Thirty Minute Thursday

We have had beautiful, rainy, cooler weather the last few days and I am loving it! It's great to be able to pull out some of the 'rainy day' recipes; recipes that you don't exactly want to eat on blistering, hot days. Last night we had brisket, sweet potato surprise, and mint brownies. mmmmm! No wonder I can't lose that weight that I want! I realize every time I cook that I should really start measuring the ingredients in the dishes that I make, so I have a better idea how to write down the recipes. I tend to add a splash of this, a dash of that and....no measured ingredients to document. I vow to do better, I promise.

Sweet Potato Surprise

4 sweet potatoes, boiled and mashed
1 c sugar
1/2 cup butter, melted
1/2 cup milk
2 eggs, beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup grated unsweetened coconut
1 cup chopped pecans
1 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup butter, melted

1. Heat oven to 375° F. In large bowl, mix the sweet potatoes, sugar, butter, milk, eggs and vanilla extract until well combined. Transfer the mixture into a 2 1/2 quart baking dish.

2. In a separate bowl, combine the topping ingredients until crumbly. Distribute the topping over the sweet potatoes. Bake for 20 minutes or until lightly browned.

Mint Chocolate Brownies

Brownies
10 Tbsp. butter
6 Tbsp. cocoa
2 c. sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
4 eggs
1 1/2 c. flour
1/2 tsp. salt

Mint Filling
1/2 c. butter (very soft)
2 c. powdered sugar
1 Tbsp. milk
1 tsp. peppermint extract
1-2 drops green food coloring
(Beat together and spread on cooled brownies)

Chocolate Topping
1/2 c. butter
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
(Heat for 1 minute in microwave. Stir and pour over mint filling, coating evenly)

1. Melt butter and cocoa in microwave. Beat in sugar and vanilla. Add eggs one at a time. Add flour and salt; mix. Bake in 9x13" pan (grease bottom) at 350° for 25 minutes. When cool frost with mint filling. Then put in freezer for 10 to 20 minutes to harden frosting. Frost with chocolate topping.