Thursday Things on Friday

Time for this week’s Thursday Things on Friday. I’m running a day late because 35 National Peanut Day Recipes yesterday trumped Thursday Things. Peanut butter trumps just about anything for me.

1. A few months ago I mentioned that I contributed four recipes to this cookbook and it’s being released tomorrow. Considering I love Trader Joe’s, it was a perfect fit for me. The book has over 80 recipes and meal ideas for easy and on-the-go snacks, lunches, and meals.

See Kelly Lester’s site for a 34-page sample of the book, including recipes and the beautiful photos that were taken by my awesome friend, Marla Meridith

Here’s one of the recipes I contributed

Holy Fritatta! Spinach and Red Pepper Frittata

Here’s where you can buy the book

2. Sweet on Paris – This is a sweet fragrance, yes. However, unlike some scents where the sweetness is sacchariney-sweet and increasingly irritating over time, this is the opposite and it has really grown on me. It smells like a blueberry cupcake with a hint of lemon, which cuts the sweetness. I mean, who wouldn’t want to be covered in the scent of blueberry cupcakes with a lemon glaze?

However, I’ve been told it’s only available until the end of the month so if you want to smell like a blueberry cupcake, you need to buy it now. I’m stocking up.

3. I mentioned when I made Blueberry Muffins with Raspberry Jam Swirls that the scent of them baking was intoxicating and I wish I could bottle it. Bath & Body Works did the bottling for me.

4. A couple readers have told me about these Candy Corn-Flavored Oreos being sold exclusively at Target. Specialty versions of Oreos are so fun to bake with.

The Limited Birthday Edition Oreos in Oreo Cookie-Stuffed Brownies with Vanilla Buttercream Frosting but feel free to just use regular Oreos

and Mint Oreos (available year round) in Triple Layer Fudgy Mint Oreo Brownies

5. Top Chef Masters steals my heart on Wednesday night and I’m bummed the season is ending soon because I’ve really enjoyed watching the professional chefs embark on the challenges and like seeing what they create. I won’t spill the beans in case you’re watching the series and you’re not caught up on all the episodes, but I’m disappointed that a couple chefs in the past few episodes went home because I was rooting for them.

The next season though of Top Chef takes place on a cruise ship, which should be interesting.

As a consolation, the Real Housewives of Miami new season just started last night, but I wish it was the Beverly Hills or the O.C. Housewives because they’re my favorites. I found the last season of Miami Housewives just so-so. But, they have some new cast members on this season so we’ll see. I have it on my DVR but haven’t watched it yet.

6. Hive Vases, $24 to $34 at West Elm

7. Sweet Potato Tipsy, recipe from the 1960 Cookbook, How America Eats

I think combining sweet potatoes, butter, cream, brown sugar, sherry, and getting tipsy in the process is the sign of a fantastic dish. I don’t know if this is How America Eats today, but I’d sure like to get back to this butter-cream-tipsy style of cooking.

8. This Sweet Potato Red Pepper and Coconut Milk Soup won’t get you tipsy, but it’s vegan, gluten-free, and ready in 15 minutes from start to finish.

9. I just got my iHerb.com order. It’s the cheapest place for these probiotics, this nutritional yeast, and my beloved vanilla stevia drops

Enter code AVE630 to save $5 on your order and all orders over $40 ship free.

Their prices are already about 30 to 40% below retail and after you spend more than $50 they start discounting your order an additional 5% off and at about $70 they take off 7% and it goes up incrementally. They have specials and the discount percentages fluctuate a bit so don’t quote me exactly, but iHerb has saved me so much money over the years.

10. Williams-Sonoma Natural Sprinkles, $9.95 each

“Their vibrant hues are derived only from edible plants, such as beets, spinach, red cabbage and others. (They do not retain flavors from the natural colorants). Use them in combination with royal icing, creamy frosting or a sugar glaze to adorn cookies and other baked goods.”

What are your Thursday (or Friday) Things?

If you’ve made anything, done, seen, or bought anything fabulous recently, feel free to link it up in the comments.

Do you have any favorite cookbooks, scents, or online shopping sites that save you money? How ’bout those Tipsy Sweet Potatoes?

Enjoy your weekend!