Leprechaun Shortbread Bites

Shortbread is a traditional sweet biscuit with bewitching flavor.  It's usually just made with three ingredients: flour, sugar and butter.  They come together in a magical combination.  With something so enchanting, it seems only appropriate to adapt it to a St. Patrick's Day treat.  Cutting the shortbread into little "leprechaun-sized" bites and tinting them with green sparkling sugar is the consummate way to lure a leprechaun into your trap!  

A magical treat to share with
some lucky friends.

You'll have no trouble trapping
a leprechaun with these little bites
of biscuit.

Buttery, flaky shortbread bites
with a hint of green.

Lure your own leprechaun or share
these magical treats with some lucky friends!

Here are some adorable gift tags if
you want to share your Leprechaun Shortbread Bites.
Click on the image to enlarge.
Right click and save to your computer.
Open with the software of your choice
and print onto cardstock. These images are my exclusive artwork.
Please be courteous when using these printables
and remember they are for personal use only

You might enjoy some of my other St. Patrick's Day
treats like Lucky Charms Bars...

Or Homemade Peppermint Patties
for St. Patties Day!

Bailey's Irish Cream Mousse

Just in time for St. Patrick's Day, I'm bringing you the most decadent, creamy, sublime mousse you've ever tasted.  I've resigned myself to the fact that I'm probably never going to perfect gluten-free baked goods, so I've decided that I will strive to perfect all of the desserts that are naturally gluten-free.  Stay tuned for panna cottas, pots de cremes, pavlovas, mousses and more!  The best mousse should be rich in flavor, while remaining light, fluffy and silky in texture.  This is the real deal.  A true chocolate mousse with a hint of Irish Cream liqueur, made with authentic technique.  Trust me, it's worth the effort to do things the old school way. Once you taste this, you'll be addicted.  Try changing up the liqueurs with Chambord (raspberry) Grand Marnier (orange) or even peppermint!  The creativity is endless once you start with the foundation of this fabulous mousse.

The most decadent, silky mousse
you will ever taste.

Whisk together egg yolks and sugar.
Add Bailey's.  

Melt together chocolate chips and
coffee.  Then add butter.

Combine these two mixtures.

Whip the egg whites with
salt and sugar until stiff peaks form. 

Carefully fold egg whites into the
chocolate mixture.  Chill
for several hours.

Garnish with whipped cream
and sprinkles.
Enjoy a true treat.

BAILEY'S IRISH CREAM MOUSSE

4 egg yolks
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 Bailey's Irish Cream Liqueur
3/4 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
4 tablespoons brewed strong coffee, cooled
3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened and cut into cubes
4 egg whites
pinch salt
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
fresh sweetened whipped cream for garnish
sprinkles for garnish if desired

Whisk together the egg yolks and 1/4 cup granulated sugar in a stainless steel mixing bowl until completely smooth and slightly thickened.  Pour in the Bailey's and continue to whisk.  Place bowl over  pot of simmering water and whisk for 3-4 minutes until the mixture thickens up.  Once thickened, set the bowl into a larger bowl of ice water.  (Be careful not to get water in to the mixture, you just want to cool it down rapidly.)  Whisk over the cool water for 3-4 minutes.  The mixture should be about the consistency of mayonnaise.  Set aside.  In another bowl, over the pot of simmering water, melt the chocolate chips and coffee together.  Remove from heat and add the cubes of butter, stirring until completely smooth.  Slowly whisk this mixture into the egg yolk mixture until completely smooth.  Set aside.  With a stand mixer or hand mixer, beat the egg whites and salt until soft peaks form.  Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of granulated sugar and beat until the whites have reached stiff peak form.  Stir 1/4 of the egg whites into your chocolate mixture, then carefully fold the remaining whites until mixed in.  (This step takes patience but is so worth it!) Pour mousse into serving dishes and chill in the refrigerator for 2 or more hours.  Garnish with freshly whipped cream and sprinkles if desired. 

Homemade Gluten-Free Cream of Chicken Condensed Soup

Since the gluten-free debacle I've avoided casseroles like the plague.  Mostly because they call for canned "cream of" soups.  Yes you can buy GF condensed soup, but where I live it requires a trip to a specialty store and they are a little pricey.  So until recently I've given up on a lot of convenience meals that use these ingredients.  Then I discovered I could quickly, easily make my own gluten-free condensed soup at home with ingredients I always have on hand.  I'm really pleased with the results and bonus: I control what is in there.  From the seasonings to the sodium I'm in charge.  Simply use one jar of this in place of recipes calling for a can of regular "cream of" soup.  I'm excited because a whole other world of recipes are available to me again.  This whips up quickly, but make a few on the weekend and store them in your fridge for use during the week, AND...Stay Tuned for lots a new recipes using this basic ingredient!

I'm so excited about this.
Look forward to lots of new recipes now that
I've found another gluten-free staple!

Whisk the butter and flour together to create a light roux,
then add the stock, milk and seasonings.

Make a few batches and store them in
your fridge for easy weeknight use.