friday links

What's everyone making for St. Patricks Day?

I found a few ideas for you.
First one is my favorite: hoisin glazed corned beef with hoisin-ginger reduction, served over spicy sauerkraut relish. Don't let the long name scare you into thinking it's hard to make--its not! A very tasty dish, AND the leftovers make incredible sliders with a nice creamy coleslaw.



Maybe a reuben calzone?



Maybe some reuben bread from recipe girl? With step by step instructions?



Or how about corned beef grilled cheese sandwich with Guinness caramelized onions! From Kevin at Closet Cooking. Man, that's just insanely good looking. I think I'm making this one just for the Guinness caramelized onions.



Guinness-chocolate pudding! Let's have dessert first.



How about a sweet & salty Guinness chocolate pie from SprinkleBakes.com ?



I adore iced oatmeal cookies when it's a think, crispy cookie with generous amounts of iced frosting. From Bake-Aholic.com



If you ever have leftover donut munchkins, here's a great way to use them up: Donut Chips! Love this idea. From Kate over at framedcooks.com



Need a step by step guide on how to make "the perfect Irish Coffee"?

Cheddar-chive Guinness Bread.

An easy recipe for homemade colcannon soup from she's in the kitchen.

Here is a great way to naturally dye Easter eggs. None of that awful food coloring needed! This is great for kids.

I had to share this one: sweet little lumbar pillows for your office chair. I'm defintiely getting the black one from Brookstone--it looks like it's perfect for my chair. How many times during the day do I take my arm and rest on the backside of my lower back because of pain.

List of the best narrated audio books. I would love to listen to Tina Fey's "Bossypants"

Brownie Roll ups!

Cauliflower crusted pizza.

A mock tuna salad? Made with chickpea's. Fabulous idea.

Need to ripen an avocado fast?

Rocker Gene Simmons opening a chain of restaurants? Rock & Brew.

Want to increase your Twitter followers? Here are some excellent tips.

Cupcake nail art. Not for me, but still cute; gotta admire the attention to detail.

New human species? Could this be true? Not homo sapiens nor neanderthal. Very interesting.

Easing eye strain with "optical aerobics"

What I'm curiously reading these days.....what do you think of the whole Paleo craze? Work for you?



Top instant noodles from around the world. Some of them are very odd indeed.

On my "to create" recipe list: Black Pepper Tofu (it's the photo that captured my attention).

Want to know about food, drugs, health, market withdrawals, and other recalls? This is a very handy little website.

Cruelty free beauty products. LOVE THIS.

Have a great weekend kids!

peanut butter cookie crusted brownies

Pet peeve #307 Soggy bottom brownies.
You know those brownies with that nice crisp layer on top, then a disappointing soggy bottom? Oh I hate those. I need to have a crispy top, crispy bottom, with a semi-gooey/fudgy center in my brownies. Is that why the end pieces of brownies are so popular? Because they have both crispy top and bottom AND sides? Probably.
Well, if you're like me, I have solved this problem. Use an almost or completely flouress cookie dough--this should yield a nice crisp bottom. Makes all the difference in the world.

This Baked brownie mix is hands down one of my favorites. It's like a high-quality chocolate bar. Well, in essence it is since it has chocolate from Guittard and Callebaut in there. If you're going to have a brownie have one that has high quality cocoa in there--better taste wise and mood wise (higher quality chocolate really does improve your mood).
Have you tried this brownie mix from Baked yet? You really should. To be honest, I was kind of blown away at how rich, dense, and fuggy it tasted since it comes from a box. I truly thought it would be just another boxed brownie mix; one naturally assume when it comes from a mix it's going to be OK.
I was so dead wrong. This mix literally tastes like those fancy brownies that take a while to make--you know the ones you see on food network or PBS that have a 1000 steps?
Very easy to make. All you have to do is add butter and eggs.


I've always wanted to create a cookie/brownie mix. And for me, peanut butter and brownie go so well together, why not put them together. Sure you've seen this combo before, but this one really tastes good as we used a lower flour peanut butter cookie--just like my "almost flourless" pb cookies.

If you want to try these brownie mixes, (deep dark chocolate, blondie, and peanut butter), head over to Williams Sonoma.

I think we all should convince the Baked guys to offer up a giveaway for these fabulous brownie mixes? Don't you? Tell me and I'll tell them.

peanut butter cookie crusted brownies
print recipe

for the peanut butter cookie base:
3 cup all-natural chunky or smooth peanut butter (not too oily though, drain some out)
1 ½ cups + 2 TB dark brown sugar (not packed)
3 eggs
2 ts baking soda
6 TB flour
1 ¼ ts sea salt

for the brownie base:
1 mix of Baked deep dark brownie mix (or your own favorite brownie mix; enough for a 9x13 pan)

For the pb cookie base:
In a small bowl add the flour, baking soda and salt; and mix, set aside.
In a mixer or by hand, combine peanut butter and sugar until well combined.
Crack open eggs in a small bowl and beat.
Add egg to the cookie mixture, then add in the flour mixture, by sprinkling it over the cookie dough, not just depositing it in one large dump. Mix till combined.

Grease up a 9 X 13 inch pan; using either Pam nonstick spray or butter and flour method. Press the peanut butter dough mixture into pan, making sure to get all the corners as well. Place in fridge and chill, until ready to use.

for the Baked brownie mix:
Follow mixing instructions as stated on the back of the box.

When the brownie batter mix is mixed and you’re ready to bake, preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Take out the peanut butter pan from fridge, and pour the brownie mixture on top. Smooth out batter, evenly, over the top, making sure to get the corners. Gently tap the pan to remove any air. Bake in oven for about 55-65 minutes; making sure to rotate pan a few times during baking. If you don’t want fudgy brownies, you can bake a couple minutes longer.
The brownies will be fudgy, dense, thick and a bit gooey; this is good. Look for a nice crisp/crusty top on the brownies. Inserting a cake tester in middle, will yield a few small crumbs, not complete dough.
You need to cool brownies in pan for at least 45 minutes, then transfer to fridge to help set up the brownies. I left the pan in the fridge for about an hour.
Using a sharp knife, loosen edges and slide out mixture onto wooden board. Cut into squares. Should yield about 24+ squares, depending on how you cut them.

friday links

Here on cape cod we've been blessed with a good amount of gorgeous weather this winter. The complete opposite of last winter, which was full on snow and no sun. This winter we've had above normal temps. good amount of sun and about four inches of snow so far. Last year at this time we had already received over 57 inches of snow. Crazy extremes. When the sun is out I do my very best to get to the beach as much as possible.
One day I was lucky enough to tag along for clamming.




Steamers for dinner!


This is north chatham, ma.



Off in the distance is the infamous Nauset Beach, but before that, there is the small island sanctuary called Tern Island. And yes, this is the same Nauset that hooks up with other end of Nauset Beach down by the national seashore. Nauset Beach, used to be one long piece of beach, but a few winters ago a part of the beach broke/breached. For those who love history of beaches (like me) you can read more about the breach, and history of the beach click here. There are summer homes over there, no electricity or power. The homes are few, and very minimal. From what I've heard from the natives, it's like going back in time over there; gas lanterns, fishing poles, books, and minimal furniture is about it. One four wheel drive vehicle for the island and people to use to drive around in--no other cars there. Hard to rent one that's for sure. I hope to get a ride over there one day this summer--fingers crossed. I haven't found much info on Tern Island though....still looking....

Around the web:

Speaking of cape cod, I've become obsessed with these giant oat cookies, aptly named: Salty Oats made by Kayak Cookies. Almost a quarter pound cookie that is oatmeal cookie with raisins and a touch of salt. Heavenly cookie indeed. They are made here on cape cod (originally started in DC) and are sold in most businesses on cape cod and almost all whole foods in Massachusetts. Growing in popularity simply because of their taste and short list of wholeness ingredients. I've already started my quest to make a suitable clone. Have you tried these cookies?



After my post about the peanut flour peanut butter cookies a couple people asked about other uses for peanut flour. For me, I just look at what recipes that use flour, can we use peanut flour instead? A few other tips found here too.

My latest salad dressing obsession can be found here.

Did you know you can clean copper with lemon and salt? I didn't.

Linen sheets have always gotten a bad, scratchy rap. But apparently not here. Do you like them?

Do you compost? Here's a helpful guide.

My latest cookbook obsession?


At first I was a little intimidated by this book thinking it might be too hard because it is from an acclaimed Norwegian pastry chef Sverre Sætre, but no actually the recipes are very easy to follow.
And as a little treat they show you how to make your own marzipan--and guess what? It's super easy. I never knew. Chef Sverre has 50 recipes in side and each recipe has it's own color photograph. For me, that's the most important part--I need to see the finished product and am really not fond of cookbooks that give you only a handful of photographs. This Norwegian cookbook is a treat, if you've ever wanted to step out of your comfort zone and try a few Norwegian delicacies, this would be it, as it's not hard to follow and won't have you running around town looking for crazy ingredients you can't find or pronounce.



Many women are low on iron. Did you know that liver is very high in iron? LOL I knew that, but I still won't eat it.

Have any of you started canning? I remember a few of you said you were doing some this winter. How about pickled carrots? They actually sound really good.

I do love that kneadless bread is all the rage. Especially when it's got cheese in it.

Have you ever wondered what a day in the life is like for a location scout? Fascinating.

And for those who are still curious about canning. Here is a well-written beginners guide, with a brief history too.

Onion and black pepper scones. Gluten free too!

The kettlepizza. I really want one of these, just in time for summer. What a great idea.

Foodie pick up lines. Cute very cute.

Need new slippers?

Ways to boost up your salad dressings.

Have a great weekend!

spicy pb cookies (flour less)

Have you ever made peanut butter cookies with peanut flour? I didn't either, and I was pleasantly surprised at how tasty peanut flour is. Actually I prefer it over regular flour for many baking items: cakes, cookies, muffins, etc.. But then I heard that Trader Joe's isn't making the peanut flour anymore? Is this true? That was a quick fad. I have to find another good source for peanut flour. Anyone have recommendations?
Warning: these pb cookies are GOOD. I made about 12 cookies, ate 6, then ate 3 more, then finally someone else finished them off--all in a matter of hours. You've been warned.



I'm sure you recognize these cookies from another post? The first time I made these cookies (almost flour less pb cookies, everyone raved about them and they became the hit of the web). Now with these cookies, they are completely flour less, so those with gluten allergies can rejoice. And if you don't like the heat in the cookies, you can easily swap out the cayenne for coriander. The addition of coriander is wonderful, like a small flavor boost, that makes people go "hmm, what is that taste...I can't quite put my finger on it but I love it". I've made them both ways: with heat and with coriander; can't decide which I prefer I as I love them both. The peanut flavor is so deep and intense with the peanut flour.









spicy peanut butter cookies (flourless)
print recipe

1 cup all-natural chunky or all natural smooth peanut butter (not oily pb)
¾ cup dark brown sugar
¼ granulated sugar
1 large egg, room temp
1 ts baking soda
3 TB peanut flour
¾ - 1 ts cayenne OR ¾ ts (more or less) coriander
1 ts sea salt
Bittersweet chocolate chips, about ½ cup, optional

Cook notes:
This recipe makes a small batch (about 12-15), if you want more, just double all the ingredients. Please use your own judgment when using the amount of cayenne or coriander. I used bittersweet chocolate, but you could use milk or semi-sweet—keep in mind, I felt the cookies tasted off using milk chocolate. The cookies have to sit in fridge for at least an hour to come together; don’t let them sit in fridge overnight as they become very dry. This is a dry cookie, and will a tiny bit hard to roll. Also they are delicate and tend to break apart if you make them big. So try not to make the dough balls bigger than a tablespoon size. Using chocolate is optional. If you do use the chocolate chips, keep in mind I found it easiest to make a well in the cookie dough ball, place in a couple chips, and when done baking, take a chop stick or other pointy tool to swirl around the warm chocolate chips.

In a small bowl add the peanut flour, baking soda, cayenne, and salt and mix, set aside.
In a small bowl crack egg open and beat.
In a mixer or by hand, combine peanut butter and sugars until well combined.
Add egg to the cookie mixture, mix well.
Add in the flour mixture, by sprinkling it over the cookie dough, not just depositing it in one large dump. Mix till just combined.

Cover bowl and let it sit in fridge for about an hour. Do not let this sit overnight as the dough becomes very dry!
When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Roll into tablespoon (or smaller) sized balls and place on non-stick cookie sheets or greased cookie sheets. With your finger or end of spatula, make a small well in middle of cookie dough. This is where you will place a couple chocolate chips in. If you don’t want to add chocolate then just flatten dough ball a bit and using a fork make a cross-cross pattern, optional of course.

Bake for 10 minutes, until lightly browned. These cook up very fast, so I really wouldn’t go past the 10-12 minute mark.
Using the end of a chop stick or other fine pointy tip, swirl it around the chocolate chips to smooth out the warm chips. This should also get the chocolate a bit glossier too.
Cool on a baking sheet for a while.
The cookies are fragile and tend to break.
Should make about 12-15 cookies (small batch). If you want more, just double all the ingredients.

guest post: jill smokler of scary mommy

Today is a special day for me. One of my good friends Jill from Scary Mommy is our featured guest post. And as many of you already know Jill is almost set to release her first book: Scary Mommy. It will be available April 3, 2012!
Thrilled to pieces for her and like I've always said, "its about time" her writings about her daily adventures in parenting-does-not-have-to-be-perfect come to fruition and into a book. What I adore about this book is the fact that she included many confessionals from real people; showing that they, just like Jill (and her hubby) are not perfect at parenting. There is a part in this book that everyone can relate to.
Many of you may know Jill from her infamous blog scarymommy.com, where she writes all things motherhood: the good, the bad, and the scary. Sure it's honest with a huge dose of humor but it's honesty mixed in with reality and how she deals with the hard hits of motherhood. She's even developed an anonymous confessional for everyone to chime in on their horrid, happy and scary thoughts of parenthood: fears and all. Let's call it a wonderful way to relieve parenthood-stress anonymously and know that you are not alone when one of your worst fears arises....again and again and again.
How honest is Jill in her writings? Take a look at Chapter 4 titled: "are they really letting me take this thing home with me?" How many mothers can relate to that? Apparently millions, as Jills' website averages about 1.5 millions hits per month.



There's also a "Scary Mommy Society" forum for other “scary mommies,” blogging newcomers, and parenting and non-parenting people alike with something important to share in a community setting. With it's huge popularity there is an 8-week waiting list. But don't let that stop you.
I was lucky enough to steal some time from Jill during her hectic schedule (did you know that she wrote this book in a matter of a couple months? Crazy publisher deadlines! And she has three children? She's crazy, full of energy, honest about her parenting decisions/roles, and I love her that way. I asked her to answer a few questions for me and her fans--let's just get to the good stuff.



I know that you are a very busy mom of three children, you had to write a book in was it 2-3 months? How on earth did you stay focused when it came time to write? I ask this because sometimes when you plan out the writing it’s a lot harder to focus!

Basically, I just didn't sleep. Plus, I was a complete bitch to everyone in my real life. Writing is not something that comes all that naturally to me, so I'd just have to ride the wave when I felt inspired, and get the rest of my life done when there was a lull in my creativity. But, I highly recommend not writing a book in a few short months. It was all far from ideal.

I, and I’m sure all your fans, just love how open and honest you are in your writings. Are there times where you wish you wouldn’t have said something or wanted to take it back ?

I'm sure there are times that my mother wishes I wasn't so honest, but for me, there's no point in writing if I can't do it honestly. It is a little strange thinking that my kids' teachers read about my vibrator, so instead of censoring myself, I just don't think about who's reading. If I did, I'd never write a thing.

You know I’m a foodie, and I know you are too, so I gotta ask: what are your favorite foods?
Are there any dishes that you’re known for?

I could live on Thai food. Thai iced tea, spring rolls, satay, curry, noodles... all of it. It's my absolute favorite food in the universe. Just thinking about it makes me drool (thanks, Dawn.) I do love cooking, although I am one of the world's worst bakers. I've perfected my caramelized onion pizza over the years and it's pretty kick ass. If I'm cooking for a group, Chicken Marbella is usually the way I go and my favorite dessert to make is a Kaluah dip from my husband's family. It has three unimpressive ingredients, but is ridiculously delicious. Plus, it gives you a nice buzz if you eat enough of it. Win/win.

Have you done any public speaking yet? I know for me speaking in front of a crowd is a bit scary. Do you have any fears on public speaking?

I've done some. I don't love it, but I actually enjoy it more than public listening. If I'm in an audience, I want to fall asleep. At least if I'm speaking, I know I won't snore.

In your poem post, that mirrors the book “Go the F**K to Sleep", you say its inspiration from your hubby. I know your husband is used a lot in your writings. I admire his thick skin, but I admire that you aren’t afraid to speak about it. Don’t you wish more people were as open and honest as you are in their writings about married life?

Jeff is a really, really good sport in a way that I could never, ever be. And, no, I don't. I need to be unique, somehow!

If you and your hubby could go on vacation (kid free), anywhere, for free, where would it be and why?

Since we're talking fantasy land here, Moorea, which is an island off of Tahiti. We went there on our honeymoon and it was the most gorgeous place I've ever been. The beaches, the smell of flowers everywhere, the food... The distance and cost will keep us away for as long as I can imagine, but I would love to go back. It was heavenly.

I know there are a lot of people out there that admire you and your zest/zing for “honest blogging”. I’ve gotten a couple people ask me to ask you what advice would you give someone who wants to take up blogging about their crazy life?

For the first three years of blogging, I saw little reward. I always treated it like a job, but until recently, it just didn't pay. (Not that the pay now is anything to shout from the rooftops, but at least it's something.) So, until the last year, I had to remind myself that if it wasn't fun, it wasn't worth it. That would be my advice to someone looking to start a blog: Have fun. For most people, this won't become a career, so just enjoy it. If it ever becomes a chore or a stress, it's time to reevaluate.

Do you see yourself (and we hope to see this as well) in a sitcom on TV? Chronicles’ of Scary Mommy?

It's definitely something I've fantasized about! It's a huge long shot, but the fact that I wrote a book is proof that you never know where life will lead. :)

Thank you Jill! How can you not love her? Mazel Jill and Jeff!

Jill is gearing up for book signing appearances. To learn more her tour date click here and to pre-order her book click here.

Lastly, I was super-duper lucky enough to have Jill use one of my favorite recipes
for a few of her upcoming book parties. To find out what it is head on over to Scary Mommy.

Congrats to the winners of the book "Baking Basics & Beyond" Sara #16 and Lisa #45. You won. Look for an email from me soon to get your address! Congrats!