Triple Layer Mint Oreo Brownies

These are delicious!  Be prepared, one is probably not enough!  I found this recipe on loveveggiesandyoga.com. On their website they have step by step how to make everything about this from scratch (ex:brownie mix and frosting)  

I took the semi-homemade approach.  This recipe makes 24 brownies.

1- 7oz. jar marshmallow fluff

1/8 tsp. mint extract

8 drops of green food coloring

1 box of brownie mix

1 - 17oz. package of mint oreo cookies, hand crumbled

3/4 cup white chocolate chips, melted

1 cup vanilla frosting

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray a 9x13 pan with cooking spray.  In a medium bowl, stir together marshmallow fluff, mint extract and 4 drops of green food coloring or until you achieve a light green minty color.  In a separate larger bowl, prepare brownie mix as directed on the box, using water, oil, eggs and fold in 10 hand crumbled oreos.

Spread brownie batter in prepared pan.  Drop about 1/2 cup of green minty marshmallow mix onto brownie batter and reserve the remainder.

Gently pull a table knife through the batter in S-shape curves for a swirled design.

Bake for 23-25 mins, bake until brownies are set.  Taking care not to over bake.  Cool completely about 1 hour.  While brownies are cooling in a small bowl, take 1 cup of store bought vanilla frosting and stir it till it's fluffy.

In a small microwave-safe bowl, melt white chocolate chips.  (Microwave on high for 30 seconds; stir and microwave it 30 seconds longer; stir until smooth, taking care not to scorch it as white chocolate scorches easily.)  Add the melted white chocolate to the vanilla frosting and then add it all to the reserved green minty marshmallow mixture.  Stir in 4 more drops of green food coloring to keep it a light green color.  Spread it over the cooled brownies.

Sprinkle with 18 hand crumbled oreos, slightly pressing them into the green minty layer.  Allow top layer to set fully before slicing and serving.  I waited 3 hours before slicing mine.  You can store these in the refrigerator in an airtight container or store them in your freezer for up to 3 months.  PS - Mine didn't last long enough to store!  They were all gone in two days!

Enjoy!

Corned Beef

This is the way I make my St. Patty's Day dinner every year.  Serves 6.

1 - 5lb. corned beef brisket

water 

1 - 12oz. bottle of Guinness beer

Place corned beef brisket in pot on your stove top. Sprinkle the brisket with the spice packet that's included.  Pour water over the top of the meat till it covers 3/4 of the brisket.

Pour bottle of beer over the top of the brisket.

Cover and let it low boil for 4 hours.  After 2 hours (halfway) check the water level.  Add 2 more cups of water if the water level is below half the brisket. Cover and return to low boil.

Pull the meat out of the pot.  Let it rest on the cutting board for 5 mins. Slice the meat going against the grain.

 Serve with your classic roasted red potatoes, carrots, onion and cabbage.  Or you can use it to make sandwiches.  Great for left-overs.  Or corned beef and hash with eggs the next morning.  Enjoy!

Clean Eating; Cauliflower Soup

With the start of a New Year my family (Kelli's) decided to really focus on eating more healthy..... the best way we discovered to do this was by "Eating Clean". We follow these two rules.... one, the food we eat must come from mother nature and two, it must of had a mother.  Meaning it had to of grown out of the ground or off a tree/plant and something had to give birth to it (i.e....eggs, fish...etc.) It has started with baby steps, each day we try and make the best menu decision for our family. There are a lot of great website that have "clean" recipes to get you started. Here is a very simple soup that has great taste!

Cauliflower Soup with Sweet Potato, Beets and Radish Baked Veggies

1 tsp. Olive Oil

1/2 Yellow Onion, Minced

1-2 Slice of Canadian Bacon (or omit meat)

1 cup of chopped Baby Portabella Mushrooms

2 Cloves of Garlic, Minced

1 Tbsp Chopped Fresh Rosemary

1 Head of Fresh Cauliflower, Cut into Florets

2 cups of Reduced Sodium, Gluten Free Vegetable Broth

1 cup of Almond Milk

Heat in a large stockpot, Olive Oil, Onions, Garlic, Canadian Bacon, Mushrooms and Rosemary. Cook for 5-10 min. until onions are soft and the rosemary is fragrant. 

Add the Cauliflower, veg. broth and milk. Bring to a boil and simmer. Cover and turn heat to low, let it cook for 10-15 min. until the cauliflower is tender. Then Pour it all into a blender or food processor and puree until smooth. Crumble the veg. chips on top and serve hot!! Yum!

Vegetable Baked Chips

Slice 

1 Sweet Potato

2 Beets

3 Radishes

Sea Salt

Preheat oven to 400. spread out on baking sheet. Put the veggies on the baking sheet and lightly salt. Put in oven for 25 min. Let cool and then eat!

Enjoy!