S'more Brownies

Apparently all marshmallows are not created equal as evidenced
by the 3 in the middle that were from a different package!

This idea came up when I googled 'easy dessert' the other day. Of course the entire recipe was glutinous, so I have pieced together my own version :) If you are not gluten free, just make/buy a graham cracker crust and use your favourite brownie recipe! It's a fun recipe, that involves a lot of gooey marshmallows...just like smores :)

'Graham Cracker' Crust from Gluten Free Fix

4 Tbsp. Melted Butter
2 Tbsp. Honey
1/4 Tsp. Salt
1 Tsp. Cinnamon
1 1/2 Cups Almond Flour (Meal), packed

Mix everything together and press into pan (I used a pie plate, but a 9x9 would work too!) with your fingers. Cook at 350F for 20 minutes or until browned all over. I cooked 10 minutes, then put a piece of foil over and cooked another 10 to ensure it was done, but not too brown.

Brownie Recipe from Taste

1/2 Cup Rice Flour
1/2 Cup All Purpose GF Flour
1/4 Tsp. Baking Powder
1/3 Cup Cocoa
1 1/4 Cups Sugar
2 Eggs, lightly beaten
2/3 Cup Butter, melted

Mix together dry ingredients, then add eggs and butter. Mix until just smooth. Pour over baked graham crust and bake at 350F for another 20-30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out with just a few crumbs.

I made these ahead of company arriving, so I let it cool then did the final step later and the marshmallows didn't really stick to the brownies. I think if you made them and did all the steps while hot it would work better.

All lined up and ready to roast!

Marshmallow Top (original idea from Food Network)

Large Marshmallows

Top the brownies with marshmallows (standing on end), then place on rack close to burner and 'toast' them! Watch carefully because bad things can happen fast in the world of marshmallows!

When toasting is satisfactory, remove from oven, cut into squares and serve :)

Chocolate Puffed Quinoa Squares

A wonderful part of being a kid (and an adult!) is biting into a chewy, gooey chocolate puffed wheat square. I've been searching high and low for a gluten free option (since puffed wheat is obviously not a good idea!), and I finally successfully came across a great substitute ~ If I do say so myself!

I went by this recipe and changed the amounts up a bit for the gf version. Something that was important to me was to be able to make them without *gag* corn syrup, and this recipe was perfect!!

I found Puffed Quinoa on Well.ca as well as Puffed Amaranth. For this recipe I have only tried it with the quinoa so far. (Reminder: If you are ordering anything from well.ca use coupon code 'kitchenaddiction' for $10 off your first order of $40 or more. Expires July 10/12). 

This makes a small recipe, but (of course) puffed quinoa is more expensive then puffed wheat, so I went with a small batch to experiment :)

Ingredients

3.5 Tbsp. Cocoa Powder

1/4 Cup Honey

1/4 Cup Brown Sugar, Packed

1/4 Cup Butter

2 Cups Puffed Quinoa 

Grease a baking pan. I only have a 9x13 so that's what I used, but the squares were quite thin, a square baking pan would be best. 

Ina  saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the cocoa powder, honey and brown sugar and stir until smooth. Boil for about 30seconds to a minute.

Pour the chocolate sauce over the puffed quinoa in a large bowl and stir until well coated. Pour into greased pan and smooth with a spatula. Let cool completely before cutting into squares. Store in the fridge, especially in the summer or they will start to melt!

They are not quite as chewy as a puffed wheat square, but they are very good. And they are a really good substitute if you cannot have wheat but are craving a puffed square! 

Chocolae Mousse

I know I havent been on here in ages. With company, the kids, my courses (Ill have 12 credits in just under 16 weeks!!) and regular day to day stuff I have been swamped. So when I needed a dessert the other night I knew it needed to be fast!

This was the easiest thing Ive made in awhile and it was a hit!

3 Cups Whipping Cream

2/3 Cup Cocoa

2/3 Cup Sugar

I whipped the cream part way and then added the sugar and cocoa and whipped it the rest of the way but Im thinking I could have put it all in at once and it would have been just fine. Whip until desired consistency (fairly thick but not overdone).

Serve by itself or with fresh strawberries etc. Soooo tasty!

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Granola Bars

I originally posted this recipe back in May before our house was going gluten free. I never did get a picture posted and so now that I have made a gluten free version I decided it needed a picture!

Ingredients
41/2 Cups Rolled Oats (use GF Oats if you are sensitive to Oats)
1 Cup Ground Flax Seed, Hemp Protein (I'm sure you could substitute other unflavoured/mild flavoured protein, I just find this one works well) & GF All Purpose Flour (About a 1/2, 1/4, 1/4 ratio)
1 Tsp. Xanthan Gum
1 Tsp. Baking Soda
5 Tbsp. Brown Sugar (not packed)
2/3 Cup Oil
1/2 Cup Honey
1/4 Cup Molasses
2/3 Cup Applesauce, Heaping
2 1/4 Cups Raisins, Chocolate Chips, Nuts, Seeds, Berries etc.

Preheat oven to 325 F. Lightly grease a 9x13 pan.
Mix together first 5 ingredients in a large bowl. Mix together liquid ingredients in a small bowl and then mix into the dry. Add the 2 1/4 cups of extras. I usually do a mix of raisins, sunflower seeds, walnuts and a handful of semi-sweet chocolate chips. But mix it up! Dried cranberries, dates, almonds etc. they will all taste wonderful!
Pour into pan, and press down or if you have a small rolling pin roll it down. Bake for 10 minutes, re-roll it down (or push it down), and bake for another 5-10 minutes, just until the edges start to brown. Let cool completely and cut into bars with a sharp knife.

I wrap them individually in plastic wrap and then place them in a freezer bag and pull them out one at a time for lunches.

These are slightly more moist then the original recipe, but the only problem with that is a few sticky fingers. They hold together beautifully and taste even better! Plus they have more of a protein content then the original recipe due to the hemp protein and the GF all purpose flour has more protein then regular flour as well.

Cake Pops!

This was my first try at cake pops, and they were surprisingly easy yet time consuming. I think they turned out pretty good and were very tasty...just ask my kids who have been running off sugar rushes for the last hour! I forgot to take pictures while I was making them, but I did manage to get a picture before they were all eaten. I made them with a (gasp!) cake mix because I needed them to be gluten free and I have yet to find a cake recipe that tastes like the real deal. You can make them with whatever cake recipe or mix you want.

Ingredients
A baked cake
Icing
Candy Melts/Melting Chocolate
Sprinkles, crushed up chocolate bars etc.
Lollipop sticks if you want them

Bake your cake as directed by your recipe/box. Let it cool. Do the unthinkable....Break it up into a million little pieces in a mixing bowl. Add some icing. This part is by feel. Add some icing and then mix it up. You should get a 'dough' forming. Add small amounts of icing at a time because you can always add more but you can't take any out! A formable dough is what you are going for. Roll into balls, place on wax paper/parchment paper on a cookie sheet and place in the freezer for AT LEAST 30 minutes. More is better.

Towards the end of the freezing time melt the chocolate/candy and dip the ends of your sticks into it (about 1/2 an inch). Let these set in the fridge/freezer for a couple of minutes. It helps to hold the cake balls on. Make sure your candy/chocolate it melted properly. Take everything out of the freezer. Stick the chocolate/candy ends of the sticks into the cake balls. Dip them into the melted chocolate/candy, roll in whatever topping you desire and put back on the wax paper, ball side down (obviously!) (Unless you happen to own a cake pop stand or have styrofoam kicking around this is the easiest option. It does make the tops a little flat, but really...who cares?!)

Let set in the fridge. Keep in the fridge until ready to serve. The icing mixed with the cake makes them very soft and the longer they are at room temperature the messier they are to eat. Much better directly from the fridge!
I dipped mine in Wilton Candy Melts and then rolled them in sprinkles or cut up Crispy Crunch bars or smashed up M&M's.....soooo tasty!


A couple of things I learned on this first time around: 
1. If you are going to dip in chocolate, melting chocolate is the best option. I tried with chocolate chips and it was too thick and really ended in disaster!
2. Keeping the cake pops cold and working in small batches works best
3. They use up a lot of sprinkles! Have a lot on hand!
4. Don't attempt if you have to have dessert ready to serve in 3 hours...this results in frantic rushing around the kitchen and lots of ignoring everything else that needs to be done lol!

The best thing about these is you choose the type of cake you want to make them with. This way, it can be vegan, egg free or anything 'free' that you need!

Ritter Sport Chocolate

I ate so many of these when I went to Europe after high school! They bring back so many good memories :)

Link for a coupon for Buy 1 Get 1 Free coupon. Im posting this from my phone so you might have to copy and paste the link...Ill fix it tomorrow on the computer :) Great stocking stuffers!

http://smartcanucks.ca/canadian-coupons-buy-one-get-one-free-ritter-sport-chocolate-printable-coupon/

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Chewy Chocolate Squares

Yet another Pinterest find! The recipe is technically labelled a Granola Bar but I cant bring myself to refer to them as that. They are creamy, chocolatey and delicious. More of a dessert delicious then a breakfast delicious! Although I would still classify these on the healthy end of the spectrum :)

Without further ado...

Ingredients
1 cup peanut butter (Sun Butter works well for a nut free version)
2/3 cup honey
1/2 cup coconut oil (no substitutes, this is what gives its creamy texture and flavor)
2 cups oats
1 1/4 cups mini semi sweet chocolate chips
3/4 Cup Dried Cranberries or Dried Blueberries (Cranberries = Chewy, Blueberries = Crunchy)

Melt the peanut butter, honey and oil in a pot. Once the mixture is smooth and combined add oats, chocolate and fruit. Mix until the chocolate is melted. Pour into a 9x13 pan and refrigerate until firm. Cut into squares. Keep refrigerated until ready to serve because they tend to get 'melty'.

Trust me when I say "GO MAKE THESE NOW!!"

Mug Brownie

I found this on, yup you guessed it, Pinterest!
Such a great idea if you are craving a little dessert but dont want to make something big. Ive made these a couple of times and every time I have forgotten to take a picture...they are that tasty!

Ingredients
1/4 Cup Flour
1/4 Cup Brown Sugar, Packed
2 Tbsp. Cocoa
Pinch of Salt
2 Tbsp. Oil (use Canola or something else plain)
2 Tbsp. Milk (of any kind), water or coffee.

Mix together the dry ingredients in a coffee mug then add the liquids. Mix well to make sure all the dry is incorpoarted and you have a gooey paste. Pop into the microwave for 1-2 minutes. There might be a tiny bit of liquid on top that you could pour off after cooking. Because there is no egg in the recipe there are no raw ingredients that have to be cooked thoroughly so undercooking is not a huge deal. If you want gooey brownie then cook it less!
Top with ice cream, whipped cream etc. and enjoy! Such a good 'need a late night snack but theres nothing tasty in the pantry' snack!! Its better tasting then a chocolate bar but its almost as instant!

I think I might try added chocolate chips next time. Or maybe walnuts...or maybe both! Or maybe chunks of cream cheese. Oh the tasty possibilities!!

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Butterfingers

Oh so deliciously tasty! And easy to make too :)

Ingredients
3/4 Cup Butter, Room Temperature
3/4 Cup Sugar
3/4 Cup Brown Sugar, Packed
1 Egg
2/3 Cup Peanut Butter
3/4 Tsp. Baking Soda
3/4 Tsp. Vanilla
1 1/2 Cups Flour
1 1/2 Cups Oats
1 1/2 Cups Chocolate Chips

Topping:
1/2 Cup Powdered Sugar
1/4 Cup Peanut Butter
2-8 Tbsp. Milk (Depends on if you want it thick or thin) 

Preheat oven to 350 F. Mix the butter, sugar, brown sugar, egg, peanut butter and vanilla. Mix the baking soda, salt, flour and oats and tehn add to the wet ingredients. Stir until mixed. Press into  a greased 9x13 pan. Bake for 10-12 minutes
Sprinkle the crust with the chocolate chips and leave. When the chocolate chips melt, use a spatula to spread over the entire crust. Place in the fridge to cool. Mix topping ingredients together and spread over the chocolate. Cut into squares. Best served slightly chilled. 

These are very sweet and I even used natural no sugar added peanut butter. If you use regular peanut butter you may want to cut back on a bit of the sugar. But then again if you love really sweet stuff then don't! 

'Instant' Pudding & Whipped Topping

Ignore the lighting, the topping is actually white!

Once out of the fridge the topping melts quickly.

 This one I'm kind of on the fence about...The pudding was good. The whipped topping wasn't as thick as I expected and had an unexpected marshmallowy (is that a word?) taste to it. It was good, I ate a whole bowl (shortly after taking the above pictures!), I'm just not sure I would make the topping again.

Chocolate Pudding Ingredients:
(Recipe from Homesteading Today Forum)

(Keep in mind this makes more then one batch to have in the cupboard to make up as you please! I actually quartered the recipe from the one in the link. )
1/2 Cup + 2 Tbsp. Milk Powder
1 1/4 Cups Sugar
3/4 Cup Corn Starch(I just learned Arrowroot Powder can be substituted 1/1 for Corn Starch in any recipe but have no idea where to buy it! I think I will check Earth's General store when I go to use my LivingSocial bargain :) )
1/4 Tsp. Salt
1/2 Cup + 2 Tbsp. Cocoa
Mix it all together and store in a ziploc bag.
Use: Mix 2 cups of milk with 2/3 cup of powder in a pot. Stir while boiling until it thickens (about 10ish minutes). Pour into smaller cups and put into the fridge to cool.

Whipped Topping Ingredients:
(Recipe from all-recipes.org)
1/3 Cup Milk Powder
1/3 Cup Ice Cold Water
1/4 Cup Granulated Sugar
1 Tsp. Lemon Juice
1 Tsp. Vanilla Extract
Chill bowl and beaters in freezer for 15 minutes before using.
In chilled bowl combine powdered milk, ice water, sugar, lemon juice and vanilla. Beat on high speed until peaks form.
I put everything into my stand mixer and left it on high for what seemed like a really long time. It did thicken up, to a very soft peak forming stage. Perhaps I was impatient? I don't know. It seemed like it was as good as it was going to get. It wasn't bad, but it wasn't really a good substitute for whipping cream either...although it is a lot healthier then Cool Whip!! ***UPDATE*** If you make the whipped topping use all of it at once! It turns really nasty in the fridge :(