Monthly Meal Plan-May (BBQ/Memorial Day)

It's already almost May! Yay! And we have some recipes that are perfect for summer weather and barbecues. ALSO if you scroll past the food, you'll find a giveaway (that is perfect for Father's Day!)

Dark Chocolatey Hazelnut Spread Stuffed Blondies #Chocmeister

Ok sooo....I've documented that fall is not my favorite time of year. I know I know, everyone else in the world loves it. Sorry, all-it's not for me. HOWEVER-one small perk about the cooler weather and fall is that it's time to LET THE RICH FOOD COMMENCE! Bikini season is over? Eat all the yum yums! Plus we have Halloween and Thanksgiving--holidays largely known for eating an excess of food. And this is a thing I'm totally down with. SO, in the spirit of EAT ALL THE FOOD I made us some brown butter blondies stuffed with rich and gooey dark chocolate hazelnut spread (My new fave=PB & Co's Chocmeister). You're welcome :) 

Admittedly, I made these blondies in my old house. BUT I still have to gush about how much I'm loving baking in my new kitchen-the counter space is downright intoxicating. There's the big old island that is the perfect workstation for all of my masterpieces-making even more complicated treats fun to make. Of course...these blondies are so far from complicated. I would have been able to easily whip them up even in my super tiny New York apartment kitchen, So gather 'round bakers with kitchens large or small....you're going to want to give these blondies a try.

So these are essentially deliciously chewy, yet somewhat crisp, brown sugar cookie bars made with browned butter (aka the thing that makes all other things better), studded with chocolate chips, with a layer of gooey chocolate hazelnut spread (such as Nutella, Nocciolata Rigoni, or-my choice-Chocmeister!) And then I topped the whole thing with some sea salt. 'Cuz that's what we do here.

{No Bake} Chocolate Hazelnut Tart--Chocmeister Review

I love Peanut Butter & Co. It is well documented. So when I heard they were coming out with chocolate hazelnut spreads...I nearly jumped up and down, I was so thrilled! And, lucky lucky me, they sent me a jar of their new Chocmeister Dark Chocolatey Hazelnut Spread to play with!

Before I tell you about all the deliciousness you are presently gazing upon, let me give you the 411 on Chocmeister Chocolatey Hazelnut Spreads. First of all they come in 2 varieties, milk and dark chocolate. And they're made with 25% LESS sugar and 50% MORE protein than the leading chocolate hazelnut spread brand. Which is pretty amazeballs. And, as someone who immediately tried some: it tastes even better! The hazelnut flavor really comes through and it's perfectly delicious. Just the thing to eat on toast, with fruit, or ya know...in a perfect no-bake tart.

It's summer. My favorite season. I love it. And it's hot-which I'm totally cool with but maybe we don't reeeeally want to use the oven if we don't have to, you know? That's why I wanted to make you guys a super decadent no-bake dessert. And the Chocmeister Dark Chocolatey Hazelnut Spread was so rich and had such a great hazelnut flavor that I knew I wanted to play that up. And I DID. This tart seriously just embodies chocolate and hazelnut-in every way.

First, we have a chocolate cookie + hazelnut no bake crust: tastiness. Then I made a ganache with the Chocmeister and heavy cream. And topped it with chopped hazelnuts. You chill the entire thing and it...is...just...perfect. The texture of the filling is so silky and perfect and the crust and hazelnuts give you a bit of crunch. So good. SO SO GOOD. 

Pies and Plots, The Cooking Actress, Wishes and Dishes, & The Spiffy Cookie New Year's Cookbook Giveaway! (CLOSED)

I have a little New Year's treat for you all today! Laura, of Pies and Plots, decided she had a bunch of amazing cookbooks that she wanted to giveaway to a lucky someone and she included myself, Ashley of Wishes and Dishes, and Erin of The Spiffy Cookie, in the fun! So use the widget below to enter <3 :

Hershey's KISSES Deluxe "Say More"

I participated in an Influencer Activation on behalf of Influence Central for Hershey’s KISSES Deluxe. I received product samples to facilitate my review and a promotional item to thank me for my participation.

For me, memories of family and the holidays are mingled with Hershey's KISSES (the #1 holiday chocolate): holiday themed Hershey's KISSES in the candy dish on Christmas Day at my Grandma's, the creamy little chocolates studded in the centers of the peanut butter blossoms my mom would bake for Santa and for our families, and sneaking the sweet treats to my little brother and cousins as we waited impatiently for dinner. 

As time has passed and we've all grown up...those smaller moments seem to get lost in the shuffle. We don't take as much time to enjoy each other. Get-togethers and game nights and birthday parties have turned into quick texts or facebook posts. Even within my close family, we're beginning to move apart. I moved to NY and, even though I'm back now, my brother is leaving for the airforce after Christmas. And it's so wonderful that we all have the technology to be able to keep in touch but we need to do more. And we need to "Say More"--which is exactly what Hershey's is encouraging us to do. We need to make the most of our time together and really speak with each other in meaningful ways, more than just the usual small talk. Hershey's is sharing videos of people saying more on their social media channels, including this completely adorable video of a family showing their mom how much they care. This holiday season, and beyond, I am vowing to really show the people I love how valuable they are to me. I'm going to spend as much time as possible showing my brother how much he means to me before he leaves. I'm going to make sure my mom knows how much I appreciate all she does. When I see my cousins I'm going to do more than just have a little bit of casual chit-chat, I'm going to find out what's going on in their lives and have a real conversation. And I'm going to take the time to enjoy my husband, to talk to him and spend time with him without our heads buried in our phones or our stares trained to the TV. I'm going to "Say More".

I'm also going to do the unthinkable and share some of the new Hershey's KISSES Deluxe--now that is real love. They're twice the size of original KISSES, creamy, decadent, and they contain a whole roasted hazelnut and tasty little crisps enveloped in layers of chocolate. Delicious, and the perfect way to show someone you care!

And you have the chance to win a Hershey's KISSES Deluxe 75 piece gift box (valued at $35)!

Hershey's KISSES Deluxe Giveaway

*I-C will randomly select fifty winners from all program entries and will handle fulfillment of the winning prizes.

AdoramaPix Review & GIVEAWAY! (CLOSED)

Fun fact: after you get married...there are a lot of wedding pictures. And you want to put them up. So you have to order prints. And I was lucky enough to be able to order the majority of my wedding prints from AdoramaPix-a staple in the photography community (based out of my old stomping grounds, NY!) with unparalleled quality and fantastic prices! (Seriously...some of the most inexpensive photo printing prices that I've seen).

Although I ordered a bunch of different prints from AdoramaPix, the biggest thing that I got myself was a canvas print to hang above our fireplace. Since this picture is the centerpiece of our house...it was important that it turned out just right! The good news is AdoramaPix gave me everything I needed to create my perfect canvas. First I had to upload a high resolution image (and I learned that most images are sized for a maximum of an 16x20 print, luckily AdoramaPix's amazing customer service were able to take the image I gave them and create a larger file size that would give me better resolution at a larger print size! Seriously...the customer service team is above and beyond, they totally went out of their way to accommodate me at every turn!) and then I chose the size--there are existing size options but you can also do a custom size! We ended up going with a custom size: 18x24, large but not too large (and then you crop the photo as needed to fit the size you choose). Finally you have to choose what you want around the edges of the canvas--you can stretch the picture continuously around the borders, have it mirrored, or pick a color (the default is black, changing it is a smidge complicated--but usually black is the best choice anyway). My initial instinct was stretched, however Michael preferred the idea of a crisp black border and I have to say...he was right!  After making all these decisions you can view a preview of your print in 2D or 3D and then you place your order and they work their printing magic!

RawSpiceBar Giveaway (CLOSED)

I have something exciting for you today! I want to tell you about RawSpiceBar!-a new subscription service that ships 3 different spice blends to your home, every month, for only $6/month! (Update: they have quarterly spice collections available for $26/quarter or $88/year!)

What makes RawSpiceBar special?

Their spices are whole toasted, ground, and blended just a few days before they ship them to you-which means they're fresh! They're also perfectly portioned to create a dish that serves 6-10 (so they don't just sit on your shelf for-evahhhh) and each blend comes with at least 4-5 different recipe ideas that the folks over at RawSpiceBar have tested (and they also always include options for vegans, carnivores, AND vegetarians)!

I was lucky enough to get a shipment sent to my house with a lot of fun and unique spice blends and one of you lucky readers has the opportunity to win a 6 MONTH subscription!! Enter away!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookie Granola ~ #Oatober with PB & Co and Bob's Red Mill

Disclaimer-I was provided with oats and peanut butter from Bob's Red Mill and Pb & Co to use for this recipe. I received no further compensation and was under no obligation to review or host a giveaway. All opinions are, as always, my own. This post also contains Amazon affiliate links.

Guys...I am so excited to help ring in #Oatober with this recipe! Oh, what is Oatober, you ask? It's October....but Peanut Butter & Co. and Bob's Red Mill have teamed up to make this month all about hearty, versatile oats + delicious and flavorful peanut butter! And I'm so stoked because these are two of my favorite brands-I legit. use them all the time!

Now....there are a bjillion ways you can pair oats and peanut butter (oatmeal, cookies, fruit crisp desserts, etc.) but one of my favorites in GRANOLA. I just love granola. It's such a tasty and easy breakfast or snack and it can even be used in other things (granola waffles? granola cookies? etc.) So...I decided that was the perfect thing to share with you guys today!

Something really cool and unique about this recipe is the whole wheat flour-it creates little clumps and is part of what adds to the "cookie" sort of feeling this granola has. Oh and be prepared-it will 100% smell like you're baking delicious cookies when it's in the oven. But that's ok because, even though this granola is healthy and wholesome and filling, it's also insanely delicious. Dark Chocolate Dreams is my pb bestie-chocolatey and peanut buttery goodness. Then we have crunchy peanuts and subtly sweet honey and the chewiness that you get courtesy of oats. Perfection. Guiltless indulgence!

Oh yeah and...continue on past the recipe for a GIVEAWAY! :D

SmileBrilliant! {Teeth Whitening} Review

My smile has been through a lot-I wore braces for nearly 3 years (I still wear retainers at night) and, although I overall am happy with it-I've always wished it was whiter. Especially with the wedding day coming up--white dress, white teeth, right? :P

Which is why I jumped at the opportunity to try out SmileBrilliant!'s at home whitening kit with custom trays!

I've tried whitening strips in the past and, although they helped a bit, they definitely didn't leave me with as white of a smile as I'd like. I was considering having my dentist whiten them but was balking at the super high price tag ($500+!) Thank GOODNESS for SmileBrilliant! Smile Brilliant provides lab direct, custom-fitted, teeth whitening trays and professional strength whitening gel (and you can also purchase desensitizing gel, which is helpful if you're worried about sensitivity resulting from the whitening. I highly recommend it!) from your own home, and for a fraction of the cost!  Plus, there's a 30 day money back guarantee.

One thing you need to know going in to teeth whitening-it cannot perform miracles. It can and will remove stains and restore your teeth to their natural color but if your teeth's natural tint isn't white then whitening cannot do anything to help that. But I was hopeful about my results. (I mean--look at all of these amazing testimonials!)

The Cooking Actress' 4 Year Blogiversary Mega GIVEAWAY (Closed)+ Reader Survey!

OH. MY. GOSH!! Today is The Cooking Actress' 4 year birthday! Where did the time go? 

4 years ago I was just throwing something onto the internet. 

3 years ago I shared a delicious Buckeye Cake and was already starting to put a semi-amount of effort into food photography.

2 years ago I'd started Something Saturdays and was sharing how far I'd come.

1 year ago, as I prepared to move to Ohio, I rounded up every original recipe on this blog. And we've made even more deliciousness since then!

So, first of all, I want to say: THANK YOU. Thank you for reading. Thank you for giving me a new piece of my identity that I love. Thank you for helping me grow and make delicious food. Thank you for giving me a way to meet wonderful new friends. Thank you for reading my silly ramblings and still coming back for me. THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU! It's because of all of you that I'll, hopefully, have many more blogiversaries to come!

Now, about you: some of you I know. Some of you I don't. And I'd like to change that! I want YOU to have a voice on this blog. I want to know what you like, what you don't like. What could be changed, what you'd like to see next, etc. SO-I created a little survey. I would completely love it if you would take the time to fill it out and help me make this blog the best it can be!

Click here to take The Cooking Actress' 1st Reader Survey!

Oh yeah AND--as a thank you for taking the survey and being a reader--I'm giving 3 of you a bunch of cool stuff! Read on:

A bit about the items up for grabs in the mega giveaway:

Nielsen-Massey

Vanilla can be transcendent, and Nielsen-Massey (now available at Willliams-Sonoma!) makes that sort of product. They have been crafting the finest vanillas and flavors since 1907 and their quality is unparalleled (which is why they're preferred by home cooks and professional bakers and restaurants alike!)  You can find more stores near you that carry Nielsen-Massey here.

Waffle Pantry

Waffle Pantry is made up by a small team devoted to bringing high-quality Liege waffle ingredients and tools to bakers. They offer 100% authentic imported Belgian pearl sugar (vegan and vegetarian friendly!), derived from beet sugar. You may remember my love for liege waffles and pearl sugar is a MUST if you want to enjoy them! For more recipes that use pearl sugar and tips and tricks check out their blog!

Peanut Butter & Co

PB & Co and I have partnered up on multiple occasions (since 2012!) so OF COURSE they had to be included in this giveaway! Peanut Butter & Co has a delicious sandwich shop in NYC (which is where I fell in looove with them!) but they are so much more! They make 10 delicious varieties of all natural peanut butter (as well as a bunch of extras-things that go with peanut butter, etc.) that are available in tons of stores (you can find them near you at this link) and also can be purchased online! 

Golden Girl Granola

You may remember that I reviewed Golden Girl Granola a couple weeks ago. This granola is hand- made in small batches in Massachusetts, it's whole grain, wheat-free (and is produced in a gluten-   free kitchen), is non-GMO, and uses the finest, all-natural ingredients. And--it's TASTY! Click here to learn which stores carry Golden Girl Granola!

Star Fine Foods

I've had a relationship with Star Fine Foods for awhile and I am so excited that they jumped on board for this giveaway! Started in 1898, Star carries olive oils, vinegars, balsamics, olives, capers, vinegars, peppers, and more! They're also now the #1 selling brand of olive oil, wine vinegar and Spanish green olives in retail grocery stores in the Western United States and growing in distribution in the rest of the US. If you can't find them in your store--don't worry! You can shop online!

Uniquely Greek

A couple years ago I came clean about my Uniquely Greek addiction. Uniquely Greek Feta Cheese Spreads are made from a unique blend of domestic feta cheese, garlic, and cream cheese infused with fresh produce. They can be used in sauces, as a spread, etc. but my fave thing is to just dip some crackers in and eat to my heart's content! Learn where you can find it by checking out their store locator!

GIVEAWAY!

(CLOSED)

To celebrate my blog anniversary I am hosting this amazing giveaway and there will be THREE WINNERS! You could win one of these 3 amazinggg prize packages (each of which is over a $70 value!):

1. (One) 1 lb. bag of Waffle Pantry Belgian Pearl Sugar with bowl scraper
   (One) 16 oz. jar of Peanut Butter & Co. Dark Chocolate Dreams
   (One) 16 oz. jar of Peanut Butter & Co. The Bee's Knees
   (One) 16 oz. jar of Peanut Butter & Co. Smooth Operator
   (Two) 14 oz. bags (in your choice of varieties) of Golden Girl Granola
   (One) 8.45 oz. bottle of Star Fine Food's Balsamic Vinegar of Modena - Gold Edition
   (One) 17 oz. bottle of Star Fine Food's Extra Virgin Olive Oil
   (One) STAR Olive Oil & Vinegar Cruet
   (Four) 6.5 oz. containers of Uniquely Greek spreads. A combo pack of the 4 varieties (Simply Spinach, Fire-Roasted Red Pepper, Kalamata Olive, and Spicy Buffalo)
   (One) 2 oz. bottle of Nielsen-Massey Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Extract
   (One) 4 oz. bottle of Nielsen-Massey Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Bean Paste
   
2. (One) 1 lb. bag of Waffle Pantry Belgian Pearl Sugar with bowl scraper
   (One) 16 oz. jar of Peanut Butter & Co. Dark Chocolate Dreams
   (One) 16 oz. jar of Peanut Butter & Co. The Bee's Knees
   (One) 16 oz. jar of Peanut Butter & Co. Smooth Operator
   (Two) 14 oz. bags (in your choice of varieties) of Golden Girl Granola
   (One) 8.45 oz. bottle of Star Fine Food's Balsamic Vinegar of Modena - Gold Edition
   (One) 17 oz. bottle of Star Fine Food's Extra Virgin Olive Oil
   (One) STAR Olive Oil & Vinegar Cruet
   (Four) 6.5 oz. containers of Uniquely Greek spreads. A combo pack of the 4 varieties (Simply Spinach, Fire-Roasted Red Pepper, Kalamata Olive, and Spicy Buffalo)
   
3. (One) 1 lb. bag of Waffle Pantry Belgian Pearl Sugar with bowl scraper
   (One) 16 oz. jar of Peanut Butter & Co. Dark Chocolate Dreams
   (One) 16 oz. jar of Peanut Butter & Co. The Bee's Knees
   (One) 16 oz. jar of Peanut Butter & Co. Smooth Operator
   (Two) 14 oz. bags (in your choice of varieties) of Golden Girl Granola
   (One) 8.45 oz. bottle of Star Fine Food's Balsamic Vinegar of Modena - Gold Edition
   (One) 17 oz. bottle of Star Fine Food's Extra Virgin Olive Oil
   (One) STAR Olive Oil & Vinegar Cruet
   (Four) 6.5 oz. containers of Uniquely Greek spreads. A combo pack of the 4 varieties (Simply Spinach, Fire-Roasted Red Pepper, Kalamata Olive, and Spicy Buffalo)

Giveaway closes May 3, 2015, 11:59PM EST.  After the contest is over, I will send the winners an email (so please make sure you provide an email address or some other way to get in touch with you), and get you your prize package. The winners will have 3 days to respond or another winner will be chosen, all prizes will be awarded. The winner will be chosen via a random number generator, the first to be chosen has first dibs on which prize they receive, the 2nd chosen has 2nd choice, and so on. Open to continental U.S. residents over the age of 18. NO PURCHASE NECESSARY.

How to enter: (REQUIRED FOR ENTRY IN THIS GIVEAWAY) 

Fill out this brief reader survey to tell me what you like, don't like, love, want to change, etc.! Any feedback is helpful so please be honest! Then just comment with the code that is generated after you complete the survey and you're entered! YOU MUST LEAVE A COMMENT WITH THIS CODE TO BE ENTERED INTO THE GIVEAWAY! 

Additional (optional) entries: (you will receive one additional entry for each of the following--so if you leave a comment for all of them, you can have a total of up to 8 entries/chances to win!) MAKE SURE TO LEAVE A SEPARATE COMMENT FOR EACH ENTRY-these entries are optional, not required.

• "Like" The Cooking Actress on Facebook-leave a comment on this post to let me know you did so.
• Follow The Cooking Actress on Pinterest-and leave a separate comment letting me know. 
• Follow The Cooking Actress by email-leave another comment.
• Follow me on Twitter @kayleblogna-leave a separate comment on here to tell me.
• Follow me on Instagram @kayleblogna-leave another comment, saying you did so.
• Follow The Cooking Actress on Bloglovin'-leave a comment letting me know that you did!
• Tweet this about the giveaway:  (and leave a comment on this post afterwards)  
• HAPPY BLOGIVERSARY to @kayleblogna #thecookingactress -enter the HUGE #giveaway {3 winners will be chosen!} http://bit.ly/1GNDoqA

**If you already like/follow any of these, it still counts. Just let me know you already follow each in separate comments**

Disclaimer: Waffle Pantry, PB & Co, Star Fine Foods, Golden Girl Granola, Uniquely Greek, and Nielsen-Massey are providing product for the giveaway. I received no monetary compensation. Nor was I under any obligation to write a positive review or host a product giveaway. My opinions, as always, are all my own. We are not liable for technical failures or typographical errors, or resolving identity disputes related to the winner.VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. 

Healthier Dark Chocolate Brownies-Peanut Butter & Co. #MysteryIngredient Challenge

Did you know that March in National Peanut Month? Well-IT IS! To celebrate, Peanut Butter & Co. wanted to showcase the versatility of peanut butter by providing a mystery ingredient {to those of us who accepted the challenge} to be paired with peanut butter in a recipe. ((And, also to celebrate, we're having a PB & Co giveaway! Scroll past the recipe to find out how to enter))

My mystery ingredient? Espresso powder.

Truthfully, I'm not a fan of coffee. I don't like the flavor (although I ADORE the scent). However I have heard multiple times how adding coffee/espresso to certain chocolate desserts just intensifies the chocolate flavor. And...um...I LOVE chocolate. The more deep, dark, and intense the chocolate flavor the better! So I knew that I would be pairing the espresso with my favorite PB & Co peanut butter: Dark Chocolate Dreams.

In case you haven't read any of my previous posts about Peanut Butter & Co, here's why I love them (aside from the sole fact that they make a dark chocolate peanut butter...which is pretty epic on its own): their peanut butters are natural (hooray-a short and pronounceable ingredient list) and no-stir and they contain no cholesterol, trans fats, hydrogenated oils, or high fructose corn syrup (and they're also certified gluten-free, vegan, and kosher!) If I'm not making homemade nut butters, PB & Co is pretty much the only peanut butter brand I use.

Back to these brownies. I knew I wanted to use the espresso to really amp up the chocolate flavor of whatever I would make, and that Dark Chocolate Dreams would help me do that. I'm also still trying to make healthier treats since I'm pre-wedding. So I decided to adapt a recipe that I found for whole wheat brownies (which already called for instant espresso) and replace ALL the butter in said recipe with the Dark Chocolate Dreams. Oh yeah. I also significantly decreased the amount of flour (the peanut butter is much thicker than regular butter, so this worked out nicely) and slightly decreased the sugar and...well...I was pretty nervous about how they would turn out.

But omigosh these brownies came out PERFECTLY! Even Michael (Mr."I don't like when you healthify my desserts I just want brownies that taste like my mom's") adored them-especially the texture! They're dense but feel like just a classic, comforting brownie. And, as desired, the chocolate really shines. So much so that you can actually barely taste the peanut butter (it's just a little hint of that tasty peanutty specialness). The espresso really does add some smoky nuance and just lets you taste the chocolate to its fullest potential. Dark chocolate chips are studded throughout and help add to the experience even more.

To sum up: this challenge was a success! The brownies are soft, gooey, chewy, and intensely chocolatey.

And they happen to also be low-fat, whole grain, and dairy-free ((I mean...aside from the choc chips))

*happy dance*

Evolution Fresh Giveaway (Closed)

Evolution Fresh (which you may remember from this blog post) is encouraging everyone to get healthy with their #3DaystoGreen challenge their green juices (they offer 4 cold-pressed green juices that include more than a pound of green vegetables in each bottle!) To help you take on their green incentive, we've got a...

GIVEAWAY! (CLOSED)

The winner is comment #20-auntiepatch69!

One lucky Cooking Actress reader will win an $40 gift card to purchase Evolution Fresh at Starbucks as well as a coupon for one FREE bottle of Evolution Fresh.

Giveaway closes January 29, 2015, 11:59PM EST.  After the contest is over, I will send the winner an email (so please make sure you provide an email address or some other way to get in touch with you), and get you your prize. The winner will have 3 days to respond or another winner will be chosen, all prizes will be awarded. The winner will be chosen via a random number generator. Open to continental U.S. residents over the age of 18. NO PURCHASE NECESSARY.

How to enter: (REQUIRED FOR ENTRY IN THIS GIVEAWAY) 

Check out the #3DaysToGreen website and, if you want, enter the giveaway over there! Leave a comment telling me you entered or which green juice you're most excited to try.

Additional (optional) entries: (you will receive one additional entry for each of the following--so if you leave a comment for all of them, you can have a total of up to 9 entries/chances to win!) MAKE SURE TO LEAVE A SEPARATE COMMENT FOR EACH ENTRY-these entries are optional, not required.

• "Like" The Cooking Actress on Facebook-leave a comment on this post to let me know you did so.
• Follow The Cooking Actress on Pinterest-and leave a separate comment letting me know. 
• Follow The Cooking Actress by email-leave another comment.
• Follow me on Twitter @kayleblogna-leave a separate comment on here to tell me.
• Follow me on Instagram @kayleblogna-leave another comment, saying you did so.
• "Like" Evolution Fresh on Facebook-leave a comment on here letting me know.
• Follow @evolutionfresh on Twitter-leave a comment telling me you did.
• Tweet this about the giveaway:  (and leave a comment on this post afterwards)  
• I want to win the @evolutionfresh #3daystogreen #giveaway from @kayleblogna #thecookingactress http://bit.ly/1xJla3V

**If you already like/follow any of these, it still counts. Just let me know you already follow each in separate comments**

Disclaimer: Evolution Fresh provided me with a some Evolution Fresh products as well as the products to be won for this giveaway, and I was under no obligation to review if I so chose. Nor was I under any obligation to write a positive review or host a product giveaway in return for the free product. My opinions, as always, are all my own. We are not liable for technical failures or typographical errors, or resolving identity disputes related to the winner.VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. 

JORD Watches Review

I love my future father-in-law. He's more a part of my life than my actual dad. But he is SO HARD to shop for! Every year Michael and I agonize over the perfect Christmas gift for him, and we usually come up short. But not this year. This year I think he is going to be very happy with his gift, thanks to JORD watches!

The word "jord" is Swedish for earth, soil, or land.  

And Jord Wood Watches is all about an appreciation for natural elements, but with a modern design. 

Made up of a collective of artists, designers, and seasoned watchsmiths, JORD watches not only incorporate wood-they feature it! The intricacy and multiplicity of the woods they use means each watch is one of a kind. And, a super sweet feature, on the website there is a JORD watch specialist there to chat with you if you have any questions or concerns!

Whether you're shopping for a special man or woman in your life-JORD has got you covered! Ranging from the uber masculine (and rare) 746 watch to the super pretty (and my personal fave) Cora series (their 1st official lady's watch) with tons of versatile (and unisex) options in between, you will have no problem falling in love with a beautiful, unique, wood watch!

Michael's dad is classic and timeless-like the Fieldcrest watch (in black) that we got him. They ship the watch in a gorgeous box with a super stylish cushion to keep it safe and looking good. When you see and hold the watch there is no doubting the quality craftmanship. It is a beautiful, great, timepiece. (And, splash and scratch resistant--which is always awesome because...you know...life.)

I cannot wait until Christmas!

And, if you're thinking about getting a watch for yourself-or are curious for styling or fashion tips for JORD watches-you can check out the JORD blog or #jordwatch. (I *squeeeed* a little when I saw some contestants on The Voice wearing this exact watch! Oooh Chuck is going to be so cool.) And go order yourself your own wood watch!

Or win one !!!

GIVEAWAY(CLOSED)

A winner has been chosen!

One lucky Cooking Actress reader will win an $120 gift certificate for JORD! So you can pick whichever watch you like and apply the certificate towards it (depending on which watch you choose, that could mean you get one for free)!

Giveaway closes December 11, 2014, 11:59PM EST.  After the contest is over, I will send the winner an email (so please make sure you provide an email address or some other way to get in touch with you), and get you your prize. The winner will have 3 days to respond or another winner will be chosen, all prizes will be awarded. The winner will be chosen via a random number generator. Open WORLDWIDE for people over the age of 18. NO PURCHASE NECESSARY.

How to enter: (REQUIRED FOR ENTRY IN THIS GIVEAWAY) 

Fill out the entry form here: http://www.woodwatches.com/giveaway/signup#1 and when you're finished leave a comment on this blog with the unique code generated from the entry form.

Additional (optional) entries: (you will receive one additional entry for each of the following--so if you leave a comment for all of them, you can have a total of up to 9 entries/chances to win!) MAKE SURE TO LEAVE A SEPARATE COMMENT FOR EACH ENTRY-these entries are optional, not required.

• "Like" The Cooking Actress on Facebook-leave a comment on this post to let me know you did so.
• Follow The Cooking Actress on Pinterest-and leave a separate comment letting me know. 
• Follow The Cooking Actress by email-leave another comment.
• Follow me on Twitter @kayleblogna-leave a separate comment on here to tell me.
• Follow me on Instagram @kayleblogna-leave another comment, saying you did so.
• "Like" JORD Wood Watches on Facebook-leave a comment on here letting me know.
• Follow @woodwatches_com on Twitter-leave a comment telling me you did.
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Disclaimer:  JORD provided me with a complimentary watch and is sponsoring this giveaway, and I was under no obligation to review if I so chose. Nor was I under any obligation to write a positive review or host a product giveaway in return for the free product. My opinions, as always, are all my own. We are not liable for technical failures or typographical errors, or resolving identity disputes related to the winner.VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. 

Thick & Soft Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies {Gluten Free & Dairy Free}-Cookie Week 2014!

Welcome to the last day of Cookie Week, hosted by Kim of Cravings of a Lunatic and Susan of The Girl In the Little Red Kitchen! We’ve teamed together with 10 other talented bloggers to bring you 5 fantastic days of cookie recipes to get you in to the holiday spirits. We hope you've enjoyed this week as much as we did! Don't forget to check out and enter our fantastic giveaway and our #CookieWeek Pinterest board full of all the cookie recipes you've see here this week!
Our sponsors for this event have provided us with some great prizes and we’d like to extend a huge thank you for their generosity. Thanks to Imperial Sugar, Circulon, Peanut Butter & Co. and Page Street Publishing for being a part of Cookie Week!     

Take a look to see what might inspire you to break out the butter and sugar this weekend.

Pumpkin Mallomars by The Girl In The Little Red Kitchen

Chocolate Fudge Brownie Cookies by Cravings of a Lunatic

Black Pepper Fig Biscotti by Crumb

Chocolate Peppermint Crinkles by Jen's Favorite Cookies

Chocolate Shot Cookies by Food Lust People Love

Double Chocolate Espresso Cookies by Cooking in Stilettos

Soft and Chewy Butterscotch Chip Pudding Cookies by Dinners, Dishes and Desserts

The Best Gingersnaps by Mind Over Batter

Thick & Soft Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies {Gluten Free & Dairy Free} by The Cooking Actress

LOOKAT THAT PICTURE! LOOK AT HOW THICK AND SOFT THESE COOKIES ARE!!

Nothing beats biting into a thick, soft, extra chewy, extra flavorful, cookie. Especially when you only need to use 1 bowl to whip them up. And there are only 6 ingredients. CRAZY simple.  And really...oh so addictive.

And the small ingredient list? The flourlessness? It just means the chocolate/peanut butter truly shine. So rich and out of control. I suppose I'd say these cookies taste like the inside of a Reese's cup...if you mixed it with cocoa powder....does that make sense? Trust me on this one-it's goooood.

Brown Butter Pecan Toffee Cookies-Cookie Week 2014!

Welcome to the day 3 of Cookie Week, hosted by Kim of Cravings of a Lunatic and Susan of The Girl In the Little Red Kitchen! We’ve teamed together with 10 other talented bloggers to bring you 5 fantastic days of cookie recipes to get you in to the holiday spirits. If you are feeling a mid-week slump, then there is no better way to beat it than a big dose of cookie love! Please make sure to check out and enter our fantastic giveaway and check out our #CookieWeek Pinterest board full of all the cookie recipes you’ll see here this week!
Our sponsors for this event have provided us with some great prizes and we’d like to extend a huge thank you for their generosity. Thanks to Imperial Sugar, Circulon, Peanut Butter & Co. and Page Street Publishing for being a part of Cookie Week!

 Let's see what's baking up in the oven today:

Maple Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies by The Girl In The Little Red Kitchen

S'mores Cookies by Cravings of a Lunatic

Banana Walnut Biscotti by Chocolate Moosey

Brown Butter Pecan Toffee Cookies by The Cooking Actress

Candy Topped Toffee Squares by That Skinny Chick Can Bake

Maple Walnut Shortbread Cookies by Hungry Couple

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies by Dinners, Dishes and Desserts

Savory Cheddar Coins by Crumb

White Chocolate Cranberry Ginger Cookies by Jen's Favorite Cookies

These are some of the better cookies I've made in awhile. In fact-I gave a couple of these to friends of mine and Michael's and they have two 5 year old daughters. I snuck them the cookies and made it clear that these were adult cookies and would be wasted on children. They just can't appreciate the nuances, the overt amount of taste SENSATION that you will undergo if you eat these cookies. Upon eating his secret cookie, David assured me that I was correct. Way too good to share with the kiddos :P.

That said...I love children. By all means give your kids these cookies-they'll love 'em. They'll love them even more in 20 years. :D

It's kind of hilarious...I think my particular cookie preferences are starting to skew Michael's and my view of the world. Recently I made some perfectly acceptable CCC's-but Michael remarked they almost tasted like a sugar cookie. They didn't. They were much more of a classic chocolate chip cookie, though, and I tend to make a lot of very brown sugar heavy cookies-so in comparison they tasted almost like a sugar cookie. Ah....perspective is a funny thing.

These cookies are browned butter perfection-it's in the dough and the pecans are toasted in the nutty buttery goodness. They are made with dark brown sugar-which adds that extra special mollases-y wonderful flavor. Toffee, my crunchy little friends, are the extra special final element. And salt. Of course. They're crisp yet chewy and sturdy but slightly tender on the insides and then you get a delightful crunch from the pecans and toffee. These are very serious cookies, my friends.