Celebrating a Literary Birthday with Mint Brookies

Albert Sidney Fleischman (March 16, 1920 – March 17, 2010), or Sid Fleischman, was an American author of children's books, screenplays, novels for adults, and nonfiction books about magic. His works for children are known for their humor, imagery, zesty plotting, and exploration of the byways of American history. He won the Newbery Award in 1987 for "The Whipping Boy" and the Boston Globe Horn Book Award in 1979 for "Humbug Mountain". For his career contribution as a children's writer he was U.S. nominee for the biennial, international Hans Christensen Award in 1994. In 2003, the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators inaugurated the Sid Fleischman Award in his honor, and made him the first recipient. He told his own tale in" The Abracadabra Kid: A Writer's Life" (1996).

His son, Paul Fleischman, followed him into the world of children's books. Sid and Paul Fleischman are the only parent and child who have both won the Newbery Medal and the American Library Association award that annually recognizes the most distinguished contribution to American literature for children.
Fleischman had a special place in his heart for children's books. He said, “The books we enjoy as children stay with us forever — they have a special impact. Paragraph after paragraph, and page after page, the author must deliver his or her best work.”

Celebrate the luck o' the Irish by serving these festive chocolate mint brookies for dessert. Kids and leprechauns alike will love the color with loads of chocolate chips and m and m's!

Not heard of brookies?  Basically they are a cross between a brownie and a cookie. So easy and fun to make.

The recipe was developed by http://two-in-the-kitchen.com/

Mint Brookies for St. Patrick's Day
Ingredients:

• 1 Ghirardelli brownie box mix ( I used Chocolate Supreme, but Double or Triple Chocolate would work well here as well!)
• ingredients for brownie mix as per instructions on the box
• 8-10 Mint Oreos
• 1-1/4 c. all purpose flour
• 1/4 tsp. baking soda
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/2 c. butter, softened
• 1/4 c. plus 1 TB. brown sugar
• 1/4 c. plus 1 TB.granulated sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1/2 c. mini -chocolate chips
• 1/2 c. Dark Chocolate Mint Green M+M's for garnish

Directions:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line a 9 x 13 pan with foil or parchment paper and spray with baking spray.
• Make brownies according to package directions and pour batter into the prepared pan.
  

• Break up Oreos by hand and place them on top of the brownie layer. 

• In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
• In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter, and two types of sugars until blended. Add egg and vanilla and mix. Add flour mixture in two or three additions and mix thoroughly until blended.
• Stir in mini- chocolate chips by hand. Mixture will be thick.
• Divide dough into several parts, flatten them by hand and lay them on top of the brownie and cookie layers in the pan and pat down slightly. (Cookie dough does not have to completely cover brownie and cookie layers). You can allow brownie and cookie pieces to "peek" through. 

• Press M and M's into the top and bake for approximately 30-36 minutes or until the top is golden brown and the center is set and a toothpick comes out fairly clean.
• Allow to cool before cutting them into approximately 24 bars.