Glossy Chocolate Icing:

I love a good frosting recipe just as much as the next person, but I'm also one who enjoys a good glaze every now and then too.

This is the perfect recipe if you can't decide between frosting or glaze!!

It's thicker than a glaze, but not at all fluffy like a frosting. It's super easy and really fast!

I love it on brownies, but it's also good on a cake as well!

I hope you try it out!

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup baking cocoa

1-1/2 tblsp. cornstarch

1/2 cup cold water

2 tsp. butter

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

My Basic Brownie Recipe

In a medium saucepan, combine the sugar, cocoa and cornstarch. Add water and stir until smooth. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 1 minute or until thickened. Remove from the heat; stir in butter and vanilla until smooth. Spread over cooled cake or brownies while the frosting is still warm. Refrigerate until cool and set. 

Note:

-I added some sprinkles to the brownies after I spread the icing on...this is of course optional, but I just love sprinkles!!!!

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Pancakes:

I've said this before, and nothing has changed, so I'll say it again! We are pretty big peanut butter fans here.

My older brother used to put it on EVERYTHING! I won't even tell you what all he put it on, because some some of it just sounds so gross! My younger brother doesn't put it on weird things, but he does like a little chocolate chip cookie with his peanut butter. He also puts it on brownies, sandwiches, ice-cream...anything he can think of. And once every so often, you will find my dad in the kitchen...with a spoonful of peanut butter!

Anyway, when I saw a similar recipe to this, I knew that even though I might not eat as much peanut butter as the males in my family, I would still love these!

And I was right! My whole family loved these, and we'll definitely be making them often!

(sorry, the pancakes were hot, so that's why the peanut butter was sliding off!!)

2 cups rice milk

3 cups water
4 eggs

4 tsp. vanilla

1 cup peanut butter

4 & 1/2 cups flour

1/2 tsp. xanthan gum

1/2 cup sugar

2 tsp. baking powder (3/4 tsp. if you are using double-acting)

2 tsp. baking soda

1 cup chocolate chips, mini or regular, optional I guess

In a mixing bowl, beat together milk, water, eggs, vanilla and peanut butter until well combined.

Add flour, xanthan gum, sugar, baking powder, and baking soda. Mix just until combined.

Stir in chocolate chips, if desired.

Pour onto hot, greased griddle in 1/4 cupfuls. Cook until batter begins to form bubbles. Flip and cook 1-2 minutes more or until the bottom is golden brown.

Serve!!

Note:

-These are perfect served with maple syrup, but if you are wanting more of a peanut butter bomb, spread peanut butter on the pancake before topping it with syrup. Or try out this super fast and easy

Peanut Butter Syrup.
-You can also just sprinkle the chocolate chips over the pancakes after you make them, if you want.
-I like to make these with Rice milk, because when you use regular milk, the batter is SO thick, you can't even pour it!

Sugared Pecans:

My sister got this recipe from one of her co-workers and it is seriously amazing!! I love warm and/or glazed nuts and these are fabulous!! Plus, they're so easy! I've tried other recipes similar to this before, but they just never really made the cut. These, however, went above and beyond! We ate them plain mostly, but they were also SUPER yummy on hot fudge sundaes!! I think they would also be great on a salad as well!!  If you have ever had a sundae at Denny's, these nuts taste remarkably close to the ones that come on those sundaes!

Anyway you eat them, they're just simply going to be good, so I hope you try them out!!!!

1 stick butter

1 cup sugar

1 tsp. cinnamon

3 egg whites

4 cups pecans

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

Place the butter in a large baking sheet (with sides, of course!). Place the pan in the oven until the butter melts.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the sugar, cinnamon and egg whites. Add pecans and stir until evenly coated. Pour into buttered pan. Bake for 24 minutes, stirring every 8 minutes.

Pour onto wax paper and allow to cool completely. Store in an airtight container.

Enjoy!

Flourless Peanut Butter Muffins:

I posted another version of this recipe a couple weeks ago, and I wanted to share this one with you.

They're so yummy and extremely fast and easy!

I hope you try them out!

1 medium banana
1 egg

1/2 cup creamy peanut butter (a generous 1/2 cup)

3 tblsp. honey

1 tblsp. vanilla

1/4 tsp. baking soda

pinch of salt, optional

1/2 cup chocolate chips, mini or regular

Prepare a mini muffin tin with paper baking cups or generously coat with cooking spray; set aside.

Place all ingredients, except the chocolate chips, in a blender or food processor.

Blend until smooth. Stir in chocolate chips. Using a small cookie scoop, fill mini muffin cups 3/4 full. Sprinkle additional chocolate chips over the tops of the muffins, if desired. Gently press into the batter.

Bake at 400 degrees for 8-12 minutes, or until golden brown and toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, or with a few moist crumbs.

Cool in muffin pan for 10 minutes. Remove to a clean dish towel or cooling rack to cool completely.

Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days or up to 4 months in the freezer.