Mmmm... Brownies

Brownies, anyone? I tested out a couple brownie recipes for a baby shower I'm having next week. I made mint-chocolate brownies Friday night and then Sunday night I made peanut butter brownies for a BBQ we went to.
The mint brownies are from Cooking Light and they were a hit, as were the less "healthy" peanut butter version.

Chocolate Mint-Bars:
Bottom Layer:
1 cup flour
1/2 t salt
1 cup sugar
4 eggs
1/4 cup butter, melted
2 T water
1 t vanilla
1 16 oz can chocolate syrup
Mint Layer:
2 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup butter, melted
2 T milk
1/2 t peppermint extract
2 drops green food coloring
Glaze:
3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips
3 T butter

Just make like normal brownies, cook at 350 for 23 minutes (it took me a lot longer - like 35), until wooden pick comes out almost clean. Cool completely. Frost with mint layer. To prepare glaze, melt chocolate chips and butter in microwave 1 minute at a time, stirring after 30 seconds. Let cool two minutes and then frost over mint layer. Keep in fridge until ready to serve.
Now, the peanut butter brownies are a recipe of my Grandma Cutchen. They won first place at the National Peanut Festival in Dothan, Alabama, The Peanut Capital of the World!


Here's the recipe:
1 cup butter
1/3 cup cocoa
2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 t salt
4 eggs
1 t vanilla

Combine butter and cocoa in saucepan over low heat to form chocolate mixture. Cook until butter melts, stirring frequently. Remove from heat, cool slightly.
Combine sugar and dry ingredients in mixing bowl, add chocolate mixture and beat at medium speed until blended. Add eggs and vanilla. Spread into well-greased 9x13. Bake at 350 25 - 30 minutes, or until wooden pick comes out clean.

Peanut Butter Frosting:
1 16 oz jar chunky peanut butter
1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup cocoa
1/3 cup milk
10 large marshmallows
1 lb package powdered sugar, sifted

Remove lid from PB jar and microwave at medium for 2 mins or until PB melts, stirring after a minute. Spread over warm brownies. Chill about 30 mins or until set. Combine butter, cocoa, milk, marshmallows in saucepan over medium heat. Add powdered sugar, stirring until smooth. Spread over PB, chill until set. Store in fridge.

When I made the PB brownie, I used to Cooking Light brownie recipe so it wasn't quite so fattening, but I'm sure it's yummy. Both recipes were good. Ben preferred the mint recipe, but he says it's pretty hard to do PB and chocolate from home. I guess I should just buy him some Reeses cups. I thought they were both delicious... just depends on if you're in a mint mood or a PB mood.