Pumpkin Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting

I know you’re all sick to death of me talking about the weather, but as I type this, the snow is still dripping from the boots I kicked off as soon as I walked in the door of my apartment. It was, for all intents and purposes, blizzarding sideways as I trudged home from class tonight. Can someone please explain to me what bizarre weather continuum I’ve entered?

Anyway. I’ve got a treat for you today! (Literally and figuratively.) This guest poster is someone you’ve encountered on this blog before, in stories I’ve told you about my baking and eating adventures. My lovely sister, Middle Chip (aka Megan), is quite a baker herself and (after a little bit of encouragement) agreed to share one of her latest creations with my lovely readers. Thanks, Meg!

My First Half-Marathon!

We interrupt your regularly scheduled food blogging for a post about another facet of my life–running!

I’ve been training for my first half marathon (13.1 miles) since before Christmas, and my race weekend finally arrived yesterday. I didn’t sleep much the night before since I was crazy nervous–I was excited and apprehensive and relieved that the day had come, all at the same time. I double and triple checked my bag before leaving my apartment–I was so paranoid I’d forget something like my running shoes and completely screw up the day.

Thankfully, that didn’t happen!

Sister Love: A Cupcake Class at Butter Lane

Let’s talk about cupcakes. Specifically? Butter Lane cupcakes.

This year I started buying Christmas presents in October. Well, one present. I knew without a doubt when I saw this Groupon offer that it was the perfect gift for my sister (the Middle Chip!)–a cupcake class for the two of us at Butter Lane! Mixing, frosting, sampling…seriously, could you ask for a better present?!

NYC Eats: The Meatball Shop

How do you like your balls?

Chances are, if you tried to order “naked balls” in any other dining establishment, the management would swiftly and (maybe) politely ask you to vacate the premises.  Don’t even try your luck with “the family jewels.”

But at The Meatball Shop, a self-professed “fuss free kinda joint” with locations in Brooklyn and Manhattan, cheeky orders like this are only the beginning of the fun.

Girls’ Weekend In

Hello, friends! I hope your Mondays were as bearable as possible. My schedule has been a bit thrown off for the past few days because I’ve been house-sitting for my parents and, at the same time, hanging out with my youngest sister (Baby Chip–remember her? ). There was a lot–and I mean a lot–of cooking and baking that went on in our house during our time together (including the brownies you see above, which I whipped up for my sister’s friend’s 16th birthday).

What can I say? When I’m bored, I bake. When people are hungry, I bake. And oftentimes, even when people aren’t hungry and we really have somewhere else to be, I bake.

A Jolly Olde Time in London Towne!

Cheerio, mates! As those of you on Twitter may remember, I’ve just returned from a wonderful, whirlwind weekend spent visiting my sister (affectionately, Middle Chip) in London, where she’s studying for the semester. We had such a fabulous time, and I was so sad to leave her again until December! But it’s definitely a weekend I’ll always remember sharing with her.

Now, the two of us didn’t get up to all that much cooking this weekend (although we did manage one kitchen creation!), but what follows is a bit of a tour through our antics and escapades…most of which involve a lot of sugar…

Williams Sonoma Cupcake Mixes: Reviewed

Photo courtesy of metrolic.com

What are the first things that come to mind when you think about the UK?

Tea and crumpets? Big Ben? Prince William?

All fine answers. Now, your list probably doesn’t include cupcakes. It’s okay; I understand, really. But if you’ve been reading this blog for any appreciable length of time, you’ll know that my sisters and I have a deep affinity for these darlings of the baked good world, and we manage to find a way to work them into any occasion, if not all.

So what was the most recent of these occasions?

Well, my dear Middle Chip has decided to spend her fall semester abroad in jolly ol’ England. She departs in just under three weeks–I can’t believe it! And so this weekend, we had all of our extended family and friends over for a UK-themed Bon Voyage party. It was, to quote the lovely Julie Andrews, “practically perfect in every way.”

Cupcake Crawl 2011!!

Well, if you follow me on Twitter, you’ll know that Sunday of last weekend was the day Middle Chip and I had been waiting for: Cupcake Crawl 2011!!

And here it is, in all its recap glory…read on for cupcake gluttony!

Peace, love, and ice cream

So, today was Ben & Jerry’s Free Cone Day.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough on the left, and Triple Caramel Chunk on the right.

I know you’re jealous. It’s cool. I’m just gonna leave it at that.

Night, kids!

Saturday Night Baking Fever

I ask you this question: What does one do on a weekend evening with no plans and nothing on TV?

Obviously, one bakes three batches of cookies. And, since one is bored and lonely, one convinces Baby Chip to help by giving her the job of Baking Photographer. Thus, all photo credits for this post go to my aspiring photographer sister.