The Best Recipes of 2013 (chosen by you)

Happy New Year!

What good luck superstitious things do you do to ring in the new year?
We like to eat Chinese food and hold money in our hands as the countdown begins.

I complied a list of the top recipes, chosen by you, not me.
These are what my google stats say you clicked on most.

The number one has been, number one for the last two years: coconut truffles.
I love that you love coconut as much as I do. These little cuties got a lot of hits, a lot!


Another savory favorite over the years: cheesy artichoke bread.
What a serious flavor combo, and it's very easy to make.


Blackberry-cream cheese crumb cake made the top 5.
This is made with blackberry coulis, and I promise you, it is so worth the extra time.
One heavenly, decadent crumb cake.


My obsession with cloning some of the best cookies in the world continues on.
The Levain Bakery chocolate chip cookie clone made it to the top 10 of your favorites.


The cake filled peanut butter cups was voted one of your favorite photos of all time.
IN fact, I use this photo as my logo. I think the photo pretty much describes what this blog is all about:
creative recipes & unique eats.


The salted nutella cookie bars were posted a mere couple weeks ago, but they got enough hits to warrant them in the top 15 most popular posts of 2013.


Brownie bundt stuffed with coconut cream cheese.
When I decided to take brownie batter, put it in a bundt to see if it would well, "bundt"?
I also stuffed it with a coconut-cream cheese filling because it needed something extra.
This bundt was the most popular bundt I've ever made.


Homemade cheesy tater tots!  I think we all know why these made the top list.
I need to make these again and show you the step-by-step instructions, since I know a lot of
you might be put off by the deep frying aspect, but truly it's very easy.


Crispy, buttery, sweet and tangy: lemon crunch bars.


My infamous tomato pie.  I made this in 2009 and it still continues to be in the top 10 of all
time favorites. Have you made it?
I also made a hand pie version using pre-made pie crusts!


Quarter pound mint stuffed cookies! Yes a quarter pound cookie (aka a cookie meal).


Pumpkin oreo's.  Kind of glad something-pumpkin made the list, as I make a lot of pumpkin recipes.


Banana-sour cream ice cream made with pudding!  Super easy.
Pretty much one-bowl easy AND no cook!


Chocolate cupcakes with cookie butter crunchies. Seriously? These were heavenly.
Don't they look cute?  And I used some of the batter to make mini loaves. Great as gifts.


And lastly, one of my favorites homemade snowball cakes, just like you remember as a kid only
better because there are no chemicals.


Happy New Year kids!

friday links

Happy Friday!

How was Christmas?  I'm exhausted; I'm ready for a long winters nap.

Early morning fog at Nauset Beach, Wellfleet, MA
So so so soothing; I love this place.

The view from where I take the photos isn't too shabby either.


I discovered this dangerous combo on Christmas eve.


That's right--tis the season for yoga pants all day.


Let's remember this saying for 2014.


Around the web:

this cake, oh this salted caramel ding dong cake has me in a tizzy
ham & gruyere thumbprint cookies
mike's hot honey--well doesn't that sound perfect for fried chicken
cape cod life magazine photo contest 
magnetic flat pack furniture?
this common problem can destroy your willpower
when you're at the end of your rope: 7 tips to help
thundershirt for cats review
candy cane cupcakes!
berries & all their wondrous protective properties
14 excellent sources of clean protein
alexander mcqueen made rugs? (pricey rugs too)
inside the notebooks of authors, artists & visionaries
balloon lamp (I would love one)
google has an online art gallery in the works?
how to manage the chill of winter (let me know if it works LOL)
the broken link: women trusting women
how to store a cake: of almost all sizes
writer bukowski-themed bars are really taking off
I am in love with this bow ear warmer
no-bake protein cookies
5 health foods that are over-rated
god or satan desk signs
how do I substitute coconut oil for butter in baking?
does sleep sweep the brain?
photographer captures people's insecurities on camera
cheesemonger (I love that word) approves a few cheese items at grocery store
best panini recipes of 2013
richard branson's top 10 business tips
'miserable men', an instagram account that captures the sad side of shopping
pantone color of the year is.....(lol)
harvard university snow of past & present
how to write a novel synopsis: 5 tips
homemade mustard (love this)
the weirdest books ever published (I can't stop laughing at this)
24 people that decide "what's cool" in America
10 proven ways to relax (really now?)
in case you needed another fashion blog to bookmark....
(take 5 mins for this...it's worth it) this place


Have a wonderful weekend.

chocolate-cherry tart bars (no mixer, one bowl easy)

It was interesting and comforting to receive emails from some of you telling me you loved the "no mixer" recipes I shared.
Definitely comforting as I always felt like the oddball for not having a mixer.
I want one, just don't have the money for one.
Other priorities pop up in life, and the luxury of buying a mixer gets thrown on the back burner yet again.
And you see that book ---> "Baking By Hand"  yes that one, I can relate!
Every year I promise myself I'll get one, and I even post here that I will, but it never happens, so in the mean time I'm more than happy to keep creating "no mixer" and "one bowl" easy recipes.
I think you guys like it too.


These chocolate-cherry tart bars are pretty much like a cross between a shortbread and tart, definitely have the taste and feel of a rich chocolate shortbread.
I wanted to freshen them up a bit with some cherry jam and a hint of texture and crunch with toasted sliced almonds.  You can get creative and use whatever jam you like.

So easy to put together.
As long as you don't mind using your clean hands to mix the dough.
I actually prefer using my hands to mix breads, shortbreads, pastry, and cookie doughs.
You get a better feel for the dough and you have a less chance of over-mixing/over-working the dough.
No one will ever know that you threw this together with no mixer, in one bowl and in minutes.
Shhhh.



Such a pretty tart isn't it?

For me, making it in a round form makes it more fancy schmancy.


chocolate-cherry tarts bars
recipe from vanillasugarblog.com
print recipe

dough:
19 TB unsalted butter, cold
1 cup granulated sugar
3 TB unsweetened cocoa powder (not dutch process)
2 ½ cups flour
1 ½ ts baking powder
1 ts sea salt

jam filling:
¼ cup +/- of cherry jam

Toasted, sliced almonds for decoration & crunch

Cook notes: I did not use a mixer for this as I don’t have one, but feel free to use one.
Just don’t over-work the dough.  You can use any jam you like, I wanted to see if cherry would go well with this and it did. Don’t spread the jam to the edges, it will ooze out when baking and make it very hard to remove tart from pan.
I used a 9 inch cake pan, you can use an 8 inch or other tart pan if you have one.
If you're kitchen runs really hot or it's summer, after you've assembled raw tart, pop in fridge for a few minutes to firm up before baking.

Preheat the oven to 375ºF. Butter and/or non-stick spray up  8-inch cake pan.
In a large bowl cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
Next add in the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt right on top of the creamed butter. Using your hands mix until you have everything ‘just’ mixed.  It might be a little dry, and that’s fine.
Take your greased cake pan, spread out 2/3 of the dough on the bottom of the pan, making sure to get all the sides well covered. Please make sure to push this down, so there are no cracks. If you do get a crack, just pinch the dough together.
Next spread down a layer of the cherry jam, not letting it get to the edges.
Take remaining 1/3 of dough and making giant crumbs (by squeezing clumps of dough) and place on top.  No need to cover the top completely, we want to see the jam on top and the giant crumbs on top will make a nice crispy topping.
If you want to use almonds, sprinkle a handful or two on the top.
Bake the dough for 23-30 minutes, until the tops of the crumbs are lightly crisp; the dough will still be a bit soft, so let it sit for about 30-60 minutes to firm up.
Once it’s cooled and firm, carefully remove tart from pan using a frosting knife or thin spatula.
Use a sharp knife to slice into wedges.

friday links

Happy Friday!

Oh the beauty of our sunsets here on Cape Cod.  This is chatham fish pier.




The French Baker: Authentic Recipes for Traditional Breads, Desserts, and Dinners
by Sébastien Boudet, Olaf Hajek and Carl Kleiner
"...Head to the kitchen and get ready for a delicious voyage into French traditions and cuisine! Follow second generation–baker Sébastien Boudet from Paris to rural France, as he teaches the art of baking artisan breads, the craft of creating the perfect main course, and how to whip up desserts to die for. Containing luscious photographs of family, food, and the French countryside, and rich with delightful drawings, paintings, and illustrations, The French Baker tells the story (and the culinary secrets!) of a family devoted to the art of preparing beautiful food...."




Extra peanut butter sauce please!


Only on cape cod!


It's really all about the bacon...


On a recent stop to Stage Stop Candy in Dennisport, MA....



Their candies are all homemade, and all quite good, but that's a little pricey for dipped Doritos!
Make em at home!

Living Lean with Trader Joe's by Jamie Davidson M.S.
Want to know what you can pick up at Trader Joe's that can help you lose weight, making the process practical, doable and delicious? Need some new ideas to get out of a menu rut? This book offers over 150 easy, delicious recipes for breakfast, lunch, appetizers, entrees and desserts, as well as lists of suggested Trader Joe's products that are heat and eat or super-convenient to put together quickly for those on the go.
It's filled with recipes that I've already done and loved.  Mostly it's a great reminder of how many Trader Joe products with with each other to boost up the flavor.  AND it's only $13.46 on Amazon!



Around the web:

20 ways sitting in silence can transform your life (I want to try this, but I can't get my mind to be still)
should I foam roll before or after a workout?
cookie dunkr cup!
how to stop a bully
red velvet peanut butter blossoms
holiday pine cone cheese ball (so festive!)
are you at risk for facebook envy?
high heel protectors (brilliant!)
homemade peanut butter dog treats
pizza sticks! (already printed)
prevent frozen pipes in crawl spaces & outside walls
double chocolate crunch bark
2-ingredient PB cup cookies!
chipotle-lime texas trash snack mix
10 maxims for successful bloggers
superfoods to give your body a holiday boost
is it normal to think about suicide?
sliced deli 'sticky notes'
how chefs feel about food critics & food bloggers
mentally strong people: 13 things they avoid
perfectly rolled sugar cookies
chinese 5 spice chicken wings
introducing the 5-dollar 'bill murray' bill
the BEST line up of caramel candies: caramel candies 101
how to decorate cookies w/ icing: the easiest way
the chris mccandless obsession problem
chocolate chunk-clementine shortbread
top 'checked in' locations via instragram & facebook
10 best museum exhibitions of 2013
15 tips for better cookies
glass-bottom platform opens in the alps (love this)
DIY confectioners sugar
22 healthy holiday crockpot recipes
insomnia & depression: cause vs. effect 
christie's & sotheby's degree programs
3 pain relieving yoga poses for distance runners
21 ways to give big-hearted gifts on a small budget
GMO's cause horrible birth defects in pigs
how to create a daily appreciation ritual 

Have a wonderful weekend!

peppermint creme meltaway bars

Peppermint.
For some reason I crave peppermint more so in the winter than any other season.
Do you?
Is there a vitamin or mineral in the mint that my body is lacking?
I don't know, is that true? Whatever veggie, spice, herb or meat you craving consistently is what you are lacking nutritionally?
Anywho.....How did these bars come about?
My yearning for a peppermint meltaway cookie really.
But I couldn't just do a boring slice and bake cookie;  I added a few more steps
--ok a lot more steps, to fancy it up.
Aren't the colors so pretty and festive?
This recipe is fairly quick and easy.  You can make the dough the night before, let it chill out in the
fridge.
Then assemble and bake the next day.
ONE key step to this recipe: the Andes Peppermint Crunch Baking Chunks.
Have you tried these?  It was the first time I'd seen them. I wish I had found them earlier.
What a great and tasty on its own little baking chip: it comes complete with peppermint and white chocolate in one!
When researching these baking chips I had no idea they were owned by tootsie roll.
I found the chips at Walmart in the candy aisle--NOT the baking aisle.
If you can't find these chips?
Take some crushed candy canes and mix with white chocolate chips; equal portion of each.

These bars are decadent; taste like a shortbread bars but have the consistency and texture of a meltaway.
The middle filling is gentle on the mint.
I didn't want a heavy mint taste in these bars, so I didn't add any mint extract.
If you do a quick taste-test of the cookie dough and want a little bit of mint in there, then feel free to add some. Or add it to the cream cheese filling.
I made the top of the bars have a nice "crumble crunch" to it.
If you flatten the dough pieces as opposed to circle chunks, the flattened pieces will crisp up nicely.





I made just a little bit of minty icing over the top in order for the sprinkling of chips to stick and stay
on the bars.
And since baking hindsight is 20/20, I could have added a bit of red or even green food coloring
to the icing for a nice festive touch.

Only saved one for me; the prettiest one in fact. :-)

peppermint cream meltaway bars

from vanillasugarblog.com

print recipe

cookie dough:

2 cups unsalted butter, softened

1 cup powdered sugar

4 cups all-purpose flour

4 ts cornstarch

¾ ts sea salt

cream filling:

12 ounces cream cheese, softened

1 egg yolk

3 TB powdered sugar

giant pinch of sea salt

handful (or two) of the Andes Peppermint Crunch chips in the filling

(plus we will use more of the peppermint crunch chips for topping the cream cheese

filling)

you might need some mint extract, if you want a minter filling, optional

topping:

icing (1 cup of powdered sugar, mixed with splash or two of heavy cream, and dash of mint extract)

Andes Peppermint Crunch chips

Cook notes: 

The middle filling is gentle on the mint.

I didn't want a heavy mint taste in these bars, so I didn't add any mint extract.

If you do a quick taste-test of the cookie dough and want a little bit of mint in there, then feel free to add some. Or add it to the cream cheese filling.

I made the top of the bars have a nice "crumble crunch" to it.

If you flatten the dough pieces as opposed to circle chunks, the flattened pieces will crisp up nicely.  I only used about ¾ of the bag of the peppermint crunch chips.

I made just a little bit of minty icing over the top in order for the sprinkling of chips to stick and stay on the bars.

And since baking hindsight is 20/20, I could have added a bit of red or even green food coloring to the icing for a nice festive touch. Also, I love my icing to be very thick, so I only added a splash of heavy cream to the powdered sugar, but if you want to thin it out just add more cream. 

the dough:

Using a mixer or by hand (my method) mix butter and powdered sugar until creamy and no lumps.  Add in the flour, cornstarch and salt.  I used my hands to mix until just combined; no need to over work the dough, we want it to be light and airy, not tough.   This will be a dry dough, that’s ok, just place it on plastic wrap, mold into a large ball or disk and wrap very well and tight. Place in fridge for at least 4 hours or overnight.

When ready to bake, turn out the dough onto parchment paper; separate it into 2/3. And 1/3.  The 2/3 is the bottom layer and the 1/3 will be the crumble topping.

Turn the larger dough onto a greased 9 X 13 baking pan. Using your hands spread the dough out evenly into the pan.  If dough is too cold, let it rest a bit and come to try.  If your kitchen runs cold this might take a while.  While you’re waiting, make the filling.

for the filling:

Mix the cream cheese, egg yolk, powdered sugar and handful (or two) of chips in a bowl. Taste-test it and see if you want more mint, if so, add in a dash of mint extract.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Your dough should be nicely and evenly placed out into the baking pan, making sure to get all the corners.  Add on the cream cheese filling. Do not spread the filling to the edges! Next take the peppermint crunch chips and add a layer on top of the filling. How much? Maybe a ½ cup or more; just use your judgment.

Then taking the remaining 1/3 of the dough, place medium size, flattened dough crumbles on the top. No need to push these down into the dough. Just crumble them on like you would a crumb cake.  The flatter the crumb the better chance it has for crisping up. 

Bake about 43 – 55 minutes. My oven runs horrid and not so hot, so make sure to check these at the 43-minute mark. Look for golden brown edges and lightly golden brown crumbs on top. 

While the bars are baking make the icing by combining the powdered sugar with the dash of mint extract, and heavy cream.  If you want to add in food coloring please do so while mixing. 

When bars have cooled completely, drizzle the icing on top and then top with more of the peppermint crunch chips.

Depending on how you slice them you should get 20 large bars OR 25-30 smaller bars? Make sure to keep them covered in airtight containers.  They should have a shelf life of 3 days.