friday links

Happy Friday all!


The traffic on the cape has been rough.
July 4th was really backed up--both ways on the bridges.
I was lucky enough to be stuck in it one day.  I think a lot of people came to the cape for the July 4th holiday.

If you plan on coming to the cape July 18-20, come to the Greek Festival. So much fun!
More info here at St. George Greek Orthodox Church in Centerville

If any of you follow me on Instagram, you might recognize this nightmare photo.
I always keep a water bottle on my bedside table, and normally with the cap off since I'm
half asleep in the middle of the night to drink it.
Well leaving the cap off makes spiders feel more than welcome to come in and have a sip.
Always leave the cap on!

If you're in or on the water a lot, this is handy to know.
Marine Disentanglement Hotline

Summer has been beautiful hasn't it?
I always love to look up and wonder where is that plane going or that one?
Do you?

Rescued this little guy last week.  A baby morning dove.
Couldn't find his momma or nest, so I brought him to the Cape Wildlife Center
Happy to report he's doing fine, eating well and has zero injuries.
Thank you so much Cape Wildlife Center for taking him in.

Been to the beach a couple times; the water is perfect.
(bass river, cape cod)

Got to witness a couple friends jump out of a perfectly good airplane at the cape cod airfield in Marstons Mills, Cape Cod.
I am "almost" ready to do this myself.
Would you?
I'm dying to do the biplane rides.


my banana bread balls have been the most D/L recipe for the last two weeks.
have you made them?
are people craving banana bread balls?

around the web:

a good list of summer books of 2014
magic flan cake
14 brain exercises to help you get smarter
oxygenating your cells to reduce inflammation
back surgery for back pain: caution is in order
5 steps to meditate anywhere
fresh cherry cupcakes
a few thoughts on worry
'smart' luggage will text you when it gets lost
DIY nautical knot bracelets
flu vaccine contains 25,000 times more mercury than drinking water? (yikes)
health benefits of pumpkin seeds
lavender infused lemonade
pb & j popsicles
one of the best looking taco salads I've seen
vintage recipe: lazy daisy cake
flip flop cookies! (so cute)
new way to regrow human corneas
21 things you didn't know your i-phone could do
how to make bubble tea (aka boba) at home
mississippi mud cookies
are you deficient in magnesium?
floating over bora bora (LOVE this!)
pb-banana bonbons
rhubarb meringue bars
homemade hot pockets
why we stay in crappy situations & how to get out of them
homemade cherry filled chocolates!
strawberry shortcake muffins
10 causes of hair loss
timeless wisdom
chocolate-vanilla froyo pops
motion sensor that helps align new knee joints
bake-able, crunchy & edible cupcake wrappers!
blueberry-oat cheesecake bars
the many health benefits of ginger
grilled elote corn
the one emotion that really hurts your brain
natural compounds to improve thyroid function
are we aging faster?
hot fudge brownie sundae pie
nutella crepe cake
best ways to store tomatoes
how to write on a cake with sprinkles
dangers of plastic: 5 hidden places of BPA
sesame crisp bars
nutella ice cream is coming to Carvel?
5 ways to use up old bread
the implant that gives you back your hearing
why we stay in crappy situations
what is pantothenic acid?
raw/vegan ice cream bars (hard to believe they're raw)
dangerous chemicals found in food packaging
crayon lipstick?
want to go viral? 7 things to do now to be ready
13 most powerful superfoods
fluoridation and dementia
vasectomy may increase risk of aggressive prostate cancer
huge anchovy swarm invades san diego
food blogger fined for her negative restaurant review? (yikes)

Have a wonderful weekend!

friday links

Happy Friday kids!

What's on tap for this wonderful summer weekend?


I shall try every flavor this summer.

When it's just too hot cook, I love to fix up a condiment salad with plenty of Catalina dressing.

It's blueberry pie season!

The buffalo chicken pizza at Whole Foods is so good!

Yummy hot dogs at the "walk up food bar" at Whole Foods Cape Cod.

I'm so glad winter is gone.

Ocean temp is about 65 degrees, feels much warmer when the sun is out though.

Tomato season is coming!
I've got a quick & easy recipe for tomato & cheddar hand pies.

One bowl caramel-pecan brownies!
Easy peasy for the weekend.

around the web:

brownie waffle cookies (I wish I had a waffle iron still)
this is your body without water
cauliflower rice (this looks so easy!)
waffle + falafel = wafalafel
why iron rich foods are important
20 mantras to help you feel more confident
what a literary agent wants to see when they google you
why eating a big breakfast helps you lose weight
DIY wind chimes--great for the kids this summer
man wears Mentos coated suit & jumps in vat of diet coke (I know, I know!)
peanut butter waffles (I'm on a waffles kick)
hummus salad dressing! (brilliant)
natural remedies for sunburns
20 cancer symptoms women are most likely to ignore
empathic people are natural targets for sociopaths
s'mores pop tart slab pie
four foods rich in magnesium
how to get rid of writers block
best superfood for detoxing
cat in the bag! (I wasn't sure if this was real, but it is)
how to use google analytics (very helpful!)
the many healing wonders of turmeric
exercise & protein may help good gut bacteria
peony care: tips to grow healthy plants
conch shell headphones
rainbow tie-dye surprise cake (excellent tutorial)
vietnamese coffee ice cream (no cook)
a list of the best hair conditioners (what do you use?)
chocolate chip cookie milk shooters
grains & your joints
rose-infused lemonade
5 "not so super foods"?
diet or exercise? 'energy balance' is real key to disease prevention
DIY treat & candy wrappers
DIY fortune teller (the ones you made as a kid)
how to make pancakes with your rice cooker
tips for growing your hair
are you a "word nerd"? follow these twitter accounts to improve your vocab
the genesis of genius
cut your cake & keep it fresh too
decaying mansion of antiques
the rotting rothschild mansion
mike tyson's deserted 1980's mansion
food ingredient fears
16 things that affect your gut bacteria
more great uses & health benefits of turmeric
overcoming stress by saying thanks
15 mind blowing ways your body heals after quitting smoking



Have a wonderful weekend!

friday links

Happy Happy Friday!

First day of summer this Saturday!

Do they have to park at the end of my driveway?

Are you coming to the Cape this weekend?
It's going to be beautiful weather.

Why can't we have summer year round?
Winter is so.....pointless.

I hope to do a little stand up paddle boarding this weekend.
What are your plans?

Did I tell you yet that Cape Cod has it's own Whole Foods now?
I might have mentioned it a couple times.  LOL
They have really good pizza.

White peaches are in season--let's make a tart!

Chubby wifey ice cream?

peanut butter-oreo ice cream

peanut butter-fudge puddle cookies are DANGEROUS!

around the web:

black coffee stops your teeth from rotting? hmm
scary symptoms of stress
strawberry shortcake ice cream bars
make your own electrolyte drink
cantaloupe-mint caipirinah cocktail
key lime cheesecake milkshakes!
warning signs you're dealing with a toxic person
will ferrell & chad smith drum off (I love this!)
5 ways to improve your day
banana & brown sugar popsicles
armpit cleanse: to reduce breast cancer risk
artsy craftsy sequin projects!
overcoming excuses & believing in what you can do!
yep spiders that eat fish exist!
America's happiest seaside towns (yay to p-town!)
how to freeze baked goods by alice medrich
sriracha crab salad rolls
watermelon painted donuts
healthy obesity?
NY style paleo pizza crust
can intermittent fasting help you?
your favorite carby foods made healthy & delicious
6 superfoods for a healthy prostate
common insecticides may be linked to child behavior problems
runaway juno: she's living the dream I want--traveling!
high levels of cancer-causing compounds found in hairdressers blood
breast cancer risk factors connected to 102 chemicals
bacon & avocado macaroni salad
anatomy of a starbucks beverage
fruits, foods & drinks that revitalize & restore
6 tips to get you motivated when you're feeling depressed
Globe Trekker fans!
people who overshare on Facebook just want to belong
the difference between rolled oats, steel-cut oats & quick oats
hair perfume?
DIY beehive cake
world cup themed cakes & cupcakes
22 tricks to avoid bloating
Oh Joy goes to London!
easy focaccia made in your skillet
sriacha bacon wrapped onions rings
quick & easy berry jam
grilled middle eastern lamb burgers w/ garlic sauce
chocolate swirl paleo banana bread

Have a wonderful weekend!

friday links

Happy Friday kids!

Just a quick note of gratitude:
my facebook page for vanilla sugar is almost at 5K likes.
2 years ago at this time I had 77 likes and was estatic.
So thank you, very much, for liking & loving my little creative food blog.


Should you ever want a homemade cheez it recipe that has far less chemicals than the boxed version,
then keep this recipe handy. It's really good.

Craving something lemon? Lemon crunch bars.  Seriously.

Or maybe a lemon-vanilla oreo ice cream?

In case you haven't heard me scream from the rooftops....cape cod has a Whole Foods Market now.
AND they have a breakfast buffet in the mornings!
It's really good, but it gets really packed--fast.

Can't tell you how many people liked my profound statement on Facebook.

Rain & humidity--why do they have to go hand in hand in the summer?

Goodbye winter, hello summertime.

Ocean temp as of today, about 63-64 degrees. Better than 50, right?

Best seat on the beach.
Don't you love that brightness? After months and months of a dark winter here on cape cod.

Even my neighbors chickens are happy to be out for their morning walks again.

Fancy a root beer bundt cake?
Yes root beer!

Peach season is here.
Make peach shortcake with white chocolate-whipped cream!

Blueberry compote for blueberry shortcake is one of my weaknesses.

My blueberry shortcake is made with a nice easy to make donut cake.

Can you stuff brownies with s'mores?
Yes!

around the web:

slow cooker spiced cashews
app snaps photo of alleged smartphone thief
imaging advance detects free radicals in brain injury
how to negotiate with someone more powerful than you (MUST READ!)
best yoga poses for better sleep & less stress
the other salt: foods high in potassium
strawberry italian cream cake
snicker layer bars (paleo & vegan)
7 things your hair says about your health
10 best clam shacks in New England!! (Clam Box is the best!)
17 incredible things you didn't know about whole foods market
a day at the office with Boston Red Sox's Wally the Green Monster
nutshell dioramas of death
rhubarb punch
right before I die (warning this is intense)
Mac OS X keyboard shortcuts (handy little page)
everything you need to know about B12 deficiency
10 health & fitness instagram must follows (LOVE Alan!)
liver detoxifying green juice drink
2-ingredient nutella brownies!
5 ways to make everyone be around you
bourbon-bacon brownies!
DIY wrapped gladiator sandals
Love these! fortune "cakes" cupcake molds
handy full moon finder
orange creamsicle ricotta cookies
rhubarb-cardamon custard pie
DIY pre-shave oil for men
20 epic alternatives to peanut butter
how to turn confetti into monogram wall art (so cute!)
how exercise slows aging
the effect of 1-night of sleep deprivation
the science of the best sorbet
7 things men really want in a relationship
10 most comfortable dining chairs
DIY ladder wardrobe
york peppermint patty chocolate popsicles
how much GMO food are you really eating?
getting a good nights sleep really does help boost your brain
homemade snickers (printed!)
counter the effects of menopause
breakfast pizza!
when did this generation become so obsessed with itself?
wonderful roundup of backyard crafts for the summer
22 tricks to avoid bloating

**coming to Boston this summer?  Sign up for the Boston Foodie Tours.
Award-winning best eats throughout Boston. 2014 & 2013 TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence!
All tours feature fun, historical facts, with a focus on award-winning best eats, including those of Best of Boston winners, James Beard Award winners, celebrity chefs, and food institutions.
Our tour guides not only "love" food, they "know" food, often having graduated from Boston University's Gastronomy Program, founded by Julia Child & Jacque Pepin, and the Cambridge School of Culinary Arts**

Have a wonderful weekend!

friday links

Happy Friday kids!


my homemade granola thins have been most downloaded for the week.

my copycat peanut butter twix bars are also very popular.

I'm ashamed to say, cookies & milk was dinner one night this week.

This is Roger.
He lives under my back deck, he loves sitting in the sun, swimming, and will eat a bite or two of my strawberries.
He's kind of friendly and I'm totally digging it.
I think he's a Libra :-)

I think the cape is finally having a decent spring in years.  It's been sunny, not humid, but cool.
AND not a lot of rain, thank goodness!
Normally the cape only gets winter then boom, right into summer with heat, so this is a blessing.

And this was dinner another night.  Better choices.

In an attempt to un-do damage from said chocolate chip cookie dinners dinner, I am having raw food
juices made fresh at Whole Foods Cape Cod.
This is a beet, kale, lawn clippings, apple, and lemon juice.

around the web:

summer cabin escapes
your brain on healthy food
fascinating photos of the changes on the cape cod coastline over the years
DIY lemon cups!
9 easy DIY popsicles
brain benefits of meditation
greek garlic sauce
health benefits of onions
7 habits of happy people
13 accidental inventions that changed the world
caramelized banana-peanut butter BLENDER ice cream
tick situations & solutions
puff pastry prosciutto wrapped asparagus
butter | opusculum
DIY maleficent glitter slime
ice baths: myth or recovery?
osteoporosis risk for men?  yes!
8 DIY medical treatments
the best looking greek salad I've seen in a while
your body on anxiety
macaron making advice
best way to soften butter fast
swedish butterscotch & sea salt cookies
what really causes obesity?
grow your own strawberries
cinnamon toast crunch raw pie
tangerine sour cream pound cake
perfect iced coffee
meditation is the key to success
why we choose to eat a clean diet
coconut-brown butter cookies
sea salt & honey ice cream (no machine needed)
one very epic selfie!
instagram 6.0 with adjustable filters & 9 new effects
15 hilarious attempts to make horrifying food look fancy
10 healthy morning pick-me-ups
giving nutrition it's due in bipolar disorder treatment
don't throw away your strawberry tops!
10 worst processed foods for people with diabetes

Have a wonderful weekend.