mix too. Then I added a layer of mint frosting and finished them off with a layer of chocolate glaze and mini chocolate chips (because you really can't have too much chocolate). They are everything a mint brownie should be.

Triple Chocolate Mint Brownies
Serving size: 9x13

Brownie layer:
Ingredients for 1 batch of brownies (enough for 9x13), homemade or boxed mix

Mint layer:
2 cups confectioners' sugar
4 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
2 tbsp. milk
1/2 - 3/4 tsp. peppermint extract (to taste)
Green food coloring

Chocolate layer:
3/4 cup semisweet or bittersweet chocolate chips (I used a mixture of both)
3 tbsp. unsalted butter, cut into cubes

1/4 cup mini chocolate chips for topping

Line a 9 x 13 baking pan with aluminum foil, making sure to leave a 1 inch overhang, and lightly spray with cooking spray. Prepare and bake the brownies according to the recipe or instructions on the box. Let them cool to room temperature in the pan.

Once the brownies are completely cool, prepare the mint layer. In a medium bowl, whisk the confectioners' sugar, melted butter, and milk together. Add the desired amount of peppermint extract (to taste) and food coloring. Spread the frosting in an even layer on top of the brownies using an offset spatula. Place in the refrigerator to set while you prepare the chocolate layer.

To prepare the chocolate layer, place the chocolate chips and butter together in a microwave safe bowl. Microwave on high 1 minute, stirring after 30 seconds, or until the chocolate has completely melted. Mix well. Allow to cool slightly, about 2 minutes. Spread in an even layer on top of the mint layer using an offset spatula. Immediately sprinkle the mini chocolate chips over the top. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to serve. When ready to serve, remove the brownies from the pan by pulling up on the aluminum foil. Cut into squares or triangles.

Source: adapted from Cooking Light March 2008

Pepperoncini Beef

Ok, this would have looked WAY better on a toasted hoagie roll, topped with melted provolone cheese, and smothered with mushrooms and onions. Unfortunately, I'm still working on this whole diet thing so I ate my beef sans roll, but it was still fantastic. I did manage to top it with sauteed mushrooms and onions the first night, but it was devoured so quickly that I ended up with plain beef the next night. I didn't care though because the beef was great by itself - slightly spicy and tangy from the pepperoncinis. 

And the best part...this recipe is E-A-S-Y! I always try to overcomplicate things but I resisted the urge with this one. I honestly didn't have high hopes because it was way too easy, but I was wrong. Just toss a beef chuck roast in the slow-cooker (no need to brown first), add a jar of sliced pepperoncinis with juice, and a little garlic and Worcestershire sauce. (I had to complicate things a little bit with this but beef and Worcestershire sauce were made for each other. I couldn't help it.) 

Pepperoncini Beef

Servings: 6-8

3-4 lb. beef chuck roast

1 - 16 oz. jar sliced pepperoncinis

4 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce

Salt and pepper

Place the beef in a slow-cooker. Season with salt and pepper. Add the jar of pepperoncinis and their juice. Add the garlic and Worcestershire sauce. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours, or until fork tender. 

Skim the fat off the top, if necessary. Shred the beef with two forks (no need to remove the beef from the slow-cooker). Discard excess fat. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Serve on toasted hoagie rolls with melted provolone cheese and sauteed mushrooms and onions.

Source: adapted from allrecipes

Curried Coconut Chicken

I absolutely love comfort food, but to be honest, I'm kind of over it right now. We ate tons of it this past winter (and enjoyed every minute of it), but I'm ready for something new. Usually that means pulling out the grill, but we still have plenty of snow on the ground, and our grill isn't in the best shape after our move. So for me, change means trying new Indian, Thai, or Chinese recipes that I haven't made before. Sometimes it is hard for me to think outside of our weekly staples, but I am so glad that I decided to try. This recipe was fantastic, and my husband and I were fighting over the leftovers. We like things spicy so I used a mixture of Hot Madras curry powder and regular curry powder, but use whatever you have. My only advice with this recipe is to make sure you salt it to taste at the end. When I first tried it after simmering, I wasn't impressed, but then I added quite a bit of salt and it made all of the other flavors come alive. 

Curried Coconut Chicken

Servings: 6

2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided

8 baby carrots, thinly sliced

1 green bell pepper, chopped

2 shallots, thinly sliced

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 tbsp. fresh ginger, finely chopped

2 tbsp. curry powder (Hot Madras or regular, or a mixture of both)

2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, thinly sliced into 1 inch pieces

1 - 14.5 oz. can petite diced tomatoes

1 - 13.5 oz. can coconut milk

Salt and pepper

Cilantro for garnish (optional)

In a large skillet, heat 1 tbsp. oil over medium heat. Add the carrots, bell pepper, and shallots, and cook until softened. Add the garlic, ginger, and curry powder, and cook for 1 minute longer. 

Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Move the vegetables to the perimeter of the pan, and add 1 tbsp. oil to the center of the skillet. Add the chicken and cook until no longer pink. Stir the chicken and veggies together. 

Stir in the tomatoes (with their juice) and coconut milk. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low. Simmer, covered, for 30 minutes. If the sauce is too thin, then continue to simmer, uncovered, for an additional 10-15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with cilantro, if desired.

Serve alone, over rice, or over cauliflower "rice".

Source: adapted from allrecipes

Green Beans with Shallots and Garlic

This is my number one go-to side dish. I use it for everything - Thanksgiving, fancy dinner parties, and even as an easy weeknight side dish - and the best part is that everyone loves it. I keep it simple by using bagged green beans that are already trimmed. You could also use fresh green beans from the bin, but you have to trim and and blanch them first. I'm usually running around like a crazy lady, finishing up all kinds of last minute things before a dinner party, so I like to save time and buy the fresh bagged beans that steam in the microwave. I also like to make these ahead of time and then just reheat them briefly right before serving. 

Green Beans with Shallots and Garlic
Servings: 4

1 - 12 oz. bag fresh green beans (such as GreenLine that are already washed and trimmed, and can be steamed in their bag in the microwave)*
1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp. unsalted butter
1 shallot, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
Salt and pepper

Steam the green beans in the microwave according to package directions until crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. While the green beans are cooking, heat the olive oil and butter together in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the shallot and cook until softened. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds longer. Add the cooked green beans and toss to coat. Sauté for 1-2 minutes or until heated through. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

*You could substitute fresh, loose green beans, but they need to be washed, trimmed, and blanched first.

Source: A Much Kneaded original

Pizza Porcupine Meatballs with Cauliflower "Rice"

You know you've hit a "home run" when your toddler chooses the dinner that you cooked over hot dogs. I didn't think anything would stand between him and his beloved hot dogs, but I was wrong. He devoured these meatballs. Actually, we all did. We were fighting over the leftovers. I lost (no surprise), so I am making a double batch of these this week, and I never make the same thing twice in one week. 

The original porcupine meatball recipe was a family favorite when I was growing up. Although I love the original recipe, it isn't exactly Paleo friendly because it contains rice. I have seen cauliflower "rice" as a rice substitute on other blogs, so I thought I would give it a try. Also, I thought it was a great way to try to sneak extra veggies into my toddler. I promise you won't miss the white rice. The cauliflower "rice" gives the meatballs a very similar texture and it really doesn't taste like cauliflower. I honestly couldn't taste it at all. 

The other change I made was to use homemade pizza sauce instead of the tomato sauce in the original recipe. I didn't intend to use pizza sauce, but when I couldn't find a can of tomato sauce in the pantry, I went to my freezer. I always have a batch of homemade pizza sauce in the freezer. It is so easy to make and usually makes way more than we need for a couple of pizzas. My husband thought these were the best meatballs yet, and that is saying something because he hates cauliflower. 

Pizza Porcupine Meatballs with Cauliflower "Rice"

Servings: 16 meatballs

1 lb. lean ground beef
1 cup cauliflower rice, uncooked*
1/4 cup + 2 tbsp. water, divided
1/3 cup yellow onion, finely chopped
1 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. celery salt
1/8 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 batch homemade pizza sauce

Preheat the oven to 350°. In a medium bowl, mix the beef, cauliflower rice, 2 tbsp. water, onion, salt, pepper, celery salt, and garlic powder together. Break off golf-ball size pieces and roll into balls. (There should be a total of 16 evenly sized balls).  Place in an even layer in an ungreased 8 x 8 glass baking dish. 

In a medium bowl, whisk the pizza sauce and 1/4 cup water together. Pour over the meatballs. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 45 minutes. Uncover and bake for an additional 20 minutes or until the meatballs are cooked through. Let sit at room temperature for at least 5 minutes before serving.

*To make cauliflower rice, process fresh cauliflower florets through a food processor fitted with a shredding blade. The shredded cauliflower should be about the same size as rice.

Source: adapted from Much Kneaded's Mom (originally adapted from a General Mills 1971 recipe)