Lunchtime Links for May 29th, 2014

• Averie Cooks: Sweet cream vanilla coffee cake. 
• Kirbie's Cravings: 4 ingredient chewy Nutella cookies. 
• My Baking Addiction: Salted caramel chocolate chip blondies. 
• Weelicious: Meatloaf meatballs.
• Oh, Sweet Basil: Chocolate peanut butter triple layer brownies.

J.Crew Outlet - Link Bracelet

I always love the chunky link bracelets that are sold all over the place, but I hated how they looked on my wrists.  Maybe it's because I'm not used to wearing such big pieces of jewelry, but I always felt like it was something other people could wear and not me.

I came across this gold and crystal link bracelet at the J.Crew outlet a while back, and I fell in love with it immediately! The links are much smaller but the crystals still make it an interesting piece to wear alone, or with a bunch of other bracelets.  I got this during a sale too, which meant I paid just under $14 for it- not too shabby! I recently was back at the same J.Crew outlet store and it was still available there, and it also looks like it is still available online if you're interested in getting one for yourself!

Lunchtime Links for May 28th, 2014

• Kirbie's Cravings: Crispy pork belly with Sriracha glaze.
• The First Year: Stuffed peanut butter cup doughnuts. 
• Cookies & Cups: The best chocolate chip cookie recipes. 
• Averie Cooks: Funfetti Oreo and sprinkles chocolate chip cookies. 
• Crazy for Crust: Chocolate chip cookie Mud Hen bars.

Georgetown Cupcake - Caramel Hazelnut Cupcake

Mmm, caramel and hazelnut, what a delicious combination!  I love Georgetown Cupcake's Chocolate Hazelnut cupcake, and this free secret flavor was a delicious variation of the original.  The tasty caramel cake was liberally covered in tiny hazelnut pieces, which made for a crunchy and delicious topping to the soft cake.  I hope they bring this one back again soon! 

Lunchtime Links for May 27th, 2014

• Kirbie's Cravings: Sriracha chicken wings.
• The Comfort of Cooking: Fluffy chocolate frosted doughnuts.
• Picky Palate: Vanilla malted chocolate chip cookie bars. 
• Damn Delicious: Asian honey chicken.
• Cookies & Cups: Marshmallow Blondies.

Astro Doughnuts - Birthday Cake Doughnut

With Astro Doughnuts' Birthday cake doughnut, you can celebrate festively and deliciously, even if it's not actually your birthday...hey, it's gotta be someone's birthday somewhere, right? 

I hadn't seen the Birthday cake doughnut before on my past visits to Astro, so as soon as I saw it on the menu I knew I had to try it out! It's a crumbly and delicious chocolate cake doughnut with glaze, mini rainbow sprinkles, and a generous frosting filling in the doughnut hole crevice.  This doughnut is perfect for any fellow chocolate lovers, as well as a cute edible gift for someone who actually IS celebrating a birthday, haha. 

Lunchtime Links for May 23rd, 2014

• Kirbie's Cravings: Peanut butter mug cake (eggless).
• Damn Delicious: Skinny cauliflower mac n' cheese. 
• The First Year Blog: Peanut butter chocolate swirl banana bread muffins.
• Handle the Heat: Dulce de Leche banana cupcakes with chocolate frosting.
• Crazy for Crust: Chocolate chip cookie cupcakes. 

Shake Shack - Memorial Day Weekend Specials

I always love when Shake Shack has holiday-specific specials on their menu, and this upcoming weekend is one of their big ones!

Friday, May 23rd through Monday, May 26th: the epic Shack Corn Dog (Vienna all-beef hot dog dipped in Shack-made corn batter, cooked golden brown and served with Rick’s Picks sweet corn relish; $4.50) and Pecan Pie Oh My Concrete (vanilla frozen custard blended with a slice of delicious pecan pie from a local bakery in each Shack’s hood; Single: $4.25/Double: $6.50). - Shake Shack Website

I LOVE Shake Shack's corn dog so I will have to try to get over there sometime this weekend to snag one again; I also love that each location makes an effort to work with other local vendors, like this Pecan Pie concrete!

I hope everyone has a great long weekend if you have one!

Lunchtime Links for May 22nd, 2014

• Two Peas and Their Pod: Nutella stuffed French toast.
• My Baking Addiction: Chocolate caramel coffee cake. 
• Damn Delicious: Taco lettuce wraps.
• Oh, Sweet Basil: Dulce de Leche Churro doughnuts.
• Raspberri Cupcakes: Matcha custard cake.

Shake Shack - Salty Chocolate Peanut Butter Custard

Salty chocolate peanut butter. I mean c'mon, this was a winner right from the start. What's not to love about this combination of flavors? Well done, Shake Shack.

Not surprisingly, this was a decadent and tasty cup of custard.  The one thing that I couldn't quite shake was the texture of this particular cup of custard.  It's as if Shake Shack gave me literally a cup of peanut butter that had been chilled for a little while, haha. It had a much thicker, almost sticky consistency compared to other custards I've had in the past.  No complaints though, I love peanut butter and chocolate together so this was another winning flavor in my book. 

Lunchtime Links for May 21st, 2014

• Kirbie's Cravings: Lasagna peppers.
• The Comfort of Cooking: Tres Leches cake. 
• Table for Two: Three cup chicken.
• Bakerella: Flower bouquet cake pops.
• Crazy for Crust: Peanut butter Snickerdoodle crescent rolls.

Artifact Coffee - Baltimore, MD

I had a great time checking out Artifact Coffee in Baltimore, Maryland with my friend S recently.  It's a super cute, low-key spot to grab a cup of coffee, or a casual brunch like we did.  The space is small but there's a good amount of seating throughout the space, including a big communal table which is where we sat for our visit.  The service was friendly and we never felt rushed - I look forward to trying out more of their food and drinks soon!

"Market" wall with lots of items for sale

Japanese-style cold brew iced coffee + Maple latte

House made English muffin with butter and jam + Cold noodles, radish, rutabaga, carrot, micro mizuna, cilantro, peanut sauce, benne seeds

Gingerbread with pecan buttercream + Chocolate doughnut

Coffee + Doughnuts display

Artifact Coffee

1500 Union Avenue

Baltimore, MD 21211

Lunchtime Links for May 20th, 2014

• Kirbie's Cravings: Healthier honey sesame chicken.
• Oh Sweet Basil: Banana cream pie chocolate chip cookies.
• Love Swah: Chocolate chip banana bread with chocolate ganache.
• Weelicious: Cinnamon Streusel coffee cake. 
• My Baking Addiction: Banana bars.

Georgetown Cupcake - Chocolate Mint Fudge Cupcake

As much as I love the mint and brown color combination, I'm pretty vocal about not being a fan of actual Mint Chocolate flavors, haha.  However, with this Chocolate Mint Fudge cupcake being a recent new secret flavor at Georgetown Cupcake, I headed over and picked one up to try out.

The mint color is really pretty, and I think it's a great contrast to the chocolate cake and fudge star.  That being said, this frosting didn't really taste all that minty to me, which may leave some mint chocolate lovers disappointed if they try this.  For me though, it was all about the chocolate cake and rich chocolate fudge core anyway, haha.  

Lunchtime Links for May 19th, 2014

• Kirbie's Cravings: Single serving microwave matcha cookie.
• The Pioneer Woman: Lasagna rollups.
• Crazy for Crust: Healthier banana bread.
• Damn Delicious: CPK's Kung Pao spaghetti.
• Brown Eyed Baker: Salted peanut butter cup chocolate chip cookies.

Jeni's Ice Cream - Online Sale

Recently, Jeni's Ice Cream had an online sale on certain sets of flavors.  I have previously purchased their delicious ice creams at Whole Foods and other stores before, but with the discount and the flavors including some that aren't available nationwide, I knew I had to get this set above!

I've had the Sweet Potato with Torched Marshmallows flavor before and loved it, and the other three were new-to-me flavors.  The Bananas and Honey has a very soft taste to it.  Not bland or bad, but a comforting combination of the two flavors.  The Roasted Strawberry Buttermilk was like eating a strawberry milkshake, definitely different than a standard strawberry ice cream, and it was really delicious.  Unsurprisingly, my favorite of the bunch is the Cinderella Pumpkin- sooooooo good!  None of the artificial sweet pumpkin-ish flavor and all super delicious, REAL pumpkin flavor.  

I'm so glad I got a chance to try out these delicious Jeni's ice cream flavors!  The only problem with getting these is having all four of these pints in my freezer... haha!

Lunchtime Links for May 16th, 2014

• Damn Delicious: Shrimp fried rice.
• Averie Cooks: Loaded soft and chewy M&M cookie pie.
• Kirbie's Cravings: 3 ingredient buttermilk biscuits. 
• The First Year Blog: Peanut butter egg s'mores.
• Serious Eats: Honey corn muffins.

Starbucks Japan/ANA Sakura Bottle

I read this post about a special edition ANA/Starbucks cherry blossom-themed set, and I knew I HAD to have it, haha.  As luck would have it, my mom was flying ANA to and from Japan right when this promotion was occurring, and got the bottle/coffee packet set for me!

The bottle is small but super cute, even more so in person.  The pink flower petals make this bottle super girly and pretty to look at.  If it isn't obvious by now, I'm a sucker for all things "limited edition" and I'm so happy to have been able to get this set! 

Lunchtime Links for May 15th, 2014

• Kirbie's Cravings: Kung Pao chicken. 
• Picky Palate: Chocolate malted chip cookies. 
• The Comfort of Cooking: Lighter Fettuccine Alfredo with bacon.
• Two Peas and Their Pod: Twix caramel cookie bars. 
• Love & Olive Oil: Homemade potato chips with blue cheese dipping sauce.

Anthropologie Latte Bowls

Every time I go into Anthropologie, I'm always drawn to their housewares/kitchen items.  I used to have the Latte bowls a while back, but lost them at some point between roommates and moving.  I've always wanted to get another set of them but never really went through with it.  During a recent Anthropologie sale online, I figured I would finally just BUY THE LATTE BOWLS, ALREADY haha.

In addition to the "regular" Latte bowls, I also bought the set of eight Mini Latte bowls because they just looked too cute to pass up.  I decided on the Multicolored set to add some nice pops of color into my kitchen.  While I would like to say that the Mini size is good for portion control of ice cream and candy... realistically, that may not be the case for me, haha.  However they are a cute little size for dips, snacks, and other foods that you want a cute little container for. 

Lunchtime Links for May 14th, 2014

• Kirbie's Cravings: Strawberry donuts. 
• Two Peas and Their Pod: Cucumber noodles with peanut sauce.
• Raspberri Cupcakes: Mini blue Ombre cake with sprinkles. 
• Brown Eyed Baker: Pepperoni bread.
• Damn Delicious: Firecracker chicken.

Georgetown Cupcake - Chocolate-covered Chocolate Chip Cupcake

Hello, chocolate overload! This Chocolate-covered Chocolate Chip cupcake was the free flavor at Georgetown Cupcake a while ago, and it was as delicious as I expected! The thick layer of chocolate ganache really amped up the chocolate flavor.  The mini chocolate chips studded throughout the vanilla cake added a tiny bit of texture as well.  This cupcake reminded me of a local favorite, the Bergers cookie, which is another great chocolate-y option for any Baltimore-area locals :o)

Lunchtime Links for May 13th, 2014

• Kirbie's Cravings: Sweet and sour chicken.
• Averie Cooks: Strawberry banana pineapple smoothie.
• Damn Delicious: Avocado egg rolls.
• Love & Olive Oil: Frosted Funfetti layer cake. 
• Brown Eyed Baker: Cappuccino cheesecake bars. 

Haagen-Dazs Free Cone Day Today

This one maybe not be as well-known as the Ben & Jerry's free cone day, but I say free ice cream is always a great occasion!

Haagen-Dazs stores will be giving away free ice cream cones from 4-8pm today, at participating shops.  This would be a great chance to try out a new flavor for free, or plan a nice little outing for dessert tonight!

Lunchtime Links for May 12th, 2014

• Damn Delicious: Mexican corn on the cob.
• Cookies & Cups: Easy pizza casserole. 
• Gimme Some Oven: 3-ingredient Nutella croissants. 
• Dessert for Two: Creamy bacon pasta. 
• A Spicy Perspective: Chocolate cinnamon toast. 

Shake Shack - Black Sesame Citrus Custard

I wasn't really sure what to think when I first saw "Black Sesame Citrus" on the custard menu at Shake Shack.  I've had black sesame ice cream before, but not with anything else added.  So of course, I had to go and try it out for myself!

The custard tastes mostly like black sesame, which is good if you're a fan of that flavor like I am.  If you're intrigued/grossed out by the idea of a sesame ice cream, I would definitely recommend trying it at least once.  The sesame flavor is very nutty and reminds me a lot of peanut butter, which might make it sound less "weird" to most people.  There was definitely a citrus note to the custard overall, but not really anything too strong or overwhelming.  The idea of a grey-colored ice cream might not help either, but I would definitely recommend trying it out! 

Lunchtime Links for May 2nd, 2014

• Damn Delicious: Baked broccoli Parmesan dip.
• Kirbie's Cravings: Baked "fried" chicken.
• Bakerella: Peanut butter cookies. 
• Two Peas and Their Pod: Chorizo grilled cheese with Chipotle mayo.
• Averie Cooks: Roasted cauliflower with creamy Parmesan dip.

Shake Shack - May Custard Flavors

May's custard flavors at Shake Shack seem to be cake and cookie themed, which is always a winner in my book!

Monday: Caramel Praline Cake
Tuesday: Lemon Meringue
Wednesday: Buttery Sugar Cookie
Thursday: Oatmeal Creme Pie
Friday: Banana Bread
Saturday: Chocolate Cheesecake
Sunday: Black & White Cookie

I definitely am interested in Wednesday, Saturday, and Sunday, but let's be honest they all sound great!

Lunchtime Links for May 1st, 2014

• Damn Delicious: Garlic Parmesan knots. 
• My Baking Addiction: Cake mix cookies. 
• Averie Cooks: Peanut butter chocolate chip cookie cups. 
• Love and Olive Oil: Toasted marshmallow swirl ice cream.
• A Kitchen Addiction: Peanut butter cup crumble bars. 

Starbucks Frappuccino Happy Hour Starts Today

Starting today, Starbucks will once again be hosting the Frappuccino Happy Hour!

This promotional event runs through May 10th, from 3-5pm each day.  It's a nice chance to get a little break in your afternoon, and try out a new flavor that you've had your eye on.

One new flavor for this season is the Caffe Espresso Frappuccino, which is a "Frappuccino® roast coffee blended with milk and ice, topped with our new Espresso whipped cream and new Italian Roast Coffee Drizzle."  

Be sure to head to Starbucks during this time if you're in the mood for a Frap!