August went by in a blur, and in many ways the end of August usually marks the end of summer. However, given the heatwave in San Diego, summer is still going strong.
Here’s what I made this month:
Nutella-Swirled Peanut Butter Chip Blondies
Two-Ingredient Peanut Butter Cup Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Bars (GF)
Peanut Butter-Swirled Strawberry Cake
No-Bake Peanut Butter Marshmallow Cereal Bars
Brown Butter Glazed-Soaked Greek Yogurt Banana Cake
Peanut Butter-Swirled Fudgy Brownies
Peanut Butter Nutella Snack Mix
Reese’s Pieces Peanut Butter Cookies with Peanut Butter Buttercream
Peanut Butter-Swirled Cheesecake Bars with Brown Sugar-Graham Cracker Crust
One-Hour Sweet with Heat Tomato and Pepper Chutney
Skinny Chocolate Peanut Butter Graham Fudge Pops (vegan, GF) – 80 calories
Last Days of Summertime Favorite 30 Recipes
Soft and Gooey Loaded Smores Bars
No-Bake Samoas Cookie Granola Bars (vegan, GF)
5-Calorie Raspberry Lime Margarita Fizz (non-alcoholic) and $25 Amazon Gift Card Giveaway
Fudgy Chocolate Brownie Microwave Mugcake with Vanilla Glaze – Make in under 5 minutes
20 Labor Day Party Recipes Not to Be Missed
Noteworthy Events and Reflections
Aruba – We went to Aruba for half the month. We were going to stay the whole month like we do every year in August, but came home early because we’re moving. The trip was planned before we knew we were for sure moving, and we needed to find a new place, start packing, and do all that fun stuff that needs to happen before a move. Fun stuff, yeah. Sure.
We had a great couple of weeks in Aruba. We went on a Sunset Sail, soaked up time at the beach, I got in some great long runs along the beach, I tended to all kinds of honey-do things at my house there, and we shared lots of special moments and laughter with our 6-year old before another school year starts. More beach pics here.
Weekend Things – We’re moving soon. Packing is a never ending job, but the new place will be so worth it for all the reasons mentioned.
Pertaining to the recipes, I made a ridiculous amount of peanut butter recipes. A whopping 9 of the new recipes this month contained peanut butter, peanut butter chips, peanut butter cups, peanut butter candies, or some form of peanut butter.
You’d think after writing a cookbook with over 100 peanut butter recipes, I’d be sick of it or run out of ideas. Quite the contrary. I think I love it more now than I did when I was writing the book, and new ideas come to me all the time. To the point I have to consciously not make more and work in a variety.
Normally I plan out my content a few weeks in advance so that I showcase a variety of recipes; breads, cookies, cakes, a token savory, smoothies, and so forth. And I try for a mix of flavors from chocolate to peanut butter to fruity. But due to the craziness of my month, I didn’t plan my content out very well, and apparently my brain was in full-on peanut butter mode, and I just kept making things with it. You’re not complaining though, right?
By default, peanut butter is a very forgiving ingredient to worth with, especially in my limited Aruban kitchen, and it’s also great in no-bake recipes, and the stars aligned for an abundance of peanut butter recipes.
I also made a lot of bars (six) plus 1 recipe for brownies. I love bars, blondies, brownies and anything I can bake in a pan because it’s so much faster, easier, and less fussy than making individual cookies.
There was only 1 new cookie recipe this month, an all-time low. Normally it’s 3-4 per month. But the Reese’s Pieces Peanut Butter Cookies with Peanut Butter Buttercream were some of the best cookies I’ve made all year, and are highly recommended.
I made a couple Skinny Recipes – Fudge Pops and a Margarita Fizz, as well as Gluten-Free 2-Ingredient Bars that taste every bit as good as their gluten-containing competitors.
The drinks I made – the Malibu Sunset and the Margarita Fizz – make me happy when I look at the colors. They’re so cheery and bright.
The bars I made make me cringe when I look at the beige, yellow, dingy, and darkness of the photos. My house in Aruba has horrible lighting. The house was built to keep the sunlight out to keep the house cool, but it’s horrible for photography where you want the light in. I’m hypercritical of my images and want them to convey how good the food really tasted.
I made 3 cakes – Peanut Butter and Strawberry, which tastes like PB&J but I don’t think people could get their mind around the flavor combo because it’s hardly been pinned, but it’s one of the best cakes I’ve ever made. The Browned Butter Cake was excellent, but the photography doesn’t do it justice. The final cake is the Microwave Mugcake, and it’s a new recipe from this week so I’ll have to wait and see how it does.
All in all, given that I was ‘on vacation’ for half the month, and have been in packing hell for the remaining half, I’m proud that I post every day or 6 days a week. I love my blog and my readers and thanks to everyone who stops by. I appreciate you guys!
Previous 2013 Recaps
What did you do or make in this month that was memorable?
You are amazing i am going to try like 20 of these asap
drool
All of your recipes are just mouth watering, oh I love them :)
August (and summer) went by way too fast. I’m going to live in denial for a few more weeks, okay? Gazing at your lineup of delicious recipes only makes want to go back in time even more! :)
Thanks Valerie and so did mine. In a surreal whirlwind. And I am moving this week and so the weirdness just continues!
You truly are a blogging rock star! My hat’s off to you!
You’re so sweet, thank you!
Moving? Out of our ‘hood? I understand – but loved having you close by…If you want a great fig recipe for fall and cooler weather, my fig chutney seems to be a hit…https://lizthechef.com/2013/08/30/here-comes-fall-fig-chutney/
Please keep in touch – but that’s silly, as I follow you ;) best, Liz
As I was scrolling I was like, wow there are a ton of pb recipes! I guess your body was trying to tell you something. Or your stomach was. Either way I hope you buy pb in bulk!
Everything looks GREAT!!!
How bout it :) Even after writing a book, you’d think I’d be sick of it. But no! I am as in love as ever with it. One day I realized after having nothing but PB posts in my drafts for like the next 2 weeks…whoa. I better make something else! lol
That blueberry list, girl, I want everything on it!
Averie, you are one busy blogging mama. I envy your go-to attitude and the fact that you stay up late and get up early to create for this blog. You have tireless energy. I on the other hand do not, but maybe someday. :)
I think you won’t find anyone complaining about more peanut butter recipes. Peanut butter is just so good and pairs wonderfully with anything and takes a boring old recipes and turns it into something new.
We’re finally getting some warm weather as well and I’m loving it. I had to bake 50 cookies for my a moving party that we’re throwing for one of my best friends tonight, and I got up extra early because it was going to hit 90 today and I didn’t want to heat up my non-airconditioned house. I thought of you as I was baking away!
Best of luck with the move and I hope your new digs has great energy just like your current place. xoxo, Jackie
Well I’ve got bills to pay and more work than hours in the day, so as long as I can keep working, I will, and do. I do my best work from midnight to about 5am pacific – east coast and most of the country is sleeping, so it’s nice and quiet and I can just pound it out! One day I will look back on this (and sleep) and remember it fondly. It won’t always be like this but for now it is, and I am grateful for my blog and readers and all the wonderful things I’ve learned along the way!
And not wanting to heat up your house and bake early. I know that feeling. 50 cookies – that’s Ambitious! You have lucky friends to have such a wonderful gesture! It’s been so hot in San Diego the past 4-5 days. Miserably hot and humid, like 95F at the coast!
I’m still obsessed with your Nutella & PB chip blondies – stunning!
Hey! I’m just wondering how you manage to stay in such great shape while making all of these incredible decadent desserts? If I ate these all the time I’d balloon up. What’s your secret?
I eat a few bites/pieces and then donate the rest to family, friends, teachers, etc. There is no possible way ANYONE can eat pans full of bars, dozens and dozens of cookies, and not balloon up. After I’ve had my fill of it, off it goes. Moderation is key. And I work out every.single.day. :)
All of these looks amazing!! Can’t wait to make some for my college friends!
Lucky friends you have! Enjoy!
None of your pics are horrible at all. You are an amazing photographer! I’m not saying bye to summer either. The month long extended forecast is mostly in the 70 s. We all know how correct those are ;) But at least it’s giving me a little hope.
Well there are a few recipes that I cringe at. But hey, whenever I see them, I will always remember sweating my butt off trying to even get the pics I got. But thanks for your kind words. And yes, enjoy your summer! Milk it for all you can!
What another delicious month, Averie! Hope you have a stress-free move!
Thank you!
I agree, A
I finally bought an immersion blender yesterday so I had fun playing around with it a little. I think I’ll like it for cooked sauces and soups instead of dumping it all into the vita. I made your mug cake for my husband last night and of course he loved it (with PB on top). My dehydrator jicama and eggplant chips and your tomato chutney went fast….I made more of everything last night. I can’t rave enough about your chutney! Good luck packing…maybe you can find some time to relax with one of your drink recipes and put your feet up.
I bought a stick blender about this time last year, it was on sale at BB&Beyond and after a coupon, was seriously maybe $20-25. Cheap thrills :) It’s okay the few times I’ve used it when I dont want to haul out and dirty up my Vita!
That’s awesome you made the mugcake for your hubs (with Pb on top sounds great!!) and your jicama and EP chips – now that sounds great too! I just packed up my dehyd the other day. I need to try to USE it more in the new place rather than collect dust!
Chutney. So glad you love it. I bet you could turn it into chunky soup with 10 secs with that new immersion blender of yours!
I like this monthly recap, I loved each one of your recipes. Aw, I wish I could make (and eat) them all, they look superb! Have a safe move! x
Thanks for the well-wishes on our move. I can use it :)