To celebrate my official on-sale date I am hosting The Naptime Chef Virtual Book Tour along with Running Press Cooks. Bloggers from around the world have brilliantly cooked and photographed recipes from my book and have written about them on their blogs. Best of all, each blogger is giving away a copy of my book. There are so many chances to win! To join in the fun come to our Twitter Party Wednesday March 14th from 12 – 1pm ET and use the hashtag #naptimecooking to chat all things naptime! I’ll be adding links and photos to this post all week long so keep checking back for more delicious dishes!!

My Cranberry Spice Granola from Aggie’s Kitchen

Couscous with Blue Cheese & Cranberries on The Merry Gourmet

Homemade Marinara Sauce on Recipe Girl

Chocolate Egg Cream on La Fuji Mama

Slow-Roasted Tomatoes on Wicked Noodle

Ham & Corn Chowder from Gluten is my Bitch

Sweet Potato & Lentil Stew from Cooking with my Kid

Sausage Ravioli Soup from Big Girls, Small Kitchen

Blueberry Muffins on Brooklyn Supper

Chocolate Zucchini Loaf from One Hungry Mama

Green Beans with Toasted Almonds & Quinoa from Family Fresh Cooking

1. Peanut Butter Banana Bread
2. 10 Awesome Freezable Meals for National Frozen Food Month
3. 10 Amazing Meals that make the Best Leftovers for Lunch
4. Guinness Brownies
5. 7 Treats to Make with Oreos

Hi! I am stopping in today with a quick update on the all of the exciting stuff coming up next week! On Monday my book is officially on sale EVERYWHERE! So, please, do what any sane person would do and rush to your local bookstore (or favorite online retailer) and buy a copy. Then, if you are in a bookstore, rearrange the stacks so my book is front and center on every table. Haha! (I am only half joking.)

On Monday, March 12th we are going to kick off the spring book events with a virtual book tour. Bloggers from all over have cooked and photographed recipes from my book and we are going to be sharing their brilliance on my site and the Running Press Cooks website. We’ll also be having a Twitter party from 12pm  – 1pm ET! Join in and use the hashtag #naptimecooking to chat with everyone.

On Tuesday, March 13th, I’ll be launching my newly revamped Naptime Chef Cooking Show in conjunction with support from OXO. I’ll be rolling out a series of three new Naptime Chef/OXO videos this spring showcasing spring vegetable recipes from my book and products from the new OXO spring line. We’ll even be giving away the new products and my book every single time a video rolls out. Stay tuned!

Finally, the spring book tour dates are lining up, be sure to check out my book page to see when I’ll be coming to a city near you. My first event is on March 29th in Westport CT at the JMcLaughlin store. Don’t see a visit planned? Let me know where you want me to visit and maybe I can plan something!

Thank you all, my friends, for being so support of The Naptime Chef!

At Applemania last October Nicole served homemade fried chicken for a picnic dinner. It was the perfect dish to serve a crowd on a mid-fall evening. I don’t make fried food very often, but I was thinking about that meal the other day and it put me in the mood for a homemade crispy chicken bucket. We weren’t entertaining, though this recipe is excellent for serving a crowd, but I didn’t let that stop me from making it the centerpiece of our Sunday night feast. One of my favorite things about it is the chicken is baked at a high temperature giving it a crispy “just fried” texture without any actual deep frying. While deep frying is, of course, delicious, I don’t love how unhealthy it is, not to mention that smell that lingers in my kitchen for days afterward.

This is the latest installment of my Powernap column. The series where I share quick, easy food that can be made for all kinds of situations. Powernaps are short and sweet, and so are these recipes. These are the things I make in a jiffy when I need a quick snack, am in the mood for a recipe experiment, or simply need to clean out the pantry.

A few months ago I bookmarked the recipe for homemade chai concentrate on The Kitchn. As you all know, I am a huge chai drinker. I don’t drink it just for the caffeine either, I truly love the warm vanilla spicy flavors. I often buy my favorite chai tea at Target, but I loved the idea of making this concentrate at home. One simple scoop gives ordinary black tea an instant chai makeover. While readjusting to the post-Thailand time change last week this recipe suddenly seemed incredibly relevant. I was gulping down several cups of tea per day and was desperate for a new flavor while struggling to stay awake until 8pm.

1. Double Thick Shamrock Shake

2. 8 New Ways to Bake Eggs

I am so excited that my cookbook trailer is finally available. I hope you have some time to take a look and get excited for the book. I’ve heard it has started to ship and a lot of you have received it which is so exciting. Don’t forget to check out my book page for upcoming events. I am adding lots of new locations every week. Get ready, the wild ride is about to begin!

I am finally emerging from jetlag fog and am getting back into my usual cooking routine. Earlier this week I mined the freezer for a few favorites and even picked up an old standby at the store: a rotisserie chicken. Every so often I pick up a rotisserie and put it to work for dinner. There are so many uses for a basic rotisserie chicken and here are a few of my favorites. Don’t worry, next week I’ll have some new recipes!