Deep Dark Chocolate Mint Cookies - Gluten-free

8 oz Semi-sweet chocolate - broken into 1/2 oz pieces
4 oz Unsweetened chocolate - broken into 1/2 oz pieces

1 1/2 cup Organic Rice Flour (white)
1/2 cup Unsweetened cocoa
1 tsp Baking Soda
1 tsp Salt

1 1/2 cup Tightly packed light brown sugar
12 tbl Unsalted butter
3 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract

1 lb Mint chips

Start melting semi-sweet and unsweetened chocolate in double boiler.

Sift all dry ingredients together and set aside.

Cream butter with brown sugar, then add eggs and vanilla to this mixture. Add the melted chocolate next and after that is completely mixed, add the dry ingredients. Mix well and add the mint chips.

Chill the dough.

I've found that using a #50 disher (a small ice cream scoop with the number 50 on the "paddle" inside it) makes a very nice sized cookie.  Not too big and not too small.  Line the cookie sheet with parchment paper to prevent sticking.

If you don't want to use the disher, just use a heaping tablespoon to measure each cookie.  Or if you are really lazy... er... pressed for time, just put the batter in a 10x15 pan and bake them like brownies.

Bake 18-22 minutes in preheated 325F oven.

Notes:
Hershey's Special Dark cocoa powder also works better for a more chocolately flavor.

I love spammers/scammers/phishers. They humor me.

So I got this in my spam bucket today:

Unfortunately your data was leaked in the recent hacking of the Patreon web site and I now have your information. I have your tax id, tax forms, SSN, DOB, Name, Address, Credit card details and more sensitive data. Now, I can go ahead and leak your details online which would damage your credit score like hell and would create a lot of problems for you. 

If you would like to prevent me from doing this then you need to send 1 bitcoin to the following BTC address. 

Bitcoin Address: 
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 

You can buy bitcoins using online exchanges easily. The bitcoin address is unique to you. Sending bitcoin takes take, so you better get started right now, you have 48 hours in total.

Well, "Natalie"  (with a from aol.com, but a reply to juno.com - which is why it ended up in my spam bucket), seeing how the only thing you got from Paetron was my email address - since I never provided my tax id, tax forms, SSN, DOB, name and address (BTW, you didn't get my credit card information), you can go take a leak.

It's amazing that you think that I'm so dumb as to fall for your scam.

Jerk.

Cinnmon Chip Cookies

Cinnamon Chip Cookies

Gluten Free

1 ¾ cup gluten free oat flour

½ cup coconut flour

1 tsp salt

1 tsp baking powder

1 tbl cinnamon

2 sticks unsalted butter (room temp)

¼ cup sugar

1 ¼ cups brown sugar

2 eggs

1 ½ tsp vanilla extract

2 cups cinnamon chips

Hardware:

Ice cream scooper (#50 disher, to be exact)

Parchment paper

Baking sheets

Mixer

Heat oven to 375 degrees F.

Sift together the flours, salt, baking powder and cinnamon and set aside.

Cream the butter, and sugars. Add the eggs and vanilla extract and mix until well combined. Mix in the flour mixture. Stir in the cinnamon chips.

Chill the dough, then scoop onto parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake for 14 minutes.

Cool completely, then frost with cinnamon frosting.

Cinnamon Frosting

2 cups powdered sugar

2 tbl cinnamon

½ cup Crisco

¼ cup milk (or dairy-free milk)

Mix until even and spread on cooled cookies.

Notes:

• Since the flavor from these comes from the cinnamon, use the best you can get. Like the Vietnamese cinnamon from Penzey's Spices.
• Nuts.com sells the cinnamon chips.

Strawberry Jubilee - perfected

One of the issues I had with my Strawberry Jubilee cookies was the consistency.  It was way too dry.  Not smooth and silky like I wanted it.  So after fiddling with it, I have finally perfected the recipe.

Strawberry Jubilee

Gluten-free

1/2 cup shortening

1 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup white sugar

4 eggs

1 cup greek yogurt

1 tsp vanilla

2 3/4 cup Better Batter gluten-free baking mix

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

2 cup chopped dried strawberries

Mix shortening, sugars and eggs thoroughly. Stir in yogurt and vanilla.

Mix flour, soda and salt. Blend in to sugar mixture. Mix in dried strawberries.

Chill dough.

Drop rounded tablespoons (a #50 disher works nice) of dough about 2" apart on greased baking sheet.

Bake at 375F about 13 minutes or until almost no imprint remains when touched lightly.

Cool. Spread with browned butter glaze. Canned frosting is too moist and won't stay on the cookies very well.

Makes about 40 cookies.

Browned Butter Glaze

1/2 cup butter

2 cups powdered sugar

1 tsp vanilla

2-4 tbl hot water

Melt butter until golden brown. Blend in sugar and vanilla. Stir in hot water until icing spreads smoothly.

Maple Rice Krispie Treats

It's been a while since I experimented.  Too many other things going on in my life, like getting married.

I had a hankering for Maple Bacon Rice Krispie Treats.  They sounded good, but I found that the bacon only added extra work and mess and didn't add any flavor to the bars.  So I left it out in this next revision.

The bars turned out very good.  The chocolate/maple flavor is nice, but the maple comes back as an aftertaste as well.  So you get enjoyment eating and then still having that maple flavor in your mouth afterwards (calorie free extra taste!).

Maple Rice Krispie Treats

4 tbl butter

6 cups marshmallows

1 tbl pure maple syrup

1 tsp maple essence

6 cups Rice Krispie cereal

12 oz Dark chocolate chips

1 tsp sea salt

In a large sauce pan, melt butter and marshmallows over low heat. Stir until completely melted.

Remove from heat and add maple syrup, and maple essence. Stir until completely mixed.

Then add the Rice Krispie cereal. Mix until all is well incorporated.

Then pour the mixture into a greased 9 x 13 pan or a cookie sheet and spread it evenly with a piece of waxed paper.

Place chocolate chips in a double boiler (or a glass bowl that fits snugly over your pot) filled with water.

Bring water to a simmer on medium heat. Once chocolate starts melting, stir constantly with a rubber spatula until all chocolate is melted and had a smooth consistency.

Remove from heat and pour the chocolate over the cooled Rice Krispies and spread evenly with the spatula.

Allow the chocolate to cool a bit, then sprinkle lightly with sea salt if desired.

Place treats back in fridge to set completely.

Once the chocolate has solidified, cut into squares and enjoy!