Family Recipe Swap…Mom’s Creme de Menthe Frosting
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Hey there…today we are joining some of our friends for a Family Recipe Swap. You know that you can count on us to bring you a wonderful weekly recipe and today is no different. After you read and save our recipe you can visit four other blogs to read their family recipe memories.
We are excited to share with you Barbara Jean’s Creme de Menthe Frosting recipe, which is one of our all-time favorites! Barbara is Vicki’s Mom and Jennifer’s Granny. She was a consummate cook, homemaker and exemplary hostess. We miss her terribly but we are grateful for our memories of how she made us feel so special and we are thrilled to have some of her recipes. We have already shared a lot of her culinary masterpieces with you in previous recipes. Today’s recipe is no different.
Vicki’s Creme de Menthe Memories
You see this crumpled piece of notebook paper? It is very special to me. Pretty much all of the recipes from my mom are in my own handwriting. I would always ask her for one of her recipes and she would say “My handwriting is terrible…I’ll call it out and you write it”. Little did I know that years later I would yearn for all of her recipes in her handwriting. This is practically the only recipe I have in her handwriting and it is one of my all-time favorites. Mom instilled in me a love for all things chocolate and mint.
She mailed this to me when I first moved to Houston, Texas. I was a new bride, far away from home and family for the first time in my life. My husband was working long hours and I was terribly homesick. Mom’s specialty was knowing exactly what I needed and when I needed it. She knew my love for this frosting and that it would be a taste of home. We typically whip up this frosting and pour it on top of chocolate brownies. It doesn’t need to be a fancy recipe…boxed brownies are great for this frosting. And right as rain…mom was right. I felt instantly better after making up a batch for my husband and I. This recipe is also dear to me because of the purple squiggles on the page – placed there by Jennifer when she was about 2 years old when she and I were baking in the kitchen. I’m so glad to share this small glimpse of my mom. I hope you love her Creme de Menthe frosting as much as I do!
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup butter
- 4 cups sifted powdered sugar
- 3-4 TBS half and half
- 3-4 TBS green Creme de Menthe
Instructions
Beat butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until fluffy. Gradually add powdered sugar, half and half and creme de menthe - beating until frosting is smooth.
Spread this frosting over Brownies and drizzle with melted chocolate for a dressed up look.
Frosting ingredients…
Jennifer’s Creme de Menthe Memories
I remember always loving going to my grandparent’s house because Granny would always make the best food! I would spend at least one week out of each summer there, as well as some spring breaks, and she would spoil me rotten. Don’t get me wrong, she would definitely put to me work, especially in the yard, but after the work was done, there was always some kind of yummy treat waiting. I used to love watching her in the kitchen. She would rarely measure and her thermometer was her finger 🙂 I know that my love of baking came from both her and my mom. They are both just so good at it!
Like my mom I love anything chocolate and mint, and these were always such a special dessert to have with Granny. Looking back, now I know why I love thin mints and andes mints so much. Granny always had andes mints in the spare bedroom that I used to sneak when I would visit. This recipe is honestly one big andes mint and is delish! It was nice to be able to make this with mom and think about the fun times we all had in the kitchen together. Not a day goes by that I don’t think of her and baking always brings back the best memories.
To celebrate and commemorate our day in the kitchen, we made keepsake tea towels for each other. Barbara Jean’s recipe – in her handwriting is on each towel and finished off with decorative trim. Visit us back here tomorrow and we will show you how we made them.
Thank you so much for letting us share Mom/Granny and our kitchen memories! Now go and see what our friends are sharing:
The Crowned Goat ~ Chocolate Chip Cookies
Concord Cottage ~ Flower Cupcakes
The Altered Past ~ MawMaw’s Chicken
bluwaterlife ~ Sweet Potato Pie
You guys, these look delicious! I love chocolate and mint things too so this is totally up my alley. I love the tea towel and how you each shared your special memories of your mom. My granny used to put me to work too. I’m pretty sure I’ve picked up my weight in pecans. It’s no wonder you two are so amazing, your mom sounds like one fantastic lady. I know she’s proud of this post. Hugs, Coco
I know CoCo…how could you not love chocolate and mint? The tea towels are great to have and it’s nice to have a little bit of Granny in the kitchen. xo, Jenn & Vicki
Vicki and Jenn ~ I love this recipe and that you both shared your memories of making it with Mom/Granny Barbara Jean 🙂 You are so right ~ tasting something we remember from home takes us right back to that time, whether it’s a summer vacation stay with Granny or a homesick new bride in a new town. Thank you so much for the frosting recipe, I see some brownies coming up this weekend! And can’t wait to see how you made the recipe tea towels. Those are great gifts! Thanks for contributing to the blog hop ~ you ladies ROCK! Bwg ~~~
You should definitely make these and let us know how they turn out 🙂 And thank you for hosting this Bobbi…it was nice to make this recipe together and make new memories together while talking about the old ones.
Is there any better combo than chocolate and mint?? I love thin mints and Andes mints so these sound amazing!! Your tea towel is a great idea. Can’t wait to see the tutorial tomorrow!!
I don’t think there is a better combo Angie 🙂 We love how the tea towel turned out…it was easy to do and makes for a great gift!
Looks so good! My Mom also made a version of Creme de Menthe Brownies with a solid fudge layer on top of the creme de menthe topping, So rich! Like your light version! LOL
Haha! Yes, this version is definitely light…however a layer of fudge sounds pretty good too 🙂
Vicki and Jenn, this looks like a little chocolate sweet heaven for sure. What sweet memories you have and those towels are adorable too. xoxo Lisa
Thanks Lisa…we are definite fans of the chocolate and mint combo! And yes, we are so fortunate for our wonderful memories 🙂
This recipe sounds amazing and I love the story behind it too!
Thanks Amy…we lost her way too soon but are so very grateful for our memories and her great recipes!
I love Creme de Menthe frosting! Years ago, a friend gave me a fabulous recipe for Creme de Menthe Brownies. I have been making them for over 40 years & everyone still loves them! My older daughter is turning 42 next month & it is still what she requests for her birthday instead of a cake. I make them any time of year, but they’re wonderful at Christmas cut up into tiny pieces & put into little paper cups & added to my cookie tray. So festive & SO yummy! They freeze beautifully & even taste great right out of the freezer. Certainly a family favorite!