Raspberry Chocolate Cupcakes

I just posted a new recipe over on Wonderland Kitchen and wanted to be sure to share it with you all as well. This was probably the most creative I have gotten with decorating them, and I LOVED the way they turned out!

You can check them out here!

Back in Boots

Fall has definitely happened in Chicago, and I love it. I don't know if it's just that I love fall so much or that I'm so glad the humidity has gone away, but I have been in just about the best of moods ever since the weather started getting cooler last week. My house has been in constant candle-mode, alternating between Slatkin & Co's (Bath & Body Works) "Leaves", "Creamy Pumpkin", and "Autumn Apple." Yum!!! I also made the first batch of Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bars of the season last night, and then proceeded to eat two of those and drink a glass of Sauvignon Blanc as my dinner. As someone on Facebook commented "I'm sure that covers at least 4, maybe 5, of the food groups anyways!" Haha.

What fall means as far as my wardrobe goes is this: SWEATERS AND BOOTS ARE BACK! I threw a big chunky sweater on Wednesday night and had forgotten how super comfortable and warm they always are. Mmmm. Here's today's outfit:

Outfit
Dress: TJ Maxx
Scarf: H&M
Sweater, Leggings: Old Navy
Boots: Durango via RCC Western

And in the background? Only my absolute favorite flowers- gladiolas! They were surprisingly cheap at Whole Foods... $3.99 for 10 stems.

What are your favorite parts of Fall that you are excited about? Or are you like me and it's just about everything to do with it?

What's New in Wonderland Kitchen

I'll admit that after discovering Food Gawker this week (Thanks Lauryn!) I have spent a large majority of my time perusing that website, making recipes lists and grocery lists, grocery shopping, and cooking. Oh, well I also spent most of Monday at a tattoo parlor watching my dad get his version of the "family tattoo", but that's a story for another time.

Basically I've been trying to put a little love into Wonderland Kitchen, and haven't so much been wearing anything interesting or doing anything other than things that seemed more relevant to post about over there. So here's what's going on the last week or so on that front:

A new love for our neighborhood Italian market.

A trip to Lincoln Park's Burger Bar. (And Truffle Fries!!!)

Warm gooey fresh baked cookies for dinner... and taco salad for dessert.

Spinach Caprese Omelettes and a fresh mozzarella obsession.

Sorry if your mouth is now watering. I know mine is. Maybe I'll be back tomorrow with an outfit post... assuming I ever put on real clothes today.

Wonderland Kitchen Update

For those of you who may or may not follow, here's a little update of what's been going on over at Wonderland Kitchen:

(You can click any picture for a link to that post)

Super Cute Anthropologie Apron Obsessions

FARMbloomington Restaurant Review


Iced Coffee


Cookie-Bottomed Cupcakes


How Sweet's Bacon and Gorgonzola Roasted Potatoes

Baby Shower Brainstorming

I've been to a few baby showers, including one that I planned, but I'm doing another one in January for a cousin of mine. They don't want to find out the sex of the baby (much to my dismay, of course, makes planning way more fun!) so I'm going with a gender neutral theme.

Does anyone have any really cute ideas for games or anything? My guess is that there will be somewhere between 30-40 people at the shower, so I'm particularly looking for any games that are more suitable for a bigger crowd! If you have any fun ideas, I'd love to hear them!

I also just put a new recipe up for Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bars on Wonderland Kitchen! I got the idea from Red Vines for Breakfast (One of my favorite blogs, especially when recipes are involved!) and I have already made it twice in a week and a half. SO GOOD.

Pumpkin Pumpkin Pumpkin!

It's fall, and I have officially gone into pumpkin craze. Tonight I made Whole Wheat Pumpkin Pancakes, and when I talked to my dad about it, he told me about an amazing Pumpkin Cream Pasta he had tonight... so you better believe I'm going to try to make my own variation of THAT tomorrow night. We're also carving pumpkins on friday, so hopefully I'll be able to try my hand at Pumpkin Bread within the next week!

For those of you who don't follow, but are interested in the recipe, here is a link to my other blog, Wonderland Kitchen, where I try to catalog the recipes I actually get around to recording!



In other news, my first 8-weeks class is finally over, which means I start class two hours later on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Hopefully this means more outfit shots (and outfits, for that matter) since I will actually be up, at em, and NOT all sleepy and squinty before I leave for class! I'm SO excited about that.

Picture Post- Super Bowl Weekend!

(The Girls! Kelly, Lauryn, Me, and Betsy)

Word on the Weather Channel is that we're under a winter storm warning, again, and could get 5 to 8 more inches of snow between tonight and Wednesday. You all know I'M excited about it. Especially if it could possibly get any of my classes canceled. If not, I'm foreseeing myself skipping History of Rock tomorrow night because I'll be damned if I'm going to trek around in the slippery icy snow filled campus in the pitch black night time. I don't EVER remember a time in my life where we've regularly had this much snow... and it's so fun! I wish the ground would always just be covered in at least an inch of snow in the winter, and that ice would only exist in the form of ice-sicles (?) hanging from roof tops!

Anyways- this weekend was a fun one. But rather than a word recap, I think pictures will suffice. Also, I'm not sure if it will be tonight or tomorrow but I'll be putting the recipe posts up soon from the food I made yesterday!!

(Super Bowl food!)

(Betsy and I have been friends for 3 years and only just now have any pictures together?)

(Lauryn and Kelly love the paparazzi'ing)

(Todd and Joe- they'd like to think they're beer pong champs)

(Snow Cooler!)

("Alex! Take a picture of this!")

(Alex and Betsy Love)

("Better Than Sex Cake")

(Chips and Dips!)