Lunchtime Links for July 31st, 2018

• Damn Delicious: Baked garlic herb potato wedges.
• The First Year Blog: Honey bun cake. 
• How Sweet Eats: Summer Panzanella salad.
• The Kitchn: Spicy Thai chicken and brown rice bowls.
• I Heart Naptime: Bruschetta chicken.

Lunchtime Links for July 30th, 2018

• Handle the Heat: Peanut butter chocolate chunk bars.
• Averie Cooks: Chicken satay with peanut sauce. 
• Cookies and Cups: Oreo cookie bark.
• The Kitchn: Shrimp and broccoli stir fry. 
• Brown Eyed Baker: Tiramisu.

Sugarfina Candy for Breakfast Collection

I am a huge fan of Sugarfina candies (especially the champagne gummy bears!), so I was pretty curious about their new Candy for Breakfast collection that they were promoting online recently.  I stopped in on Saturday morning while they were hosting an event for the new collection and got to try the new candy flavors!

 In addition to free coffee, they had samples available of all three candies: Cinnamon Crunchies, Fruity Loops, and Gummy Eggs.  I especially loved how cute the little fried eggs looked! They were all tasty but I really liked the Cinnamon Crunchies with the perfect combination of milk chocolate and cinnamon flavors. 

Also worth noting is how awesome the collection's chocolate bars looked!  There are three flavors of these as well: Marshmallow Cereal, Fruity Cereal, and Cinnamon Cereal.  As you can see with the Fruity Cereal bar in the photo, the whole chocolate bar is covered in cereal pieces.  The whole collection would be an awesome gift for anyone that loves cereal, or for a breakfast/brunch-themed party!

Lunchtime Links for July 27th, 2018

• The Kitchn: Shrimp pasta with creamy Mozzarella sauce.
• I Heart Naptime: Easy corn salad.
• The Pioneer Woman: Fry bread tacos.
• How Sweet Eats: Bacon broccoli pasta.
• Kirbie's Cravings: Parmesan roasted cauliflower.

Briogeo -Superfoods Hair Pack

I bought this Briogeo Be Gentle Be Kind Superfoods Hair Pack from Sephora a while ago, but I wanted to make sure I had used it at least a few times before writing about it.  If you get any of the Sephora Play subscription boxes, you might already be familiar with the Briogeo brand - I think there's been a few times where their haircare samples have been included in the boxes.  That is how I became familiar with the brand myself, from trying out a few of their hair masks and conditioners.   I'm especially a big fan of their Rosarco Milk Reparative Leave-in conditioning spray, which leaves your hair super soft!

First off, I'm a sucker for fun packaging, which is what I liked about this Superfoods set to begin with - they're like the green juice bottles that I can't help checking out whenever I'm in Whole Foods or some fancypants juice bar, haha.  Based on the Sephora item description, I think this set is suitable for all hair types if you want some extra hydration (who doesn't?)

"This nutrient-rich duo is formulated to visibly replenish dull and parched locks with a supercharged boost of vitamins and hair healthy ingredients. Be Gentle, Be Kind™ Matcha + Apple Replenishing Superfood Shampoo is a green-juice inspired shampoo, packed with matcha and apple to cleanse and help nourish hair without stripping it of moisture. The Be Gentle, Be Kind™ Kale + Apple Replenishing Superfood Conditioner is a smoothie-textured conditioner that will give your hair a daily dose of kale and apple to nourish and hydrate. By harnessing the power of fruit and vegetable fatty acids, vitamins, and minerals, this regimen will support the vibrancy of hair and as the perfect companion to your wellness routine."

You can definitely smell the apple from both bottles - it's such a light and fresh scent, especially welcome in these humid summer days. My hair has been very soft after using these, and doesn't weigh my hair down at all.  As an extra bonus, if you're in the market for some new "clean" products to add to your routine, this definitely fits the bill.  Briogeo products continue to be my go-tos for hair products and I'm very happy that I tried out this set!  

Lunchtime Links for July 26th, 2018

• Crazy for Crust: Chocolate chip cornflake cookies.
• The First Year Blog: Twix cheesecake. 
• The Pioneer Woman: Madeleines.
• Oh Sweet Basil: Nutella stuffed double chocolate banana muffins.
• The Kitchn: Cheesy tomato Chorizo Orzo skillet.

Lunchtime Links for July 25th, 2018

• Crazy for Crust: Peanut butter cookie cake.
• Kirbie's Cravings: Garlic broccoli stir fry. 
• How Sweet Eats: Peanut butter fudge ice cream cake. 
• The Kitchn: Garlic butter steak and potatoes.
• The Comfort of Cooking: Dutch Baby pancake.

Tokyo Otaku Mode - Skoshbox July Snack Box

 

I've been receiving the monthly Japanese snack boxes from Skoshbox (later Tokyo Otaku Mode) for a while now, and always enjoyed trying new foods that I typically wouldn't be able to find around here in stores.  I was sad to find out that they were ending the subscription program with this month's box, but the last box had a bunch of fun snacks as a last hurrah.  I'm especially excited for the Matcha "Mochi Mochi Chocola" which is a green tea flavored ganache chocolate wrapped in mochi, yum!  I had a great experience with this subscription box, and I got to try so many new and interesting snacks!

Lunchtime Links for July 24th, 2018

• Joy the Baker: No-bake Tres Leches icebox cake.
• The Kitchn: Cucumber Caprese salad.
• Cookies and Cups: Million dollar pound cake.
• Damn Delicious: Summer Spaghetti with tomatoes and Burrata.
• Averie Cooks: Grilled Mexican corn.

Lunchtime Links for July 23rd, 2018

• Oh Sweet Basil: Asian ginger marinade for chicken.
• How Sweet Eats: Bruschetta chicken pasta. 
• Kirbie's Cravings: Crispy orange beef. 
• Brown Eyed Baker: Chocolate chip chiffon cake.
• Creme de la Crumb: Mexican street corn chicken pasta salad.

Pike & Rose - Pike Central Farm Market + Blueberry Peach Crumble Pie

Going to the Pike Central Farm Market on Saturday mornings has become a nice little weekly routine for me whenever I am home - it's so nice having a great market that I can walk to! Recently, when I received an offer to write a post about baking something using Pike Central Farm Market ingredients, I knew it would be a good opportunity to see what seasonal items that I could work with.

Before I looked at the produce though, I had to stop at Sunday Morning Bakehouse which is quickly becoming one of my favorites for pastries!  They just started selling at the Pike Central Farm Market a few weeks ago, and I love their Matcha croissants.  They have had some interesting specialty flavors too, like the Elvis croissant above with peanut butter, bananas, and bacon - so delicious!

 

After I picked up a Matcha croissant, I went over to the Twin Spring Fruit Farm stand, and decided to make something using their yellow peaches and blueberries.  The peach samples they had out were super juicy and delicious!

As part of this blog post I received coupons for free entrees at Roti, so I went and got a rice bowl for lunch after leaving the farm market.  I have only ever had their chicken rice bowls, so it was a nice change of pace to get to try their steak and garlic sauce, which were both delicious.  The pita bread that came on the side was nice and warm -  always a nice touch.  I'd definitely get the steak again next time I come here to eat!

 

After browsing recipes online, I decided to make this Brown Sugar Peach Crumble Pie from Sally's Baking Addiction using a mix of the peaches and blueberries, and Wewalka pie crust.  The recipe was very easy to follow, and using the pint of blueberries plus five small yellow peaches worked out perfectly.  I normally don't make pies, so this was a great way to get out of my baking comfort zone and try out something new.  The crumble part of this recipe is really tasty as well, and is a great mini recipe to have on hand to top muffins and other baked goods.  This crumble pie really highlights the sweetness of the blueberries and peaches, and it's the perfect way to enjoy the current offerings from the market!

Pike Central Farm Market (Saturdays 9:00AM - 1:30PM)
910 Rose Avenue
North Bethesda, MD 20852

Roti
11584 Old Georgetown Road
North Bethesda, MD 20852


Note: My Roti entree was complimentary as part of writing this blog post.  The pie ingredients were purchased separately and I was not paid for this blog post.

Lunchtime Links for July 20th, 2018

• The Kitchn: BBQ ranch chicken bites. 
• Seasons and Suppers: Tomato Bocconcini flatbread.  
• Oh Sweet Basil: Sun dried tomato pesto Panini.
• Cookies and Cups: No bake Twix pie.
• Kirbie's Cravings: Avocado egg rolls.

Georgetown Cupcake - Chocolate Cupcake Mix

Happy Friday everyone!  While the crazy hot weather in the DC area hasn't exactly made me want to turn my oven on, I wanted to make something easy to bring into work since I haven't baked in a while.  

Luckily I had just the thing - Georgetown Cupcake mixes from Williams-Sonoma! I bought a few of these before during an online sale, and I thought they'd be a nice thing to have around to make some quick cupcakes.  All you need to add is milk, eggs, and butter to the two premixed bags that are in the package.  To make things even easier, I just added chocolate chips to the cupcake mix and left them un-frosted to bring to work.  So I guess they are technically muffins and not cupcakes, but either way they were enjoyed very quickly in the office!  These mixes make a great gift for anyone that's a fan of Georgetown Cupcake, or to just have on hand for "cupcake emergencies", haha :o)

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Lunchtime Links for July 19th, 2018

• The Kitchn: Oven-fried pickles.
• Crazy for Crust: Chocolate chip cookies.
• Averie Cooks: Spicy garlic grilled chicken.
• Two Peas and Their Pod: Peanut butter banana bread.
• Brown Eyed Baker: Chocolate chess pie.

Lunchtime Links for July 18th, 2018

• Damn Delicious: Grilled Flank steak and vegetables.
• The Cozy Apron: Vegetable soup.
• The Kitchn: Garlic honey lime shrimp.
• Dessert for Two: Birthday cake cupcakes.
• Smitten Kitchen: Corn fritters.

Target - Pyrex Containers

I'm a big fan of Pyrex glass containers for food storage and bringing my lunch to work, and these "leftovers" themed containers that I saw recently at Target are too cute!  

The glass containers are especially good for sauce-based foods, because the glass ensures stains and smells don't remain in the containers.  I always freeze extra pasta sauce in these because I know they will always clean up really easily afterwards.  Since these containers also went on sale recently, I wound up getting the rectangular "I (heart) leftovers" one, which I'm sure will be put to use often for my lunches! 

Lunchtime Links for July 17th, 2018

• The Pioneer Woman: Quick pickling.
• Table for Two: Stovetop butter chicken.
• The First Year Blog: Cookies and cream cake.
• Cookies and Cups: Drumstick ice cream sandwiches.
• Two Peas and Their Pod: Pudding chocolate chip cookies.

Lunchtime Links for July 16th, 2018

• Dessert for Two: Chocolate cobbler.
• The Kitchn: Frozen broccoli ideas. 
• Averie Cooks: Chocolate chip peanut butter chip cookies.
• The Cozy Apron: Cucumber salad.
• Serious Eats: The best ice cream makers.

The Baked Bear - Ice Cream Sundae

I hope everyone had a chance to celebrate National Ice Cream Day yesterday!  

I had some friends in town for the afternoon, so it was a great chance to get some treats at The Baked Bear.  The ice cream sundae has the current special flavor, Toasted S'mores, with a Cookies and Cream cookie, whipped cream, and hot fudge.  My friends also ordered ice cream sandwiches with 4 different cookie flavors and 2 ice cream fillings - we got to try a little bit of everything with these!  It was a great way to celebrate a lot of delicious ice cream!

Lunchtime Links for July 3rd, 2018

• The Cozy Apron: Chicken lettuce wraps.
• Bakerella: Stars and stripes sugar cookies.
• Crazy for Crust: Tortellini Caprese pasta salad. 
• Serious Eats: 4th of July desserts.
• Creme de la Crumb: Shrimp and veggie spring rolls.

Lunchtime Links for July 2nd, 2018

• Damn Delicious: Garlic butter scallop bowls.
• Handle the Heat: Cheesy skillet cornbread.
• The Kitchn: Garlic butter rice. 
• Kirbie's Cravings: BBQ pork nachos.
• Creme de la Crumb: Loaded baked potato foil packs.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie Oreos

 

Over the years Oreo has come out with a ton of limited edition flavors - some faring better than others.  While it's fun to see what crazy flavors they can cram into the cookie/cream combination, some just don't really translate well as Oreos, haha.  I think it's safe to say that this Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie flavor is sure to be a favorite for most people!   

As far as I know, this isn't the first time that there's been a peanut butter and chocolate Oreo - the most recent one I can remember is the Reese's version.  The main difference with this chocolate and peanut butter Oreo is the use of the graham cookie, as opposed to the regular chocolate Oreo cookie.  The graham cookie definitely adds to the "pie" concept of this flavor, and is a great background to the strong chocolate and peanut butter cremes.  I'm not sure how long this flavor will be out, so if you also like chocolate and peanut butter I'd recommend getting it soon!