Recipe: Homemade Thin Mints Cookies
My oldest daughter is gluten intolerant, and I feel like she’s missing out on a huge part of her life by not being able to eat the amazing and coveted Girl Scouts THIN MINTS cookies! To aid in this missing part of her life, I decided to search out a homemade recipe that can be modified for her. The Thin Mints cookie recipe below by Six Sisters Stuff has normal flour in it, but it can be easily modified to include your favorite gluten-free flour.
Ingredients:
Cookies:
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
Mint Chocolate Coating:
- 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1 1/2 teaspoons peppermint extract
Directions:
- In a large mixing bowl, beat butter until light and fluffy. Add powdered sugar and mix until combined.
- Mix in vanilla, salt and cocoa. Add flour and mix until fully combined, and slightly crumbly. Chill dough in the refrigerator for 20 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Remove dough from the fridge and knead a few times on a lightly floured surface to warm up.
- On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to 1/8″ in thickness. Use a 1-1/2″ cookie cutter to cut circles of dough (or whatever shape or size you prefer).
- Place cut circles on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake cookies for 9-10 minutes, or until edges are set. Let cookies cool completely.
- After cookies are cool, place chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave in 30-second increments and stir until melted. Stir in peppermint extract until smooth.
- Place cookies in the chocolate one at a time, using a fork to flip and lift cookie out of the chocolate. Transfer the chocolate covered cookie to a baking sheet lined with wax or parchment paper. Repeat with remaining cookies.
- Let chocolate harden before serving. You can place cookies in the refrigerator to set the chocolate faster.
Recipe: Vanilla Ice Cream Made With Real Snow!
Many of us in the United States are dealing with insane winter weather, including blizzards and more snow than we’ve seen in years. Take advantage of the piles of white stuff by making it into ice cream! Big hit with kids and adults and only takes 20 minutes. A big bonus – It’s Gluten-Free! Here’s how to do it:
Ingredients:
- 1 gallon CLEAN snow
- 2 cups of whole milk or half and half
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 tsp vanilla
Directions:
- Combine milk or half and half with the sugar and vanilla.
- Stir until the sugar is dissolved and add it to the fresh snow, then eat!
OR
- One 14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 2 quarts fresh snow
- Combine together and eat!
Thanks to Polka Dot Poplars for the recipes and picture!
Recipe: Almond Chantilly Strawberry Dip
Simple and delicious, Almond Chantilly Strawberry Dip is perfect for parties or just for a snack!
Ingredients:
- 3 oz box Instant vanilla pudding
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- fresh strawberries
Directions:
- Make the vanilla pudding as directed on its package.
- While waiting for the pudding to firm, whip the heavy cream and almond extract together in a separate bowl until thick and looks like whipped cream.
- Add the whipped cream into the vanilla pudding. Stir them together until smooth and have an even color.
- Stick in the refrigerator to cool, then serve with fresh strawberries!
Recipe: Easy Crock Pot Enchiladas
You’d normally not expect to see something like enchiladas in a slow cooker, but this super easy and a little spicy recipe is perfect for these cold winter nights. Thanks to Easy Crock Pot Recipes for the delicious recipe!
Ingredients:
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 cup chopped onion
- 1/2 cup chopped green pepper
- 1 can pinto or kidney beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 can diced tomatoes and green chilis (leave undrained)
- 1/3 cup water
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 1 cup shredded Monterrey Jack cheese
- 6 flour tortillas
Directions:
- In a large skillet, cook the beef, onion, and green pepper until beef is browned and vegetables are tender, then drain.
- Add the next eight ingredients and bring to a boil.
- Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 10 minutes.
- Combine cheese in a bowl.
- In the crock pot, layer about 3/4 cup of beef mixture, one tortilla and about 1/3 cup cheese. Repeat layers. Cover and cook on low for 6 hours.
Recipe: Valentine’s Day Trail Mix
Easy to make and can easily be modified for food allergies, Valentine’s Day trail mix is a healthier alternative to bagged candy for handing out to friends or to have at a party.
All you need is Valentine’s M&Ms, Sweethearts Conversation Hearts, pretzels, raisins, caramel corn, and peanuts (if allowed). Other options include marshmallows, Chex Mix, and Cheerios.You can substitute for Gluten-Free or Dairy-Free versions of these foods instead and this snack will still be a hit. Mix all together, fill in bags of your choice, and VOILA! Done! :)