Lunchtime Links for December 21st, 2017

• The Kitchn: Bar cookies.
• Table for Two: Gingerbread pancakes.
• Cookies and Cups: Pull apart cinnamon roll bread. 
• Oh Sweet Basil: Chocolate fudge sauce.
• Averie Cooks: White chocolate holiday fudge.

Lunchtime Links for December 19th, 2017

• Love and Olive Oil: Chocolate chip cookie chocolate bark.
• Gimme Some Oven: Stovetop mac and cheese. 
• Crazy for Crust: Gingerbread poke cake.
• Oh Sweet Basil: Nutella Dulce de leche chocolate chip cookie pie. 
• Creme de la Crumb: Pesto Mozzarella chicken sliders.

Lunchtime Links for December 18th, 2017

• The Kitchn: 15 brownie recipes.
• Dessert for Two: Christmas lights cookies. 
• Brown Eyed Baker: Snickerdoodles. 
• How Sweet Eats: Twice baked potatoes.
• Bake at 350: Christmas tree cookie platter.

Lunchtime Links for December 14th, 2017

• The Kitchn: Flourless chocolate cookies.
• Brown Eyed Baker: Oreo truffles. 
• Dessert for Two: Christmas sugar cookie bars. 
• Serious Eats: Classic chicken soup.
• Handle the Heat: Gingerdoodle cookies.

Lunchtime Links for December 13th, 2017

• The Kitchn: Creamy cheesecake cookies.
• My Baking Addiction: Cookies n' creme cookies. 
• Damn Delicious: Mac and cheese cups.
• The First Year Blog: Chocolate velvet cake.
• Love and Olive Oil: Funfetti sugar cookies.

Lunchtime Links for December 12th, 2017

• The Kitchn: 10 peanut butter cookie recipes.
• Dessert for Two: Southern stuffed peppers.
• Crazy for Crust: Snickerdoodle bars.
• Averie Cooks: Chocolate peanut butter balls.
• Creme de la Crumb: Gingerbread sugar cookies.

Lunchtime Links for December 11th, 2017

• Brown Eyed Baker: Snickerdoodle fudge. 
• The First Year Blog: Chocolate peanut butter mousse jars.
• A Spicy Perspective: Quintessential chocolate cake. 
• Damn Delicious: Garlic shrimp and avocado Crostini.
• Crazy for Crust: Peanut butter chocolate bark.

Lunchtime Links for December 5th, 2017

• The Kitchn: Hot chocolate and marshmallow pairings.
• Oh, Sweet Basil: M&M chocolate pizza.
• Damn Delicious: Homemade Crescent rolls. 
• Kirbie's Cravings: Crispy chewy chocolate chip cookies.
• Handle the Heat: Sugar cookies.

Lunchtime Links for December 4th, 2017

• Seasons and Suppers: Butternut bisque with Pancetta and scallops.
• The Kitchn: Cheesy mashed potato puffs. 
• Cookies and Cups: Double chocolate mocha cookies.
• Steamy Kitchen: Chinese broccoli beef recipe.
• Brown Eyed Baker: Coffee and doughnuts trifle.

Lunchtime Links for November 30th, 2017

• Kirbie's Cravings: Mashed potato waffles.
• The Pioneer Woman: One-pot chicken Pesto pasta.
• Serious Eats: Classic potato Gratin.
• My Baking Addiction: Sweet potato cheesecake.
• Handle the Heat: Hot cocoa cookies.

Lunchtime Links for November 29th, 2017

• Dessert for Two: Tiramisu cupcakes.
• Creme de la Crumb: Company potatoes.
• How Sweet It Is: Pumpkin cider doughnut holes with hot fudge.
• Kirbie's Cravings: Mashed potato tots.
• Bake at 350: Frosted hazelnut Cappuccino bars.

Forever 21 - Recent Finds

In reality, I am way too old to be shopping in places like Forever 21; however I always see people in there that appear older and shopping alone so I'm sure it's fine, haha.  I usually poke around the store every once in a while and beeline directly for the accessories/other random things by the registers, and don't even look at the clothes at all.  A recent visit certainly didn't disappoint, with lots of cute socks and bags!  I'll never tire of puns and random cute illustrations which Forever 21 carries by the truckload.  This time I only bought the ramen socks, but I am seriously debating on going back for the other two bags :o)

 

Lunchtime Links for November 28th, 2017

• Damn Delicious: Garlic Parmesan dinner rolls.
• Cookies and Cups: Crab cake dip. 
• Joy the Baker: Pumpkin spice Tiramisu.
• Two Peas and Their Pod: Mashed sweet potatoes.
• Oh Sweet Basil: Dulce de Leche banana cream pie.

2017 Christmas Tree (with Andy Cohen)

I'm not sure if there's any sort of "official" time to start decorating for Christmas, but since my tree is tiny and takes about 5 minutes to decorate I figured I might as well start now, haha.  When do you all put up your holiday decorations? 

As you might notice from the photos above, there's a general sweets/food theme to my Christmas tree, and over the years it has started to look like a big advertisement for various brands, haha.  Some of those include my favorites, like Shake Shack, Starbucks, and Dunkin Donuts. 

After decorating my tree last night, I realized that I had a Facebook memory from 2012 and realized that I was basically doing the same thing 5 years ago - hah!  I'm glad that Andy himself enjoyed this Christmas moment with me too :o)

11/27/2012 - Andy on Watch What Happens Live:

 11/27/2017 - Andy on the RHOC reunion part 2:

Lunchtime Links for November 27th, 2017

• The First Year Blog: Christmas present Oreo balls.
• Serious Eats: Thanksgiving Brussels sprouts recipes.
• Two Peas and Their Pod: Sweet potato rolls.
• Oh Sweet Basil: Gingerbread cake with cream cheese frosting.
• The Kitchn: Bacon baked Brie bread bowl.

Lunchtime Links for November 20th, 2017

• Crazy for Crust: Slice and bake chocolate peanut butter cookies.
• The Kitchn: Chicken Marsala meatballs.
• Bakerella: Peanut butter cup stuffed chocolate cookies.
• I Heart Naptime: Chicken tortilla soup.
• Kirbie's Cravings: Flourless chocolate pumpkin bread.

Starbucks - 2017 Holiday Ornaments

I was very happy to come across a few holiday ornaments at Starbucks recently - they are always so cute and I love seeing what the designs are each year!  I really like the holiday cup design this year, and the mini ornament version is super cute.  The "local" Starbucks theme is also one of the holiday designs again this year, and I love how the Maryland one has Maryland blue crabs and the preppy monogram design!  I look forward to seeing what other designs are available this year as they continue to roll out their holiday items!

Lunchtime Links for November 16th, 2017

• Creme de la Crumb: Baked Parmesan creamed corn.
• Serious Eats: Thanksgiving potato recipes.
• Averie Cooks: Chocolate chip cookie for one.
• Kirbie's Cravings: Korean corn cheese.
• The Kitchn: Bacon-wrapped potato bites with spicy sour cream dipping sauce.

Georgetown Cupcake - Chocolate Caramel Swirl + Thanksgiving Chocolate Cupcakes

 

In the US Thanksgiving is coming up in one week, but I started celebrating a little early with these November cupcake flavors at Georgetown Cupcake :o) 

The Chocolate Caramel Swirl cupcake is a new flavor for this year - Valrhona chocolate and dulce de leche caramel marbled cupcake topped with a whipped Callebaut chocolate ganache and salted caramel “twist” frosting. It's a great combination of chocolate and caramel in both the frosting and the cake, and looks very pretty with the swirls throughout.  The Thanksgiving Chocolate cupcake is the Chocolate & Vanilla cupcake from the daily menu with a fondant Turkey decoration on top.  It's a nice subtle way to get excited for Thanksgiving, haha.  Both flavors would be lovely additions to your Thanksgiving dessert table!

Lunchtime Links for November 15th, 2017

• The Kitchn: Pumpkin dessert Lasagna. 
• How Sweet It Is: Black bottomed no-bake pumpkin pie with marshmallow.
• Two Peas and Their Pod: Honey butter.
• Seasons and Suppers: Banana chocolate chunk muffins.
• My Baking Addiction: Marshmallow pumpkin pie.

Shake Shack - Hot Chick'n

The Hot Chick'n sandwich at Shake Shack isn't new by this point, but I hadn't been able to get around to trying it until recently.  I'm so glad that I did eventually, because this was AWESOME!  The regular Chick'n Shack sandwich is great already, and with the added spices and hot sauce slaw, this is a delicious stack of flavors for anyone that likes spicy food.  It's probably better that I don't have immediate access to a Shake Shack from home, because I'd get this way too often haha.  That being said, I hope they keep it on the menu at least a little bit longer so I can have it again before it's off the menu!

Lunchtime Links for November 14th, 2017

• The Kitchn: Sour cream smashed potatoes with fried shallots.
• Bake at 350: Yellow cake with chocolate filling and salted caramel buttercream.
• Table for Two: Roasted Parmesan broccoli. 
• Brown Eyed Baker: Cheesy creamed corn casserole.
• Handle the Heat: Soft batch double chocolate cookies.

Target Holiday "Oh Snap!" Sweater

 

I will never, ever tire of seeing the "Oh Snap!" gingerbread joke on things during the holidays, hahaha.  I love how the gingerbread man with the sunglasses is too cool to care that their friend is literally breaking apart, haha.  

This sweater is currently sold at Target - unfortunately, this design is only in the kids' section .  But if you have any kids that would appreciate this or you're small enough to fit into kids' sizes, be sure to pick this up at your local Target or online! 

Lunchtime Links for November 13th, 2017

• The Kitchn: Baked corn pudding casserole.
• Creme de la Crumb: Shrimp and sausage Gumbo.
• A Kitchen Addiction: Chocolate chip pumpkin snack bars.
• Table for Two: Parmesan garlic ranch butter smashed potatoes.
• Kirbie's Cravings: Garlic green beans.

Shake Shack - Shackburger Plush

After buying my first place, you'd think that I would be more careful about spending money on "fun" things.  However when I saw this Shackburger x Yummy World collaboration plush burger, I hit Add to Cart faster than you can say Shake Shack, haha!

  

 

 

But seriously though, how could I, as a fan of both Shake Shack AND Yummy World plushes, resist buying this?? It's super soft and SO cute in person, and I love that it comes in a removable Shake Shack burger wrapper.  I'm totally justifying this purchase by considering it new home decor, and it adds the right amount of "burger" to my living room, haha. 

Lunchtime Links for November 9th, 2017

• The Kitchn: Thanksgiving dinner on two sheet pans.
• I Heart Naptime: Chocolate silk pie. 
• Brown Eyed Baker: Mashed potatoes.
• Oh Sweet Basil: Pumpkin spice double chip cookies.
• Kirbie's Cravings: Crispy mashed cauliflower balls.

Hearth & Hand with Magnolia at Target

I admittedly don't know much at all about the Magnolia brand, or the tv show (that's now ending) with Chip and Joanna Gaines - except I've heard they use shiplap on everything, haha.  However, I was curious enough about a new collaboration with Target to go check it out while I was running errands last weekend.  

The collection is called Hearth & Hand with Magnolia and if I had to describe it in a few words, the collection is very: Lite Rustic, Neutral, Wood, Cabin-y, haha.  So, not entirely my style, but there were a few pieces that I thought were cute:

- Dollhouse: Ok so clearly not anything near practical but I thought this was super cute and seemed all nostalgic being made out of wood and everything.

- Bud Vase: This little house works great as just decoration, but is listed as a bud vase which is very cute as well. 

- Cocoa Pot: Anything with hot cocoa is good in my book, haha.  I liked the warm wood accents and how it comes with a matching base.  

In the end, I did actually wind up buying the Acacia Wood Round Footed Tray (Medium) shown in the photo above.  I liked the sturdy feet first, weirdly enough - I've been looking for some decorative trays but a lot of them had wobbly wire feet, metal ball bottoms that could scratch surfaces, or no feet at all.  This one is perfect for decorating my new place, and also works as a serving tray for food whenever I have people over.  

So even if you're not a huge Chip and Joanna fan, it might be worth checking out their collection next time you're in Target to find a little something new for your home!

Lunchtime Links for November 8th, 2017

• The Kitchn: Make ahead creamy mac and cheese casserole.
• My Baking Addiction: Pumpkin cream cheese muffins.
• Seasons and Suppers: Gnocchi with Chorizo sauce.
• Dine and Dish: Apple cinnamon cookies.
• Serious Eats: Gingerbread cake.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cheerios

 

As if regular cereal wasn't basically dessert as it is, Cheerios has come out with a new chocolate peanut butter flavor, haha.  I don't normally buy cereal but I'll always make an exception for fun new and limited edition flavors :o)

As it turns out, this wasn't exactly the "Reese's-esque" bomb that I had assumed, and was actually less sweet than I thought it would be.  There's still a strong peanut butter flavor, but the chocolate is actually more like a cocoa flavor that balances the peanut butter well.  Overall I thought this flavor was very good, and not as sweet as expected (in a positive way).  If you like chocolate and peanut butter flavors definitely give this new Cheerios flavor a try!

Lunchtime Links for November 7th, 2017

• The Kitchn: 3 ingredient garlicky red potatoes.
• Table for Two: Extra garlicky cheesy bread. 
• Cookies and Cups: Pumpkin s'mores cake.
• Love and Olive Oil: Creme Fraiche mashed potatoes. 
• Averie Cooks: Chicken stir fry with noodles.

Trader Joe's - Butternut Squash Mac & Cheese

 

I always love seeing what fall items Trader Joe's comes out with every year, and this frozen mac and cheese is definitely one of my top favorites! This mac and cheese is super creamy, and the short, wide pasta is the perfect shape for picking up all the cheese.  This would also make a great side dish for fall dinner parties, especially dressed up with breadcrumbs or mixed in with broccoli or cubed butternut squash for extra texture.  If you like mac and cheese definitely go pick this up while they're available! 

Lunchtime Links for November 6th, 2017

• The Kitchn: Stove top macaroni and cheese.
• Cookies and Cups: Holiday brunch recipes. 
• Apartment Therapy: Anthropologie's signature scent.
• Oh Sweet Basil: Reese's Krispies popcorn. 
• Creme de la Crumb: Cream cheese frosted pumpkin bread.

Georgetown Cupcake - Pumpkin Spice Cupcake Mix

 

Georgetown Cupcake came out with their cupcake mixes that are sold in Williams-Sonoma stores for some time now, but I was very excited to see that one of their new flavors is Pumpkin Spice!  Georgetown Cupcake's Pumpkin Spice cupcake is always a big fall favorite, and now this mix allows you to make them at home whenever you want! While this mix doesn't come with the perfect frosting swirl included, it's a great way to celebrate the current pumpkin season :o)  Also, right now the mix is currently on sale so pick some up soon if you want to try it out! 

Lunchtime Links for November 2nd, 2017

• My Baking Addiction: White chocolate Tiramisu pudding cups.
• The Kitchn: Turkey meatballs with Parmesan and sage.
• Dessert for Two: Chocolate caramel cookie bars. 
• Steamy Kitchen: Sweet potatoes with bacon and maple syrup glaze.
• Oh Sweet Basil: Peanut butter cheesecake Oreo brownies.

Shake Shack Boston - Back Bay Blend Concrete

On a recent trip to Boston to visit friends, I had the chance to pop into Shake Shack to see what concretes they have at this location!  They all sounded great but I decided on the Back Bay Blend because you can never go wrong with chocolate and peanut butter.

 

I love that there's a tornado of sprinkles in the middle of the cup, haha.   This was a super rich and delicious cup of custard for anyone that loves chocolate!  The peanut butter sauce gets a little lost since I think it gets completely blended in, but the combination of all the ingredients was great, especially the texture from both the sprinkles and toffee pieces.  I was very happy to get to go to another Shake Shack location that I hadn't been to before!

Lunchtime Links for November 1st, 2017

• The Kitchn: One pot meatballs and pasta o's.
• Cookies and Cups: Chocolate cream cheese frosting.
• Dessert for Two: White chicken chili for two. 
• Bakerella: 10 year anniversary.
• Two Peas and Their Pod: Potato chip chocolate chip blondies.

Georgetown Cupcake - November Flavors

Happy November everyone! There are lots of fun fall-themed cupcakes flavors this month at Georgetown Cupcake:

- Pumpkin Spice: Pumpkin spice cupcake with a maple-infused cream cheese frosting topped with a fondant maple leaf.

- Pumpkin Cheesecake: Pumpkin cheesecake cupcake with a graham cracker crust, topped with maple cream cheese frosting and a fondant maple leaf.

- German Chocolate Fudge: Valrhona chocolate cupcake with a caramel and pecan core, topped with a caramel buttercream frosting, toasted coconut flakes and a fudge and caramel drizzle.

- Caramel Apple: Fresh apple cupcake with a caramel core topped with a vanilla cream cheese frosting and a caramel star drizzle.

- Maple Chocolate Chip: Maple cupcake studded with Callebaut chocolate chips and topped with a maple cream cheese frosting and a fondant maple leaf.

- Thanksgiving Chocolate: Valrhona chocolate cupcake with vanilla buttercream frosting topped with a brown fondant turkey.

- Thanksgiving Vanilla: Madagascar vanilla cupcake with vanilla buttercream frosting and topped with a brown fondant turkey.

- Caramel Cheesecake: Caramel cheesecake topped with a caramel frosting and caramel star drizzle.

- Chocolate Caramel Swirl: Valrhona chocolate and dulce de leche caramel marbled cupcake topped with a whipped Callebaut chocolate ganache and salted caramel “twist” frosting.

Lunchtime Links for October 31st, 2017

• The Kitchn: Buffalo chicken pasta bake.
• Dessert for Two: Mini pumpkin cakes. 
• Kirbie's Cravings: Butternut squash fries.
• Damn Delicious: Brussels sprouts Gratin.
• Averie Cooks: Caramel apple muffins.

Georgetown Cupcake - Halloween Cupcakes

Happy Halloween everyone! I hope everyone has a delicious day filled with candy!

Pictured above we have some of the Halloween selections from Georgetown Cupcake this year:

- Chocolate Ghost
- Chocolate Toffee Spider Web
- Vanilla Bat
- Vanilla Candy Spider
- Vampire Red Velvet
- Haunted Chocolate Cheesecake

They are so cute and festive - perfect for a Halloween party tonight or a post-Halloween treat if you didn't already have a ton of candy, haha :o)

Lunchtime Links for October 30th, 2017

• Kirbie's Cravings: S'mores pancakes.
• Averie Cooks: No-bake white chocolate Cinnamon Toast Crunch bars.
• Cookies and Cups: Pumpkin spice pressed sugar cookies. 
• The First Year Blog: Tiger butter.
• The Kitchn: Apple yogurt cake with a cinnamon sugar streak.

USPS - Disney Villains Stamps

 

It's no surprise since I enjoy sending mail, but I love seeing when USPS comes out with new stamp designs, haha.  There have been a lot of fun ones over the years, and this recent Disney Villains set is definitely one for both kids and kids at heart!  I love how colorful these stamps are, and anyone that is a fan of Disney movies would love these!  I hope USPS continues to come out with movie-themed stamps, they're always a big hit.

Lunchtime Links for October 27th, 2017

• The Kitchn: Cashew chicken and broccoli.
• Brown Eyed Baker: Brownie mosaic cheesecake. 
• The Kitchn: One-pot ground beef dinners.
• Cookies and Cups: Pumpkin mug cake. 
• Joy the Baker: Brownie pie.

Lunchtime Links for October 26th, 2017

• A Spicy Perspective: Thai Panang chicken curry.
• Paper & Stitch: Giant knit pumpkin. 
• Seasons and Suppers: Baked Rigatoni with brisket ragu.
• Serious Eats: Japanese black sesame ice cream.
• The First Year Blog: Pumpkin cheesecake bars.

Lunchtime Links for October 25th, 2017

• Seasons and Suppers: Pumpkin brownie loaf.
• Two Peas and Their Pod: Pasta Fagioli.
• Brown Eyed Baker: Brownie cake with cookie butter frosting.
• How Sweet It Is: Bacon Brussels sprouts fried rice.
• Style Sweet CA: Pumpkin pie layer cake.

Lunchtime Links for October 24th, 2017

• The Kitchn: Pepperoni pizza baked pasta.
• Two Peas and Their Pod: Chocolate pumpkin bread.
• A Spicy Perspective: Chocolate peanut butter pillow cookies. 
• The Pioneer Woman: Creamy vanilla bean popsicles.
• Oh Sweet Basil: Nutella swirled pumpkin bars.

Lunchtime Links for October 23rd, 2017

• Joy the Baker: Mini chocolate chip cookie pumpkin cheesecake.
• Crazy for Crust: Twix cupcakes. 
• Averie Cooks: One minute microwave brownie.
• Cookies and Cups: Perfect cheesecake.
• Bake at 350: Football stadium cookies.

Lunchtime Links for October 18th, 2017

• Two Peas and Their Pod: Pumpkin cream cheese muffins.
• Oh Sweet Basil: Nutella and Dulce de Leche stuffed cookies. 
• Bakerella: Trick or treat mini cakes.
• Crazy for Crust: Funfetti brownie layer cake.
• Kirbie's Cravings: Flourless Nutella pumpkin mug cake.

Lunchtime Links for October 17th, 2017

• Table for Two: Fried garlic and red pepper olive oil pasta.
• I Heart Naptime: Pumpkin bars with cream cheese frosting.
• Kirbie's Cravings: Chewy cookies and cream chocolate chip cookies.
• Love and Olive Oil: Apple sour cream coffee cake.
• Oh Sweet Basil: Pumpkin chocolate chip cookies.

Lunchtime Links for October 12th, 2017

• Kirbie's Cravings: Baked garlic Parmesan wings.
• Averie Cooks: Halloween M&M chocolate chip cookies.
• The Pioneer Woman: Pumpkin banana bread.
• Dessert for Two: One bowl apple butter cake.
• Brown Eyed Baker: Berger style cookies.

Lunchtime Links for October 11th, 2017

• Two Peas and Their Pod: Pumpkin sheet cake with brown butter cream cheese frosting.
• The First Year Blog: Pumpkin blossom cookies.
• I Heart Naptime: Triple chocolate chip cookies.
• The Comfort Kitchen: Pumpkin banana bread with vanilla glaze.
• Handle the Heat: Pumpkin spice coffee cake.

Lunchtime Links for October 9th, 2017

• Bakerella: Pumpkin donut mini muffins.
• Cookies and Cups: 24 cinnamon roll recipes.
• I Heart Naptime: Pumpkin streusel coffee cake.
• Bake at 350: Fall lattes and donuts cookies. 
• Averie Cooks: Pumpkin chocolate chip Bundt cake.

Lunchtime Links for October 6th, 2017

• The First Year Blog: Pumpkin cupcakes.
• Picky Palate: Pumpkin Snickerdoodle cake bars. 
• Kirbie's Cravings: Nutella swirled pumpkin mug cake.
• My Baking Addiction: Pumpkin Whoopie pies.
• Cookies and Cups: Pumpkin banana bread.

Lunchtime Links for August 30th, 2017

• Crazy for Crust: 3 ingredient pumpkin brownie muffins.
• Brown Eyed Baker: General Tso's chicken. 
• Joy the Baker: Thick s'mores brownies.
• Averie Cooks: Easy homemade Funfetti Bundt cake.
• Cookies and Cups: Pumpkin dump cake.

Lunchtime Links for August 29th, 2017

• Averie Cooks: Nutter Butter peanut butter layer cake.
• My Baking Addiction: S'mores pies. 
• Two Peas and Their Pod: Bacon corn tomato pasta salad. 
• Picky Palate: Celebration brownies. 
• The First Year Blog: Doctored up chocolate cake mix.

Lunchtime Links for August 28th, 2017

• Brown Eyed Baker: Traditional Southern banana pudding.
• Bakerella: Chocolate chip cookie cakelets.
• Crazy for Crust: Red velvet cake roll.
• Bake at 350: Chocolate peanut butter Bundt cake.
• Cookies and Cups: Chocolate chip cookie variations.

Lunchtime Links for August 7th, 2017

• Dessert for Two: Milk and cookies popsicles.
• My Baking Addiction: Cinnamon roll blondies.
• Love and Olive Oil: Peach Rose popsicles. 
• Oh Sweet Basil: No-bake s'mores bars.
• Handle the Heat: Chocolate pudding pie.

Lunchtime Links for August 2nd, 2017

• Style Sweet CA: Triple chocolate fudge cake with milk chocolate cloud frosting.
• Creme de la Crumb: Peanut butter Oreo stuffed chocolate chip cookies. 
• Love and Olive Oil: Cold brew caramel coffee milkshakes. 
• My Baking Addiction: Cream cheese pound cake.
• The First Year Blog: Oreo cookies.

Lunchtime Links for July 26th, 2017

• Averie Cooks: Cookies and cream Bundt cake.
• A Kitchen Addiction: One bowl chocolate chip peanut butter bars.
• Dessert for Two: S'mores tart.
• Bake at 350: Classic chocolate chip blondies.
• I Heart Naptime: M&M cookies.

Lunchtime Links for July 20th, 2017

• Handle the Heat: Gooey chocolate chunk blondies.
• My Baking Addiction: Chocolate chip cookie s'mores.
• Averie Cooks: Peanut chicken lettuce wraps.
• Brown Eyed Baker: Banana chocolate chip snack cake.
• The First Year Blog: Classic cheesecake.

Lunchtime Links for July 19th, 2017

• The First Year Blog: Funfetti cake roll.
• Handle the Heat: Peanut butter cup baked doughnuts.
• Bakerella: Cookies and cream chocolate ice cream. 
• A Kitchen Addiction: Peanut butter s'mores seven layer bars.
• Smitten Kitchen: Confetti party cake.

Lunchtime Links for June 28th, 2017

• The First Year Blog: Super fudgy brownies.
• Handle the Heat: Roasted banana chocolate chunk ice cream.
• My Baking Addiction: Homemade hot fudge sauce.
• Brown Eyed Baker: Whoopie pies. 
• Cookies and Cups: 30 brownie recipes.

8th Blogiversary!

  It's been 8 years since I started this little blog, and it's been so fun sharing lots of fun recipes, cupcakes, and other random musings online!  I thought these doughnut travel mugs at HomeGoods really exemplify my blog and general interests, haha.  While I've mostly been posting recipe links lately, I'm hoping to keep posting new and exciting (to me) things to share moving forward as well!  

Lunchtime Links for June 21st, 2017

• Two Peas and Their Pod: Sprinkle chocolate chip cookie cups.
• Handle the Heat: Nutella caramel tart.
• Bakerella: Peanut butter chunkers.
• Averie Cooks: Thick and fluffy mini buttermilk pancakes.
• Picky Palate: Funfetti white chip cookies.

Lunchtime Links for June 8th, 2017

• Damn Delicious: Skinny banana chocolate chip muffins.
• Cookies and Cups: Fluffy marshmallow frosting.
• Brown Eyed Baker: New York crumb cake.
• Picky Palate: Peanut butter fudge stuffed brownies.
• Bake at 350: Chocolate caramel pretzel no bake bars.

Lunchtime Links for June 7th, 2017

• The First Year Blog: M&M cupcakes.
• Two Peas and Their Pod: Chocolate peanut butter banana bread.
• Crazy for Crust: Ultimate Reese's brownies. 
• Bakerella: Chocolate marbled banana bread.
• Brown Eyed Baker: S'mores layer cake.

Lunchtime Links for June 6th, 2017

• The First Year Blog: Triple chocolate drop cookies. 
• My Baking Addiction: Peanut butter cup s'mores brownies.
• The Comfort of Cooking: Chicken tortilla soup. 
• Kirbie's Cravings: No churn espresso chip ice cream.
• Two Peas and Their Pod: Salted caramel pretzel brownies.

Lunchtime Links for May 24th, 2017

• Creme de la Crumb: Kung Pao noodles.
• Cookies and Cups: Yoga pants bars.
• Dessert for Two: Cheesecake for two.
• Oh Sweet Basil: Fudge filled chocolate chip cookies. 
• Brown Eyed Baker: Frosted sugar cookie bars.

Lunchtime Links for May 17th, 2017

• Picky Palate: Funfetti candy birthday cake.
• Kirbie's Cravings: Chicken and broccoli stir fry meal prep. 
• Cookies and Cups: Bubble waffles.
• Handle the Heat: Glazed doughnuts.
• Crazy for Crust: No bake cheesecake.

Lunchtime Links for May 15th, 2017

• The Comfort of Cooking: 5 ingredient butter roasted tomato sauce is linguine.
• The Kitchn: Layer cake recipes. 
• Bakerella: Waffle wedge sundaes.
• Table for Two: Honey ginger garlic shrimp stir fry. 
• Averie Cooks: Triple chocolate layer cake.

Lunchtime Links for May 12th, 2017

• The Comfort of Cooking: Soft peanut butter cup cookies.
• Smitten Kitchen: Fluffy buttermilk pancakes.
• Brown Eyed Baker: Caramel Tres Leches cake. 
• Dessert for Two: Crepes for Two.
• Cookies and Cups: Half pound cookies.

Lunchtime Links for May 11th, 2017

• Crazy for Crust: Easy baked Penne.
• Brown Eyed Baker: Chocolate chip cookie dough brownies.
• Handle the Heat: Chocolate caramel poke cake.
• Bake at 350: Peanut butter swirl chocolate chip blondies.
• Picky Palate: 4 layer cookie bars.

Lunchtime Links for May 10th, 2017

• Bakerella: French fry cookies.
• Oh Sweet Basil: One pot breaded Parmesan shrimp scampi pasta.
• Love Swah: Mocha Brookies with salted caramel filling. 
• Two Peas and Their Pod: Cream cheese pound cake.
• Bake at 350: Churro bites.

Lunchtime Links for May 9th, 2017

• Love and Olive Oil: Japanese Kit Kats.
• The Kitchn: One bowl vanilla cake. 
• Dessert for Two: Ramekin Funfetti cakes. 
• Bakerella: Nutella chocolate chip cookies.
• Creme de la Crumb: Salted caramel Frappuccino.

Lunchtime Links for May 5th, 2017

• Creme de la Crumb: Flank steak with Chimichurri sauce.
• The Kitchn: Banana pudding bars.
• I Heart Naptime: No bake Scotcheroos.
• Love and Olive Oil: Vietnamese iced coffee ice cream.
• Kirbie's Cravings: 3 ingredient Japanese cheesecake.

Starbucks Frappuccino Happy Hour

If anyone is looking for a good excuse to try a new Frappuccino flavor, starting today would be a great time to do so!

The Starbucks Frappuccino Happy Hour runs from today to the 14th from 3-6pm daily, and all Frappuccinos are half price :o)  There's a new Midnight Mint Mocha Frappuccino out now (which I won't be trying but if you like mint chocolate it sounds good!), and the return of the super delicious S'mores Frappuccino as well.  If you're in the mood for a mid-day treat at Starbucks be sure to go while they're half price!

Lunchtime Links for April 28th, 2017

• Creme de la Crumb: Catalina chicken.
• Two Peas and Their Pod: Cheesecake truffle brownies.
• Style Sweet CA: Milk and cookies cake.
• The Kitchn: Food-themed piggy banks.
• Cookies and Cups: Unicorn recipes.

Lunchtime Links for April 27th, 2017

• Kirbie's Cravings: Sheet pan stir fry.
• Dessert for Two: Chocolate cake for two.
• The Kitchn: Removing labels from jars. 
• Joy the Baker: Sticky finger maple bacon grilled cheese.
• Crazy for Crust: Dulce de Leche gooey bars.

Lunchtime Links for April 20th, 2017

• I Heart Naptime: Brown butter chocolate chip cookies.
• A Kitchen Addiction: French toast English muffin bread.
• Picky Palate: Taco Totchos.
• Cookies and Cups: Chocolate chip banana bread.
• Brown Eyed Baker: Boston Cream pie.

Starbucks - Unicorn Frappuccino

By now, many of you will likely have seen this crazy looking Unicorn Frappuccino online, especially yesterday which was the first official day it was available.  Clearly this was something that I had to get, given the combination of Starbucks, limited edition, and made for Instagram!

This drink consists of mango syrup in a pink creme Frappuccino base, sour blue drizzle, whipped cream, and sour pink and blue powder on top.  The "Color-changing" aspect in the advertisements likely comes from stirring the blue drizzle through the pink base, making the drink purple later on.  

Or, if you leave it alone without mixing it that well, it starts to turn into something like a Lush bath bomb inside of a cup, haha.  

After reading a number of reviews online, it seems like there's some inconsistencies with the sweet/sour aspect of the drink.  Many people said the drink was too sour, while other said it tasted like a funky colored vanilla Frappuccino with no distinct fruit flavors.  For me personally, I got a lot of mango flavor throughout, which reminded me of a mango Rita's water ice (so good!!) at first.  Then I did get a few hits of sour flavors, I think from when I finally started drinking the blue drizzle along the side of the cup.  The powder on top was pretty sour, but nothing more than maybe a bite of a Sour Patch Kid gummy.  But as expected the predominant flavor was very, very, very, sweet.  I got about halfway through the drink before deciding that it was something fun to try but I did not have to finish, haha.  I can definitely say I'm happy I tried it, especially since I used a drink reward for it so I didn't technically pay up front for it anyway.  

 As a side note - I have to laugh at the Starbucks Facebook page comments (seriously, go look), with all the people blasting Starbucks for making a drink too sweet and unhealthy.  Last I checked, NO ONE is buying this for health reasons, and people can choose to not get this drink (or any drink/food for that matter) if they don't want to.  When it comes down to it it's a fun and crazy drink, and I hope they keep coming out with more fun flavors moving forward!     

Lunchtime Links for April 17th, 2017

• Oh Sweet Basil: 15 minute Pesto pasta.
• The Kitchn: Chicken Alfredo shells.
• Cookies and Cups: Parmesan garlic biscuit rolls. 
• Averie Cooks: P.F. Chang's chicken lettuce cups.
• Creme de la Crumb: Ravioli Alfredo bake with spinach and bacon.

Lunchtime Links for April 14th, 2017 - Kimi No Na Wa Movie

 In lieu of my regular Lunchtime Links today, I wanted to share some reviews for the Japanese movie "Kimi No Na Wa" / "Your Name" that is currently out in select US theatres.  This movie was a huge hit in Japan last summer/fall and continues to be really popular, with movie-themed pop up cafes doing really well in Japan.  The animation is really amazing, and I love the soundtrack as well.  The Japanese band Radwimps worked closely with the director to create all of the songs in the movie, and it's really a great compliment to the story.  If you have a chance to see this movie while it is being shown by you, I highly recommend it!! 

• NPR
• The Guardian
• Vox

Lunchtime Links for April 13th, 2017

• A Kitchen Addiction: Chocolate chip bars.
• Crazy for Crust: Churro cheesecake dip. 
• I Heart Naptime: Chicken Caesar wraps.
• The Kitchn: Funfetti cinnamon rolls.
• Cookies and Cups: Cadbury chocolate egg cookies.

Lunchtime Links for April 12th, 2017

• Kirbie's Cravings: Baked salt and pepper wings.
• Averie Cooks: Banana chocolate chip streusel muffins. 
• Love Swah: Malted chocolate mug cake with Easter M&Ms.
• Picky Palate: Peanutty chocolate chip cookies.
• Table for Two: Oreo cheesecake bars.

Lunchtime Links for April 11th, 2017

• Averie Cooks: Springtime sugar cookie bars with cream cheese frosting.
• Bakerella: Little lamb cupcakes.
• I Heart Naptime: Perfect potato rolls.
• Crazy for Crust: No bake Oreo peanut butter bars.
• How Sweet It Is: Chicken avocado salad with peanut dressing.

Lunchtime Links for April 10th, 2017

• How Sweet It Is: Frozen Mimosas.
• Damn Delicious: Shrimp pasta with tomato basil cream sauce.
• Handle the Heat: No churn peanut butter ice cream.
• Dessert for Two: Boston Cream Pie cupcakes.
• The Kitchn: Cinnamon rolls.

Lunchtime Links for April 7th, 2017

• A Kitchen Addiction: Cheesy spinach Lasagna.
• Kirbie's Cravings: Chocolate Nutella lava cookies.
• Picky Palate: Cinnamon roll bubble bites.
• I Heart Naptime: One pot Caprese pasta.
• Brown Eyed Baker: Gooey chocolate cakes.

Lunchtime Links for April 6th, 2017

• Two Peas and Their Pod: Skillet Queso dip.
• Oh Sweet Basil: No bake Oreo pie. 
• Love and Olive Oil: Molten Rocky Road skillet cookies.
• Picky Palate: Chocolate chocolate chip Bundt cake.
• The First Year Blog: Peanut butter cookies.

Lunchtime Links for March 22nd, 2017

• Picky Palate: Chocolate chunk pretzel brownies.
• Table for Two: Guacamole.
• Brown Eyed Baker: Chocolate banana cake with chocolate cream cheese frosting.
• Gimme Some Oven: Chicken, bacon, and avocado chopped salad.
• Crazy for Crust: Flourless peanut butter Brookies.

Lunchtime Links for March 21st, 2017

• Crazy for Crust: Easter sugar cookie cake.
• Seasons and Suppers: 15 minute spicy Kung Pao chicken skillet.
• The Pioneer Woman: Tips for back of the bag chocolate chip cookies.
• Oh Sweet Basil: Soft sugar cookie bars.
• The Kitchn: Weeknight skillet Lasagna.

Lunchtime Links for March 20th, 2017

• Kirbie's Cravings: Hello Kitty cafe.
• Damn Delicious: Cheesy breadsticks.
• Crazy for Crust: Candy bar brownie pie.
• Table for Two: Spicy peanut chicken.
• Smitten Kitchen: Peanut butter swirled brownies.

Lunchtime Links for March 17th, 2017

• The Kitchn: Chimichurri sauce.
• Brown Eyed Baker: Momofuku birthday cake.
• Kirbie's Cravings: Bang Bang shrimp pasta.
• Oh Sweet Basil: No-knead artisan bread.
• How Sweet It Is: Pesto chicken Parmesan sliders.

Lunchtime Links for March 16th, 2017

• Love and Olive Oil: Mini chocolate peanut butter cinnamon rolls.
• The Kitchn: Ground beef and broccoli fried rice.
• Cookies and Cups: Peanut butter stuffed chocolate cookies.
• The First Year Blog: Cookies and cream cupcakes.
• Kirbie's Cravings: Crisp baked chicken wings.

Lunchtime Links for March 13th, 2017

• Damn Delicious: Sheet pan steak and fries.
• Averie Cooks: No-bake peanut butter silk Oreo pie.
• Two Peas and Their Pod: One pot sausage pasta.
• Cookies and Cups: Tagalong bars.
• A Spicy Perspective: Steak fingers with country gravy.

Lunchtime Links for March 10th, 2017

• The First Year Blog: Peanut butter sheet cake.
• Damn Delicious: Korean beef lettuce wraps.
• I Heart Naptime: No-bake cheesecake dip.
• Crazy for Crust: Sausage macaroni and cheese.
• The Live-in Kitchen: Baked pita chips.

Lunchtime Links for March 8th, 2017

• Bake at 350: Chocolate fudge Bundt cake.
• Weelicious: 2 ingredient toast.
• Sugar and Cloth: Blood orange Sangria.
• Serious Eats: Ground beef recipes.
• Picky Palate: Oreo s'mores brookies.

Lunchtime Links for March 7th, 2017

• Bakerella: Lazy day blondie bites.
• Crazy for Crust: Mini cheesecakes.
• The Pioneer Woman: Peanut butter bars with marshmallow creme frosting.
• Cookies and Cups: Banana pudding.
• Gimme Some Oven: Chocolate avocado hot fudge cake.

Lunchtime Links for March 6th, 2017

• Kirbie's Cravings: Japanese souffle pancakes.
• The Kitchn: Tortellini skillet dinner.
• Smitten Kitchen: Butterscotch pie.
• Averie Cooks: Nutella chocolate chip cookies.
• The First Year Blog: Classic white cupcakes.

Lunchtime Links for March 2nd, 2017

• Serious Eats: Japanese roasted buckwheat custards.
• The Kitchn: Brownie recipe.
• Buzzfeed DIY: Ikea upgrades.
• Bakerella: Cookie Kisses.
• The Pioneer Woman: Brownie truffles.

Lunchtime Links for March 1st, 2017

• The Kitchn: Baked sweet potato fries.
• Paper and Stitch: Charleston, SC travel guide.
• Two Peas and Their Pod: Brown butter banana chocolate chip bars.
• Serious Eats: Detroit-style pizza.
• Cookies and Cups: Brownie stuffed chocolate chip cookies.

Georgetown Cupcake - March Flavors

Happy March everyone!  There are a lot of special flavors this month at Georgetown Cupcake, including the start of very spring-like designs and the return of the Unicorn cupcake!

- Chocolate Mint Crunch: Valrhona chocolate cupcake baked with chocolate mint cookie pieces, topped with a mint-infused whipped chocolate ganache frosting, mint cookie crumble and a mini green fondant heart

- Pink Tulip: Classic Madagascar vanilla cupcake decorated with baby pink vanilla buttercream frosting "tulips"

- Cherry Blossom: Classic Madagascar vanilla cupcake baked with cherries and topped with a cherry infused cream cheese frosting and a fondant cherry blossom

- Mocha Chocolate Chip Cheesecake: Mocha cheesecake cupcake studded with Callebaut chocolate chips with an oreo cookie crust, topped with mocha frosting and a chocolate-covered espresso bean

- Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Twist: Peanut Butter cupcake studded with Callebaut chocolate chips and topped with a peanut butter and Callebaut chocolate "twist” frosting

- Unicorn: Georgetown Cupcake's classic Madagascar vanilla cupcake infused with nonpareils and topped with purple-tinted Madagascar vanilla buttercream frosting, rainbow jimmies, and a whimsical fondant unicorn

- Cherry Cheesecake: Cherry cheesecake cupcake with a graham cracker crust and topped with a cherry infused frosting and cherry blossom fondant

- Rainbow: Classic Madagascar vanilla cupcake infused with rainbow nonpareils and topped with a baby blue-tinted Madagascar vanilla buttercream frosting, and a sour candy rainbow

- St. Patrick's Day Chocolate: Valrhona chocolate cupcake with light green vanilla buttercream frosting and a fondant four-leaf clover

- St. Patrick's Day Vanilla: Classic Madagascar vanilla cupcake infused with St. Patrick's nonpareils, with light green-tinted vanilla buttercream frosting, and a fondant four-leaf clover