friday links

Happy Friday!

Here on cape cod we're in for a long stretch of cloudy, rainy days sadly.
Sun is hard to come by here.
If you're planning a trip to cape cod for July 4th, it will be overcast--for a while.

closing up for the day at craigville beach

Cute right?

Do you watch that show River Monsters?
I do and I cannot believe how daring jeremy wade is!

We kicked off the summer to a good start with Five Guys Burgers

My current reading from CakeLove Warren Brown.
CakeLove: how to bake cakes from scratch
CakeLove: in the morning
CakeLove: united cakes of america
I'l be doing an interview with him...have nay questions for him?

Around the web:
no-knead dinner dolls from averie cooks
8 foods you should always buy from mind body green
no-bake chocolate-peanut butter cookies from amateur gourmet
double chocolate-banana muffins from american heritage cooking
biotin: why you need it, what it does from worlds healthiest foods
iced oatmeal raisin cookie pie from serious eats
almond butter chocolate fudge from reboot with joe
homemade twinkies - the healthy version from chocolate covered katie
dark chocolate-peanut butter ice cream from keeping it kind
sausage burgers w/ sriracha-honey mustard sauce from girl carnivore
turn your blog into a book (info) from writers digest
how to transform stress into relaxation from positively positive
chromium: what does it do? from worlds healthiest foods
blueberry-lime cream cheese pound cake from the novice chef
frozen coconut macadamia bars from marks daily apple
how shirley jackson write "The Lottery" from slate
giveaway: enter to win a case of KIND bars from blisstree
what if GMO's were banned in the USA from organic authority
how to treat bacme from you beauty
duct tape surfing (get your kleenex out, this one is a tear-jerker in a good way)
iced coffee concentrate from cooking a la mel
chocolate peanut butter cup cheesecake squares from chocolate moosey
chocolate as sunscreen? from science daily
various types of oatmeal nutritionally the same? from worlds healthiest foods
how positivity reduces pain & inflammation from positively positive

As you know Google Reader is shutting down July 1.
My alternative is to use Feedly.
It's really easy to switch over to Feedly--they practically do it for you!
Or you can follow me on Facebook Page or on Twitter.

Have a wonderful weekend!

brookie bars

Have you heard of the brookie?
A brownie layer, a cookie layer all rolled into one cookie?
There are a couples variations of it, I wanted to try my own spin on it.
After having found the best chocolate chip cookie ever--the jacques torres cookies; I wanted to use those as a base and then the top layer I figure why not try jacques torres famous brownie recipe.
The brookie does the brownie on the bottom and the cookie on the top and molds them into cookies.
I didn't have those molds so I used a pan.
I put the cookie on the bottom because it can hold the heat better and the brownies on top since they are a bit more delicate.
If you like fudgy brownies then this recipe is for you.
This is a really good brownie recipe all on its own, fudgy middle and crisp top--perfect combo!



Fairly easy to make.  Just make the cookie base and refrigerate (as per instructions) for a couple days.
When ready to bake, just make the brownie batter.


A few thoughts: I did not add nuts to the brownie batter, and after tasting it, it really did need that "texture".  And of course feel free to use your own brownie recipe too.  Just make sure you have enough batter for a 9x13 pan--this is what the cookie dough batter needs.  Also, there was a bit of extra brownie batter left over; I used a mini loaf pan and baked off the rest.

Brookie bars

both recipes from Jacques Torres

print recipe

Cook notes:  In the brownie recipe, there is no place where it says to add in the flour mixture to the mixer, so I added it in below. Very strange.  But I think I nailed it.

I did not add nuts to the brownie batter, and after tasting it; it really did need that "texture".  And of course feel free to use your own brownie recipe too.  Just make sure you have enough batter for a 9x13 pan--this is what the cookie dough batter needs.  Also, there was a bit of extra brownie batter left over; I used a mini loaf pan and baked off the rest (about  20-30 minutes baking time for a mini loaf pan)

For the brookies:

mix up the chocolate chip cookie recipe (below), cover, and chill in fridge for a day or a couple days.

When ready to make brookies bars, make the brownie batter (below).

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, spray a 9x13 baking pan with non stick spray.

Layer down the cookie dough batter, making sure to get in all the corners.

Then place the brownie batter on top, smooth it out. 

Bake for about 45-55 minutes. 

The brownies are fudgy-like so it will be a little loose still after about 45 minutes of baking.  How to know they are done when the jiggle in the middle of the batter should be gone.  Please check at the 45-minute mark.

These need to cool completely before slicing.  To help them set up, I placed in the fridge for about an hour. 

Chocolate Chip Cookies

from Jacques Torres

2 cups minus 2 TB (8 1/2 ounces) cake flour

1 2/3 cups (8 1/2 ounces) bread flour

1 1/4 ts baking soda

1 1/2 ts baking powder

1 1/2 ts coarse salt

2 1/2 sticks (1 1/4 cups) unsalted butter

1 1/4 cups (10 ounces) light brown sugar

1 cup plus 2 TB (8 ounces) granulated sugar

2 large eggs

2 ts natural vanilla extract

1 1/4 pounds bittersweet chocolate disks at least 60 percent cacao content

Sift flours, baking soda, baking powder and salt into a bowl. Set aside.

Using a mixer fitted with paddle attachment, cream butter and sugars together until very light, about 5 minutes.

Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla.

Reduce speed to low, add dry ingredients and mix until just combined, 5 to 10 seconds.

Drop chocolate pieces in and incorporate them without breaking them.

Press plastic wrap against dough and refrigerate for 24 to 36 hours.

Jacques Torres’s brownies

12 ounces 72-percent chocolate, chopped

¼ cup Dutch processed cocoa powder

1¾ cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1½ teaspoons salt

1½ cups (three sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

3 cups sugar

6 large eggs, room temperature

10½ ounces 60-percent chocolate, chopped

2⅔ cups walnuts, toasted and chopped

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Line a 15½×10½×1-inch baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat, or lightly spray it with nonstick vegetable spray.

Place the 72-percent chocolate in the top half of a double boiler and stir occasionally until completely melted. Remove from the heat and beat in the cocoa powder until well blended. Set aside.

In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle, beat the butter on low until softened.

Raise the speed to medium and beat for about three minutes, until creamy.

Add the sugar and continue beating for about four minutes, or until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition until incorporated.

Add the chocolate mixture and beat just until incorporated.

Then add in the flour mixture and mix till just combined.

Remove the bowl from the mixer and, using a rubber spatula, fold in the 60-percent chocolate and the nuts.

Scrape the batter into the prepared pan, lightly smoothing the top with the spatula.

coconut cream truffles

I was shocked at how fast my coconut truffles got very popular around the web and food blogging world.
It all started with a post on Pinterest and "boom" did that take off.
Those coconut truffles alone got over 1 million hits!
I love that I have a lot of coconut fans.
I've always wanted to try and do a coconut cream like truffle.
But I wanted a thick cream not a liquid filled truffle--I don't like many liquid filled truffles UNLESS
it's Champagne or rum.

You know how some liquid truffles are just either too sweet or taste like Nyquil?
Yeah, I hate that.
What is the best truffle you had?
My favorite truffles are the kind that have the highest levels of cocoa in there so that when you bite into your chocolate craving is satisfied for a month. (Oh, and a little bit of texture is good too--always have to have texture in a truffle).




Or top with crushed almonds!


Speaking of truffle fillings---why not try adding a touch of rum to the filling?

coconut cream truffles

print recipe

8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature

14 ounces of toasted coconut (you don’t have to toast it, but it does taste much better)

8 ounces white chocolate chips

hefty pinch of sea salt

large crushed toasted almonds (about ¼ to ½ cup, depending on how nutty you want it), optional

10-14 ounces of semisweet chocolate for dipping truffles

(you can use whatever chocolate you like for dipping, but milk chocolate was just too sweet)

*save some of the toasted coconut for decorations (about ¼ or less cup), optional

Cook notes:  I did not crush my almonds I wanted them whole.  But feel free to do as you wish or no nuts at all.  You can also coat these truffles in white chocolate. I tried using milk chocolate, but for me it was too sweet so I stuck with semisweet.  Feel free to use what chocolate you prefer.

I don’t have a mixer, so I mixed this by hand, but if you have a mixer, then mix the cream cheese until creamy; set aside.

Melt the white chocolate chips and the cream cheese over a double-boiler.  You’ll need to stir this a lot as it’s heating up.  Once it’s all combined add in almost all the toasted coconut, the hefty pinch of salt, the almonds, and mix well. 

(Remember; do not add in all the toasted coconut if you want to decorate the tops of the truffles: save less than a ¼ of a cup or an 1/8 of cup?)

Spread into an 8x8 or 9x9 glass or ceramic dish. 

Cover dish with plastic wrap and chill for several hours.

(I left mine in fridge for two nights and it was fine).

When ready to mold the truffles, take dish out, let it come to almost room temp or you can try rolling out at any time; it might need about 20 minutes to be workable.

Scoop chocolate out with a spoon, melon ball size scoop (this is what I used, in photos).

Roll chocolate mixture into balls, place in bowl/plate and chill for a few minutes while you get your dipping station set up.

I highly suggest using semi-sweet and white chocolate for dipping.

Milk chocolate was just too sweet.

If you want to coat the tops of the truffles with toasted coconut, make sure to do so when the truffles are still wet.

If your kitchen is warm, then place truffles in fridge to set up a bit.

Depending on how big or small you make them, you should get between 20- 30 truffles.

Keep them in an air-tight container for a few days.

friday links

Happy Friday!

Here on cape cod we've had nothing but rain for the past 2 or 3 weeks?
After 2 weeks who keeps counting?
All this rain and darkness gets to me; wil I start to grow gills?
They say sun for this weekend--I'm ready.

craigville beach, hyannis, ma.

cape cod canal

skaket beach, orleans, ma

Our first seafood dinner of the season. This year we tried Cooke's Seafood in Hyannis.
It was OK. The scallops were good, small portions though and the fries aren't so good.

And my favorite ice cream joint Emack & Bolio's has opened for the season.
Pictured above is the peppermint patty ice cream.  My favorite peanut butter-oreo wasn't in stock.
I have no complaints here, only that their prices went up: $5.19 for two scoops, but almost all the prices have gone up everywhere on cape cod.
Coming to the cape this summer? Best meal for your money?
Go to Lindsey's Restaurant in Wareham, crappy part of town, but the food is good and the portions haven't shrunk and the seafood is always the freshest!

Please play a visit to an authentic french bakery: PB Boulangerie Bistro in south wellfleet
Just their croissants alone are worth the drive.


They run out fast, so get there early.


That chocolate tarte?  Will cure your chocolate craving for a month!


around the web:

lemon-raspberry swirl ice cream sandwiches from annie eats
5 fats that don't make you fat from mind body green
the best fish tacos you'll ever make from a cup of jo
a big appetite (series presents tiny, meticulously detailed figures posed in real food
environments....)
natural sunscreen: foods that help protect you from the sun from alignyo
health risks of electromagnetic fields (EMF) from intent blog
BPA (found in plastics) linked to obesity in puberty-aged girls from science daily
if you're going to eat fish: eat the healthiest possible from mind body green
vegetarian gyros from the scattered cook
bittersweet hot fudge sauce from view from the great island
red velvet fudge pie from pizzazzerie
ginger shrimp balls from pickled plum
great info chart about back pain from mind body green
vegan cocoa macarons from mad cap cupcake
brownie truffles from I heart naptime
peanut butter-bourbon filled doughnuts from sprinkle bakes
want to know what you should read next? click here from whatshouldIreadnext.com
vegan mango lassi from alignyo
how to balance your pH levels from intent blog
even our ancestors never really ate the paleo diet from discover magazine
in europe monsanto backing away from GMO crops from huffington post
scientists explode the myth of running injuries from science daily

books I'm dying to read:

peanut butter-oatmeal morning bars

Quite honestly I didn't know what to call these besides tasty lil fockers!
A little history: these bars come from those gluten free peanut butter cookies I made with that wonderful peanut butter powder.
I had some of that powder (see photo below) left over and wanted to do something different.
Having a craving for healthy morning bars--you know the ones that you can take with on busy mornings, but won't weight you down with heavy carbs later on?
So...these bars are kind of healthy, there is some sugar in there, and butter, but there is no flour.
Most days I don't like to have flour; I'll have grains, but not white flour--it just makes me so sleepy.
I wish I could call these gluten free, but there are oats in there, and how the oats get processed, I'm sure there is some sort of cross contamination.
If you want these gluten free, just take out the oats and take out the butter. I added in the butter just for the addition of the oats.
One bowl baking too! Gotta love that.
Do me a favor?
Invest in a jar of this peanut butter powder.
It's so good when used in baked goods; adds that little something special in the background.
Not to mention how much tastier it makes peanut butter cookies!

Where to find? Most health food stores and Whole Foods Market.

Did I tell you how tasty these are?
They aren't dry or boring. You know how some oatmeal cookies or bars are boring? Yeah, not these.
Just darn tasty!
Addictive too.
Perfect with morning coffee!
I am NEVER making oatmeal cookies without this recipe--this is so good.  OK, I know I said that a lot.

See those edge pieces?
Yeah, save those for yourself--you're welcome!

peanut butter-oatmeal morning bars

print recipe

1 ¼ cup all-natural chunky or all natural smooth peanut butter (not too oily)

¾ cup dark brown sugar, packed

1 cup + 2 TB old fashioned oats

½ - ¾ cup of raisins (add or takeaway how much you like)

1 stick of butter (8 ounces), room temp

1 large egg, room temp

1 egg yolk

1 ts baking soda

3  OVERSIZED TB powdered peanut butter

1 ts sea salt

cook notes:

This recipe is almost gluten free since there is no flour. 

But there are oats in there, so….

In a small bowl add the peanut powder, baking soda, oats, and salt and mix, set aside.

In a small bowl beat egg and egg yolk, and beat.

In a mixer or by hand, combine peanut butter, butter, and sugar until well combined, add in the eggs, mix well..

Add in the dry mixture, and mix. Then add in the raisins.

Cover bowl and let it sit in fridge for about an hour.

It needs to set up a bit/harden before baking.

Do not let this sit overnight as the dough becomes dry!

When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Grease up an 8 or 9-inch square baking pan. Place batter in baking pan, making sure to get it evenly spread all around and in the corners.

Bake for 16-21 minutes, until lightly browned on the edges. It cooks up very fast, so I really wouldn’t go past the 20-21 minute mark.

The middle might still be a bit soft, this is ok, it will harden up a bit.

You know they are done when there is no jiggle in the middle.

Cool for a while as this baked dough is still fairly delicate and hard to move. I waited 1 hour, then put them in fridge to set up faster.

I keep them stored in the fridge, at least a couple days, covered well.