'No Bake' is The Best Baking

I can't wait to try this recipe out this week. It looks DELICIOUS! This is from sweetandsavorytooth.com. Lots of deliciousness over there.

No Bake Chocolate PB Bars

3/4 cup unsalted butter
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 cups quick cooking oats
1 1/4 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup peanut butter (I used Jif chunky)

Melt butter in a large sauce pan over low heat. Stir in brown sugar, vanilla, and oats. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Press half of mixture in to the bottom of a buttered 8 x 8 baking dish. In a microwave safe bowl, microwave the chocolate and peanut butter, stirring every 30 seconds until melted and blended. Pour the peanut butter mixture over the crust, reserving a couple of spoonfuls to drizzle over the top. Sprinkle the remaining oat mixture over the chocolate and peanut butter, pressing gently to form a crust. Drizzle the remaining chocolate and peanut butter over the top of the bars.

Refrigerate for at least 3 hours before cutting and serving.

A Gift That Keeps on Giving

Valentines Day is right around the corner. Guys have it easy. Flowers, dinner, jewelry, a date night. I'd be happy with most of that. But what's a woman to get her man? How about a striptease? Uh, by you, not some stripper, just so we're clear. You can get a Striptease Kit from Plasticland for only $24.95.

I think most guys would be happy with a little tease. And it might get both of you in the mood. *wink wink*

Nerdy Embroidery

Etsy seller Geekopolis has some fan-freakin-tastic embroidery that I'd love to have hanging around my house.

The seller needs to raise funds for a serious Xbox emergency, so help her out and use coupon code XBOX20 to save 20% on her awesome geeky crafts. Sale ends February 4th.

I Want Some Balls

Dryer Balls that is. I've been hearing good things about dryer balls. They work like dryer sheets. They prevent static, if you add essential oil they'll add a scent to the laundry, they are eco friendly and reduce drying times! What's not to like?

Etsy has a plethora of sellers for these items. The ones above are from seller CleanSypria and are $24 for 6. She has a ton of scents. I think deciding what scent I want is going to be the hardest part.

Peanut Butter Hot Chocolate

You read that right. I cannot wait to try this out. From dolcetto confections.

Peanut Butter Hot Chocolate

adapted from Martha Stewart Living, February 2011

makes 4 servings

Ingredients

2 cups skim milk

1½ ounces bittersweet chocolate

1½ ounces milk chocolate

3 tablespoons creamy peanut butter

Heavy cream, whipped to soft peaks, for serving

Preparation Instructions

In a medium saucepan over low heat, warm milk until it just begins to simmer and bubbles form around the edge of the pan. Whisk in chocolates and peanut butter until melted and smooth. Cover and continue warming over low heat until warm. For a thicker cup of cocoa, simmer hot chocolate uncovered until desired thickness is achieved. Ladle hot chocolate into individual mugs and top a dollop of whipped cream.

Gimme Gimme Gimme

etsy artist loosethreads2 makes some drool worthy scarves, fingerless gloves and other knitted cozy pieces. It looks like she's branched out into jewelry and photo prints as well. Her prints would look wonderful in any home.

This peridot scarf calls to me. *drool*

Pretty Recycled TP

OK, well it's really the tubes, but I got your attention, right?
Homemade Mamas has a tutorial on how to take toilet paper and paper towel tubes and create pretty recycled art for the wall. It looks great from a distance, I just wonder how it looks up close. It might be fun to do a multicolored one for a play room.

Super Aprons

Bethany Sew-and-Sew makes some fabulous super hero inspired aprons. You can even order a matching set for you and your little kitchen helper. I've been drooling over these for a while now. What a great gift for the superhero cook in your life.

Squeal Worthy Cuteness

I just love these baby shoes by etsy shop funkyshapes. I wish I could buy Daphne every single pair.

Waiting on Summer

BBQs, lemonade, sunshine and sprinklers. While summer isn't my favorite season, I'm feeling a anxious for the warm weather lately. It's so cold and gloomy here in Michigan. I also can't wait to have ice cream. Creamy, delicious ice cream. On a hot day it hits the spot almost as well as some fresh lemonade. I can't wait to try this either.

That's right, ice cream sandwiches with saltines. I have a feeling it will be worth the wait. This article from YumSugar suggests a vanilla or vanilla/caramel ice cream. Yes please!

Chocolate Painting

I've never thought about chocolate painting before, but it sounds delicious! This is an easy technique to create something beautiful in chocolate. There are so many uses for this. Small pieces on top of cupcakes, large ones on birthday cakes. You could do text, portraits, cartoon characters, or any design really.

Eye Candy food blog has the tutorial. Valentines Day is coming up. Adding some food coloring one could make a chocolate valentine!

Edible Faces Test 1

I started easy. My daughter looooves hot dogs. But would she like them even more if it had a face?

I think this photo says it all.

She asked for another hot dog afterwards. She doesn't usually do that. Next I might try an egg or some vegetable she won't usually eat. I'm working my way up to her nemesis...beef! She refuses to eat beef in any form and will spit out the smallest piece that might have touched her food.

Baby Stache

Funniest. Baby. Picture. Ever.

I can't find the photographer, but it it ADORABLE! If anyone knows who the photographer is, I'd love to know so I can find more and give them credit.

Yum X2

I never thought one could make a chocolate chip cookie better, until I tried one with pumpkin in it. YUM! Someone has actually topped that. What could be better? Adding bacon! That's right, yummy, crispy, delicious bacon in chocolate chip cookies. Don't knock it until you try it.

Brown Butter, Bacon & Chocolate Chip Cookies



1 3/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
14 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon table salt
2 teaspoon vanilla
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
4 oz semisweet chocolate bar, diced into 1/4" pieces
1/2 cup bittersweet chocolate chops (I like Ghirardelli 60% cacao)
3 tablespoons milk chocolate, grated
1 cup bacon that's been fried until crispy and diced into roughly 1/4" pieces


Adjust your oven rack so it's in the middle position.  Pre-heat to 375 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
Whisk flour and baking soda together in a medium bowl and set aside.
Heat 10 tablespoons of butter in a 10 inch skillet over medium-high heat until melted.  Continue cooking, swirling pan constantly.  Watch this carefully - butter can go from brown to burned very quickly.  When butter is dark-golden brown and has a nutty aroma, remove from heat and immediately transfer to a heatproof bowl.  Stir the remaining 4 tablespoons of butter into hot butter until melted.
Add granulated sugar, dark brown sugar, salt and vanilla to bowl with butter and whisk until completely mixed.  Add egg and egg yolk and whisk until mixture is smooth and there are no lumps of sugar remaining.
Let sugar/egg/butter mixture stand for a few minutes.  Then whisk again for 30 seconds.  Do this several times - you want to make sure that the sugar has "melted" into the liquid.  When ready, mixture will be smooth, thick and shiny.
Using wooden spoon, stir in the flour mixture until just combined.  Stir in grated chocolate, chocolate chunks, chocolate chips and bacon pieces.  Don't overmix but make sure no flour pockets remain.
Using a teaspoon, place a heaping teaspoon of cookie dough on the baking sheet lined with parchment paper. I get about 14 on a baking sheet.  Bake for 10-14 minutes (my oven takes 11 minutes) until cookies are golden-brown and set along the edges but the middle is still soft.  Remove from oven and set baking sheet on a wire rack and let cool for at least 10 minutes.


Photo and recipe from Tennessee Locavore.

Knitting Impaired

I've wanted to learn how to knit ever since I was pregnant with my first baby. I tried to learn. It didn't turn out so well. A simple square turned into a trapezoid. I gave up and moved on to other crafts. I'd still love to make a scarf and found this:

DIY No Knit Scarf. THIS I can handle! Next time I find some good yarn on sale, I'm totally making one.

Weelicious

Weelicious is a wonderful site for parents with little kids who can be picky. I've found some great recipes here. Even my hubby loves some of this stuff. Our personal favorite has to be the Herb Garlic Roast Potatoes.

How yummy does that look? I've tried it with different types of potatoes. They all taste great this way.

Speaking of picky eaters, I have a theory that I'm going to be testing in the next week or so. That kids will try a food mearly because it has a fun face on it. Thoughts? Experiences? I'll be discussing my research in upcoming posts.

Valentine Play Dough Cookie Pops

Amanda's Cookin' has a fabulously easy and cute cookie recipe to do with the kiddies for Valentine's Day.

Go here to get the recipe and see more colorful photos of how to make this cute treat!

One Blog To Another

If you've never been to Hyperbole and a Half, I insist you go there right this instant. Read all the old posts. Don't worry, I'll wait for you to come back. Just make sure you bookmark me so you don't forget to come back.

Playing With Your Pretend Food

I don't know about you, but I loved playing pretend as a girl. My 2 year old is really getting into it too. She plays with her kitchen and imitates me often with her baby dolls. I found a shop with some oh so cute felt play food. Kid-N Around Creations has a section all felt goodies. How can you resist?

Deer Ol' Chunk

I have a bit of a fetish lately for plates. Particularly kitchy or funny plates. This is on the top of my favorites on etsy right now. Created by seller BeatUpCreations and available for $49. Check out the shop for more awesomeness. I will probably showcase more of her stuff in the future. I can only hope she makes another Spock plate. *sigh*

Welcome!

This blog will be all about stuff I like. I often stumble across many things I love and want to share with everyone. I think my online friends are probably getting a little tired of my links. So I'm creating this!

There will be the following categories:
Cooking
Kid Stuff
Around The House
Artistic
Informational
Geek Out
Random Crap

If I get any readers out of this, feel free to contact me if you have something to add to the blog. If I dig it, I'll post it and give you credit.

I hope this blog will inform or at least entertain a few people!