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Double Chocolate Cupcakes
While I know Halloween is today and most everyone already has their holiday baking out of the way, I’m sure that there are still some parties coming up this weekend. So, those of you who are still looking for some last minute inspiration, I hope this post will help you out. The great thing about cupcakes is really how versatile they are. They can be elegant, fun and kid-friendly, boozy and adult-friendly, celebratory or just plain simple. By dressing up a simple chocolate cupcake with…
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Caramel Apple Cupcakes
Last night, I took my girls trick-or-treating. Our community hosts a safe trick-or-treat and Halloween event in our downtown district. It’s awesome, because all of the businesses open their doors to the kids and pass out candy & treats – the city closes the streets to traffic, some of the storefronts create little haunted houses, the high-school kids dress up and pass out candy at the elementary school, and there are little kids EVERYWHERE. My sister owns one of those downtown shops, so my whole…
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Peanut Butter Monster Cookies
Pssst. I have a secret to tell you. You have to pinky-promise that you won’t tell anyone. Promise? I don’t really like Halloween. I actually kind of dislike it. It’s my least favorite holiday. Don’t get me wrong; I love fall, I love Thanksgiving, I love leaves, scarecrows, dried corn stalks, pumpkins, hay bales…but that’s where I draw the line. I don’t love costumes, costume parties, normal food disguised as disgusting food…(have you seen the spaghetti-hot dog worm thing on Pinterest? Gross.) I’m not…
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Nutella Cupcakes
I’ve had one of those weeks. Well, actually, I’ve had one of those months. You know, when you can’t get ahead, everything is a crazy mess, your to-do list is twice as long as usual, your kids are sick and on fall break, AND your husband has to travel for work? Yes, I’ve had that kind of month. I haven’t had a lot of time for baking this month, I haven’t really even had much time to go to the grocery store. As a result,…
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Tuna & Noodles from Scratch
So, I don’t eat seafood. I’ve tried. I’ve really, really tried. There are a few swimming-things that I’ve taste-tested over the years that I didn’t absolutely detest, but I’d never order them for myself. Well, maybe, possibly a crab cake. But honestly, I’ll only eat it if my husband orders it – if it’s up to me, I can always find a more appetizing appetizer on the menu. I have done everything I can to ensure that my girls don’t have the same aversions to…
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Homemade Pumpkin Spice Latte
There are a few things that I’m powerless against. I cannot say no to chips & salsa, guacamole, fried pickles, sweet potato fries and pumpkin spice lattes. Ooh – and nachos. It is nearly impossible for me to walk by a coffee house in the fall without ordering a pumpkin spice latte. It draws me in. They are definitely one of my favorite fall treats. I’ve seen the recipe for homemade pumpkin spice lattes all over the blogosphere and on Pinterest for years now, but…
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Boo-tiful Ghost Cake
I’m a scaredy-cat, generally speaking. Well, not generally speaking, specifically speaking. I can fake my way through a lot of scary situations, but deep down, I’m a bona-fide scaredy-cat. I could list all of the things that I’m scared of, but that would be the longest blog post ever. Unfortunately, and against my best intentions, I’m afraid I’ve passed some of my tendencies toward irrational fears along to my girls. My youngest is afraid of “creepy things.” And with Halloween right around the corner, everything…
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Fall Roundup
My head is literally swimming with pumpkin and apple recipes. I actually made a list of all of the fall baking I wanted to get up on Lemon Sugar before autumn slips away, and it’s kind of ridiculous. There are 42 items. How in the world will I ever narrow that down? I won’t. You all are going to gain 75 pounds before Thanksgiving. I apologize. Really. It’s funny, because I keep rationalizing to myself that pumpkin is a healthy baking alternative, so these recipes aren’t…
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Pumpkin Whoopie Pies
Have you ever played the “If I won the lottery, I would…” game? We don’t really buy lottery tickets, but sometimes, when the payout gets really, really high, we buy a ticket for fun. I think the most fun thing about it is dreaming about how we’d spend our windfall, where we’d travel, who we’d help…it’s good for a little bit of practically-free entertainment and good conversation. I do the same thing when it comes to bakeries. Sometimes I like to scope out quaint buildings…
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Pumpkin Bagels & Whipped Pumpkin Cream Cheese
Story time! Once upon a time, I bought my very first pumpkin bagel with pumpkin schmear at my local bagel shop. I loved it so much that I went back at lunchtime and bought another one. I tried to go back after work for another one but the bagel shop closed at 3pm so I had to wait until the next morning. On the third day (yes, THIRD day) of this behavior, the cashier said to me, “Wow, you must really love these bagels.” I think I…
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Homemade Crescent Rolls
I come from a family of nappers. Well, I should rephrase that a bit. My Mom and sisters could win a napping competition against the best nappers in the whole wide universe. I guess I wouldn’t call my Dad a napper, and I don’t think I’ve ever seen my brothers nap. But whatever. I come from half a family of nappers. I, though, am not a napper. Napping makes me feel worse than if I didn’t take a nap at all. I know there…
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Snickerdoodle Muffins
So, I woke up this morning and completely forgot that it was my anniversary. I called my husband after I dropped the princess diva-queen off at school, and I didn’t even say Happy Anniversary or anything. But, neither did he…so clearly he forgot too, right? Then, I’m at work and my phone notification pings and I see that he posted some really nice words about me on Facebook. Whoops. So, of course I did what any loving wife would do – I immediately reciprocated and…
