Lunchtime Links for April 27th, 2018

• Brown Eyed Baker: French toast. 
• The Kitchn: Cucumber and avocado salad. 
• Averie Cooks: Caramel stuffed brownie bites.
• How Sweet Eats: Lobster guacamole.
• Oh Sweet Basil: Sour cream banana bread.

The Original Chipwich is Back!

Guess who's back, back again - the Chipwich!  I am the first to admit that I had no idea that Chipwiches were actually not sold in stores for the last 7 years, because I just assumed that they were still around but just not in stores by me.  But when I received an email about the Chipwich coming back to stores and a chance to try them out, of course I had to say Yes!

  

I feel like pretty much everyone I know has a fond childhood memory of Chipwiches, at school, the ice cream truck, or at a snack stand at the pool - for me it was always the "fancy" ice cream that was way better than a regular Popsicle or rectangular ice cream sandwich.  I also remember eating them a lot during college, so I've enjoyed them for a good chunk of my life, haha.

Well I am happy to say that anyone that loved Chipwiches back then will love the reboot as well!  I especially love the small chocolate chips, which add a lot of texture to the soft vanilla ice cream without being too much to chew through.  The cookie to ice cream ratio is perfect for me, and it's a delicious treat for just about anyone!

Currently, these Chipwiches should be available at Wegmans, ACME, Shoprite, Shaws/Star Market, and Jewel.  Be sure to keep an eye out for them at your local supermarket!  


Note: I was given the opportunity to try out these Chipwiches, with no compensation or obligation to blog about them. 

Lunchtime Links for April 26th, 2018

• The Kitchn: Sheet pan garlic-ginger chicken.
• Oh Sweet Basil: Chicken Milanese. 
• Gimme Some Oven: Mango avocado spring rolls.
• Create Eat Happy: Omu curry.
• The Pioneer Woman: Chocolate Streusel muffins.

Lunchtime Links for April 25th, 2018

• Buzzfeed: "Bao", Pixar short. 
• Oh Sweet Basil: Easy beef Ragu and pasta. 
• The Impulsive Buy: My Oreo Creation flavors.
• The Kitchn: Sausage and tomato Risotto.
• Creme de la Crumb: Margherita Pierogies skillet.

Kate Spade Lunch Totes

I recently saw these Kate Spade lunch totes in a Hallmark store, and I was definitely tempted to buy both of them!  These lunch totes are super cute, right down to the gold bow zipper pulls - they are also very functional and feel very thick and durable.  I love how tall these bags are, which is an issue I have with my smaller lunch bags, where taller containers don't fit completely and leaves the bag open on top.  If anyone is in the market for a new lunch (or just a cute bag, period) definitely check these out! 

 

 

Lunchtime Links for April 24th, 2018

• Picky Palate: Itty bitty cinnamon roll bites.
• A Kitchen Addiction: Cinnamon swirl banana bread. 
• Cookies and Cups: Homemade egg noodles.
• Damn Delicious: Skillet steak with Rosemary roasted potatoes.
• Oh Sweet Basil: Nutella swirled banana muffins.

Lunchtime Links for April 23rd, 2018

• Two Peas and Their Pod: Easy Marinara sauce.
• The Kitchn: Crispy chicken Carnitas. 
• Oh Sweet Basil: Brown butter sage Gnocchi.
• Love and Olive Oil: Sakura Matcha mousse cake.
• How Sweet Eats: Pickled shrimp avocado salad.

Baby Moke at the Smithsonian's National Zoo

It's sort of easy to forget how nice it is to have a great, free, and easily accessible zoo right here in DC.  But it's always fun to go every once in a while, especially when there's a big event like a baby being born! 

On April 15th, a baby gorilla named Moke was born, and I was very surprised but happy to see that the baby wouldn't be held in a separate room for observation.  My friends and I did not see Baby Moke or the mom Calaya on our first walk through the Ape House, but we got lucky when we came back after seeing some other animals!  It was totally worth the weekend morning trip to see the tiny little baby gorilla being cared for by his mom.  I would highly recommend coming by for a chance to see Baby Moke soon :o)

 

Lunchtime Links for April 20th, 2018

• Smitten Kitchen: Crispy tofu Pad Thai.
• How Sweet Eats: Queso Fundido tacos. 
• Damn Delicious: Thai red curry noodle soup. 
• The Kitchn: Oven-baked Risotto.
• Gimme Some Oven: Pico de Gallo.

Hunter for Target Collection

I am always excited to see a Target collaboration announcement, and this one with Hunter was definitely one that I kept my eye on!  I've had my grey Hunter boots for a while now, and they're a great staple to have around on rainy days.  Luckily for me, Target did a special RedCard member sale of a few items from the Hunter for Target collection the weekend before the rest of the collection came out, and I was able to get this navy duffel bag!

 

It's a pretty big duffel that holds its shape well, and the material is thick and feels very durable.  I love the big rubber Hunter logo on the front, and the bright yellow interior is very fun!  I think this will be great for quick/weekend trips in the future, as there's a lot of room inside to pack everything I need. 

After purchasing this bag, I also got a pair of short cushion-lined rain boots and a navy backpack as well - I just couldn't resist haha.

 The items sold out very quickly online, but the last time I went to a Target I did see a lot of the clothes and other outdoor items still available, so keep an eye out if there's something you are interested in! 

Lunchtime Links for April 19th, 2018

• Love Swah: Salted caramel brownie truffles.
• Brown Eyed Baker: Vanilla cupcakes with vanilla frosting.
• Cookies and Cups: Pretzel bottom Snickers blondies.
• Seasons and Suppers: Spicy pork Udon stir fry.
• Crazy for Crust: No-bake chocolate peanut butter pie.

Lunchtime Links for April 18th, 2018

• The Kitchn: Broccoli and cheese Risotto.
• Oh Sweet Basil: Banana cream pie dip. 
• Gimme Some Oven: Spicy Szechuan stir-fry.
• How Sweet Eats: Chipotle chicken Cobb salad.
• Serious Eats: Broccoli recipes.

Bon Matcha - Matcha and Sakura Soft Serve

I finally had a chance to try the soft serve at Bon Matcha after seeing their perfect-looking soft serve swirls on Instagram, and I'm happy to say that it looks even better in person! 

 

This cone consists of a swirl of their matcha green tea soft serve + the new seasonal flavor, sakura cherry blossom!  I liked that it was a real cherry blossom flavor, and not just cherries as a lot of restaurants and shops tend to do around cherry blossom season.  It's a very light and not too flowery taste (like a lavender or rose) which I prefer, and to me it had a hint of a salty taste, which is always in Japanese sakura mochi and other sweets from the preserved cherry blossoms.

Bon Matcha also serves a few drinks, and this seasonal menu was too cute!  In addition to these sakura menu items, I believe there's a few matcha-based drinks on the regular menu as well.  You may have to wait or find a way to kill some time as their soft serve availability doesn't seem to be very consistent yet, so be prepared or plan on grabbing food somewhere nearby just in case.  But make sure you go because the soft serve is totally worth it!

Bon Matcha
1928 I St NW
Washington, DC 20006 
(attached to Poppa Box)

Lunchtime Links for April 17th, 2018

• The Kitchn: 10 chicken and rice dinners.
• Love and Olive Oil: Cocoa brownies. 
• Averie Cooks: Three cheese pizza.
• Bakerella: Lion cupcakes.
• Two Peas and Their Pod: Baked Falafel.

Lunchtime Links for April 16th, 2018

• I Heart Naptime: Homemade Churros.
• Averie Cooks: Mexican meatballs with tomato avocado salad.
• The Kitchn: One-skillet meals.
• How Sweet Eats: Hot honey and goat cheese Pepperoni pizza. 
• The Pioneer Woman: Stocking up for last-minute cooking.

Old Navy - Running on Coffee Performance Tank

As soon as I laid eyes on this happy little coffee cup at Old Navy, I had to buy this workout tank, haha!  As luck would have it, I happened to be in the store to use some Old Navy cash I earned from an earlier purchase, so it was great timing to find this little guy.  These tanks are a little thin, but I think they'd be fine with a sports bra or another workout tank underneath as you see fit.  Hey, any extra motivation to actually work out will help right?

Lunchtime Links for April 13th, 2018

• I Heart Naptime: Texas sheet cake.
• Two Peas and Their Pod: Pico de Gallo. 
• La Fuji Mama: Japanese buckwheat tea.
• Serious Eats: Chili crisp sauce.
• Table for Two: Harvest chopped salad bowl.

National Cherry Blossom Festival Pin

Surprise, it's another cherry blossom post :o)  I saw this National Cherry Blossom Festival's 2018 collectible pin online and I knew I had to get one because it's so cute!  This year's official pin was designed by Julia Walther of Shiny Apple Studio, and I love the combination of the different colored blossoms in the design.  The pin (and other cherry blossom goods) are available online on the National Cherry Blossom Festival website, and I think they will be sold in person at the festival which is tomorrow in DC as well. It's the perfect little way to celebrate the cherry blossom season!

Lunchtime Links for April 12th, 2018

• Creme de la Crumb: French onion grilled cheese.
• I Heart Naptime: No-bake peanut butter bars. 
• The Live-In Kitchen: Banana Bundt cake with vanilla glaze.
• The Kitchn: The best cheeses for grilled cheese.
• Kirbie's Cravings: Sesame noodles.

Lunchtime Links for April 11th, 2018

• Two Peas and Their Pod: Sesame noodles.
• Bake at 350: Chocolate banana cream pie.
• Crazy for Crust: Baked orange chicken. 
• A Spicy Perspective: Chicken Minestrone soup.
• Creme de la Crumb: Greek meatballs.

Cherry Blossoms 2018 - Kenwood, MD (2nd Visit)

Since I can't get enough of cherry blossom season, here's some photos from my second visit to the Kenwood neighborhood this past Sunday.  Sunday was a little chilly but otherwise bright and sunny day to go walk through the neighborhood - and a lot of other people had the same idea!  There were even more flowers than my first visit and it was a beautiful sight all around, especially with the bright blue sky!  

 

Lunchtime Links for April 10th, 2018

• The Kitchn: Kitchen organizing mistakes.
• Oh Sweet Basil: Ham lemon Orzo with Parmesan and peas.
• How Sweet Eats: Butter salmon rice bowls.
• Gimme Some Oven: Cacio e Pepe.
• Averie Cooks: Indian butter chicken.

Lunchtime Links for April 9th, 2018

• The Kitchn: Parmesan Risotto with roasted shrimp.
• Serious Eats: Finding a Tempura spot to call my own. 
• Damn Delicious: Chicken Wonton soup. 
• Oh Sweet Basil: Biscoff banana bread.
• Sora News 24: Legoland Japan's Lego cherry blossom tree.

Georgetown Cupcake - Easter Surprise and Purple Tulip Cupcakes

Easter has come and gone, but we can still appreciate these pretty spring-themed cupcakes!  Georgetown Cupcake always does seasonal flavors well, and these are no exception.  The Easter Surprise cupcake was the free secret flavor on Easter, and it was packed full of sprinkles inside the vanilla cake and on top of the pink vanilla frosting.  The Tulip cupcake is a "Classic Madagascar vanilla cupcake decorated with light purple vanilla buttercream frosting 'tulips'", and are a perfect little treat to celebrate spring!  

Lunchtime Links for April 6th, 2018

• The Kitchn: Vietnamese-style chicken and noodle salad.
• Crazy for Crust: Banana bread muffins. 
• Brown Eyed Baker: Chocolate crinkle sprinkle cookies.
• Apartment Therapy: The best toasters. 
• All Things Target: RED card early access for the Target Hunter collection.

Cherry Blossoms - Kenwood, MD

Continuing with the cherry blossom theme from earlier this week, I went over to the Kenwood neighborhood last night after work to see how those cherry blossoms were doing as well!  Kenwood is easily accessible from both the Bethesda and Friendship Heights metro stops if you walk along the Capital Crescent Trail.  From downtown Bethesda, it's about a 10-15 walk on the trail that brings you right to the entrance of the Kenwood neighborhood.  It was a bright and sunny afternoon which made for a perfect backdrop to the flowering trees!  Many of the trees still had buds that have not opened up yet, but there was still plenty to see while walking around the beautiful neighborhood!  

Lunchtime Links for April 5th, 2018

• Apartment Therapy: Spring cleaning decluttering tips.
• Cookies and Cups: Perfect fudgy brownies.
• A Spicy Perspective: Skillet shrimp Fra Diavolo pasta.
• The Kitchn: BBQ tofu salad bowls. 
• Seasons and Suppers: Spaghetti with roasted red pepper sauce.

Lunchtime Links for April 4th, 2018

• Kirbie's Cravings: Taco stuffed avocados.
• The Kitchn: Ricotta Gnocchi.
• Oh Sweet Basil: Teriyaki chicken pasta salad.
• The Cozy Apron: Tomato basil soup.
• Damn Delicious: Shrimp Alfredo Fettuccine.

Cherry Blossoms - DC Tidal Basin

It can be so hard to time the DC area's cherry blossom blooming period, especially when the weather gets a little crazy in the beginning of the year.  There seem to be so many factors that play into when the flowers are at "peak bloom", and you really have to be flexible with planning on seeing them.  One great resource is the DC Cherry Blossom Watch website, which is really helpful in seeing the most current conditions for the cherry blossoms. 

That being said, if you are able to catch the cherry blossoms at the Tidal Basin (or various surrounding areas), it's really an amazing sight!  I decided at the last minute on Monday after work to head over even though it had been cloudy and gloomy all day, since there looked to be rain in the forecast later on.  I was very happy to see that a lot of the cherry blossoms had bloomed and there were lots of very pretty trees all around the Tidal Basin.  And best of all, there were a lot less people than a usual weekend during this season, so it was a great chance to walk around the area and take a lot of photos.  If you ever get a chance to see the cherry blossoms while they are in bloom, I highly recommend taking the time to check them out! 

Lunchtime Links for April 3rd, 2018

• Bakerella: Bunny bark.
• Damn Delicious: Garlic herb carrots.
• Oh Sweet Basil: No-bake mini peanut butter cheesecakes.
• The Kitchn: Crispy chicken Caesar Orzo salad. 
• The First Year Blog: Peanut butter chocolate chip cookie pie.

Lunchtime Links for April 2nd, 2018

• The Kitchn: Classic buttermilk biscuits.
• Averie Cooks: Brownie recipes.
• Two Peas and Their Pod: Avocado egg salad. 
• My Baking Addiction: Marshmallow treat cupcakes.
• A Spicy Perspective: Fluffernutter pie.

Georgetown Cupcake - April Flavors

I love all the fun spring-themed flavors that pop up at Georgetown Cupcake this time of year, they're all so pretty!

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

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

- Hummingbird: Georgetown Cupcake's version of a Southern classic — fresh banana, pineapple, and pecan cupcake topped with a vanilla cream cheese frosting, chopped pecans, and a blue fondant hummingbird.

- Lavender Earl Grey Teacake: A Madagascar vanilla cupcake infused with lavender sugar and Earl Grey tea, topped with an Earl Grey tea–infused buttercream frosting, a sprinkling of lavender sugar, and a pink fondant flower.

- Lemon Cheesecake: Lemon cheesecake with a graham cracker crust and topped with a lemon frosting and candied lemon wedge.

- Salted Caramel Chocolate Chip: Salted caramel cupcake studded with Callebaut chocolate chips, topped with a salted caramel buttercream frosting, fudge and caramel drizzles, and Callebaut chocolate chips.

- 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.

- 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.

- Purple Tulip: Classic Madagascar vanilla cupcake decorated with light purple vanilla buttercream frosting "tulips".

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

- Yellow Tulip: Classic Madagascar vanilla cupcake decorated with light yellow vanilla buttercream frosting "tulips".

I also like that there are so many flavors to choose from - so there's definitely something different for everyone this month!