State of Nicole

My Favorite Prime Day / Target Circle Week / Walmart Plus Week Deals

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 26 Jun 2023 21:19:00 +0000

This post may contain affiliate links which help support this site at no additional cost to you. Full disclosure here. Thank you for your support.

If you like to shop the sales, you will enjoy this week. It's like the Black Friday of summer. Why's that? Amazon Prime hosts Prime Days for 2 days, filled with a lot of the same deals you may find on Black Friday catered specifically to their Prime subscribers. Of course, not to be outdone, other big box stores have also created their own sale extravaganzas to keep the shoppers attention. In addition to Prime Days, you'll see Target Circle Week & Walmart Plus Week. I've also noticed many other smaller stores running big sales & discounts to reign in some of that shopper excitement.

I'll be posting links to some of my favorite deals below. Be sure to shop the links asap as deals are time sensitive & could go out of stock rather quickly. Happy shopping!

Apple AirPods - this is the best deal currently on AirPods & $10 cheaper than Walmarts deal

There are plenty of book deals, including The Invisible Life of Addie Larue which I personally enjoyed reading.

Kindle Paperwhite - as much as I love having a physical book in my hands, I also read my fair share of ebooks & think this would come in handy or serve as a gift for all ages

Amazon Prime Days July 11-12, 2023

What is Amazon Prime Day?

Prime Day is a 2 day event full of deals for Amazon Prime members.

Not a member of Amazon Prime yet? Sign up for a membership here at this link.

11 Of My Favorite Advent Calendars 2024

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 13 Nov 2022 20:54:00 +0000

This post may contain affiliate links which help support this site at no additional cost to you. Full disclosure here. Thank you.

Tis the season for advent calendars. Who doesn't love having a little gift to open every day? From candy to socks, there's an advent calendar out there for everyone. I've compiled some of my favorites below.

Star Wars Lego Advent Calendar

OPI Nail Polish Advent Calendar

Dolly Parton Advent Calendar

12 Puzzle Advent Calendar

Gemstone Advent Calendar

Play-Doh Advent Calendar

Bath & Body Works Advent Calendar

Harry Potter Sock Calendar

Yankee Candle Advent Calendar

Sewing Advent Calendar

Hot Cocoa Kcup Advent Calendar

Happy Holidays!

Things I Love Right Now

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 04 Nov 2022 01:44:00 +0000

Windows open in November
Mayim Bialik hosting Celebrity Jeopardy
Karma by Taylor Swift
White Cheddar Smartfood Popcorn
That moment on The Voice when a contestant is singing & the first coach hits the button. It’s pure joy.
Leaves candle
Jen Hatmaker’s new cookbook
The promised extra hour of sleep for DST
Underpants & Overbites comics
Red cups are back at Starbucks

Cheers to new beginnings

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 12 Oct 2022 01:56:00 +0000

It’s been so long & yet it still feels like yesterday since I was last here. So much has changed & yet so much has stayed the same. I’m still enjoying this beautiful, midwestern life. Recent events have me feeling even more grateful for the little things in life. I think it’s time share that gratitude with others again. Let’s go.

“I hope the morning sun continues to remind you; you are worthy of new beginnings.” MHN

Homemade Decadence - Book Review

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 07 Jan 2015 23:59:00 +0000

Joy the Baker was one of the first food bloggers I ever followed. She's still one of my very favorites, so when I had the chance to review her most recent cookbook, of course I jumped at the opportunity. Homemade Decadence is the follow up to her first cookbook, Joy the Baker, which I loved. Both are filled with sweet treats, a few savory bites, and many, many pounds of butter.

Homemade Decadence has all of the important treats covered beginning with brunch and finishing with recipes for a late night bowl of ice cream. Not to mention all of the brownies, pies, cobblers, and cupcakes in between. I was drooling before I even opened the cover. That chocolate-peanut butter pretzel layer cake on the front is on my must-bake-soon list. But first, the vanilla bean confetti cookies had to happen. Who doesn't love a cookie covered in sprinkles? My nephews couldn't resist and neither could I.

My only regret with this book is that it didn't come with a workout DVD for use after I try all of the delicious recipes. We all know this won't end well for my new year's fitness resolutions. Everything in moderation, right? Right.

Seriously- go buy this book. Then invite your best friend over & indulge in one (or a few) of these amazing recipes.

Disclaimer: I received this book from the Blogging for Books program in exchange for this review. The opinions are my own.

2014

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 02 Jan 2015 04:23:00 +0000

2014 was a relatively quiet year for me. There was quite a bit of gardening, a whole lot of cold weather (polar vortex, anyone?), some creating or baking, and a little bit of loss. The rhythm of life was slower than normal even though the year passed by quickly.

While it was nice to have a year where I could catch my breath & fly a little under the radar, I'm ready to jump head first into 2015 and make a few waves. Look out world, here I come.

sweet iron & wine

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 03 Oct 2014 13:00:00 +0000

Last month, I made the trip to Bloomington to see Mr. Sam Beam, of Iron & Wine fame, with a friend. There was more time spent in the car than at the actual show, but it was well worth it. He played a solo, acoustic set mostly made of audience requests with a few of his newer songs mixed between.

Bloomington is such a lovely town, but thanks to rush hour traffic, we didn't make it there in time for a proper dinner. Luckily, there was a cute little ~~coffee~~ chocolate shop located right next door.

My friend bought each of us a french macaron, and let me tell you, it was the best macaron I've ever had. Granted, I have limited experience with macarons, but if I ever try my hand at baking these sweet treats, this would be my desired product.

A few hours later, we were back on the road to home. The foggy, late night road to home that looked like something out of a horror movie. Spoiler alert: Everyone made it home with all of their extremities intact.

Goodbye summer. Hello September.

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 02 Sep 2014 16:06:00 +0000

Hello again. Has it really been a year since I last posted on the blog? I guess a broken computer and slow internet will do that to a person.

Now armed with a new computer and faster internet, I'm excited to get back to blogging. And reading blogs too. Oh, how I've missed reading so many blogs.

The summer went by far too quickly. Most of my days, outside of work, were spent gardening, baking, sipping iced chai, or shopping flea markets with an occasional outdoor concert and weekly trips to the farmer's market.

The garden is winding down for the summer, but I have a feeling the baking is about to take off. Flea markets and outdoor concerts will soon turn into fall festivals. Iced chai will turn into pumpkin spiced chai lattes and the farmers market isn't going away anytime soon.

Here's to cooler temperatures and a brand new month.

Rainy day in Columbus

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 28 Aug 2013 15:30:00 +0000

A few weeks ago, I made the 2+hour drive over to Columbus, Ohio with my family for a little shopping. Tim Horton's was a mandatory, morning stop because their iced cappuccinos are amazing. And also because I can only find them in Ohio. Please open more Indiana locations, Tim Horton's!
This blueberry farm was conveniently located next to the highway, so we couldn't pass it up. The looming storms kept us from picking our own. Instead, I came home with a five pound box of pre-picked berries. A few handfuls immediately went into the most delicious blueberry muffins I've ever made & the rest went into the freezer for future pancakes, muffins, & pies.

The Book Loft is my favorite shop in Columbus. I've blogged about it before, but I can't help it. This lovely path provides a peaceful walk to the entrance. Probably to make up for the chaos of navigating 32 rooms. I've finally mastered the path to the bathroom though. Priorities, people.
On this particular visit, we found ourselves stuck by the entrance in the middle of an improv performance from a choir. I think it's probably the most interesting situation I've encountered while waiting for the rain to stop.
If you're a LUSH fan & find yourself within driving distance of Columbus, you need to make the trip to Easton Town Center to check out this location. I love LUSH and all, but the retail space is often so small that I almost feel claustrophobic. The windows in this one helped out big time. If only they'd expand all of their locations to be as spacious as the one up in Lincoln Park.

The boys on the trip decided we needed to visit the new Cabela's and stock up on gear for the upcoming hunting seasons. When I walk into this store it makes me want to buy & do "all the things". Hunting, fishing, camping, kayaking, and what not. All of it. Then I see the price tag and decide maybe I should just borrow dad's equipment and stick with my paper crafting.

Columbus is one of my favorite places to visit. If you have any suggestions for my next trip there, leave them in the comments!

summer reading

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 24 Aug 2013 14:00:00 +0000

My summer manifesto reading assignment was completed with a little incentive from my local library's summer reading program. I don't have the budget to buy many books, so I take full advantage of the borrowing privileges at the library. Mine even allows us to check out eBooks. It's my preferred method of checkout when I decide to start a new book... at midnight.

The summer isn't technically over, but here's a quick recap of what I read:

1. The Namesake - I loved this book from the very beginning. Jhumpa's writing allows entire years to pass on single pages with so much ease. As much as I was a fan of the book, I wasn't a fan of the movie. Skip the cinema & pick up the read on this one instead.

2. Someday, Someday, Maybe - As a devoted Lauren Graham fan since the Gilmore days, I had to pick up her debut book. If you're a fan of Meg Cabot or Ann Brashares- I think you'll enjoy this one too.

3. The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks - I've tried to read this one a couple of times before, but the third time was the charm. It read like a science fiction novel minus the fiction part and added a new dimension to my view of the medical community and its practices.

4. My Name is Memory - I was a fan of the traveling pants series from Ann Brashares, so this was an unexpected read from her. I'd classify it as science fiction chick lit. It was a great read but had a horrible ending. Here's hoping Ann's publisher allows a sequel.

5. Interpreter of Maladies - In this one, Jhumpa combined several short, rather simple stories. It was like a peek into some very private but everyday moments. Each story was a quick read so I kept this one in my purse and pulled it out when I had time to spare.

6. The Last Summer (of You & Me) - I was looking for a great beach read, despite the lack of a beach, and this was it. The story itself was set on the beach, so even though I couldn't be there, I could imagine it.

Yesterday, I hit up my library's annual book sale. A full box of books for only $3. Can't beat that. My nephew filled up over half the box, but I managed to come out with at least five good reads.

Happy reading!

30 days of creativity 2013: finished!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 09 Aug 2013 20:28:00 +0000

Day 1: Birthday tag, Day 2: herb garden markers, Day 3: painted sign, Day 4: mini bunting, Day 5: Cat scratcher, Day 6: Kitchen labels, Day 7: Cupcake batter for my cousin's graduation, Day 8: Frosted & decorated cupcakes for said graduation, Day 9: Sunday school craft, Day 10: Strawberry rhubarb pie, Day 11: Capri Sun wallet, Day 12: Party favors, Day 13: Homemade card, Day 14: Experimenting with my bread recipe, Day 15: Sewed a basket, Day 16: Strawberry shortcake for Father's Day, Day 17: Strawberries & cream pie, Day 18: Ice cream cookie sandwiches, Day 19: Painting at work, Day 20: Yay! card, Day 21: Bomb pop card, Day 22: Festive bunting, Day 23: Bookmark, Day 24: Mason jar tag, Day 25: festive card, Day 26: Flags for cupcakes, Day 27: Finishing my Cosco stool, Day 28: Work tags, Day 29: Pretty packaging, Day 30: Bumbleberry pie

30 projects in 30 days. There were days that I had to trick myself into "creating" something, but I finished! Checking another one off my Summer Manifesto.

For more 30 Days of Creativity goodness, check out the 30DOC site.

eating from the garden

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 08 Aug 2013 14:30:00 +0000

Despite my lack of blogging, I've actually made progress on my summer manifesto. A couple weeks ago, I was able to check off making a meal from the garden. Literally enjoying the fruits of your labor is the best thing ever.

The pico de gallo wasn't part of the actual dinner, but it was just as delicious. I whipped up a batch for lunch from the garden using our tomatoes, onions, jalapeno, and cilantro. If only I had a lime tree, I'd be set. I may have been working a little too quickly, hence the seeds that accidentally made it into the pico. Whoops!

No, these carrots weren't supermarket pretty but they were a tasty part of the meal I prepared.
For dinner, I made rosemary lemon roast chicken with roasted root vegetables á la Pioneer Woman. I smothered chickens, from a friend's farm, with a butter, lemon zest, and rosemary (from the herb garden) mixture. I chopped carrots, red onion, and celery all from the garden and tossed them with a little olive oil, salt, and rosemary. The potatoes would have been another garden addition, but there was already a bag of russets waiting to be used. Waste not, want not. So I left the garden potatoes in the ground.
And voila! Not the prettiest photo, but my family was too hungry to wait for decent photos. It was moist and delicious and will definitely be making another appearance in the kitchen.

life on the weekend

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 11 Jun 2013 16:00:00 +0000

The weather was perfect this weekend. Perfect for a visit to the farmers market & a grad party. Muffins are my breakfast of choice for a market visit. This vendor makes the best carrot muffins I've ever had. I purchase one every single time I visit.

The garden is all planted so there was no need for these plants, but they were so lush & green that I couldn't resist taking a photo.

After passing this vendor up for a couple of weeks, I decided to purchase a bag of the egg noodles. Do you see that list of flavors? They all smell amazing. I decided to go with a fan favorite, garlic. If all goes well, next time I'll bring lime cilantro & spinach noodles home with me.

I baked 4+ dozen cupcakes for my cousin's high school graduation party. She was the baby of the family for so long, I can't believe she's graduated. She had such a great time celebrating with family and friends. I'm excited to see where this journey takes her.

In unrelated news, I'm kind of a little more than a lot excited for Monster's University. I'm quite the fan of Monsters Inc. Also- new music from The Civil Wars. Seriously- go check that out.

donut days

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 07 Jun 2013 23:00:00 +0000

Friday started with this lovely gem of a sugar filled, calorie laden treat. But it's national donut day, right? Who can argue with a holiday dedicated solely to donuts? (Although, I strongly suspect the donut makers themselves have something to do with this.)

See that pretty tablecloth underneath? That was a whole other kind of treat. I found it in a little shop while running errands with my mom & nephews. Shortly after, we bought a few donuts & pulled into a park to put that pretty tablecloth to use. We looked a little crazy, but that's pretty much the norm.

This weekend is looking like the good kind of busy. Cupcakes to bake for my cousin's graduation party. Farmer's markets to attend. Kid crafts to plan for Sunday school. Followed by a Monday with absolutely zero commitments. I can't wait.

Wednesday catchup

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 07 Jun 2013 18:24:00 +0000

It's only been a few days since I posted my summer manifesto, but I'm already making great progress. The garden is doing really well so far. The strawberry patch is currently my pride & joy. Seemingly overnight, it exploded with beautiful fruit. The berries above were picked this morning. I had to pool all of my restraint to resist eating the entire bowl. I washed them & stuck them right in the freezer. Every morning, there is another basket waiting to be picked though. I have big plans to turn one batch into a strawberry rhubarb pie over the weekend.

These plant markers, inspired by Kimberley, are part of my 30 days of creating project. This is how most of my craft projects go. I pull out all of my craft supplies. The cat saunters over trying to figure out what's going on. I like to think she enjoys spending time with me, but it's usually just that she's waiting to take a nap on any leftover paper.

Beet greens are the prettiest of all greens but they taste like dirt.

I stopped by the library on my day off to pick up a few books & was distracted by the colorful selection of children's books.

I also signed up for the adult summer reading program. The e-reader giveaway at the end of the summer sounded like a good incentive. It seems to be working too. I sat down & read one of my books in its entirety that day.

I'd love to know what you're reading or crafting this summer! Or maybe you wouldn't mind sharing a good beet green recipe? There are so many growing in the garden & it seems a shame to let them go to waste.

Summer Manifesto 2013

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 02 Jun 2013 03:28:00 +0000

I loved Kimberly's Summer Manifesto so much, I made one of my own. This summer will be a busy one but I want to soak up every minute of it.

+ prepare a meal from the garden

+ make bubble tea at home

+ mini road trip - somewhere, anywhere

+ participate in 30 Days of Creativity, start to finish

+ finish the first month of my Project Life album

+ visit the nearby farmer's market as often as possible

+ try a homemade ice cream recipe

+ lose ten pounds (in spite of the ice cream)

+ relax by the lake

+ dive into a pile of summer reading material

+ dust off the sewing machine & sew something

+ make my own bath bombs

+ refinish an old Cosco stool

Between this checklist & another short list of to-do's, there won't be any time to utter the words "I'm bored" this summer. Leave some of your summer to-do's or suggestions in the comments below!

spring renewal

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 19:30:00 +0000

The sun shines a little longer, but April showers rule the day. Flood watches & tornado warnings on the television screen. Yes, spring is definitely here.

With it comes a few bursts of color. These hyacinths and daffodils popped up in the yard along with a few other flowers.

I'm taking it all in. The sunshine & renewal of nature is a happy distraction from the chaos and sadness occurring around the world.

Today my heart rests with Boston & West, Texas and those suffering from such tragedy.

"Out of difficulties grow miracles."

ramble friday

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 01 Feb 2013 20:00:00 +0000

I blinked and a month went by. 31 days of work and projects and food. Weeks running into each other and a great lack of sleep.

+I used the upcoming holiday to make a mini garland with glitter paper and baker's twine. Hobby Lobby sold the glitter paper as a 12x12 sheet for $1.99 (less if you find it on sale) and the baker's twine is from Target's Dollar Spot. I used some Smash* tape to attach the twine to the hearts. Easy peasy, y'all.

+I miss scrapbooking. I have a few more pounds to go before I hit a big weight loss goal, and I'm thinking of rewarding myself with the Seafoam Project Life kit. It's not too late to start, right?

+My latest food obsession is guacamole. I've made it at least once a week so far this year. Homemade is so much better than the restaurant kind.

+ I made it through 3 seasons of Friday Night Lights in the last few weeks thanks to Netflix. What I haven't done is made it through a single episode of Downton Abbey. It's like I lost my Downton mojo. Sad day. Speaking of television, I'm thinking of buying a Roku player. If you have one, I'd love to hear your thoughts about it in the comments!

+My nephew is an avid outdoorsmen and loves hunting. For his birthday, I made chocolate cupcakes with swirled "camouflage" buttercream and candy antler decorations. They were delicious, but not very diet friendly.

+I started working out with the 30 Day Shred video again. Less guilt for the cupcakes that way.

Happy Friday!

Salted Caramel Cupcakes With Chocolate Ganache Recipe

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 18 Jan 2013 17:00:00 +0000

Over the holidays, I made my first visit to Trader Joe's. I know, right? Small town living doesn't exactly afford such luxuries, so my friend and I decided to check one out while visiting another friend. It was a grand trip except that we chose to visit on a Sunday evening when everyone and their mother was trying to buy groceries.

Even though I could barely move through the store, I hit the jackpot on all things salted caramel. Salted caramel chai. Salted caramel candies. Salted caramel cookies. So good and so bad. They all made it into my basket. It was quite the sugar high.

Then the holidays were over, and I had to go back to eating vegetables. I knew my first cupcake should be of the salted caramel variety. Because of course I have to bake not so diet friendly cupcakes to continue my cupcake challenge. So what if I also get to partake of the the salty sweet goodness? It's for the greater good. Right? Right.

This cupcake scared the bajeezus out of me. I'm not a candy maker. Yes, I've made marshmallows & buckeyes. Those are practically foolproof. But caramel? I made it anyway, and I can tell you with confidence that caramel isn't really that hard. It just requires a lot of attention. Lock the doors. Turn your phone off. Give the dog a bone. Because it needs your undivided attention for 20 minutes. You can totally make this.

Salted Caramel Sauce Recipe
Yields approximately 2 cups

Ingredients:
1/3 cup water
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1/2 tsp sea salt

Directions:
Set out the cream on the counter while preparing the other ingredients. In a sauce pan over medium heat, pour in the water and sugar. Stir only slightly to combine the sugar with the water. Let it boil and do not stir until the mixture turns a deep amber color.

Remove pan from heat. Being careful to avoid splatter, slowly whisk in the heavy cream. If the mixture seizes, put it back on the stove top over low heat and whisk until the mixture becomes smooth. Remove from heat and stir in the sea salt. Pour into jar or other heatproof container. Allow to cool.

Salted Caramel Cupcake with Chocolate Ganache Recipe
Yields approximately 2 dozen cupcakes

Cupcake Ingredients

3 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp salt
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3 eggs
3/4 cup whole milk
2 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup salted caramel sauce
Chocolate Ganache (recipe below)
Extra caramel sauce for drizzling
Sea Salt for garnish

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350*F. Prepare muffin tin with cupcake liners. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

In the bowl of a mixer, cream together the butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Mix in the eggs one at a time until combined. Alternate between stirring in the dry ingredients and milk, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Stir in the vanilla and caramel sauce until thoroughly combined.

Fill cupcake liners 2/3 full with cupcake batter. Bake for 16-18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out with a very light crumb. Allow to cool in the pan for a few minutes and then remove to cooling racks.

Dip each cupcake into the ganache and allow to set up. Drizzle with caramel sauce. Sprinkle with sea salt just before serving.

Enjoy!

Slightly adapted from Vintage Cakes

Chocolate Ganache Recipe
Yields enough ganache for 2 dozen cupcakes

Ingredients:
1 cup (8 oz) chocolate chips
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

Directions:
Place a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water. Do not allow the water to touch the bowl. Pour the chocolate chips into the bowl and cover with cream. Slowly mix together until the chocolate is melted and smooth. Remove from pan and use immediately.

begin again

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 15 Jan 2013 00:30:00 +0000

Fourteen days into the new year. It's been a busy one. I had one day to rest and relax in the new year. It's been go-go-go ever since. I don't mind though. The 12 hour days keep the monster of restlessness away. They also keep the blogging minimal.

Mother Nature dropped ten inches of snow around the new year. A week or so later, I was enjoying spring weather. This weekend, leftover snow finished melting away with the arrival of rain leaving unwanted lakes and puddles around town. This morning, the puddles froze into miniature ice rinks along with all of my outdoor locks. That's Indiana weather for you. Always changing. Somewhat frustrating.

Yesterday was spent reworking a failed cupcake recipe. I have a love/hate relationship with baking sometimes. It's a balance of creativity and science. Oh, and eating. Can't forget that. It's the most important part after all. I'm happy to report the recipe worked this time around and will be posted on Friday.

There are big plans for me after work involving a whole lot of nothing. No laundry. No dishes. Just me, a cupcake, and the new episode of Biggest Loser. Then it's back to fruit and yogurt and vegetables in the morning.

2012 Goal Wrap-up

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 31 Dec 2012 14:00:00 +0000

This year I had two simple goals: 1. Get fit & 2. Bake a new cupcake each week. While I did not fully accomplish either goal, I wouldn't say it was a total wash.

No. I did not lose a ton of weight, but I did lose 20+lbs this year which is 20 more than I lost last year. I also took the time to evaluate my eating habits and make small changes that added up to big changes. Sure, I still eat the cupcakes I bake, but it's a conscious decision that will affect the rest of my day.

Exercise is still a big issue. I've tried off and on to get into a good routine, but I can't seem to stick with anything. I've thought about utilizing the Wii and getting some workout games. If you have any suggestions in that area, I'd love to hear them!

I'm pretty happy with what I've accomplished in this area. I've been trying to lose weight for years, but nothing ever worked until I reached the place where it was okay to fail. Mentally, this changed the game entirely and it's why I'm so excited to see my progress in 2013.

While I didn't make it to the end of my weekly cupcake project, I did manage to post 12 different cupcake recipes. A lot more were baked but never made it to the blog.

Food blogging is hard work, y'all. I quickly found out that I wasn't properly prepared for such a task. That doesn't mean I'm giving up though. I'm turning 52 cupcakes into an open ended project. My revised blogging goal is to bake a different cupcake every other week until I reach #52.

Overall, I'm okay with this ending. I've learned a lot this year. There were countless baking experiments and many pounds lost. Accomplishing both of those in the same year is a miracle in itself.

Happy New Year's Eve!

first snow

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 26 Dec 2012 14:51:00 +0000

So last week when the world was supposed to be ending, we had our first snow on the first day of winter. It didn't last very long, but it was lovely while it was here.
Despite my wishing and hoping for a white Christmas, yesterday was pretty boring weather wise. Today? There's a blizzard outside my windows. The kind that causes your workplace to close. Happy snow day to me!

Did you have a white Christmas or a blah weather day like me?

Tidings of Comfort & Joy

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 25 Dec 2012 16:07:00 +0000

For unto us is born this day, in the city of David, a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. Luke 2:11

Merry Christmas! May you be surrounded with tidings of comfort & joy this season.

the tree hunt

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 14 Dec 2012 16:00:00 +0000

What do you do when the rain pours and fog rolls in? You cut down a Christmas tree, of course. While the weather was less than desirable, it was the only day that my family could all get together. So we packed up and went out to find a tree.

We've cut our trees from this tree farm for many years. It's family owned and operated with acres of trees to choose from. They also sold some lovely evergreen wreaths and decorations. Pine and fur trees went on forever. Or to the treeline anyway. The only rule here- you must pick a tree with a pink tag.

The fields were full of trees too big. Too short. Too thin. Too wide. Too many holes. And then a couple of perfectly shaped trees ...that will be tall enough in about two years.
This one was a keeper. Seven and a half feet of a lovely canaan fir. Thank goodness for nephews who want so badly to do the sawing despite the muddy ground.

I'll be posting photos of the decorated tree next week. This afternoon, I'm finishing a few more handmade Christmas gifts and then I'll be off to Michigan for a weekend with friends.

Happy Friday!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Cupcake Recipe

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 07 Dec 2012 23:32:00 +0000

If I had to pick one favorite candy, it's the peanut butter cup. Especially the miniatures. You know, the ones where you start with just one and somehow end up with ten wrappers. What, that hasn't happened to you? They're addicting, I tell ya.

Needless to say, I really-really-really love them. One day I had the thought to throw one of the miniatures into a chocolate cupcake, because hello? Who doesn't love a nice candy surprise in the middle of an already sweet treat?

The only thing that could make these cupcakes better was a good peanut butter frosting. And this particular peanut butter cream cheese frosting is high up there on the lick-the-bowl-&-beater scale. I might as well have piped some onto a spoon or twelve.

Then I chopped up the leftover peanut butter cups to garnish the cupcakes. But let's be honest. There were only about four leftover because I ate too many, so I topped the rest with sprinkles. Still just as delicious and a whole lot prettier.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Cupcake

Yields approximately 2 dozen cupcakes

Ingredients

1/2 cup + 1 tbsp dutch process cocoa powder
1/2 cup + 1 tbsp hot water
2 1/2 cups flour
3/4 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 sticks + 2 tbsp unsalted butter, room temp
1 2/3 cups sugar
3 eggs
1 tbsp vanilla
3/4 cup sour cream
1 bag of peanut butter cup miniatures, unwrapped
1 batch of peanut butter cream cheese, recipe below
Extra peanut butter cups for garnish, optional

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350*F. Prepare muffin tin with cupcake liners. In a small dish, whisk the hot water into the cocoa powder. In another bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

In a medium saucepan, melt together the butter and sugar over medium heat until fully smooth. Transfer to the bowl of a stand mixer and beat on low speed until the mixture is cooled. Add in eggs one at a time, beating until fully combined. Stir in the vanilla and cocoa/water mixture. Gradually add in the remaining dry ingredients alternating with the sour cream- beginning and ending with the dry ingredients.

Fill cupcake liners 2/3 full with cupcake batter. Push one of the peanut butter cups into the batter in each liner. Bake for 16-18 minutes. Allow to cool in pan for a few minutes and then remove to cooling racks. Frost as desired and top with extra chopped peanut butter cups. Refrigerate when not being served.

Slightly adapted from Annie's Eats.

Peanut Butter Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe
Ingredients:
1 1/2 blocks (12 oz) cream cheese, cold
3 tbsp unsalted butter
1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
1 tbsp clear vanilla extract
3 1/2 cups powdered sugar, sifted

Directions:
In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat together the butter and cream cheese. Blend in the peanut butter and vanilla extract. Slowly stir in the powdered sugar half a cup at a time until fully combined, being careful not to over mix. Frost cupcakes as desired.

Adapted from Confection's of a Foodie Bride via Annie's Eats

Enjoy!