maple pumpkin cheesecake bites

I have a confession: I've never been much of a cheesecake person. I know, I know. But EVERYONE loves cheesecake! What's not to like? Well, let me explain myself by way of an even more troublesome confession: I have mixed feelings towards cream cheese in general. (gasp) Yes, it's true. Cream cheese and I have a troubled relationship.

You should know, though, that I didn't always feel so questionable about cream cheese. No sir. When I was a wee youngin' I can remember eating cream cheese by the slice. Yes, that's right. By. The. Slice. I'm gagging as I type this just thinking about it. Vile. I was clearly an odd child.

So, you see, I think what we have here is a case of "too much of a good thing." I got burnt out. Too much cream cheese too fast. It ruined me. Now I'm destined to a lifetime of struggle to regain my lost love for cream cheese.

These Maple Pumpkin Cheesecake Bites helped. The maple syrup, pumpkin, spices, and gingersnap crust really dominates these cheesecake bites. The cheesecake here isn't at the forefront, it just provides the necessary creaminess. And the cute bite size? Yup, that's something I can get behind. I think I'm officially one step closer to finally becoming a cheesecake person. Baby steps, people.

Maple Pumpkin Cheesecake Bites

For the Crust:
42 gingersnap cookies (about 9 ounces)
2 Tbsp granulated sugar
5 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted

For the Filling:
8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1 cup light brown sugar
1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin puree (about 2 cups)
2 eggs
1 (12-ounce) can evaporated milk
2 Tbsp pure maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp ground ginger
¼ tsp kosher salt
Pinch allspice

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Like muffin tin or mini muffin tin with cupcake liners.

Make the Crust: In a food processor, pulse together the gingersnaps and sugar until they become fine crumbs. Add the melted butter and pulse a few more times to incorporate. Press the crumbs evenly into the bottom of the prepared muffin tins. (Note: I had just enough crust mixture for 18 standard cheesecake crusts and 12 mini cheesecake crusts.) Bake for 7-8 minutes.

Making the Filling: While crust is baking, prepare the pumpkin filling. Beat together the cream cheese and the brown sugar on medium speed until smooth and creamy, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed, about 3 minutes. Add the pumpkin and mix on low speed until completely incorporated. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well until fully incorporated and scraping down the sides of the bowl between each addition. Add the evaporated milk, maple syrup and vanilla, and beat until well combined, about 1 minute. Add the cinnamon, ginger, salt, and cloves and mix on low to incorporate.

Using a large cookie scoop or spoon, portion filling into muffin tins, filling each almost to the top. Tap the pan on the counter to remove any air bubbles. Bake until the filling is set in the center, about 23 to 25 minutes for regular cheesecakes and 15 to 18 for mini cheesecakes. Remove from oven and set on a wire rack to cool. Once the cheesecake bites have cooled to room temperature, transfer to a serving platter and refrigerate until chilled.

Store cheesecake bites in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Yield: approximately 2 dozen cheesecake bites, depending on size

Source: adapted from Brown Eyed Baker

rosemary roasted pumpkin seeds

A girl can't carve a pumpkin without also roasting up some pumpkin seeds. That would be a tragic missed opportunity! I'm no newbie to roasting pumpkin seeds. Spicy, salty, sweet, savory. I've tried it all over the years.

However, this time I decided to get crazy and do it all at once. That's right. The title may be Rosemary Roasted Pumpkin Seeds but these bad boys are so, so much more. Sweet from the maple syrup and brown sugar. Spicy from the cayenne pepper. Savory from the fresh rosemary. Salty from the, well, salt. These pumpkin seeds are a little bit of everything and they are so deliciously addictive.

These pumpkin seeds will have to last me through Frankenstorm. Luckily, they'll go perfectly with all the Pumpkinhead Ale I have left. Let's do this thing.

Rosemary Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

Ingredients:
2 cups pumpkin seeds

1 tsp vegetable oil
1 Tbsp + 1 tsp pure maple syrup
1 Tbsp light brown sugar, lightly packed
1 Tbsp freshly squeezed orange juice
1/4-1/2 tsp ground cayenne pepper, depending on preference
2 Tbsp minced fresh rosemary leaves, divided
1 tsp salt, divided

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Mist a sheet pan with nonstick baking spray. Combine the pumpkin seeds, vegetable oil, maple syrup, brown sugar, orange juice, and cayenne pepper on the sheet pan. Toss to coat the seeds evenly. Add one tablespoon of rosemary and 1/2 teaspoon of salt and toss again.

Spread the seeds in one layer. Roast the seeds for 15 minutes, stirring twice with a large metal spatula, until the seeds are glazed and golden brown. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with remaining 1/2 teaspoon of salt and one tablespoon of rosemary.

Toss well and set aside at room temperature, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking as they cool. Taste for seasoning. Serve warm or cool completely and store in airtight containers at room temperature.

Yield: 2 cups

Source: Sprinkles and Champagne original

pumpkins gone wild

So I finally got around to pumpkin carving. Better late than never, right? After the craziness of midterms week, I was in desperate need of some rest and relaxation this weekend. Although I didn't get too much of either, I did squeeze in time for a couple scary movies, a few great meals, plenty of wine, and some Sunday afternoon pumpkin carving.

This cannibalistic pumpkin-eating pumpkin idea was inspired by this particular pin. While it's not an exact replica, I'm pretty pleased with the results! And just in time for the trick or treaters!

That is...if Frankenstorm doesn't blow us away first. Amidst my weekend fun, I also squeezed in time to stock up on necessities before good ol' Hurricane Sandy comes to town. Canned soup, bottled water, and candles. What more could a gal want? Oh yeah, and plenty of Pumpkinhead Ale. Bring it on, Frankenstorm. :)

God willing I'll still be able to do my regular posts in the upcoming days. However, if I'm noticeably absent, just know that I'm most likely without power. Please send fresh supplies of Pumpkinhead Ale as soon as possible. Rations are most likely low.

midterms, giants, and "frankenstorm"

I feel like it's been a month of Sundays since I've posted here last! Which is to say...a really long time, guys. And I'm sorry. I'm sorry for my neglect but I had to do it for my own sanity. That's all. I still love you SOOOO much. :)

So here's what I've been busy thinking about this past week:

1. First, sooo look at the tree up there that exists right outside my window. That is all.

2. Midterms. Ugh. In two days I composed 10 pages on the pedagogical and theoretical utility of life writing in the composition classroom and 12 pages on the role of Geraldine Ferraro in the 1984 presidential election through a constructivist gender theory framework. (deep breath) It's a mouthful, I know. Thus my silence here.

3. Giants. Specifically of the San Francisco variety. All the way to the series despite all odds! And then dominating the first games...like a boss. Natch.

4. Ohmygoodness, do you guys realize Halloween is like practically here? Sheesh! I haven't even planned out my costume! Actually, in reality I probably won't even need a costume because A: I have class on Wednesday evening and B: Hurricane Sandy is set to hit us on Wednesday. I know, right? The timing is ridic. The media are calling it a "Frankenstorm," which, naturally, I LOVE. So, yeah, probably just gonna go as an exhausted graduate student. Sooo original.

5. Ugh, Bella cat. She's too beautiful for words. I sent this pic to my best good friend Shan and she said Bella looks like the cat on Shrek. Fact. Also, she loves Mellowcreme Pumpkins like I do. Legit.

6. Have you guys seen this? Because it's basically epic. Tom Hanks. Full House. Slam poetry. 'Nuff said.

7. Who's had enough Presidential debates!?! This girl. I can't watch any more. Just bring on the election. Let's do this thang and get it over with. Am I right?

source: skreened

8. I NEED this shirt. Immediately.

9. On a more serious note, have you seen this video from earlier this year? It is seriously disturbing. I am already creating hypothetical emergency plans in my mind to deal with just such a situation. People be crazy.

10. Yes, yes, and yes to each and every one of these.

Have a great weekend folks!

world series bound

Hey all! Quick post today. I'm deep in the midst of mid-term week. That means one paper due tonight, another due tomorrow, mid-term grades for my kiddos, and meetings out the wazoo. In the midst of all that, though, I had to post one very important message:

GO GIANTS!!!

World Series bound once again and I could not be more excited!

Happy Tuesday! :)

short ribs with wine and cream

I give you this recipe with a warning attached. Beware: share at your own risk. I say this for two primary reasons.

#1. Just know that you won't want to share this at all. Like, with anyone. Yes, I know this recipe makes enough food for an entire family. Doesn't matter. You'll want it all to yourself. Confession: I ate 75% of this dish myself. No, not in one sitting. But, still. That's a whole lotta food. And I don't regret it.

#2. This is one of those meals that men freak over. This has "man food" written all over it. I mean, we're talking braised short ribs here. The particular fellow who happened to be lucky enough to get this dinner proclaimed them the best short ribs he'd ever had and attempted to convince me to bottle and sell the wine and cream sauce.

My point here is that you should make good and sure that you are making this for a deserving audience when, not if, you make this dish. The lucky recipient of such a meal may fall hopelessly and madly in love with you, whether or not that is your intention.

Just know that you've been warned.

Short Ribs with Wine and Cream

Ingredients:
12 whole shortribs
Salt and pepper, to taste
3 Tbsp olive oil
1 cup red wine
32 ounces beef broth
2 Tbsp minced fresh rosemary
2 Tbsp grainy mustard
1 cup heavy cream
2 Tbsp capers (or more)

Directions:
Heat olive oil in a heavy pot over high heat. Sprinkle short ribs on both sides with salt and pepper. Quickly sear both sides of the short ribs, using tongs to flip them halfway through. (Sear about 1 1/2 minutes per side.) Remove the shortribs to a plate.

Pour wine and beef broth into the pot. Add rosemary. Stir to combine, scraping the bottom of the pot to deglaze. Return the shortribs to the pot, reduce heat to low, then cover the pot and simmer it for 2 1/2 to 3 hours. (You can also put the pot into a 300 degree oven if you'd prefer not to simmer on the stovetop.)

After they have cooked, carefully remove the shortribs from the pot again. Stir in mustard, cream, and capers, then raise the heat and allow it to bubble up and gently boil for a good couple of minutes, or until it has thickened a bit. (I let is reduce for a good 15-20 minutes.) Taste and add more salt and pepper if needed. Return the shortribs to the sauce, put on the lid, and turn off the heat.

Serve the shortribs on top of mushrooms/rice/mashed potatoes/grits/whatever, then drizzle with extra cream sauce.

Yield: 4-6 servings

Source: The Pioneer Woman

diy: spiderweb pumpkin

Last weekend the roomie and I hit up a pumpkin patch. It was basically the cutest thing I've ever seen, complete with fresh baked pies, pumpkins of every kind, and hay rides. I left with more pumpkins than I could carry and last night I FINALLY decorated one of 'em! One down, a million to go.

I got this idea from Pinterest and it was so easy I didn't think it warranted a full step-by-step post. So, instead, here's pumpkin-decorating in pictures. As you can see above, it all began with a pumpkin and a beer...as all good things do. :)

Step one, paint the whole dang thing black. Stem and all. My roommate got a little wild and did a green one as well. We just used cheap-o fabric paint for these but I'm sure anything would work. Spray paint would probably make this step go a bit faster, too.

And, finally, add your spiderweb. I did mine with a silver paint pen but a silver Sharpie would probably work just as well, too. This step would have been easier had my pumpkin had grooves but the dang thang was smooth as a baby's butt. So I improvised and eyeballed the vertical lines. Then I just connected them with diagonal lines to make a chevron pattern.

That's it...done! Easy peasy lemon squeeze-y. Happy Halloween!

nutmeg maple butter cookies with maple glaze

It's not often that I have a real bonafide reason to bake. I mean, I invent tons of reasons to bake. It's autumn. I'm hungry. The trainers at the gym need sustenance. I need to avoid doing homework for a few hours. There is a random, obscure, or wholly made-up holiday approaching. The cat looks like she's craving [insert baked good here]. I need to use up those eggs, milk, butter, or other perishable good. You get the picture...I can concoct a reason to bake on any given day.

However, rarely do I have a REAL reason to bake. This week, however, I had one. You see, in my Tuesday night class, a sign-up sheet was passed around and each of us selected a week to bring snacks. I was inordinately excited, as you can imagine. I signed up for my week and began brainstorming. After much deliberation, I finally settled on these nutmeg maple butter cookies from Smitten Kitchen. The perfect treat for class. Easily portable, quick to throw together, and the taste? Like a butter cookie but so much better because they're flavored with maple syrup and nutmeg. Perfect. I even got crazy and added a maple glaze to really wow my classmates.

The night before class, I had a pretty row of leaf-shaped cookies laid out, the dough cooling and the glaze setting. I even made a point to tell my roommate that these cookies were off limits, so I would have plenty for my classmates.

You can only imagine how this story ends. As I waited for my cookies to set, I took a moment to check my email...only to find an email from my professor. Canceling class. (sigh) Oh well, more cookies for me and the roommate. And the cat who has DEFINITELY been craving nutmeg maple butter cookies lately. I can tell.

Who needs a "real" reason to bake anyway?

Nutmeg Maple Butter Cookies with Maple Glaze

Ingredients:
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup maple syrup (be sure to use real maple syrup here, not that imitation "pancake syrup" stuff)
1 large egg yolk
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1 tsp salt

Glaze:

1 cup powdered sugar

5 Tbsp maple syrup

4-5 Tbsp heavy cream

Pinch salt

Directions:
Using an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. With mixer running, add yolk and slowly drizzle in maple syrup. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, nutmeg and salt. Add to butter mixture and mix until just combined. The dough will be in loose clumps. Gather them together into a tight packet with a large piece of plastic wrap and chill dough for at least two hours (and up to four days) until firm.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a few baking sheets with parchment paper. I like to roll out a quarter to half the dough at a time, leaving the rest in the fridge. On a floured counter, roll dough to 1/8-inch thickness and cut into desired shapes.

(I started with conservative circles, moved into ridged circles, then maple leaves and then, after reading a fascinating article about the acorn harvest this year, got forrest-ed away with acorns and oak leaves that a reader sent me a few years ago. Not that you asked any of this.)

Arrange cookies on baking sheets and bake for 8 to 11 minutes each, or until lightly golden at the edges. Transfer to racks to cool. Cookies keep in airtight containers for a week, or in the freezer until their dance number is up.

Yield: 2 dozen cookies

Source: cookie dough from Smitten Kitchen

pumpkin pecan butter rolls with maple bourbon cream cheese icing

Cinnamon rolls are one of my favorite go-to baked goods when the weather turns a bit chilly. And, luckily for me, we've had some exceptionally chilly, grey, blustery fall days lately. So, cinnamon rolls it is!

Here's the other great thing about cinnamon rolls. They require some kneading. Most people with the luxury of a stand mixer can breeze through this step. Just switch that sucker on and come back in five. Not this gal. I live in the dark ages where kneading is done by hand. Gasp! The horror! It's okay, though, guys. It's my arm workout/therapy so it works.

Yesterday, I brought you pumpkin pecan butter. Today, I show you the most sinful possible thing you can do with said pumpkin pecan butter. So, if you'd like to maintain the virtuous purity of that pumpkin butter, look away. Look away now!

Otherwise, come with me down the path to pumpkin butter heaven. Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to stuff that pumpkin butter along with some toasted pecans and brown sugar into some big, fluffy cinnamon rolls. And then, as if that weren't sinful enough, let's smother it all with icing. But not just any icing. This icing has cream cheese. And maple syrup! And bourbon!!! Lord have mercy.

If you haven't yet made the pumpkin pecan butter from yesterday, go do it now! Then make these deliciously sinful fall-inspired cinnamon rolls. And, if pumpkin ain't your thang, just know that I have a few more autumn-themed cinnamon rolls in mind for the coming weeks and months. Prepare your stretchy pants, folks!

Pumpkin Pecan Butter Rolls with Maple Bourbon Cream Cheese Icing

For the Dough:
4 large egg yolks
1 large whole egg
1/4 cup sugar
2 tsp extract
6 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted
3/4 cup buttermilk
4 cups flour, plus more for dusting surface
1 pkg (2 1/4 tsp) instant yeast
1 tsp salt

For the Filling:
3/4 cup chopped pecans
1 cup pumpkin pecan butter
1/4 cup barely packed dark brown sugar

For the Icing:
2.5 oz cream cheese
2 Tbsp bourbon
1 Tbsp maple syrup
1 cup powdered sugar

Directions:
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, beat the egg yolks, whole egg, sugar, butter, vanilla, buttermilk and half the flour together until well combined. Add yeast, salt, and the next 1 1/4 cup flour (leaving about 3/4 cup remaining) and knead on low for 5 minutes.

Add additional flour by the spoonful if necessary. You want the dough soft and moist but not overly sticky. (I used almost the full 3/4 cup remaining.) Knead another 5 minutes until the dough clears the sides of the bowl (but might still stick to the bottom a bit).

Transfer dough to a lightly greased, large bowl and let double, 2 to 2 1/2 hours.

Just before the dough is finished, preheat the oven to 375. Spread the pecans on a baking sheet and roast 5-7 minutes, until brown and fragrant. Set aside to cool.

Spray or butter a 9-inch pan. Turn out the dough onto your lightly floured work surface. Stretch and roll the dough into approximately a 12x18" rectangle with the long edge nearest to you. Spread the pecan pumpkin butter over the dough, leaving the top 1" bare. Spinkle the pecans and brown sugar over top.

Starting with the edge of the dough closest to you, roll the dough into a cylinder and pinch the the seam to seal. Gently press, squeeze, and stretch the roll to get an even thickness. Cut the roll into 1 1/2" slices and place in the baking dish (you'll get 12 rolls). Cover tightly with foil or plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

The next morning, place the rolls in the oven with the heat off. Fill a shallow pan 2/3 full of boiling water and place it on the rack below the rolls. Close the oven and let the rolls rise for approximately 30 minutes. 

Remove the water pan and rolls from the oven and preheat the oven to 350. Bake rolls on the middle rack for 25-30 minutes, until golden brown.

While the rolls are baking, beat the cream cheese, bourbon, maple syrup, and powdered sugar together until smooth. Drizzle over the rolls and serve.

Leftovers can be stored in the fridge, tightly covered. Rewarm in the microwave for best results.

Yield: 12 rolls

Source: adapted slightly from Confections of a Foodie Bride

pumpkin pecan butter

Happy Monday!!! And apologies for my prolonged absence. All I can say is that it's rough being a grad student sometimes. Don't get me wrong, I love what I do. But, sometimes, after a 14-hour day on campus or a weekend that wasn't really a weekend at all but, rather, two extra days of homework and grading and conferences and meetings...those times I begin to think that all you nine-to-fivers may have had the right idea.

But, then I have one of those random Thursdays when I'm done with teaching and office hours by 10 am and I get to spend the rest of the day having fun. Those days help me retain some semblance of sanity. Or at least help me get back to whatever my version of "sanity" looks like. Which usually involves kneading dough and drinking red wine. Sooo, that's what I did yesterday. And I must say, I'm closer to "sanity" than I have been in weeks. :)

But first, a precursor to the dough-kneading. Pumpkin pecan butter. I mean, right??? An ingredient perfect in its own right. On toast or an English muffin with jam or slathered on some pumpkin bread and warmed up. Ohmygoodness, my mouth is watering with the possibilities. Of course, I didn't do any of these things yet. Instead, the cold, blustery weather this weekend made me crave one of my autumn baking standbys...cinnamon rolls. Are you picking up what I'm putting down here? More on that tomorrow.

In the meantime, go stock up on some canned pumpkin before the shelves start getting sparse and whip up a batch of this pumpkin pecan butter. Trust me, you'll be glad you did when you see what's coming your way tomorrow. The suspense must be killing you! Now go make some pumpkin pecan butter and get your dough-kneading muscles warmed up...

Pumpkin Pecan Butter

Ingredients:
1/2 cup chopped pecans
Zest and juice of 1/2 lemon
Zest and juice of 1/2 orange
1/4 cup dark brown sugar
15 oz can pumpkin
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp allspice
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp salt

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350. Spread pecans on a baking sheet and roast for 7 minutes, until browned and fragrant. Run the pecans through the food processor until finely ground. They'll start to take on a pasty consistency.

In a small sauce pan over medium heat, combine the citrus zests and juices and dark brown sugar. Stir until warmed. Add pumpkin, nuts, and spices. Turn heat down to low, simmering for 20-30 minutes, until thickened and the color darkens.

Stir and taste for seasoning and sweetness occasionally, adding additional spices as necessary.

The pumpkin butter will keep 2-3 weeks in the fridge.

Yield: ~2 cups
Source: barely adapted from Confections of a Foodie Bride

pretty pumpkins

source: wild ink press

I'm still playing catch up after my big weekend back home. If you suddenly stop seeing posts, just know that I was suffocated by a mound of paperwork and textbooks. Notify the authorities...and my parents. And I will miss you all so much.

Let's keep our fingers crossed that that doesn't happen, though. Okay?

Until I have enough free time to cook/bake/craft something original to send your way, I'm going to attempt to distract you with shiny objects. Look, glittery pumpkins! Is it working?

This coming weekend, I'm hoping to go pumpkin picking and these ideas, gathered from Pinterest, are hopefully in my future. What do you think? Enough glitter for one weekend?

source: twig & thistle

source: martha stewart

source: funkytime

Links are embedded in each photo caption. Happy Tuesday!

kc in pictures

me and sister friend

Happy Monday people! I survived my whirlwind weekend but just barely. Here's the rundown of events: flew to KC, saw the family, spent two days at the American Royal BBQ competition rooting for Roughnecks BBQ, had a family birthday celebration, met up with old friends, hit the town for birthday dinner and drinks, and flew back to the Baby State. All in three days. Yeesh.

So, I will be spending the better part of this week playing catch up after all my recent adventures. I'm hoping to get back to regular posts later this week. And, fingers crossed, I'm looking forward to a low-key weekend coming up. We'll see if it actually happens or not.

In the meantime, here is my weekend in pictures. Enjoy!

light beer and cheese puffs = balanced meal

bundled up for bbq

time for cake!

birthday cupcakes

pure sin

honey boo boo child is everywhere

friends reunited

wining and dining

warm sweaters + pumpkin ale = birthday perfection

Have a great Monday!

best friends, bbq, and birthday

So this is always a good policy, but the reason I post this quote today is because tomorrow actually IS my birthday! I won't tell you how old I'm going to be because a lady never tells. Many of you know anyway and, for those who don't, I'm somewhere between a teenager and an old woman. Probably a little of both.

Some birthday week thoughts:

1. I am in Kansas City this weekend for the American Royal BBQ competition. My dear ol' dad is competing and I am so excited to cheer him on...and maybe serve as official taste tester. You know, if he needs me. I'm thoughtful like that.

2. So now that it's October, I am officially in pumpkin overdrive. I eat/drink at least one pumpkin-flavored thing every single day. Is that overkill? Maybe. But if it's wrong then I don't wanna be right.

3. Anybody watch the presidential debate Wednesday night? If so, perhaps you may have noticed the excruciating look on Romney's face the entire time. What was that? Like a combo of "I'm uncomfortable," "I wanna bitch slap you so hard," and "you're an idiot"? Whatever it was, I couldn't even look at him without grimacing. That look alone may have cemented my vote this November. Yikes.

4. In other equally important news, the blind auditions for The Voice are over and I am so freaking pumped for competition rounds. Also, I am madly in love with the Blake Shelton/Adam Levine dynamic. Also, I'm just madly in love with Blake Shelton and Adam Levine.

5. This weekend I will be reunited with all my best friends after months apart. I'm seriously so pumped I can't even handle it. Better pack your party pants ladies!

Clearly, I am distracted by my big trip home. I'm not even going to attempt to be witty or charming or whatever today. Nope. Instead, I'm going to go enjoy my weekend. Hope you have a great one too! If you are in the KC area, hope to see you out at the Royal. Go Roughnecks BBQ!

drinking pumpkin pie

shipyard pumpkinhead ale

So it's fall and I know I'm all "pumpkin EVERYTHING," but I've got another pumpkin-themed post for you. This one is even man-friendly. Okay, ready for this? Pumpkin beer. But not just pumpkin beer. Because we all know about pumpkin beer, right?

Here's the thing. Lately, when I order a pumpkin beer at a bar or restaurant, they serve it with cinnamon sugar around the rim. Yes, you heard that right. Pumpkin beer with cinnamon sugar on the rim! Perhaps only the greatest invention since the Interwebs. I mean, right?

shipyard pumpkinhead ale + cinnamon sugar

So, after ordering several of these magnificent beers in various restaurants and pubs lately, I finally decided to recreate them for myself. Luckily, I happened to have a container of cinnamon sugar on hand, but if you don't just mix equal parts cinnamon and sugar and call it a day. So here's the ridiculously easy directions.

Step 1: Wet the rim of a glass with a slice of orange.
Step 2: Dip said rim into cinnamon sugar mixture.
Step 3: Pour in pumpkin beer.
Step 4: Drink.

Seriously, the cinnamon sugar makes all the difference. I kid you not. Tastes like a dang pumpkin pie walked into a brewery...in the best possible way. Now go make it happen!

investigating h&m

red blazer $39.95

So I recently discovered H&M. I know, I know, I'm totally out of the fashion loop. But I've just never had one close by. :(

That's all changed now thanks to my good best friend Shan. I can always count on her for fashion knowledge. She informed me, promptly upon arriving in the baby state, that an H&M had opened in Rhode Island and that we MUST go. Whaaa? How could I not know? A quick Google search later and I learned that I live within 25 miles of not one, but TWO new H&M stores. Gahh! I've been such a fool! Thank my lucky stars that Shan has set me on the right path.

For those of you who have yet to experience shopping at H&M, let me just start by saying this: it's overwhelming with a capital O. Good overwhelming, but overwhelming nonetheless. A word of warning...don't expect to be there for less than an hour if you want to do the store justice and please please please for the love of all that is good and holy, do NOT bring a screaming toddler. I may be scarred for life.

Nevertheless, screaming toddles aside, I persevered and ended up with some awesome purchases. Let's start with the blazer above. The picture does not do this one justice. It's an orangey-red flame color, fits like a glove, and the material definitely looks much pricier than the $40 price tag. This is maybe my favorite purchase of the day. It will work equally well paired with a pencil skirt and blouse for teaching or skinny jeans, heels, and a cute top for a night out. Solid find.

chiffon blouse $24.95

Next, this gorgeous chiffon blouse. I've been on the hunt for blouses lately and this one is so versatile. It's loose-fitted and drapey and it will layer nicely this winter under blazers, sweater vests, and my fur vest. A perfect essential.

gold bangles $5.95

Here's the thing about H&M. You think you're done. And then you see the accessories. I mean, how can you turn down a HUGE set of gold bangles for less than $6? The answer is you can't. You just can't. Gotta get 'em.

spike necklace $12.95

And, finally, a statement necklace that I couldn't pass up. This bad boy is a little out of my style comfort zone, but I am currently experiencing a slight love affair with spikes. I don't know what that says about me, but whatever. I can't wait to wear this necklace out on the town.

So, there you have it, my favorite H&M finds. Considering the massive stack of clothes on my arm and multiple trips to the dressing rooms, I feel like I did pretty good picking out some functional pieces for my wardrobe. And the prices? Amazing. 'Nuff said.

If you have an H&M nearby, I highly suggest scoping it out. You won't regret it...although your wallet might. ;)

weekend in pictures

You may have been wondering where I have been for the past week or so. Well, let me tell you. I have been laptop-less all because of that one up there. You see, Bella Cat has a fetish. A fetish for cords. And not just any cords, but my laptop charger cord, to be exact.

So, when my charger quit working entirely, it wasn't difficult to figure out why. The tiny little holes in my cord, perfectly shaped like little cat teeth gave her away immediately. Don't worry, we had a rough patch there for a while, but we've since reconciled. That is, as long as she keeps her tiny teeth off my new charger. (sigh)

Anyway, I was too preoccupied this weekend to even notice my laptop situation. My best good friends Shan came to visit! We had a blast walking on the beach, wine tasting, eating a metric TON of seafood, and shopping 'til we dropped. I think it's safe to say that I've converted another Midwesterner to the wonderful ways of the East Coast.

Some pictures from our adventures...

long walks on the beach

searching for shells (aka pieces)

newport at its finest

Saturday afternoon wine tasting

vineyard view

I'll be back to my regular posts soon. Just gotta catch up after my whirlwind weekend first! Hope you all had a great weekend! :)