Morning Walk & Happy Weekend!

Posted on | May 30, 2009 | 7 Comments

rose bushes on driveway over looking ocean

One more post for the week. It’s been raining here in New England for days. The sun finally broke and it feels like we are going to have a hot muggy day. I took a morning walk to see what was in bloom. I saw lots of azaleas, irises, daisies, and wild rose bushes in bloom. The sun was so bright it was hard to get any good shots. I’ll try again later in the weekend. A few of my favorites from this morning above and below. Hope everyone has a nice and relaxing weekend.

Category: flowers, marblehead

Liberty Print Underwear

Posted on | May 29, 2009 | 9 Comments

Now that my bad mood is gone I’m feeling sassy. How cute are these liberty print underwear? Yes, I avoided the word panties. Because please do you say to your significant other, “Can you remember to throw my panties in the wash.” I know you say, underwear. Maybe some of you still say panties…Or maybe your thinking, “he washes your underwear?”

Category: fashion

Bright Happy Pillows from Donna Wilson

Posted on | May 29, 2009 | 1 Comment

I think I was feeling grouchy most of the day and didn’t feel like sharing. I forget to post these colorful beauties designed by Donna Wilson in collaboration with SCP. Enjoy!

Category: pillows, textiles

Reader Polaroid Photos on nytimes.com

Posted on | May 29, 2009 | 1 Comment

Reader Polaroid Submissions on nytimes.com

I was feeling kinda bored today and not really finding anything I felt inspired enough to post. It seems even if its late in the day I always seem to find something. Check out this interactive feature on the nytimes.com featuring reader’s polaroid submissions. The article accompanying the images questions the fall of the polaroid camera. Online I know there are thousands of you who love the saturated and surprising images that appear in polaroids. A few of my favorite submissions below. Read more and check out the images: nytimes.com.

Category: photography

Recipe: Peanut Butter Chocolate Bars

Posted on | May 28, 2009 | 8 Comments

A double recipe day. I baked these amazing bars a few months ago but never shared the recipe. Since it’s a rainy kind of day I thought it would be a good day to share.

No-bake Peanut Butter Chocolate bars are super easy to make and taste insanely good. I probably ate the whole pan. I couldn’t help it peanut butter/chocolate is my favorite combo. I would suggest cutting the bars a bit smaller then me. The bars are a little rich. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

Vegetable oil cooking spray

9 ounces chocolate wafers (about 40 wafers), finely ground (2 cups)

1 1/2 cups old-fashioned oats

1 1/4 cups confectioners’ sugar

1/4 teaspoon coarse salt

5 ounces (1 stick plus 2 tablespoons) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

1 cup chunky peanut butter

3/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons smooth peanut butter

10 ounces semisweet chocolate, melted

1 1/2 ounces milk chocolate, melted

Coat a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Line with parchment, leaving a 2-inch overhang on the 2 long sides.

Combine wafers, oats, sugar, and salt in a large bowl. Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat, then add chunky peanut butter and 3/4 cup smooth peanut butter, whisking until well combined. Add peanut butter mixture to wafer mixture, stirring until combined. Transfer to baking dish, and use the bottom of a measuring cup or an offset spatula to firmly press mixture into an even layer. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Pour melted semisweet chocolate over chilled mixture and, using an offset spatula, spread into a thin layer that covers the entire surface. Refrigerate until hardened, at least 15 minutes.

Heat remaining 3 tablespoons smooth peanut butter in a small saucepan until runny. Drizzle peanut butter over chilled chocolate. Drizzle melted milk chocolate over peanut butter. Refrigerate until hardened, about 15 minutes.

Use parchment to lift out chilled block of bars. Run a sharp knife under hot water, dry well, and cut into 24 squares, wiping knife between cuts. Let bars stand at room temperature for 10 minutes before serving. (Sliced bars can be refrigerated for up to 1 week or frozen for up to 1 month.)

Adapted from Martha Stewart Living

Recipe: Peanut Butter and Jelly Bars

Category: recipes, sweets

Recipe: Mexican Wedding Cookies

Posted on | May 28, 2009 | 7 Comments

I had a sweet craving last night and seemed to have nothing in my cabinets to make anything good ie no chocolate. As I rummaged through my cabinets I came across a bag of almonds. I immediately thought to myself: almonds check, butter check, powder sugar check. I knew I could scrounged up the rest of the ingredients to make Mexican Wedding Cookies. A simple cookie made of ground almonds (or pecans) and basically butter. Yummy with coffee or tea. My sweet tooth was definitely satisfied.

Ingredients:

2 sticks soft unsalted butter

1 cup powdered sugar + additional for powdering

2 tablespoons vanilla

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1 cup of Almonds or Pecans (toasted)

2 cups flour

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Toast almonds or pecans in oven for 8-10 minutes. Let cool. Put toasted almonds, flour, salt, and cinnamon in a food processor; process until almonds are finely chopped, about 1 minute. Set aside.

In the bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle, cream butter and 1 cup confectioners’ sugar on medium until pale and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Add vanilla and mix until combined. Add the almond mixture, and mix on low until dough just comes together.

Roll dough into twenty 1 1/2-inch balls; place on ungreased baking sheets. Bake cookies until lightly browned around the edges, about 25 minutes. Transfer baking sheets to a wire rack; let stand until cool enough to handle.

Roll warm cookies in powdered sugar. Let cookies cool 15 minutes, and roll again.

Recipe adapted from Martha Stewart

Recipe: Rhubarb Crumb Bars

Recipe: Banana Chocolate Chip Quick Bread

Recipe: Peanut Butter and Jelly Bars

Category: recipes, sweets

Weck Canning Jars

Posted on | May 28, 2009 | 17 Comments

Can a girl be in love with canning jars? Curvy lines and simple shapes have certainly seduced me. I’m on a canning mission this summer. I plan to can strawberry jam, blueberry jam, maybe raspberry, and definetly some tomato sauce. I planted 9 tomato plants in my very small garden including 2 San Marzanos (makes the best sauce). For as many years I can remember I’ve canned with the good old Ball jars. True american classics but I am looking to switch things up around here. You can order Weck jars through Weck’s website or purchase a limited selection from Heath Ceramics. Which shapes will I choose?

(discovered via bliss)