DIY: Halloween Treat Bags

I made Halloween Muddy Buddies to take to my coworkers as a small Halloween treat. I needed something cute to package them in so I went to Michael's to find what I needed. I couldn't find exactly what I wanted so I decided to make my own little treat bags. In addition to the bags I made below, I bought plastic treat bags with pumpkins on them and some fun black and orange ribbon to wrap up my treats in.

The Halloween images I used to print onto the bags I found here. They are totally adorable! You can make your own images or find different ones you would like to use online. Whatever works for you.

What you need:

1. Iron
2. Scissors
3. Images printed on transfer paper
4. Drawstring canvas bags

Instructions

Print selected images on transfer paper according to package directions. Cut out images as close to the lines as possible. Iron canvas bag to create a flat surface. Place image face down on canvas bag and iron for 60 seconds. Remove paper after it has cooled for 2 minutes.

Halloween Muddy Buddies

Halloween is tomorrow and there is nothing better than satisfying my sweet tooth for this holiday. Muddy buddies are the perfect grown up alternative to a candy bar. They don't require baking and they are a delicious treat that I will probably eat too much of. The salty bite of a mini pretzel is just what I need mixed in with all the chocolate and candy corn. Yum. This is one of my favorite muddy buddy recipes and I really hope you try it. Keep this recipe all year and you can change up the add ins for every holiday.

Ingredients

9 cups rice chex cereal
1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/4 cup unsalted butter
1 cup powdered sugar
1 1/2 cups candy corn
2 cups mini pretzels

Directions

1. Put rice chex into a large bowl. 
2. Melt together chocolate, butter, and peanut butter in microwave in 30 second increments until it is all mixed together. 
3. Pour chocolate mixture over the cereal and stir until completely coated. Be careful not to break the rice chex! 
4. Add powdered sugar and toss to coat. 
5. Lay cereal on wax paper and let cool completely. 
6. Once cooled add pretzels and candy corn, mix together, and store in an airtight container.

Spaghetti Squash Alfredo

Spaghetti squash is one of my favorite fall vegetables. It's actually so cool how it turns out looking just like spaghetti! Not to mention it's so easy to prepare and you can put so many different types of sauces on it. This recipe makes a skinny Alfredo sauce that satisfies a creamy sauce craving without the calories. It may look like a scary, weird food to try, but it comes out perfect pretty much every time. To cook it you can poke holes in it to roast then cut it in half and scoop out the seeds. I prefer to cut it in half, scoop out the seeds, and roast it while submerged in water. If you haven't tried spaghetti squash yet you really should.

You can did the recipe here. I only used one cup of milk to make the sauce a little thicker. There is definitely enough sauce for 4 servings instead of two!

                           

Current Obsessions

So here these are the things I'm currently obsessing over. (1) I actually search the radio for a station to be playing Counting Stars by One Republic. I love this song so much and get so happy every time I finally find a station playing it. (2) My eye is immediately drawn to stripes. I have so many stripes hanging in my closet, but I always find a reason to buy more. (3) The new embellished sweater trend is adorable. I haven't gotten around to buying a sweater for myself yet. Don't worry, it's next on my list. (4) Constantly having an apple scented candle lit in my house makes fall my favorite season. (5) I got this eyeliner in my Birchbox back in August and I have now become accustomed to wearing it. Before using this product, I was not an eyeliner girl. It just glides on so smooth and stays all day, love it. What are you obsessing over?

                         

My obsessions and other options:

1. Counting Stars by One Republic
2. Wide Striped 3/4 Sleeved Sweater - Loft
   Eversoft Envelope-Neck Block-Stripe Sweater - The Gap
   Striped Boatneck Pullover - Banana Republic
3. Jeweled Chandelier Sweatshirt - J.Crew
   Jewel Embellished Sweatshirt - Loft
   Embellished Pullover - The Gap
4. Apple Cider Candle from Yankee Candles
   Make your home smell like apple cider with this recipe.
5. Jouer Eye Definer in black (you can also find this at Nordstrom or Birchbox)

Homecoming

Yesterday was homecoming at the University of Maryland. J and I went to meet up with some fraternity brothers and sorority sisters that we hadn't seen in a while. It was nice to catch up with friends! Of course I brought my Black Bean & Corn Salsa to go along with all the hamburgers and hot dogs at the tailgate. Our team lost, but we held our own against Clemson and overall it was a really fun day. I don't think I'll be doing any tailgating after this past weekend since the weather is getting colder and colder. Luckily, the day was perfect for some football.

               

Slow Cooker Chicken Chili

It's starting to get really cold in Maryland and this chili is just what I needed today to warm me up. Slow cooker meals are great when you have had a long day and don't feel like cooking. Everything is just ready to go! 

I'm not big on spicy things so feel free to add more chili powder and jalapenos if you want. You can even put everything in the slow cooker the night before, put it in the fridge, and turn it on in the morning. Warning: this makes a lot of food so be prepared to share or store it in the fridge.

Ingredients

16 oz ground chicken
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 cans white beans, drained and rinsed
2 (28 ounce) cans diced tomatoes
1 sweet potato, peeled and shredded
15 oz low sodium chicken broth
1/4 cup flour
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon onion powder
2 teaspoons granulated garlic
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Toppings: Mexican cheese blend, light sour cream

Directions

1. Put ground chicken in the slow cooker and break it up with a wooden spoon. 
2. Add chili powder and all of the ingredients and stir. 
3. Cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours. Before serving add toppings.

Autumn Inspired Salad

Some apple cider showed up in the refrigerator the other day and I decided I needed to make something fun with it. I love adding fruit to salads, especially apples. I figured a salad with apples and an apple cider vinaigrette was the way to go. This is a light salad that works well for lunch or a side salad for dinner. Walnuts add a nice crunch and the mixture of spinach and red cabbage also adds texture. Apples and pears add a sweetness that goes well with the vinaigrette. Such a perfect salad for fall. 

Anytime I can incorporate part of a recipe from Food Network I do. The have great basic recipes that you can put your own twist on and make it something you love. This vinaigrette goes so well with this salad.

                             

Ingredients
6 cups spinach, chopped

2 cups red cabbage, shredded
1 Fuji apple, chopped
1 red pear, chopped
1/4 cup walnuts
Apple cider vinaigrette

Directions

1. Make apple cider vinaigrette according to directions from Ina's recipe. 
2. Toss all ingredients together in a bowl. 
3. Add as much of the vinaigrette as you would like. Toss and serve.

Morning Detox Drink

When I fall behind in my workout routine or want to give my metabolism an extra boost I like to make this detox drink. It's super easy to make, tastes good, and has the benefits I'm looking for. Having this drink right when you wake up is important, but you can also drink it throughout the day. The combination of cold water, ginger, and lemon work to kick start your metabolism in the morning. The cucumber has antioxidants that fight free radicals in the body. Mint has a variety of health benefits including improving skin condition. 

I like to make a big batch of this and keep it in the fridge or make batches at night for the next day. Also, when I'm done drinking this drink I eat the cucumbers. You can add whatever you would like to this drink, but this combination is my favorite.

                         

Ingredients

2 slices of cucumber

2 slices lemon
2 sprigs of fresh mint
1/2 teaspoon ginger, peeled and grated
16.9 oz water (water bottle)

Directions

1. Put everything in a glass, stir, and drink!

Philly Weekend

This weekend J and I were visiting his family in Philadelphia. We had a packed weekend with tons of fun activities. I mentioned earlier attending Blocktoberfest on Saturday and that night we went to Howl at the Moon. There are multiple of these dueling piano bars in different cities around the country and it was so cool. There were five musicians who rotated between instruments and singing. They could play pretty much every song that was requested and they sounded amazing. 

On Sunday J wanted to watch his favorite team play at Xfinity Live! The place is located right next to the Eagles stadium and it was a neat experience. The jumbo TVs and multiple bars and restaurants made this the place to be during the game. My favorite part of the day was eating Crab Fries from Chickies & Pete's. My mouth is watering just thinking about them. Unfortunately, it was an Eagles loss (and a Redskins win!), but we still managed to have a good time. After a long weekend I'm hoping this week isn't too crazy.
               

Pesto Pasta

My first job was at a family owned Italian restaurant called Strapazza. It finally closed after I had been working there for four years. The place has now been taken over by one of our regulars and they hired the same cooks so you can pretty much order the same food. One of my favorite dishes was always the pesto. I learned the secret to the sauce was Marsala wine. The version I make at home tastes very similar to the restaurant version with half the guilt. Whole wheat penne adds a serving of whole grain and the sauce is light so the pasta soaks it up right away. The best part is the mushrooms that are tender and filled with Marsala flavor.

I love making this dish because it takes me back to my restaurant days. If you want to add grilled chicken or other vegetables to the dish, be my guest. This is a pretty quick week night dinner that you can make when you're in a rush.

                            

Ingredients
1/2 box of whole wheat penne pasta
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 tsp garlic
8 oz baby portobello mushrooms, cleaned and quartered
1/4 cup marsala cooking wine
1/4 cup Buitoni reduced fat pesto
1 tablespoon heavy cream
Salt
Pepper

Directions

1. Cook pasta according to package directions. 
2. While pasta is cooking add olive oil to a large skillet over medium heat. Once oil is hot, add garlic and let cook for one minute. Add mushrooms. 
3. When all the oil has been soaked up, add the Marsala wine.
4. Cover and cook until mushrooms are tender, about 5 minutes. 
5. Stir in pesto and cream. Let simmer for a couple minutes. 
6. Drain pasta and add to the skillet with sauce and mushrooms.

Blocktoberfest

While visiting Philadelphia this weekend J and I found an awesome festival that was happening on Saturday. Blocktoberfest on South Street had all kinds of beer from local breweries and food from tons of food trucks. I got the Original Mac and Cheese from the Mac Mart food truck. It was amazing! It was so gooey and delicious and the topping was made from panko bread crumbs and potato chips. Yum. I also had some Autumn Spiced Sangria and J had beer and apple cider along with some kind of pulled pork gigantic sandwich. While eating and drinking and walking down South Street there were some different bands playing. It was a really neat festival and we had such a nice time.

               

Pumpkin White Chocolate Blondies

These are the best pumpkin dessert (besides pumpkin pie, obviously). If you like pumpkin just as much as everyone else during the fall then you have to try this recipe. This is one of the first recipes I ever pinned on Pinterest and it's the first thing I ever made from a recipe I pinned. I'm pretty sure I've made these desserts at least ten times since then. If you're not on the pumpkin flavored everything train then I'm sorry (but not really). I'm planning on sharing some of these with coworkers and taking some to Philly this weekend... and keeping most of them for myself.

You can find the recipe here. I'm not really a fan of ginger so I just don't put the crystallized ginger on top, but if you like it then use it. I hope you like these as much as I do.

                                

To Go Containers

I absolutely love these containers from Macy's by Martha Stewart. I use them pretty much everyday and they fit everything that I want to take for breakfast or lunch. The Breakfast to Go container is perfect for Greek yogurt and homemade granola or yogurt and fruit. There are endless possibilities for the Lunch to Go container. I take it to work almost everyday with a sandwich, fruit, vegetables, and little snacks. There is also a Salad to Go container and plenty of food storage containers that work perfectly to keep your fridge organized with leftovers.

It's so easy to just grab the lunch cube and stick it in the fridge when you get to work. The prices for all these containers are relatively low and it makes taking food to go so much simpler. I totally recommend these.

Butternut Squash Soup

I had some leftover butternut squash from last weeks Roasted Fall Medley. I decided the best way to use it was to make a soup. This recipe is simple and relatively quick. If you want to make a big batch of this and freeze it or keep it for the week it works really well. This makes a lot of soup so if you don't want a lot just cut the recipe in half. Also, you can change the consistency by adding more or less chicken stock depending on what you like. I can't get enough of fall foods and this is just the beginning!

Ingredients

1 butternut squash, peeled and chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
6 cups low sodium chicken stock
Nutmeg
Fresh sage
Salt and pepper

Directions

1. Heat olive oil in a saucepan on medium heat. 
2. Add onions and saute for about 5 minutes until translucent. Add a couple fresh sage leaves and remove after 3 minutes. Add chicken stock and butternut squash. 
3. Bring to a simmer and cook for 15-20 minutes until the squash is soft. 
4. Add mixture to a blender (in batches if needed) and blend until smooth. 
5. Mix in a touch of nutmeg, salt, and pepper and you're ready to eat.

Banana Java Smoothie

Remember when I went to the Farmer's Market a couple weekends ago? Well, I've been craving the Java Juice smoothie that I had there so I decided to make my own! It really does taste exactly like the one I had. The best part about this smoothie is it doubles as breakfast and my morning caffeine. Don't hesitate to add more espresso powder if you're having a really rough morning. I was struggling today, but this smoothie helped me through. You can also try adding a tablespoon or two of peanut butter to make this even more tasty.

Ingredients
1 ripe banana
2 teaspoons espresso powder
1 cup chocolate soy milk
6 ice cubes

Directions

1. Add all ingredients to a blender and blend until you reach desired consistency. Yum!

DIY: To Do Board

I need to have a to do list in order to function from day to day. I also need to be reminded that I have a list of things to do. I made this super simple to do board and it helps me keep track of my life and it's also cute. I used a large frame just because it's the same size as scrapbook paper, but any size frame would work. You can make this for your grocery list, calendar, or menu for the week. It's totally up to you! Also, if you can't find the color frame you want in 12 x 12 (it took me a while and I found it at Hobby Lobby) just spray paint one. 

What you need:

1. 12 x 12 frame (any size would work)
2. Pretty scrapbook paper
3. Black letters or a Sharpie
4. A dry erase marker

Instructions

Use either black letters or a Sharpie to add the title to your scrapbook paper. Put the paper in the frame. Use a dry erase marker to write on the glass. Easy.

Birthday in Baltimore

Last night I went to PBR at Power Plant Live! in Baltimore to celebrate the birthday of one of my best friends. She recently moved to Baltimore and is still getting acquainted with the city. Her new place is adorable and I know this won't happen soon, but I seriously can't wait to get a place of my own. As a half housewarming half birthday gift I got her some champagne glasses and a bottle of champagne. We all had so much fun and the birthday girl even got on the mechanical bull. J has been trying to get me to get on one for forever and I just can't. I'm pretty sure he won't stop trying to convince me until I do it. Oh well!

Surprise Splurge

I wasn't expecting to splurge yesterday, but it happened. After work I headed to the mall for a 50% off everything sale at Loft. I had already purchased these great cheetah loafer flats from Target and I wanted to build a new outfit around them. A pair of burgundy pants (not online) and a black tie neck blouse later I had a cute new outfit to wear, oops! Not only do these pieces look great together, but they're also pieces that I can use in many other ways.

Pssst. Check out my best friend at Fashionably Clearance for some ideas of where to get similar pieces.

Roasted Fall Medley

It's finally starting to feel like fall in Maryland. Since I've been seeing so many great fall vegetables at the grocery store I decided to make an easy roasted meal. The only real work required for this recipe is some chopping. My favorite part of this has to be the butternut squash, it just melts in your mouth. If you don't like sweet potatoes you can substitute baby red potatoes and if you don't like brussels sprouts you can always substitute broccoli.

My whole kitchen smelled like thyme and rosemary after cooking this. Those smells always remind me of Thanksgiving and family and warmth. Fall is just getting started and I can't wait to continue being inspired to make comfort foods that are easy and delicious.

Ingredients

1 red onion, chopped
1 sweet potato, peeled and chopped
1 butternut squash, peeled and chopped
2 cups brussels sprouts, halved
3 sweet turkey sausage links
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp dried rosemary
Salt
Pepper

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
2.  Put all vegetables into a 9 x 13 baking dish. Add olive oil and herbs and toss to coat. 
3. Place uncooked sausage in the mixture and make sure to flip about halfway through cooking. Cook for 45-50 minutes. 
4. Slice cooked sausage and mix with vegetables before serving.

Ranch Pretzels

Since meeting J he has introduced me to a lot of new things. One of my favorite things has to be Wege Broken Sourdough Hard Pretzels and you can only get them in a small area of Pennsylvania (or you can order them online). So every time we go to visit friends I obviously have to buy like 10 pounds of them. When J found this recipe for ranch seasoned pretzels I knew I had to make them and I knew that I wouldn't be able to stop eating them. You can definitely make this recipe with other sourdough pretzels, but I can guarantee you that it's a million times better with Wege pretzels.

You can find the recipe here. I generally only add 1 cup of oil, 1/2 tablespoon of dill weed, and 1/2 tablespoon of garlic salt. If you like more go for it, but I think less is better.

Chapstick Season

It is definitely chapstick season. I make sure to have chapstick in every convenient place - my purse, my backpack, my car, and my nightstand are the usual spots. This year I decided to splurge a little on my lips. Fresh beauty products at Nordstrom have a Sugar Lip Polish and Sugar Lip Treatment that I absolutely had to try. The lip polish is amazing and makes your lips so smooth, using the lip treatment after keeps them smooth all day. Although these products are a little pricey it's totally worth it. Keeping my lips moisturized throughout the fall and winter seasons is a must.

Apple Crisp

Yesterday was my dads birthday so I made him his favorite dessert. An apple crisp. It's a pretty simple recipe and it meets my dads expectations. It's scary to think our parents are getting old because that means we're getting old. My best friend and I were talking yesterday about how crazy it is to think about 10 years from now. It's insane. Who knows were I'll be by then!

Back to dessert. There is no pie crust involved which makes life a lot easier. If you can make this with apples from the farmer's market or with fresh apples from going apple picking it could be even better.

Ingredients

6 Macintosh apples
1 lemon
1 orange
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
For the topping:
1 1/2 cups flour
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 cup quick cooking oats
1/2 chopped walnuts
2 sticks butter

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. 
2. Peel, core, and slice the apples into thin pieces. 
3. Add the zest of the lemon and orange. Add 2 tablespoons of lemon juice and 2 tablespoons of orange juice. Add the sugar and spices. Pour mixture into oval 12 x 8 baking dish.
4. Mix together everything for the topping except for the butter in a separate bowl. Pour evenly over the apples. 
5. Cube butter into small pieces and distribute evenly over the topping mixture. 
6. Bake for about 1 hour until the top is brown and the apples are soft.

Farmer's Market Fun

J and I were visiting friends this weekend. After a fun night out to celebrate a birthday we all woke up and decided to go to the West Shore Farmer's Market. This place is not your usual market, it has everything you could want with an Amish touch. Fresh fruits and vegetables, fresh meats and seafood, sandwich shops, candy shops, pretzel and smoothie stands and there's even a place for gourmet dog treats. It's amazing. So of course, I got a Java Juice smoothie with bananas, (extra) coffee, and chocolate soy milk, a delicious buttery pretzel, and a club sandwich.

If I had a place like this by my house I would do almost all my grocery shopping there and you would definitely catch me there every weekend.

S'mores Cookies

When J and I first started dating he was still living with his college roommates. At the time I would bake all the time for him not knowing he pretty much only likes chocolate chip cookies. So instead of impressing him I impressed his roommates more. They ended up loving these cookies and I made them multiple times. Since I recently started a new job I decided to make these for my coworkers. There's no way I can go wrong with these cookies!

You can find the recipe here. The only thing I do differently is instead of mixing the marshmallows into the batter (it makes a mess when they bake) I push marshmallows into the top of the batter before I put them in the oven. This way the sugar doesn't melt everywhere and you get marshmallow in every bite.

Green Tea

My morning routine usually starts with vanilla Greek yogurt topped with my homemade granola and a cup of green tea. Don't get me wrong, I love a Starbucks latte in the morning, but that gets expensive. I could make coffee at home except for the fact that you just can't beat Starbucks. I love Tazo brand green tea and I love that they have iced green tea as well. When it's warm out I have iced green tea with a slice of lemon and a sprig of mint everyday. Now that it's getting chilly in the mornings I have gone back to hot tea with a touch of honey. Tazo has many other types of tea and I like pretty much all of them, although I generally stick with green tea.

Green tea has caffeine and it kick starts your metabolism in the morning. Try green tea instead of coffee and I think you'll have a new morning drink.

Juice Cleanse

Okay, here's the deal. I don't believe in crazy diets. I believe in living a healthy lifestyle with everything in moderation. That being said, over the summer I just didn't feel great and decided I needed to do something to change that. My solution was doing this three day juice cleanse. My reason behind choosing this one? It's only three days. Seriously though I wouldn't have been able to do it longer and believe me when I say it's tough. I recommend trying this when you don't have anything huge coming up for work or school - you will be cranky.

My favorite juice was breakfast and I choose to have that one as my snack each day. Also, the baths are crucial and so relaxing. In the end, the cleanse is fairly simple and I did feel much better afterwards. I was also motivated to keep up with a healthy diet afterwards. If you're up for a cleanse give this one a try.

Shrimp Penne Pasta

This pasta dish is quick and simple. Using shrimp makes this meal seem a little more upscale. Honestly, you can use any kind of pasta you have on hand and it will still come out delicious. I always recommend using whole wheat pasta because it's such a simple way to add a serving of whole grains to your day. I'm not sure if I have mentioned this before, but my mom and sister are extremely picky and they both like this dish. 

Make a salad and some garlic bread on the side and you're set to feed your family (or roommates). You can also have leftovers for a light lunch, yum!

Ingredients
2 tbsp olive oil
1 1/4 lb shrimp
3 cups whole wheat penne pasta, cooked
3 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 cup white wine
1 1/2 cups grape tomatoes, halved
3 cups spinach, chopped
Basil, finely chopped
Salt and pepper

Directions

1. Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium high heat. Add shrimp and cook until pink on both sides, about 2 minutes. 
2. Keep liquid in the pan, but remove shrimp. Add garlic and cook for about 30 seconds. Add white wine and stir for a few minutes. Add tomatoes and spinach, cook until spinach has wilted. 
3. Put shrimp back in the pan to warm through and season with salt and pepper. 
4. Mix with cooked penne pasta and serve.