GF baking mix ~ $19. Brownies, ice-cream and a movie with husband and son. Priceless!

Last night I made Shrimp Scampi for dinner and brownies for dessert. I didn't make the brownies from scratch but from a mix. A very expensive mix. I had bought it at William-Sonoma the same day while I was at the mall checking out the holiday sales. It's always fun to browse through this upscale kitchen store. Here, you can find anything a cook might desire, from celebrity cookbooks, designer bakeware to cutlery. My motto is - one can never have enough cookbooks or kitchen tools. Right? Right. Most times, I don't buy. But it's fun to look. This time I went into the store searching for a Gluten-Free flour mix: Cup4Cup. People had raved about it on-line. This product was created by Thomas Keller, a celebrated and highly acclaimed Chef from The French Laundry in Napa Valley. I'm dying to eat at this restaurant. Every one of my friends who has dined there says it's beyond gourmet, just divine. Logic follows that his baking products must be equally divine. Well, when I got to William-Sonoma, it was sold out! What to do?? On the shelf was another product by Keller, a Gluten-Free Brownie Mix.

But hold onto your wallet. The price was $18.95. I know gluten-free flours are more expensive that regular flour, but this is crazy. Why pay this much, for a mix at that? Hey, it's Thomas Keller @ William-Sonoma. Need I say more. Not Target (I wish). Throw in the eggs and butter, and you have some dreamy brownies costing you over $20. A must try. I'm being a little bit sarcastic, but I mean it. I had to try it, if only to find out how it compared to my own (homemade) flour mix.

The directions were easy to follow. You only needed to add butter and eggs. My only gripe (besides the price) is that the Nutrition Facts reads 19 Servings per Container, 230 calories per piece. But according to the directions, the recipe makes 16 squares. Shouldn't the number be the same? I don't usually worry about calorie content while eating brownies, but with this one I was curious to find out. The recipe called for lots of butter, 12 Tbsp to be exact, 4 eggs, and melted Guittard chocolate. This recipe made one small 9-inch pan! Can't really feed a crowd with that. ,However, the brownies turned out delicious, rich and very chocolaty. So will I buy this product again? Not often, but I will if I'm craving chocolate and don't feel like baking. My next task is to try to replicate the recipe using my own flour mix. I'm up to the challenge. My husband, who is not gluten-free, loved them. So did I. Served with some vanilla ice-cream, it was heaven!

Going once, going twice...

Gone!!!