Thursday, March 11, 2010

Green Equals Mint


My mother is a very creative woman. She is an accomplished musician and weaver, and she loves creating beauty. I think the "little kids at home" phase of her life squashed her creativity and made it pop out in unusual places. I well remember the lunch that she prepared for St. Patrick's Day one year. Everything was green. Everything. The milk. The cottage cheese. Green. Euwww.

I know Mom meant is to be a fun St. Pat's treat, but, really, green cottage cheese? I don't need to add food coloring to get my cottage cheese green - I just leave it alone in the back of the fridge for 2 months. And, no, it's not a fun treat for anyone!

What is a fun treat is when green means mint. Creme de menthe, mint ice cream, and mint chips. And what better partner for mint than chocolate? Deep, dark, delicious, ooey gooey chocolate brownies. Yummmmm.

Now the last time I posted something using these chips I did get some comments that the chips were unavailable to my readers in some areas. To forestall the same avalanche of complaints (well, maybe it was only 2 readers, but I hate for people to be unhappy), I'm going to give away a bag of mint chips to one lucky reader from the United States or Canada. I's not a freebie that I got from Guittard, just something from my personal stash to help make your St. Patrick's Day a little more sweet.

If you'd like to be entered to win, just leave a comment. I'll announce the winner on Monday.

Luck O' the Irish Brownies
- adapted from King Arthur Flour

1 cup (8 oz) unsalted butter
2-1/4 cups sugar
1-1/4 cups Dutch-process cocoa
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
1 Tbsp vanilla extract
4 large eggs
1-1/2 cups (6-1/4 oz) unbleached all-purpose flour
2 cups (12 oz bag) mint chips*


1- Preheat oven to 350 deg. F. Lightly grease a 9 x 13-inch pan.

2- In a saucepan set over low heat, melt the butter, then add the sugar and stir to combine. Heat briefly, just till it's hot, but not bubbling; it'll become shiny looking as you stir it. Transfer the mixture to a mixing bowl.

3- Stir in the cocoa, salt, baking powder, and vanilla. Add the eggs, beating till smooth; then add the flour and chips, beating till well combined. Spoon the batter into the prepared pan.

4- Bake the brownies for 28 to 30 minutes, until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out mostly dry, with a few crumbs clinging to it. The brownies should feel set on the edges and in the center. Remove from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes. Run a table knife around the edges to loosen them; this helps prevent the brownies from sinking in the middle as they cool. Cool completely before cutting. Makes 2 dozen brownies.

* To make your stash of mint chips go farther, you can use 1 cup mint chips and 1 cup chocolate chips.

36 comments:

Fallon said...

I don't think I've ever seen green minty chips! These brownies look fabulous.

Jennifer Jo said...

Count me in! I'd love to have a bag of green chips, especially considering I can't buy any at present (you know, that old spending freeze bet---it's still going strong...).

Beth said...

Lynn, I really love your blog! This recipe looks decadent and pretty too. I would love a bag of mint chips, so thanks for the opportunity to enter your giveaway. Thanks for your generosity and all the super recipes you share!
Blessings - Beth

Natalie said...

you're too nice to do a giveaway! thanks, i'd love to make these and my husband would love for me to make them as well ;)

Amanda said...

how fun! I'd love to give this a try!! either in this recipe...or ice cream...yum.

grace said...

pretty pale green and oh-so-tasty! yeah, i'd have trouble parting with an entire bag of those chips in one hurrah. 'tis better to ration one's stash. :)

Lindsay said...

I didn't know these existed! But I would love a sample.

Mrsblocko said...

ive never seen these green mint chips before. The only mint chips I've seen were the stripy red ones from andies mints. They seem to only be around at xmas time though.

Debbie said...

I love mint! I'll have to look for these chips.

Anonymous said...

You know, I make a similar brownie, and always use Andes baking pieces, which I can get at Aldi! Broken Andes candies work as well..... although I am sure those Guittard chips are way yummier!

Valerie Harrison (bellini) said...

I'm not Irish but I may be lucky yet. These brownies are perfect for the season. Erin go braugh.

Julie said...

Love the fact that these chips are green! I have the Andes mint chips but they are chocolate color.

Sheila @ The Deliberate Reader said...

Those look so great! I'd love to try them in brownies like you show.

Anh said...

Oh. This is an unsual and fun looking brownie!

The Pinnt's said...

oo! Two things, I LOVE mint and chocolate and I've never tried Guittard! Yum!

jenn_bunnie said...

That is cool. I have never seen green chocolate chips before. I might have to go scouting for those!
Would love to try a bag and see what they are all about.

Kitchen Corner said...

WOW!! Delicious brownie! I've not tried any mints brownie before. I think it gives a bit for freshness to cover the richness of chocolate taste.

Anonymous said...

The Brownies look fabulous! I don't need the chip giveaway, but for those who have difficulty getting green chips, around Christmas, Nestle puts out a green and red varigated mint chip. I always buy some extra and save them for baking later.

Susan from Food Blogga said...

Green cottage cheese? Eeewwwww.

Green baking chips? Cuuuute!

I've never been big into the whole green foods for St. Pat's either, but you have tempted me here, Lynn!

hobby baker Kelly said...

Y U M. Two of the brownie variations I've been wanting to try are the minty ones and some with cappuccino chips. No better excuse for green chips than next week...

CookiePie said...

Love those brownies! I have seen those chips before - they are BRIGHT green! It works in brownies though. Yum!

Sara said...

I don't think I've ever seen mint chips up here. But I would certainly love to try them and those brownies look amazing!

elizabeth said...

oh i adore mint and chocolate together. yum! (but definitely _not_ with a side of green cottage cheese. how funny).

NKP said...

Green mint chips! And good quality ones at that. These look delicious, and if they are KAF they have to be good.

Unknown said...

I have yet to find any form of Guittard chocolate around here, never mind mint ones! I think I'll try this with some Andes Candies I've been hoarding for the right recipe....mmmm.

Miss. Tarrah Dame said...

Yum! I've heard of these chips but have yet to see them anywhere! We're totally on the same page w/ green and mint. I have a post drafted with the same topic! I plan on making thin mint cupcakes and cookies for st. pattys day! hope they turn out as good as these brownies look...wish me luck!
http://cuppycakebakes.blogspot.com

Shelby said...

Fallon pointed me to your recipe and I made these tonight. They are yummy! I used Nestle Dark Chocolate and Mint chip mix that I purchased at Christmas time and didn't have a clue what to do with them! Thanks for the recipe!

Anonymous said...

When I ever make these brownies, I will remind myself to eat an extra slice, for a pat of extra luck. It's a perfectly sane logic! :) Yum!

aforkfulofspaghetti said...

Nope, green cottage cheese isn't doing it for me, either... ;)

I love the look of these brownies, though - the colour makes them look more interesting and fun than 'normal' brownies, don't you think? Which, I suppose, is exactly what they are!

Happy St Patrick's Day!

Katie said...

They looks so cool - love the green chips and the minty combination. Unfortunetly I cam't enter your giveaway as I live in the UK - we can't get any sort of flavoured baking chip here either.

Sara said...

Mmmm! I don't like it when people dye food (milk etc) green for St Patricks Day, although when I was a waitress we did the green beer thing. Minty brownies sound deeeeelicious!

Barbara said...

It's a puzzle to me where everyone gets all these unusual chips. I can't even find cinnamon chips at my regular market. I certainly wouldn't be able to find these mint chips! And I love the green minty bits in your St. Patrick's Day brownies!

Elaine said...

Thank you for sharing!

Elle said...

Love the photo of the brownie with its green chips peeking out from the chips bag. Love chocolate and mint. Last Christmas there was bagged candy with mint versions of a minitures mixture...so good and no longer to be found anywhere. Will have to give these yummy brownies a try!

Allie said...

Great giveaway for St Patrick's Day! I'm a newly converted fan of the chocolate/mint combo!

CaSaundraLeigh said...

Love the choc/mint combo, especially in ice cream!