Stirring it up:

Do you like chocolate? What about chocolate and mint? A yummy combination to be sure. These absolutely delicious chocolate mint cookies have just a hint of this versatile herb flavour and packs a mouthful of chocolaty goodness.

Makes 36 cookies
Oven  425°  F
Bake 5 – 6 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 c. white sugar
• 6 T. canola oil
• 2 eggs
• 2 c. all-purpose flour
• 1/2 c. baking cocoa
• 1 T. baking soda
• 1/4 t. salt
• 1/4 t. peppermint extract
• 4 T. milk (whole, 2% or fat free)

In a bowl, beat sugar and oil until crumbly. Add eggs and beat for 1 minute. Combine flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt and gradually mix into the sugar mixture. Add the milk and mix well

With lightly floured hands roll dough into 36 balls and place 2″ apart on a parchment lined or non-stick sprayed baking sheet. Flatten slightly with your fingers.

Bake at 425° F for 5 – 6 minutes just until the edges are set and the tops crack. Cool a couple of minutes before removing to cooling racks. Enjoy as excellent plain chocolate cookies or make cookie sandwiches.

Or, you could make larger cookies and make ice cream sandwiches with them – now that would be great for a 4th of July party! Or… you could put a bit of green food coloring in the frosting and they’d be perfect for St. Patrick’s Day. Or… around Christmas time you could add crushed candy cane to the frosting for a bit of crunch. Or…you could serve them plain with no frosting but dusted with a bit of powdered sugar.

Dishing it out:

As a bridal shower gift, my girlfriends gave me a little notebook filled with their favourite recipes. Each was hand written which made the collection even more special. One of the treats at the shower were these cookies, I was hooked from the first bite. The first time I made this recipe I briefly considered chopping up mint leaves and mixing them into the cookies, I wasn’t sure how guests would react to bits of green stuff in their cookies. For now, this herb will always remind me of  my friends who do kindly shared their recipes.

Outside our Garden Room we have an herb and flower garden which, in the spring, will start to grow like crazy. One plant that seems to pop up every year is mint, not isn’t just ordinary green kind, but chocolate mint. It looks like its “regular” cousin although it has a chocolate brown stem.  It actually smells and tastes like chocolate mint.

Mint is one of the easiest herbs to grow, morning sun and shaded afternoon and it should be happy. Be warned though, the roots are runners and plant will spread easily. Best to plant it in a pot so you can at least try to contain the roots. Picking should be done before it flowers although the flowers are a great decoration for food. Just be sure no herbicides are used near any food plants.

More Mint Ideas?

A few leaves floating in black tea or just in water, warm or cool, makes a light and soothing beverage. What about with strawberries and whipped cream? Humm, perhaps Mint Frozen Greek Yogurt?

What about in a tasty summer watermelon salad (our June 13, 2010 blog) that includes feta cheese and English cucumber?

Teas, cocktails, sweet desserts, savory dishes and salads can all benefit from a touch of this versatile herb.

Go ahead, use your imigination!