St. Patrick's Mint Brownies

St. Patrick’s Mint Brownies
Dorcas Annette Walker

I’m always collecting recipes that catch my eye that I stash in a pile to try out sometime. While browsing through my recipes, I saw a recipe for mint brownies and my imagination kicked in. I changed the brownie recipe to honor St. Patrick’s Day and whipped up a batch using my husband as a taste tester. He didn’t want to stop with one brownie. I had to admit these brownies were not only colorful but luscious too.

St. Patrick’s Day honors St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland who died on March 17th. Interestingly enough St. Patrick’s Day has been celebrated with greater fanfare here in America than over in Ireland. The total number of immigrants from Ireland lawfully admitted to the United States for permanent resident since 1820 is 4.8 million. The first St. Patrick’s parade, made up of Irish soldiers serving in the British colonial army, took place in New York on March 17, 1762. In 1995 the Irish government struck by the strange paradox of America, Canada, and Australia making a bigger holiday out of St. Patrick’s Day than the Emerald Isle itself began a national campaign to transform St. Patrick’s Day into an authentic Irish celebration. Corn beef and cabbage is the traditional Irish meal for St. Patrick’s Day. Today people celebrate St. Patrick’s Day by wearing the color green, shamrocks, and clover with three leaves in memory of Ireland.

Brownies are easy to make as a quick dessert or snack. These St. Patrick’s Mint Brownies are rich and moist topped off with a cool tasting creamy icing. Preparation time for my St. Patrick’s Mint Brownies is close to 45 minutes (baking time included) and serves around sixteen.

St. Patrick’s Mint Brownies

1 box of Brownie Mix
1pkg thin chocolate mints
Mix up and bake a batch of brownies as directed. As soon as brownies are done spread a layer of chocolate mints on top. Cover and let the mints melt.

Icing:

2 c powdered sugar
½ c shortening
¼ c milk
¼ tsp peppermint extract
¼ tsp almond extract
couple drops of green food coloring
Beat together with Wisk until smooth. Spread over cooled brownies. Cut into squares and serve!

Dorcas Annette Walker is a freelance writer, author, columnist, and photographer from Jamestown, TN. If you have any cooking tips or favorite recipes you are welcome to contact me by mail at: Dorcas Walker, 929 Wildwood Lane, Jamestown, TN 38556 or email me at: dorcaswalker@yahoo.com. For more information about the Walker family and Dorcas’ books check out her website at: www.dorcasannettewalker.com or htpp://dorcasannettewalker.blogspot.com for other Creative Mountain Cookin recipes.