Ah - I believe I know what you're talking about. Many, many years ago, DH and I spent the weekend with a friend in Columbus, OH, where we used to live. She made these incredible brownies - a fudgy bottom layer, about a quarter-inch of icing in the center and a thin, hardened layer of unsweetened chocolate on the top. I found a similar recipe once in Woman's Day, lost the 2nd page, wrote to Woman's Day for another copy, but the one they sent wasn't it. Tried some other recipes, but could never duplicate it. A couple nights ago, I was looking through cookbooks trying to find a recipe for a cookie exchange, when I came across this one. I'm about 99% positive that this it. I would probably leave out the nuts, only because I don't remember my friend's recipe having nuts. Tint the frosting layer green and I think you might have it! I haven't tried this recipe yet, but plan to do it soon, b/c I think they'd be good for Christmas, especially with a green mint layer. Triple-layered Brownie Squares (from Sunset Cookies, 1991) 2 ounces unsweetened chocolate 3/4 cup butter 1 egg 1/2 cup granulated sugar 1/4 cup all-purpose flour 1 cup chopped almonds or pecans 2 cups powdered sugar 1/2 teaspoon vanilla 2 to 3 tablespoons whipping cream For the first layer, place 1 ounce of the chocolate and 4 tablespoons of the butter in the top of a double boiler over simmering water (or in a small pan over lowest possible heat). Stire until melted. In a small mixing bowl, beat egg and granulated sugar, then gradually beat in chocolate evenly in a lightly greased 9-inch square baking pan; bake in a 350 oven for 20 to 25 minutes or until brownie feels dry on top. Let cool completely in pan on a rack. For the second layer, place 4 tablespoons of the buter, powdered sugar, and vanilla in small bowl of an electric mixer. Beat together; then beat in enough cream to make frosting spreadable. Spread evenly over cooled brownie. For the third layer, combine remaining 1 ounce chocolate and remaining 4 tablespoons butter in the top of a doulbe boiler over simmering water (or in a small pan over lowest possible heat). Stire until melted. Drizzle over frosting layer; tilt pan so chocolate covers surface evenly. Refrigerate until chocolate is hardened (about 15 minhtes). Cut into 2-1/4-inch squares. Store, covered, in refrigerator. Makes 16 Mint-layered Brownie Squares Follow directions for Triple-layered Brownie Squares, but add 1 tespoon peppermint extract to frosting (second layer).

cookie tell him you made your daughter's day, a knife is a small casualty when you're making a memory. I love to make fun stuff for my boys on their birthdays, sure I could buy it but they would never remember that. They know every year by their crazy cakes/cupcakes. Last disaster/success I made a breakaway cupcake cake in the shape of a Mint Chocolate Chip waffle cone. The green icing bag burst in my hand [at 11:30 pm] and I had no other white icing. I spent 45 minutes scraping off the bag, the [clean] counter, my [gloved] hands so I could give him a school bday cake. Took alot of sprinkles to cover the spackle job but he carried it in with a huge smile - "Mommy made these for me to share with you". You 'done' good ccokie ;-)

Bellsmom, Ice cream freezers are a pretty mature technology, and Cuisinart isn't likely to turn belly up during your warranty period, so why not? :) I like that the 100 has the different paddles, though I don't know how big a difference it makes. I donated counter space that wasn't all that useful anyway to mine, but I wish it did a magic appear/disappear act. :) Yours should be fine in the pantry if you have a solid counter and a plug. It's sure to vibrate a lot and needs some clear space for the circulation of warm air (i.e., not right up against your foodstuffs because they want cool pantry, and a freezer will warm it up). Those are the biggest problems with putting it in the pantry. Do you have a laundry room where you could put it? Maybe keep a cloth over it when not in use to keep away lint, etc. Or even a protected porch? The lack of water shouldn't be a big issue because of the removable bowl. You can take all the main parts to the sink for cleaning (maybe keep a little dishpan with the machine to dump them in, and just bring a sponge or rag and a small bowl (or the dishpan) of water to the machine for wiping it down. Kids love making frozen treats, and it's also a great way to teach them about what's in what they're eating. Be really honest with yourself, however. Do you really want to be carrying the ingredients back and forth? And the clean-up? Would you rather have it on the kitchen counter? Would giving up freezer space be no issue because you'd be using the space you usually fill with bought ice cream for the bowl of a non-freezer model? Will you use it more if it's just ready to go? Will you use it less if you have to unearth the bowl from a pile of stuff in the freezer? I know the arias are beautiful, but imagine yourself doing the conducting. Read through the instructions online and imagine yourself doing the work. See which model you'd really rather have to fit into your real life and way of doing things, and your particular cooking setup. You're already well informed. That's the next good step to making a choice.

Wow, thank you all so much for sharing your suggestions and considerable knowledge, it is so helpful to me! I use meringue powder instead of egg whites because one of my kiddos had a salmonella infection a few years ago and it was quite an awful experience. We never determined exactly where he came in contact with it; it could have been from handling the reptiles/turtles at school, or from a local restaurant where he was the only one to eat spinach with his dinner salad. Regardless, since that experience, I have become extremely cautious - no bagged lettuce/spinach, no reptilian pets, and no eating anything with uncooked/undercooked eggs, including spoonfuls of raw cookie dough (which I had done my entire life without incident!). Poured fondant sounds like an interesting solution! But could that be piped, or would royal icing need to be used for detail work? Not sure I could handle two different icings..my kitchen was a disaster just using one icing, with the piping bags and bowls for coloring, etc. I am not a neat cook. I'll try adding lemon juice and using Ateco meringue powder next time! I also found another recipe online for a crusting buttercream (with meringue powder) so I may try that as well some other time. So many great ideas here....thank you all so much!