Lunchtime Links for October 30th, 2015

• Oh, Sweet Basil: Pumpkin spice chip cookies.
• Picky Palate: Chicken Caprese pasta bake.
• The First Year Blog: Pumpkin chocolate cheesecake.
• Averie Cooks: Buffalo chicken dip.
• Two Peas and Their Pod: Pumpkin French toast.

National Apple Harvest Festival - October 11th, 2015

It's pretty clear from my posts and rampant pumpkin purchases that I love fall, especially all of the foods associated with this time of year.  This of course includes all different kinds of fall festivals which pop up in the area during the fall, which is a great way to go somewhere new and enjoy the fall goodies.  

This was my second year going to the National Apple Harvest Festival, and it was a beautiful day to go check it out! I met up with my friend T and her family for the day, and we had a great sunny day to walk around.  This festival is just outside of Gettysburg, PA, and it's an easy drive from the DC area to go for the day.  There's lots of things for kids and adults to enjoy there, and of course lots of tasty food! 

This was the perfect snack to get things started, haha - once you order, a whole apple is cut up and then topped with warm caramel and chopped nuts - a much easier way to enjoy the taste of a caramel apple, haha.

 Sort of ironic that one of my favorite foods at the apple festival is actually pumpkin, but seriously- make sure you get this!! The pumpkin funnel cake with the cinnamon sugar topping is soooooooooo delicious.  

Of course I had to pick up some apple cider before heading out - apparently everyone else at the festival had the same idea because there was a huge line (especially since it was the last day of the festival).  I didn't want anything too big, so this little jar was perfect for me.  If you live close enough to drive out to this festival, it's definitely a worthwhile visit! 

Lunchtime Links for October 29th, 2015

• Cookies & Cups: Biscuit cinnamon rolls.
• Warm Vanilla Sugar: Pumpkin cheesecake Streusel muffins.
• Averie Cooks: Three cheese baked Ziti.
• Two Peas and Their Pod: Chocolate chip cookies.
• Dessert for Two: Quick pumpkin cinnamon rolls.

Dunkin' Donuts Mug Candles

I recently came across this lovely sight at my local Dunkin' Donuts - coffee candles!! The best of both worlds, in my opinion.  Currently there are two scents - Pumpkin Spice and French Vanilla, and the candles come in cute glass mugs with the Dunkin' Donuts logo on it.  Of course I'm partial to the Pumpkin Spice scent, but I think these would make such a cute gift for anyone that is a fan of coffee, especially Dunkin' Donuts :o) 

Lunchtime Links for October 28th, 2015

• A Beautiful Mess: Doughnut milkshakes.
• Creme de la Crumb: Sriracha orange beef.
• I Heart Naptime: Pumpkin pie cream puffs.
• Damn Delicious: Baked shrimp Scampi.
• Dessert for Two: Pumpkin chocolate cupcakes.

Georgetown Cupcake - Halloween Bat + Halloween Ghost Cupcakes

Here we have the remaining two Halloween flavors from Georgetown Cupcake that are available for the rest of the month: Halloween Bat and Halloween Ghost!

Halloween Bat is a Classic Madagascar Bourbon vanilla cupcake topped with orange buttercream frosting and a black fondant bat, and Halloween Ghost is a Chocolate squared cupcake with a fondant ghost.  Compared to the other two Halloween cupcake flavors, these don't sound AS exciting when you read the description because they're pretty much Vanilla and Chocolate Squared cupcakes.  However, the bright orange frosting and cute fondant shapes make these totally fun for Halloween!  These would be perfect for anyone that wants to keep the classic flavors, but with a themed twist.  If you want to try them out be sure to get them before the end of October! 

Lunchtime Links for October 27th, 2015

• Warm Vanilla Sugar: Peanut butter banana smoothie.
• Averie Cooks: Chicken tortilla lettuce wraps.
• Picky Palate: Pumpkin chocolate chip banana bread.
• Two Peas and Their Pod: Chicken Gnocchi soup.
• Cookies & Cups: Chocolate peanut butter gooey butter cake.

Starbucks - Pumpkin Spice Latte Sleeve

Everyone that knows me knows my love of pumpkin foods, especially Starbucks' Pumpkin Spice Latte!  When I saw online that Starbucks was running a promotion on Twitter for a PSL coffee cup sleeve, I was all over it immediately!

I wasn't exactly sure what to expect, but I was very pleasantly surprised to see this nice little box in the mail...

...with this awesomely cheesy and wonderful celebration of Pumpkin Spice Lattes inside! The knit sleeve is a bright orange color and says "TEAM PSL", and it's the perfect way to declare my love of the Pumpkin Spice Latte, haha.  Thank you to Starbucks for having such a great promotion! 

Lunchtime Links for October 26th, 2015

• A Kitchen Addiction: Cinnamon sugar pumpkin donut muffins.
• Bakerella: Chocolate chunk banana snack cake.
• Kirbie's Cravings: Pumpkin macaroni and cheese.
• The Pioneer Woman: Greek yogurt pancakes.
• Damn Delicious: Pumpkin churro waffles.

Georgetown Cupcake - Chocolate Spider Web + Vanilla Spider Cupcakes

Georgetown Cupcake always has fun, festive flavors for holidays, and this year's Halloween selections are no exception.  In the photo above we have the Chocolate Spider Web, which is a "Valrhona chocolate cupcake baked with crushed toffee pieces, topped with purple buttercream frosting and fudge spider web drizzle", and a Vanilla Spider cupcake, which is a "Classic Madagascar Bourbon vanilla cupcake baked with M&M candy pieces, topped with orange buttercream frosting and a black fondant spider".  Both flavors are available through the rest of October.

I have to admit the tiny little fondant spider freaked me out at first glance when I opened the box, haha.  Both cupcakes have a mix-in component which I always like because it adds a lot of texture to the cake portion.  Whether you're a chocolate or a vanilla fan, either of these cupcakes should appease just about any type of sweet tooth.  The bright colors and creepy decorations would make these perfect for a Halloween party! 

Lunchtime Links for October 23rd, 2015

• A Beautiful Mess: Marble pumpkin brownies.
• Handle the Heat: Nutella rolls with cookie butter cream cheese glaze.
• Kirbie's Cravings: Pumpkin cinnamon roll mug cake.
• Crazy for Crust: 4 layer peanut butter cheesecake brownies.
• Gimme Some Oven: Pumpkin recipes.

Lunchtime Links for October 19th, 2015

• Averie Cooks: Pumpkin spice cake with cream cheese frosting.
• Picky Palate: Chocolate chip cookie bars.
• Oh, Sweet Basil: Sweet and sour chicken.
• Crazy for Crust: Apple cider pound cake.
• The Kitchn: Pumpkin muffins.

Skoshbox - October Box

Here we have the October Skoshbox, packed with lots of colorful goodies.  Considering I had done a lot of shopping in Japanese grocery stores recently, I was very happy (and surprised) that I had no overlap with what I bought and this box's contents.  

A few highlights so far are the kimchi flavored chips on the far left - so crunchy and way too easy to munch on the whole sleeve of them, haha.  The torotto chocolates in the top center were also delicious, with a cute little chocolate cube that didn't stick to your fingers but were like little fudgy brownie bites.  I am looking forward to the next box of fun snacks! 

Lunchtime Links for October 16th, 2015

• Crazy for Crust: Peanut butter cup pumpkin bread.
• Kirbie's Cravings: Pumpkin donut muffins.
• Love Swah: Chocolate peanut butter Bundt cake.
• Averie Cooks: Peanut chicken with peanut noodles.
• Two Peas and Their Pod: Pumpkin Bundt cake with cream cheese frosting.

Shake Shack - Pickled Jalapeno Burger

Shake Shack burgers are delicious as is, but then add on some fried goodies and it gets about 293847374 times better, haha.  The Dupont Circle and F street locations in DC are currently offering a Pickled Jalapeno burger in honor of the 10 year anniversary of Every Day with Rachael Ray!

The tribute Pickled Jalapeño Burger ($6.19) is a cheeseburger topped with crispy marinated shallots, Gordy’s Thai basil pickled jalapeños and sriracha sauce.

I can personally attest to both the crispy marinated shallots and Gordy's Thai basil pickled jalapenos being AWESOME, as I've had them separately in burgers/hot dogs at Shake Shack in the past.  Be sure to head over to the Dupont or F Street Shake Shacks soon, because this burger is only available until this Sunday (10/18)! 

Lunchtime Links for October 15th, 2015

• Handle the Heat: Sweet potato pie bars.
• Crazy for Crust: Brown butter pumpkin Bundt cake. 
• Averie Cooks: Vanilla bean caramel blondies.
• Smitten Kitchen: S'more cupcakes.
• Oh, Sweet Basil: Pumpkin cheesecake brownies.

Mindy Kaling - DC Book Tour

Back in September, Mindy Kaling made a stop in DC on her book tour, and I was one of the lucky fans that was able to buy a ticket!  And I say really lucky because the tickets sold out online REALLY quickly, that I have no idea how I was able to snag one.

The event took place at Sixth & I, where I have also seen some of my other favorite celebs like Andy Cohen and Bethenny Frankel, and waited in a looooooooooooong line outside with a million other Mindy fans before we all flooded in to the building in a flurry of brightly colored accessories, haha.  

While Mindy was not doing a signing at the event, the ticket included an autographed copy of the book.  So far, the book is super funny and all Mindy fans will love it :o) 

This is obviously a horribly blurry photo, but I just wanted to show how CLOSE I was to Mindy as she walked in to the event - haha. I loved her dress! 

The discussion between the moderator and Mindy was awesome - lots of questions and a mix of funny and thoughtful responses from Mindy, for both professional and personal topics.  You could tell that everyone in the room really was a big fan of Mindy, and it was such a fun night! 

Lastly, I just wanted to share the first page of the book - I love that Mindy included a page basically made for her autograph, haha!  Be sure to pick up a copy of her new book if you're interested, and check her out at a book signing tour stop if she's coming to a place near you! 

Lunchtime Links for October 14th, 2015

• A Beautiful Mess: Pumpkin thumbprint cookies.
• BGSK: Appetizer meatballs.
• Handle the Heat: Pumpkin bars with brown sugar frosting.
• Brown Eyed Baker: Cheesy pepperoni bites.
• Dessert for Two: Pumpkin donut holes.

Starbucks - Toasted Graham Latte

I know this doesn't look like much, but it's the best I could do in the mall Starbucks when I don't get whipped cream or anything fancy on my drinks, haha. This is the new Toasted Graham Latte at Starbucks, and the official description is "Graham and sweet cream meet steamed milk and our signature espresso, then are finished off with a sprinkling of cinnamon graham crumbles for a less sweet perfect treat."

Now, I also got this Toasted Graham Latte with soy milk, so there may be a little variation in the taste compared to regular milk, but I liked the flavor of this latte a lot!  I found the first few sips to be the most enjoyable - maybe because of the cinnamon on top?  Eventually, it started to taste just like a regular soy latte to me.  However I liked the warm hint of graham cracker flavor, especially because graham crackers always remind me of s'mores, haha.  I feel like this is certainly sweet but has a more subtle flavor overall than the other fall/holiday flavors, so it's worth trying out if you are at all interested!

Lunchtime Links for October 13th, 2015

• Cookies & Cups: Cinnamon roll pound cake.
• Damn Delicious: Slow cooker chicken pot pie.
• Crazy for Crust: Cake batter cookie pie.
• Simply Happenstance: Frozen hot chocolate.
• Creme de la Crumb: Pumpkin cheesecake bars with gingersnap crust.

Target - Pumpkin Cheesecake Candle

I love when fall candles fill up store shelves, especially when they include pumpkin!  This pumpkin cheesecake candle at Target smells AMAZING and I couldn't stop sniffing it when I saw it in the store recently.  

This really does smell like a pumpkin cheesecake, and it might just make you really hungry for something sweet while you have it burning, haha.  I did find that the cheesecake scent is dominant, but you can definitely detect the warm spice of pumpkin in there too.  If you're a fan of baked goods scented items, you will love this candle!  

Lunchtime Links for October 9th, 2015

• Gimme Some Oven: Tortellini soup with Italian sausage, spinach, and tomatoes.
• Picky Palate: Festive chocolate shortbread bars.
• Warm Vanilla Sugar: Spicy skillet broccoli mac and cheese.
• Creme de la Crumb: Banana bread pancakes.
• Two Peas and their Pod: Ravioli Lasagna.

Shake Shack - Pumpkin Pie Oh My Concrete

We are well into fall, which means lots of pumpkin items - especially one of my favorites, the Pumpkin Pie Oh My concrete at Shake Shack!

It's the most wonderful time of the year: Pumpkin Pie Oh My is back! Our ode to all things fall blends vanilla custard with a slice of Shack-made pumpkin pie. It's available NOW through 10/31. Stay cool, ghouls.

In my opinion, this is one of the best Shake Shack offerings that's ever come out, so if you're a fan of pumpkin desserts go get one NOW! 

Lunchtime Links for October 9th, 2015

• Gimme Some Oven: Chocolate chip cookies. 
• Creme de la Crumb: Pumpkin cream cheese Streusel muffins.
• The Kitchn: Chewy brownies.
• Brown Eyed Baker: Baked Ziti with sausage.
• I Heart Naptime: Pumpkin cheesecake Lasagna.

Lunchtime Links for October 8th, 2015

• Brown Eyed Baker: Warm and cheesy bacon dip.
• Crazy for Crust: Sweet potato crumb cake.
• Kirbie's Cravings: Chocolate chip mug cake.
• Oh, Sweet Basil: Cheesy chicken tortilla soup.
• Creme de la Crumb: Boston Cream Pie bars.

Skoshbox - September Box

Here we have Skoshbox's September snack box, and there were lots of new to me items inside!  I love that there's always a variety of different flavors and snack types in these.  There's also just enough of one thing that's great for a snack, and it's a nice "taste test" of something that maybe become your new favorite!    

In the September box, my favorite item has to be the Jagabee butter soy sauce potato crisps - the butter soy sauce flavor was awesome, and it was the perfect savory snack with a ton of flavor and crunch.  In fact, because of the Skoshbox item, I specifically sought out different flavors of Jagabee potato crisps during my recent trip to Japan, whereas I might not have really looked for them if I hadn't tried them before.  

While I enjoyed the majority of the items in this box (not all at once just FYI, haha), I like that it's easy to share the snacks since they're all individually wrapped.  Especially when it's maybe not your favorite- like the coconut cookies on the back right.  I look forward to seeing what comes in this month's box!

Lunchtime Links for October 7th, 2015

• Handle the Heat: Whipped cinnamon pumpkin butter.
• Damn Delicious: Firecracker shrimp.
• How Sweet It Is: Chocolate chip cookie crunch cake with brown butter cream cheese frosting.
• Averie Cooks: Soft and chewy pumpkin chocolate chip cookies.
• Dessert for Two: Broccoli rice casserole.

Trader Joe's Pumpkin Items

It's well into Pumpkin season at Trader Joe's, and it's so fun seeing all of the special seasonal items in the store!  After two recent visits, I've noticed a LOT of pumpkin items, and there's bound to be something for everyone.   These photos are just from my first visit in September, and as of this past week there's about 238947384 more items that I noticed in my store, haha.  I'm particularly fond of the pumpkin pancake, bread, and bar mixes - they're great to have around for when you feel like making something warm and delicious.

Of course I had to pick up a box of pumpkin macarons, which I always have enjoyed in the past.  I noticed that the box is a thin rectangle this season, whereas they've been more of a wide rectangle in the past.  I also thought they looked a little smaller than previous macarons, but of course they're still delicious!  

Lunchtime Links for October 6th, 2015

• Cookies & Cups: Chipwich ice cream cake.
• The Kitchn: Korean barbecued beef.
• Creme de la Crumb: 3 ingredient baked pumpkin doughnuts.
• Oh, Sweet Basil: Chorizo loaded cheesy potatoes.
• A Kitchen Addiction: Pumpkin snickerdoodle cheesecake bars.

Georgetown Cupcake - October Flavors

This month, Georgetown Cupcake has lots of seasonal and Halloween-themed cupcakes as the special flavors.  Clearly I am partial to their pumpkin cupcakes, and this month we get two!  Also, the Halloween flavors would be super cute for a party!

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

- Halloween Ghost: Chocolate squared cupcake with a fondant ghost

- Halloween Bat: Classic Madagascar Bourbon vanilla cupcake topped with orange buttercream frosting and a black fondant bat

- Chocolate Spider Web: Valrhona chocolate cupcake baked with crushed toffee pieces, topped with purple buttercream frosting and fudge spider web drizzle

- Vanilla Spider: Classic Madagascar Bourbon vanilla cupcake baked with M&M candy pieces, topped with orange buttercream frosting and a black fondant spider

Lunchtime Links for October 5th, 2015

• Damn Delicious: One pan roasted chicken with fall vegetables.
• A Kitchen Addiction: Chewy peanut butter apple bars.
• Warm Vanilla Sugar: Buttermilk pancakes.
• Averie Cooks: Chicken noodle soup.
• Brown Eyed Baker: Chocolate layer cake with chocolate frosting.

Shake Shack - October Custard Calendar

Happy October everyone! Here's the custard lineup for this month at Shake Shack:

10/01 - 04: Pumpkin Pie
10/05 - 11: Salted Buttery Caramel
10/12 - 18: Oatmeal Creme Pie
10/19 - 25: Candied Apple
10/26 - 31: Shackenstein

Lots of seasonal flavors in there, and of course a fun Halloween-themed Shackenstein flavor!