[baking] Chocolate Peanut Butter Stuffed Cookies

I swear these cookies aren't burned:

I made some peanut butter stuffed cookies. The cocoa powder is black cocoa, like the kind used for Oreo cookies.

They were fussy to make in that you have to make two different kinds of dough. Also, it was super hot out and the chocolate dough would kind of melt in my hands as I was working with it. But the results are worth both annoyances. 

Like a very grown up peanut butter cup. The black cocoa isn't very chocolatey. Next time, I would probably use a natural or dutch cocoa.

A lighter cocoa might make it taste more like an authentic peanut butter cup... and people would probably stop commenting on how burned they look.

The recipe is Chocolate Peanut Butter Stuffed Cookies by A Spicy Perspective.

I have much more peanut butter dough leftover than the chocolate so I might have to make inside-out versions.

[cooking] Ratatouille... ish.

I'm doing the best I can to use up all the vegetables I've been getting in the CSA (and I'm about to drown in cucumbers/tomatoes from my home garden). Here's a easy way to use one or two of everything that's in season now...

Slice and stack the slices on their side in a ceramic dish.

I put a smear pizza sauce down in the dish first (chunky canned tomatoes mixed with some of Penzey's pizza seasoning). Then the veg (no particular order but I did get a little fussy about not have two slices of the same thing together), then top with mozzarella and Parmesan cheese.

After baking at 350 F for 50 min:

I liked this, Dollar not so much. I even served it with rustic toast (everything is better with crunchy carbs) and put little forkfuls of the veg and sauce on the toast (essentially making bites of pizza on the fly)- but I think he just doesn't like a few of these particular vegetables. 

I had some leftovers the next morning for breakfast- with an over easy egg on top. Get that yolk running over everything and then eat with toast.

This could be a very pretty (and simple) side dish with just zucchini and yellow squash.

[baking] Herbed Pull Apart Bread

King Arthur Baking (formerly King Arthur Flour) has a nice post on Pull-Apart Breads. I had a big container of garlic scape butter to use up and decided this bread would be perfect.









There was a decent amount of leftover dough even after jamming the loaf tin full. I just twisted it into a knot and baked it on the side. Totally a missed opportunity to shape it into something fun (like a Dollar sign)... I will next time.







It was so good. SO good. Soft and garlicky. I stored it in bag in the fridge- and it sliced/toasted well.

I feel like this amount of dough could make two smaller pull-apart loaves, which would be fun to bring to a dinner instead of rolls.

[gardening] Daylilies

The daylilies have started to pop open at home and it seems like there's a new one every day. I was pretty worried about how they would fare after the drought but I'm happy to see at least one scape is coming up in each type. Some are looking a little thin this year, which could be weeds as well. I've spent more time in the vegetable garden than I have the flowerbed this year.

[misc] Heat Wave

We had a spell of super hot and muggy days. Penny was like this most of the time:

I took the inflated raft to the pond:

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The veg garden is coming along- I've picked a couple small tomatoes. I think I can grab a couple little eggplants soon. The hot peppers are coming along. I need to thin the carrots. The cucumbers, squash and pumpkins are flowering. 

I think it might be chanterelle foraging time in the next week or so.

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We had a couple people up for dinner Saturday evening. I made:

Bone-in pork roast. This is an easy, cheap, impressive roast- you just have to watch the internal temp.

Roasted potatoes 

Sauteed spinach

Big Batch Quick Dinner Rolls. I did 24 rolls on a half sheet pan. This was crazy fast and easy- I'm pretty sure this will be my go-to rolls for a large group from now on.

Garlic scape butter

Peach-blueberry crumble tart and vanilla ice cream

Sunday was spent doing all the dishes. Sigh. 

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Tour de Fleece started June 28. It's pretty much the only time of year I spin yarn and I've slowly made my way though 12 oz so far. I still have plying to do... and I think I'll do 8 oz more. All the fiber I grabbed from the stash is rainbow-y this year.

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Lavender outside should be ready to harvest soon. Then annual lemon-lavender cookies! And lavender sachets.

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I crocheted a couple small doilies- need to take pics. I'm going to get back to sewing face masks and wind some yarn for a little knit shawlette.