Whooo, daddy! By the time you read this I will probably be trying to hustle everyone into the car for our West Coast road trip to book events in San Francisco, Portland, and Seattle. Or I’ll be sitting here lost in an Internet hole while the family is downstairs all buckled in because Paula Deen, and James Gandolfini, and why is that Edward Snoden showing off his Glamour Shots??? Oh, Internet. I’m so glad there’s a cat dressed in a shark costume chasing a duck on a Roomba to make me feel all life-affirming and stuff.

Anyway. One should never embark on an epic road trip without epic gluten-free snacks. Which is clearly, what you see above. Oh sure there are stops along the way so you don’t necessarily need a party sized bag of M&Ms, but I’m sure it’s economical or something. And I’m being all good and stuff by enjoying the brand new flavors of KIND bars, those folks so nicely sent my way. It’s Maple Glazed Pecan & Sea Salt and Dark Chocolate Chili Almond, you guys. OMG. And of course, I made my German Cream Cheese Brownies because a) they rule, and b) they travel really, really, well, and c) I can eat them for breakfast if everyone else is hoovering the pound cake from Starbucks or what not. That’s right, brownies for breakfast. It’s not a road trip if you have not had brownies for breakfast. That’s a fact.

So make some! (This fab recipe is in my book, so you guys are about to enter super bonus zone if you have not purchased. Also, COME OUT TO SF, Portland & Seattle next week!!!!)

Gluten-Free German Cream Cheese Brownies

Prep time: 20 minutes Cook time: 40 minutes

Ingredients

4          ounces German Sweet Chocolate, or semisweet chocolate + 2 tablespoons sugar
5          tablespoons butter
3          ounces cream cheese, softened
1          cup sugar
3          eggs
½         cup + 1 tablespoon all-purpose gluten-free flour
1½       teaspoons vanilla
½         teaspoon baking powder
¼         teaspoon salt
¼         teaspoon almond extract
¼         teaspoon xanthan gum
½         cup pecans, chopped

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Melt chocolate and 3 tablespoons of the butter over very low heat in medium saucepan.

2. Allow chocolate mixture to cool. Beat remaining butter and cream cheese together until soft, gradually adding ¼ cup of sugar and beating until light and fluffy.

3. Stir in one egg, 1 tablespoon of the gluten-free flour, and ½ teaspoon of the vanilla. Set aside.

5. In a separate medium bowl, beat remaining two eggs until light and fluffy.

6. Add remaining sugar, baking powder, salt, flour, and xanthan gum to eggs. Blend in cooled chocolate mixture. Stir in almond extract and remaining vanilla.

7. Measure 1 cup of this chocolate mixture, and set aside. Pour remaining chocolate batter in greased 9-inch square pan. Pour cream cheese mixture over the top. Drop remaining chocolate batter on top, by tablespoons, and swirl together.

8. Top batter with chopped pecans and bake for 40 minutes.

Makes: 16 road trip brownies