Follow Friday

Syracuse was lucky to have a "warm spell" yesterday and today by getting all the way up to 50 degrees! Even though it's supposed to go back down to single digits by tomorrow, I'm ready for spring and everything that comes with it, especially the gorgeous flowers. I linked to Jenny's blog a few weeks ago for her yummy homemade tomato soup recipe, but I wanted to have her on a 'follow friday' post to show off her creativity with food and crafts.

How adorable are these tulip cupcakes?

This looks fantastic

Yes please.

Tasty Thursday

I love, love, love smores. Smores ice cream, smores candy bars (that aren't made anymore, sniff) and now I can try smores cookies!

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup butter, room temperature
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 1/3 cups all purpose flour
• 3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2 king-sized milk chocolate bars (e.g. Hershey’s)
• 1 1/2 cups marshmallow creme/fluff (not melted marshmallows)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease an 8-inch square baking pan.
2. In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until light. Beat in egg and vanilla. In a small bowl, whisk together flour, graham cracker crumbs, baking powder and salt. Add to butter mixture and mix at a low speed until combined.
3. Divide dough in half and press half of dough into an even layer on the bottom of the prepared pan. Place chocolate bars over dough. 2 king-sized Hershey’s bars should fit perfectly side by side, but break the chocolate (if necessary) to get it to fit in a single layer no more than 1/4 inch thick. Spread chocolate with marshmallow creme or fluff. Place remaining dough in a single layer on top of the fluff (most easily achieved by flattening the dough into small shingles and laying them together).
4. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until lightly browned. Cool completely before cutting into bars.

Makes 16 cookie bars.

(courtesy of Lovin From the Oven)

Tuesday Trends

I'm not sure how I feel about this week's trend of mixing patterns. At work, my visual managers are always dressing our mannequins with polka dots and stripes, plaids and florals, and somehow they always look good! I'm tempted to try but am afraid one wrong move and I'll look like a hot mess.

A tip from Lauren Conrad's book, Style, suggests that if you're going to mix patterns, you need to match similar colors and contrast the size between pieces.

What are your thoughts on it?

Happy Valentine's Day!

Rocko is my valentine, of course. (not the best picture of him - my mom makes me put a sheet on her couch when he's on her side of the house pshh and he just rips it off haha). 

Normally I'm that grumpy girl on Valentine's Day that doesn't want to see anyone holding hands, kissing, cuddling, whatever. But for some reason, this year I'm just...content with being single. Maybe this is a sign of growing up, I don't know. I've got my amazing family, my sweet little pup, and I'm about to graduate from a program that I've learned so much from. 

So to all the ladies, single or not, Happy Valentine's Day! Be thankful for what you have, and don't be sad by who/what you wish you had.

Follow Friday

Inspirafashion

 

Atlantic - Pacific

Tasty Thursday

I found this recipe last weekend when the internet was buzzing with superbowl food ideas and now I wish I had had a superbowl get-together so I could've made it!

Buffalo Macaroni & Cheese 

7 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 pound (16 oz) elbow macaroni 
1 small onion, finely chopped 
2 stalks celery, finely chopped 
3 cups shredded rotisserie chicken 
2 cloves garlic, minced 
3/4 cup Buffalo wing sauce (preferably Frank's. If you are worried about the heat factor add half the amount)
2 tablespoons  flour 
2 teaspoons dry mustard 
2 1/2 cups half-and-half 
1 pound (16 oz) yellow sharp cheddar cheese, cut into 1-inch cubes (about 3 1/2 cups)
8 ounces pepper jack cheese, shredded (about 2 cups) 
2/3 cup sour cream 
1 cup panko breadcrumbs (found in the grocery store next to regular breadcrumbs) 
1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese 
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and spray a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil; add the pasta and cook until al dente, about 7 minutes. Drain. 

Meanwhile, melt 3 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and celery and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in the chicken and garlic and cook 2 minutes. Then add 1/2 cup hot sauce and simmer until slightly thickened, about 1 more minute. 

Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a separate saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the flour and mustard until smooth. Whisk in the half-and-half and add the remaining 1/4 cup hot sauce and stir until thick, about 2 minutes. Whisk in the cheddar and pepper jack cheeses, then whisk in the sour cream until smooth. 

Combine the chicken mixture, cooked pasta, and cheese sauce and toss to combine.

Put the remaining 2 tablespoons butter in a medium microwave-safe bowl and microwave until melted. Stir in the panko, blue cheese and parsley. Sprinkle over the macaroni and bake until bubbly, 30 to 40 minutes. Let rest 10 minutes before serving. 

Best served immediately.

Source: Adapted from the Food Network

(Courtesy of The Girl Who Ate Everything)

interior love

Senioritis has gotten the best of me! Living at home and only taking four classes is making me one lazy lady! On Mondays and Wednesdays I only have one class and it almost takes longer to drive there & back than actually sitting in class - so I decided to take a personal (lazy) day today.

Instead, I'm hanging out watching law&order and repinning out my heart's desires on pinterest!
My apartment stayed cute & tidy for a whole day - as many times as I put away his toys, Rocko strews them all over the place! He's just about 5 months so he's beginning his teething phase and chewing everything.

So while my homey space goes through the puppy phase with us, I'm drooling over these interiors.