I've told you about my cookbook collection, but I don't think I've ever mentioned the first cookbook I ever purchased. It was in April 1980, a few months after hubby and I got married. He was off skiing with a friend one day, and I went shopping. I only remember one item I purchased that day - a cookbook by Susi Anderson called Feasting after . . . work and play. Published in 1979, it was a new release then - 30+ years later, it looks very used. And it has been!
It's there where I still go for my two favorite salad recipes, cheesy bread, baby cheesecakes, and Dutch babies, among others. More often than not, I've gone to the most-loved page of all, where you'll find peppermint bars.
In my little world, they're known as mint brownies. And there's a bit of a funny history surrounding them. In my cookbook, they have a red star and the word, great!, marked in the margin. I made them off and on in the 80's, as hubby is a real chocolate and mint fan. Well in 1988 when I went to work in a bakery, I found one of their signature items was mint brownies. I would make big full-sheet pans of them, sometimes two in one day. And once chilled, they'd be carefully cut 2" x 3" and placed on a triangle of parchment paper, and plattered up, where they proceeded to fly off the bakery shelf. They were a standard - the #1 item I could never run out of. One day it dawned on me how similar they were to 'my' peppermint bars, and it prompted me to compare recipes. You got it - one and the same (except for quantity, of course).
From then on, they've been called mint brownies, and when I left the bakery and went on to other jobs, they became a favorite with my coworkers as well. Which is exactly why I made them last night.
Brownie:
2 oz. unsweetened chocolate
1/2 cup butter
2 eggs, beaten lightly
1 c. sugar
1/2 c. flour
1 t. salt
Melt butter & chocolate in saucepan. Remove from heat & add beaten eggs. Beat well with whisk. Add sugar, flour & salt. Pour into greased 9" square pan. Bake 20 minutes at 350°.
Frosting:
1 c. powdered sugar
2 heaping Tb. butter
1 Tb. milk
1/2 Tb. peppermint extract
Beat all ingredients together until smooth. Spread on cooled brownies & chill.
Glaze:
2 oz. semi-sweet chocolate
2 Tb. butter
Melt butter & chocolate together. Pour over chilled frosting & tilt pan to completely cover. Chill well before cutting.
I've had some requests for a Tuesday at the Table button, which you'll find below, as well is in my sidebar. Spread the word and invite others to joinaround the table.
Oh, I'm going to have to stop reading TatT. As I check my pantry...yep, got all the ingredients...drool...
ReplyDeleteOooh, sounds yummy!
ReplyDeleteOh yum!!! My husband and I had mint choc chip ice cream on our first date! I'll have to make these, he'll love them!!
ReplyDeleteWill you hate me if I say 1980 was the year I was born ;) x
i might stop coming to your blog on tuesdays. my thighs are growing! ;) kidding.
ReplyDeleteYummy! I am always on the lookout for good brownie recipes. We used to buy mint brownies from the Creamery at college. They were soooo good! I can't wait to give these a try.
ReplyDeleteCan't get over the well-loved Peppermint Bars recipe page - it is a treasure. Too funny that both Mint Brownies and Peppermint Bars are the same recipe - great story. :) Thank you for sharing.
ReplyDeleteLooks TOO good!
ReplyDeleteWow..that historical cookbook older than me :)
ReplyDeleteYU-UM! I'll have to try these for sure! I love chocolate/mint.
ReplyDeleteI'm on a diet, but do you mind if I pin this for later? They look soo good!
ReplyDeleteThese sound great, Debbie! And I love the notes all over your pages!
ReplyDeleteThese look delicious - might make some on the weekend with the kids!
ReplyDeleteAll your recipes are clearly winners, thanks for sharing another great one. Love the new banner AND that button! Going to go put it up straight away :-)
ReplyDeleteOh, yum! I really should make these this month.
ReplyDelete