Fall 2015 Cook Book

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Whenever the weather cools off I find myself itching to try out new recipes. I think with football Sundays being in full-swing and holiday get togethers on the horizon (too soon?), I get inspired to experiment in the kitchen and share the results with friends! I've search around the internet for some culinary inspiration and I've put together an autumn collection of recipes that I hope try out this season. Make sure you click the links to get the full recipes and to check out the awesome bloggers that shared them!

Beverage: Bourbon & Maple Apple Cider
Recipe found on Freutcake

How delicious does this drink sound? The perfect blend of sweet apple & maple and the spiciness of bourbon. This is actually a beverage I could see being suitable throughout the winter as well. I'm a huge fan of hot cider when the temperature starts to drop so this sweet cocktail twist is something I can totally get on board with (even though I could only probably drink one at any one time)!

Appetizer: Fried Mac n' Cheese Bites
Recipe found on Thrifty Jinxy

I've been wanting to make these for months! A video of this recipe popped up on my Facebook feed and my mouth immediately started watering. This would be so perfect for a lazy Sunday watching football (or, if you're me, perfect for breakfast, lunch, and dinner for the rest of eternity). I'm definitely going to bring this with me for one of the afternoon we spend watching RedZone and the Patriots at our friends' house!

Meal: Mediterranean Baked Sweet Potatoes
Recipe found on Minimalist Baker

Sweet potatoes are my jam. I love that the fall brings these babies back after a long summer without them. This recipe is a really interesting way to prepare and serve sweet potatoes as part of a dish and I am super into it. This recipe also seems fairly easy to prepare and serve, so I definitely see this being a simple dinner to throw together after a long day at work!

Dessert: Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
Recipe found on Foodie Crush

This is my favorite fall baked good! (I was going to say favorite fall dessert, but then I remembered that apple crisp à la mode is a thing. *droooool*) I had a colleague at BSU who always brought these into the office in the fall and I ate about a million every single time. I've never made them myself, but I would love to take a crack at this simple, 3-ingredient recipe! (And if it isn't as great as I remembered I'll look up one of the more extensive recipes you can find online.) Either way, I'm pumped!

Let me know if you have any fall recipes that you love in the comments - I'd love to try them out as well!

How to: Make Buffalo Chicken Dip

The Super Bowl is this Sunday and my team, the New England Patriots, are playing! Because of this, I thought it would be fun to share the recipe to one of my favorite appetizers of all time - Buffalo Chicken Dip! I LOVE this recipe and it is an absolutely perfect treat to bring to your Super Bowl party this weekend!

I first discovered Buffalo Chicken Dip at a 4th of July party a few years ago, and while I was a little bit skeptical of whether or not I'd like it (I'm not a huge fan of spicy foods), I gave it a shot and instantly fell in love. The ingredients in this dip really cool off the spiciness of the Buffalo sauce, and if you'd like you can even opt to use a more mild or more intense Buffalo sauce, depending on what your spice preference is. This recipe only calls for 5 ingredients, can be completed in about an hour, and will be a huge hit at whatever party you bring this to! Let's get into it, shall we?

A Few of My Favorite Links {#6}

Hello everyone! I hope you are all having a fantastic week and enjoying your August. Can you believe how fast it's flying by? It's already half way done! It's been a big couple weeks for internet finds - some happy and some sad - but a lot of interesting things to scroll through. Here are some of my favorite links as of late!

Robin Williams Quotes That Will Stay With Us


The passing of Robin Williams came as a total punch to the gut for me, like many others. I remember loving every movie he was in while I was growing up (Mrs. Doubtfire being a staple in the childhood of my sister and I) and I could probably say he was my first favorite actor. Though this is a very sad situation, a lot of important and necessary dialogue surrounding suicide and mental illness is coming to the forefront which is a positive thing. This blog post, in many ways, put the thoughts I have on the subject into words (see the entire section of how we, as humans, try so hard to make things nice & positive, saying things like "You're free now", when in doing so we can actually wind up causing even more harm), however I know it's much more complex than this. It's just sad that a tragedy such as this one, and the suicides of millions of others, is what it takes to prompt such conversation. For now, I've just been reflecting on the happiness he brought me and the rest of the world with lists like the one above. Remember to love each other, be kind, and lend a helping hand to someone in need.

"Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle." -Ian Maclaren

Every #StrikeOutALS Ice Bucket Challenge Video

A still from my own video!

I know there's been a few negative Nancies hating on this trend, but I think it's great! I laugh every. single. time. I watch someone's video and it just warms my heart that it's also being done for a great reason. I know that there are some people who are missing the point of this challenge (that you're supposed to be raising awareness AND donating to an ALS charity) and some people don't even realize that it's for a cause, but those individuals who are doing it right have all the respect in the world from me. I was honored that I was tagged to do the challenge and be a part of it this wonderful movement to raise awareness for a disease that doesn't get all that much attention.

And to make it even better, here's our wonderful New England Patriots (including head coach Bill Belichick and owner Robert Kraft) participating as well!

Finnish Bluegrass AC/DC (Thunderstruck - Steve'n'Seagulls)


My dad and I heard this on the radio on our way up to Maine (of course) this past weekend. It's a Finnish Bluegrass band called Steve'n'Seagulls doing a cover of AC/DC's "Thunderstruck" and it's as awesome as it sounds! I mean, just look at how that guy rips it on the banjo! If you can appreciate sheer musical talent, this is definitely worth 4 minutes of your time.

26 Foods You Should Learn to Cook in Your Twenties



I find myself learning new things in the kitchen almost every time I cook. Of course, this has happened much more frequently since I've been living on my own and haven't been able to use my work compensated meal plan, but each time I cook it's more and more fascinating and my kitchen confidence is continues to grow. I've mastered a good chunk of the items on this list, but would love to say I could easily make all 26 by the time I enter my next decade. (Luckily, I've got some time!)
Succulent Monster (v2)

I totally came across these by accident. If you're a Tumblr user, you'll know that when you're at the log in page, a random post will generate as the background. This photo generated as I was logging in yesterday and they IMMEDIATELY shot to the top of my wishlist as soon as I saw them! I mean... Bulbasaur succulent pots? Get. Real. I don't want these, I NEED THESE. The only drawback to these is that they're about $50, and I can't justify spending that much on a planter right now. Guess it'll just have to go on my Christmas list! (by ShamefulSquid on ShapeWays - rumor has it that they also have a Charmander oil lamp in the works!)

Disclosure - Latch (Dueling Violins Cover)


You know from my Summer Favorites post on Tuesday that "Latch" was my summer JAM. I really enjoy this rendition by YouTuber ThatViolinGuy, especially the first minute - I can't get it out of my head! Definitely check out his channel, he has tons of great covers, especially this Drake cover and this Ellie Goulding one!
What are your favorite links of the moment?

December Goals

Can you believe it's already December? 2013 has flown by!
Time for one last set of goals to finish out this year strong!

1. I already have 3 occasions that I'm planning to wear one, so I don't think that this will be too much of an issue!

2. We're having a Christmas party on the 20th and our apartment needs to look the part! (Aaand it's also pretty great to pretend you're living at the North Pole during the month of December.)

3. I mean... no pressure.

4. This may be a struggle... Due to my hectic schedule (and admitted laziness) I have not been running as much as I need to in order to be prepared for a half marathon. I'm just hoping that some of my pre-Hartford training is still sticking with me! 

5. What better time to go on some new kitchen adventures than the holidays?

6. Always does the trick to get me in the Christmas spirit!

7. Even though I'm usually on a pretty tight budget, I always try to donate something to a toy drive for children so they can have a happy holiday as well. This year, I'd really like to make an effort to give a little more. Change in the Salvation Army buckets every time I see them, Toys for Tots, donations to food pantries... any time I see something, I'd really want to make it a point to give something to those that need it more than I do!