Health, Home, and Happiness

Nourishing Gourmet asked for this week's Pennywise Platter Thursday post to be about frugal gifts, nourishing if possible. For "Nourishing" I wanted to direct you over to the post I made on my craft blog about bookmarks that I made for gifts this year. They're simple and fun to do, and the wool felt that they're made out of makes them feel more special. (trust me, the wool felt is worth it to use over craft store acrylic felt). For readers on your Christmas list, especially those who are intrigued by this whole real foods thing, a hand made bookmark and Nourishing Traditions or another book (see my Recommended Reading post) would be a perfect nourishing inspiring gift.




I love Kimi's idea of a Nature's Candy Box as a gift for fellow real food lovers.

But I also understand that not everyone really would appreciate whole foods, so I just try to give them what they would enjoy. Chocolate. Sugar. Marshmallows. Here's my Chocolate Marshmallow Fudge Brownie recipe, photocopied from one of my mom's recipe books. It's my favorite baked good to give to friends, bosses, teachers, etc.

Brownies:

4 oz unsweetened chocolate
1 cup butter
4 eggs
2 cups granulated sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup all purpose (white) flour

Oven at 350 degrees, grease a 9x13 pan
Melt chocolate and butter
In a large bowl, mix melted chocolate, butter, eggs, sugar, vanilla and salt. Mix. Add in flour and mix gently.
Bake for 25-30 minutes

While the brownies are cooling, make the frosting:

4 more ounces unsweetened chocolate
1 cup butter
2 eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 pound powder sugar (3-3/4 cups)
4 cups mini marshmallows

Again melt butter/chocolate. Mix everything together except the marshmallows, stir them in gently after everything else is mixed.

Spread the mostly cooled brownies with the warm frosting. Cover and chill for a few hours or overnight. Cut into small squares, this is really rich!

Keep refrigerated. Freezes really well too.

This is part of the holiday dessert carnival at Life as Mom