Life Saving Chocolate Mint Brownies

I had a fun week ahead of me as of last Sunday. My cousin is in town and we were having a planing meeting about all the fun things we were going to do this week with our kids. Bike rides, the zoo, the park, BBQ's, and concerts. Three short hours later I found myself in the Emergency Room, with the doctor telling me this was "life threatening" and they needed to operate immediately.

Excuse me? This isn't exactly the most convenient time for me to be having emergency surgery, thank you very much. {I guess there isn't ever a "convenient" time for these things.}

I have been being treated for an ectopic pregnancy the past month. They thought they had taken every precaution by treating it with a chemotherapy injection and monitoring my hormone levels. But unfortunately, it ruptured and they needed to do surgery immediately. But I was fortunate enough that it DID NOT do any damage. I believe it was from the prayer and priesthood blessing my husband and the Emergency Room Doctor gave to me prior to surgery. My own little miracle.

I'm thankful for all the little miracles our family has witnessed this week. But it doesn't make it easy to ask for and to accept help. I guess I'm "hard-wired" to have the attitude of, "I can do it myself." This week has shown me that I can't do everything myself. Some things require you to reach BEYOND yourself. And that's when God sends you angels in the form of friends and family. But I just keep thinking, I'm the one who's supposed to be giving "relief." I'm not supposed to be the one hooked to an IV, and being waited on. I'm the one that's supposed to be bringing dinner in to other women and watching their kids. Not the other way around. Did God get confused, here?

I think it's a lesson in humility. And it has helped me realize what true love and service really means. People still give us service, even when we're saying, "Oh, we're doing ok." They give service because they WANT to and they truly and sincerely care. It's been so very humbling. And as a very wise woman once told me, "Humility is Confidence."

Deep Breath. I agree. Deep down, I agree. But, right now I'm in the midst of the refiners fire. And boy is it hot in here.

With all that said, I missed the "fun cousin week." Instead my sweet cousin just biked herself over to my house with 3 kids in tow, to deliver these heavenly mint brownies. I figure I'm justified in the fact that I just ate 3 by myself. They are divine. I am so happy to have this recipe in my collection. Plus, she was adorable in the fact that she wanted to help with my blog this week. That is a HUGE help! How thoughtful. I love it. This also goes to show that it's a genetic thing to be in love with food, right? Right.

Thank you Melissa!

{By the way, we have received some seriously delicious food around here this week. I can't wait to collect the recipes and share the goodness. I've been blessed with amazingly good friends and family, I tell you!}

{LIFE-SAVING CHOCOLATE MINT BROWNIES}

click here for a printable version of this recipe
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line Large Cookie Sheet with parchment across the bottom and up the sides (this will make it much easier to slice, as you can take the frosted brownies out of the pan by gripping the parchment paper). Set Aside.

BROWNIE LAYER

1 c. unsalted butter (not margarine!)

8 oz. unsweetened chocolate (bakers chocolate)

2 ½ c. white sugar

2 tsp. vanilla

4 eggs

1 c. of white flour

½ tsp. salt

In stainless steel bowl place over a saucepan of simmering water, melt the butter and chocolate. Remove from heat and stir in the sugar and vanilla extract. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well with a wooden spoon after each addition.  Stir in the flour and salt and beat with spoon until the batter is smooth and glossy and come away from the sides of the pan.  Pour the brownie batter evenly in to prepared pan.

Bake for 25 minutes or until the brownies start to pull away from the sides of the pan and the edges of the brownies are just beginning to brown.  A toothpick inserted in the center of the brownies will come out almost clean. Remove from oven and place on wire rack to completely cool.

MINT LAYER

8 T. unsalted butter, room temperature

4 c. of powdered sugar

6-8 T. heavy cream

2 tsp. pure peppermint extract

Beat all ingredients with a mixer until smooth. If frosting is too thick add a little more cream. Spread evenly over brownies. Place in fridge (or better yet, freezer) 30 min or more to cool/firm up.

GLAZE

1 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 c. milk-chocolate chips

Melt in microwave at half power, spread on chilled brownies—it’s easy to spread the chocolate on the brownies if they are cold and the frosting is hard.

**If you keep these brownies chilled, they taste better and the frosting will stay in three pretty layers.