{ Pot 'O Gold Cupcakes }

Somehow, it's March.

This year has flown by. I think it's because my boy is about to graduate and I really would prefer time to stand still.

Time is stubborn though, and it won't listen to me at all. We march forward anyway (see what I did there?).

Now, here we are. 2 days til St. Paddy's day, less than a month until Bean turns 18, and just over 2 months until graduation.

I need distractions, man.

So, I made these fun cupcakes. A wee rainbow sitting atop clouds of fluffy buttercream.

I love that at his age something like these cupcakes still thrill him. Much like my Hogwart's Sorting Cupcakes, these have a surprise. When he & The Girl bit into them... well... they were, indeed, suprised ;)


Pot 'o gold cupcake need something right... like, gold? I've got ya covered!

Fun, festive, and tasty!

Pot o' Gold cupcakes.

Happy St. Paddy's!

Tina



Pot 'o Gold Cupcakes
by Tina @ Sugar Bean Bakers

Needed:

Chocolate cupcakes- baked and cooled
Vanilla Buttercream icing
Gold Sprinkles (Yellow sanding sugar would also work)
Airheads Extremes Rainbow Berry Sour Candy




Core a hole in your cupcakes. Fill with gold sprinkles. Swirl on buttercream. Top with a mini rainbow of candy.

{Mint Brownie Pie}

It's time to sign Bean up for the ACT. WHAT?

Did he just learn his ABCs?

This is crazy. Time is a bully. No matter how much we want time to slow down, no matter who you are, it won't. Mean.

So, here we are over 1/2 way through Bean's junior year of high school and I don't even know what to do with myself. I'm so not ready to be an empty nester. So. Not. Ready.

For now though, we will just keep making memories. And eating chocolate. In the words of Remus Lupin, "Eat it. It helps. It really helps.". Wise man, that Lupin.

Today I have for you something that will work for not only St. Patrick's Day, but for Pi Day, which is Friday (3.14). Or, you know, any day you need chocolate.

This starts with my favorite brownie ever, Darla of Bakingdom's recipe. I'm not just saying that because she's my friend either, folks!

The crust is none other than Thin Mints, and the glaze, which is the easiest thing ever, is Andes Crème de Menthe Baking Chips.

Let me tell you about the 'glaze'. After you've baked your brownie, remove it from the oven, sprinkle a cup of Andes Crème de Menthe Baking Chips on top immediately. Walk away for 5 minutes. Come back, and spread with a knife. Then, let cool and harden. Done-zo. It's super delicious too, of course!

To top it all, drizzle on a little hot fudge, whipped cream, and some sprinkles, because reasons.
(Reasons being YUM.)

Happy Pi Day! Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Most of all though, make a memory today. As Ferris said, 'Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.'


Tina





Mint Brownie Pie
by Tina @ Sugar Bean Bakers
(brownie recipe by Darla @ Bakingdom)


Preheat oven to 350 F

For the crust:

1 sleeve Thin Mint Cookies (approx 16 cookies) or Keebler Grasshopper Cookies
1/4 cup butter (melted)

Pulverize cookies in a food processor or roll with rolling pin until fine crumbs
Stir in melted butter until you have a 'dough'.

Press into 9" pie pan.

For the brownie:

1/2 cup  unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

In a medium bowl, combine the cocoa, flour, salt, and baking powder; set aside. In a medium saucepan, melt butter. When melted, remove from heat and add in the sugar, stir until combined. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each. Whisk in the vanilla. Stir in dry ingredients until well combined and pour the batter into the prepared pan, slowly, over the crust.

Bake for 30 – 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out with a few crumbs.

For the glaze:


1 cup Andes Crème de Menthe Baking Chips

When brownie comes out of the oven, immediately pour on 1 cup of Andes Crème de Menthe Baking Chips. Allow to sit on the brownie for approx 5 minutes. Then use a knife to easily spread the melted chips into a topping.


Allow brownie to cool and chocolate to harden.

{Andes Chocolate Pudding & Oreo Trifle}

Can I just tell you how much I hate grocery shopping?

I know that is a random way to start a conversation, but it's true.

I hate everything about it. I hate pushing carts, to start. I hate going through the aisles, I hate that it takes forever, I hate unloading the cart onto the belt, I HATE PAYING FOR THEM, I hate loading them into the car, I hate hauling them into the house, I hate putting them away.

Yesterday I had to clean my fridge before I could fit the new stuff in, so that was super fun.

The only good thing in the stupid stupidness that is grocery shopping is that I go with my friend Lori and we have lunch out.

This is usually the bright spot in my otherwise stay at home week.

Yesterday we traveled to Walgreens, Frisch's (Big Boy) for lunch, and Kroger (grocery store).

I know, we live on the edge. Be jealous.

Next week we will go a local farm to get our fresh beef.

Oh, la, la.

However, having Lori there (who I've mentioned several times on this blog, I've used some of her recipes), and I always manage to make the best of it. We grab things the other forgot, we see things on the shelf that the other didn't, we remember things off the other's list. Honestly folks, we are like a Grocery Shopping Super Duo. ;)

And yesterday, I remembered we both needed cornstarch.

You know what you can make with cornstarch?

Pudding.

Darla mentioned she was making a Mint Cream for St. Patrick's Day and my mind went immediately to Chocolate Pudding. (It's SUPER great having a food blogger for a friend too, let me tell  ya. We bounce ideas off each other all the time).

I finally came up with this.

Andes. Pudding. Oreos. Whipped Cream. Cause yum.

If you've  never made homemade pudding, don't be scared, it's easy.

This can also be accomplished by using packaged cook pudding, not instant.

Homemade is better though ;)

You can layer these into little cups, like I have (aren't they cool? They are from my Dad), or little jars

 or you can just arrange it all into one big bowl. Doesn't matter. Still tastes good!

Dress them up for St. Paddy's with a little bit of green sprinkles!

In the words of the Irish:

Wishing you a rainbow
For sunlight after showers—
Miles and miles of Irish smiles
For golden happy hours—
Shamrocks at your doorway
For luck and laughter too,
And a host of friends that never ends
Each day your whole life through!

I hope you are blessed with friends as good as mine!

Ones to remind you to buy cheese & ones to tell you, 'No, I don't think that will make a very good recipe'.  Ones you talk to daily and ones you can iMessage random thoughts to, ones you've known since you were a kid, and ones you are yet to meet in real life, ones you see all the time, and ones that are Facebook friends from across the world.

I'm blessed. Hope you are too.

Check out Darla's gorgeous and yummy Mint Creams here. 


Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Tina

 

 Andes Chocolate Pudding & Oreo Trifle

recipe by Tina @ Sugar Bean Bakers

For the Pudding:
1 cup white sugar
2 cups milk
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
12 Andes Chocolate Mint Candies

You will also need:

12 Cool Mint Oreos, finely crushed
(food processor works great)
Whipped Cream

Add all ingredients into a medium sauce pan, except the vanilla & Andes.

Bring to boil over medium heat. Add in the Andes. Allow pudding to thicken.

Remove from heat & stir in vanilla.

Once the pudding is fully cooled, assemble your trifles.

Cookies, Pudding, Cookies, Pudding, Whipped Cream.

 

  

 

{ Luck O the Irish Pop }

Pin It

I really wanted to call this Erin Go Braughopcorn, but was afraid I was the only one who would find the humor in that.

Get it? 

No?

That's exactly why I changed the name.

This is another super quicky for St. Patrick's Day.

Just takes a few minutes (plus drying time) and a few ingredients.

You'll need:

2 bags of popcorn 

(a variety that is light on butter)

6 squares of Almond Bark

2 Mint Cookies (Mint Oreos/Grasshoppers/Thin Mints, etc), finely crushed

Andes Mints (I used 6 you can use more), chopped

Assorted Green Sprinkles

Oil

Pop the popcorn. 

I used 1 bag of Pop Secret's Homestyle & 1 bag of 94% fat free (affectionately known in this house as "cardboard corn"). The Homestyle has just a little butter flavor and a little salt, so it gives this mix a buttery/sweet/salty combo.

You can use whatever popcorn you choose, but the heavy butter/movie theater style is not recommended.

Melt your Almond Bark, 30 seconds at a time, in the microwave. Mine took about 1 1/2 minutes to fully melt. Add about 1 Tablespoon of oil and stir until very well blended.

Pour/Spoon over the popcorn. Stir to mix well. 

Sprinkle on the Andes, the cookie crumbs (I used Mint Oreos), and the sprinkles.

You can also use more cookie crumbs than I did, if you wish.

And allow to dry before storing or bagging for gift giving.

You could also throw in chocolate chips, mint chocolate chips, green M&Ms, other small candies.

I didn't have nearly the amount of sprinkles I would have liked, but, it still tastes good!

*note to self, buy green sprinkles

 I hope you enjoy this recipe, which, in my heart will always be Erin Go Braughopcorn.

Have a lucky day!

Tina

{ Leprechaun Cakes }

These leprechaun cakes will be a purfect advencha fer yew and yur wee ones to make on St. Paddy's Day!

Pin It

Ok, I can't type in an Irish accent.

It's not easy, man. You try. Seriously.
Go on now...

This is just another quicky recipe that would be big fun to make while wearin' the green tomorrow.

Like the Mint Oreo Brownie Truffles, these went in to school today for a bake sale.

Someday I will make something that actually stays in this house.

Maybe.

Easy to make- you use the same idea as the Rainbow Cake
(which would also be awesome-as a cake or as cupcakes- to celebrate St. Patrick's! Top with "Gold" (yellow) icing for the gold at the end of the rainbow).

Just whip up a white cake, then divide it out into how many shades of green you want (I only did two), leaving white as well.

Then layer into your cupcake liners, as shown in the Rainbow Cake post.

Bake according to the box, and top with some yummy green tinted buttercream icing. You can find that recipe here.

Then, take a bite... the fun is inside!

Each one is a little different, but they are all pretty!

An easy activity or a special treat for St. Pat's!

And if you are eating these, pinching is totally illegal.

Seriously.

Tina

{ Mint Oreo Brownie Truffles }

Pin It

Remember how I said the Pie Pops were for school?

Well, guess where these little gems are headed?

Yeah... the same place. Only not math class this time.

A bake sale for the Drama Club.

The Bean? Yes, yes, he's a complete and total Drama Llama.

He loves to act. He acts at school, at church, he does summer productions in a local college's kid's theater, and he goes to their drama camp as well.

Where did he get this passion for drama?

Me? dramatic??????????? NEVAH! 

*faints away like Scarlett O'Hara*

More likely even, it's that only child LOOK AT ME! syndrome.

Yeah.

But, yes, the Drama Club at school is having a bake sale.

Which much like the message I got the other day means: MOM.SCHOOL.BAKE.NEED.

I'm a lucky girl!

Since Saturday is St. Patrick's, I decided to go with the chocolate mint theme.

The Chocolate Mint Cupcakes I posted a couple weeks ago are now officially the most popular post on my site. 

Ever.

Seems like a winning combo then, eh?

Mint Oreo Truffles

recipe by Tina @ Sugar Bean Bakers

For these, you'll need:

Brownie Mix for a 13x9 pan
(and ingredients to make them according to box)

Cool Mint Oreos

Dipping Chocolate

Andes Mints

Mix brownies according to box, then pulverize one row of Cool Mint Oreos.

I used my Ninja. You can use a food processor, blender, or manual labor, if you so choose.

Then stir into your mixed brownie batter

Mix well, then pour into prepared pan

My box said to bake 28-32 minutes. Bake these about 25 minutes.

I always under bake mine. It makes them gooey and fudgey and amazing.

For this recipe, it makes them easier to roll.

(and gooey and fudgey and amazing) 

When cooled, cut off the hard edges. We are only using the (gooey, fudgey, amazing) center.

I'm sure if you throw the edges at some children, they will eat them up. 
Waste not, want not and all.

I use a small Pampered Chef scoop, which is probably a teaspoon/teaspoon and a half. 
However, you can make these bigger or smaller, up to you.

Then roll until smooth...ish.

 This is a good time to get kids involved. The Bean normally loves to roll cake balls, buckeyes, etc, but he is currently nursing a bad knee, so I didn't make him stand and help me.

Melt up some chocolate. I used 6 blocks of Chocolate Almond Bark for these, plus 12 Andes Mints.

I've already sung praises of my Wilton Pot, but... in case you missed that post, read it here.

(Spoiler: I LOVE IT)

Yes, we've already established that I am messy, I know.

I added about a Tablespoon of vegetable oil to my chocolate. When melted smooth, you can start to dip.

use a fork, as I suggested here, to remove the truffles, it allows the chocolate to fall through the tines. Tap, tap, tap off the excess as you remove.

I squished up 2 extra Oreos and sprinkled them, along with green sugar crystals on top when finished. Dip a few at a time, then sprinkle or the chocolate will harden and your toppings won't stick. 

And that would be sad. 

So sad.

These are super sweet with a cool, minty after bite.

Wee Leprechauns, they love 'em, and regular sized people do too!

Tina

Shared at:
In The Kitchen With Audrey
Six Sisters' Stuff
Tidy Mom
Whipperberry
A Southern Fairytale

Gooseberry Patch

{ Chocolate Mint Cupcakes }

Pin It

I think I've mentioned this in the past, but my husband likes canned icing.

Yeah, right? This baffles me.

The Bean, however, likes homemade icing.

I've done a fine job raising this human being, haven't I?

Go me!

Back to the icing:

Quandry? Nah, normally I frost a sheet cake in 1/2 canned (chocolate) 1/2 homemade (buttercream). 

Since it's 1/2 dark & 1/2 light, I always call it a Yin Yang cake.

The Yin Yang symbol (simplistically) means that the 2 sides are interdependent and that one is no better than the other. 

This is SO not true here.

Buttercream is clearly superior to canned icing.

Clearly.

Last night, when baking the hubs a cake, however, I decided to do something different.

I poured out enough for a 9" square cake, and then made the rest into cupcakes for the Bean.

The other day, while at the dollar store, I fell victim to little $1 bags of Andes Chocolate Mints.

Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.... Andes. Chocolatey, minty goodness.

There are 12 Andes in each pack. 

I kept wondering what to do with these, you know, besides inhale them.

Should I chop them up and throw them in cookies? Should I put them in brownie batter?

These cupcakes presented the perfect solution.

A Chocolate Mint Glaze.

yes.

Mix it up...

Next, dunk your cooled cupcakes into the glaze

 As you remove them, turn them slowly to try and get off all excess glaze.

They will be gorgeous and glossy when wet.

I dipped mine a second time as well.

The glaze will dry, and while it won't be as glossy, it will still be quite pretty.

Sweet, fudgey, with a cool minty finish. 

That's what I'm talking about.

And delicious.

Let's not forget delicious.

This ain't no canned icing.

I can't believe I just typed that.

I'm so ashamed.

Tina

P.S. If you haven’t already,  you can ‘like’ my Facebook page here, and follow me on twitter here, and you can follow me on instagram here.

Chocolate Mint Glaze
recipe by Tina @ Sugar Bean Bakers
enough glaze for 12 cupcakes

12 cupcakes

12 Andes Mints

1/4 Cup Butter

1/2 Cup Powdered Sugar

3-4 Tablespoons HOT Water

Dash of Vanilla

At 15 second intervals, melt the Andes with the butter. Stir after every 15 seconds (only took 1 minute total in my microwave), whisk until glossy. Add powdered sugar and 3 Tablespoons of Water, and again, whisk until glossy. If not thin enough, add the 4th Tablespoon and whisk. Lastly, whisk in the vanilla.

This post is part of a St. Patty's Day blog carnival!

If you've arrived via 20Something Saver Hi! Yes, you've taken the correct train!

Your next stop is here over to see my friends at Hot Coupon World where they've baked us up some nomalicious Double Chocolate Mint Cookies!

Chocolate & Mint for the win!

No shoving! There's plenty for everyone!

Please comment  & share this post :)

Shared at

Oopsey Daisy

Skip To My Lou

Flamingo Toes

Tip Junkie 

The Girl Creative

Something Swanky