Cupcake Burgers are a WIN!

So it is no secret now that I love to bake, is it? I love the sweet, delicious results. Desserts really do make me happier. Now what makes me happier than eating all those gooey, yummy desserts? Sharing those desserts! If anyone ever is sad, celebrating, having me over, having a party, I'm having someone over, has any sort of new, exciting news in their life, apparently one of my love languages is baking (take note author Gary Chapman of The Five Languages of Love). So when Eric and I hosted a random January cookout I couldn't wait to try out this new recipe I had found. Cupcake burgers.

Ew?! Probably your first thought. Let me show you this:

Any other thoughts now? Yup, thought so. A brownie sandwiched inside a cupcake with colored frosting. It really is that simple folks. I will break it down a little further.

Make yellow cupcakes. Make sure to cook them in muffin/cupcake paper cups. Without them the bottoms may brown too much, killing the look. Making from scratch or box works. I am a box cupcake girl.

Make a pan of brownies - make sure to not make them cake like. There is enough cake in this recipe. I did substitute apple sauce for oil and no one was the wiser.[Side note: A vegan came to the cookout and brought brownies. She used marshmallows in them to substitute for the egg. According to her the only thing the egg does is have them stick together! Who knew! Get creative out there!]

Let the brownies cool completely. I let them hang out overnight. Then find something round about the size of your cupcakes. I used an old salsa glass container. Cut out your burgers! There will be scraps. You know you deserve a scrap break.

Cut the cupcakes in half and plop an ole brownie in there.

Now grab white frosting (I used cream cheese - it's my fav) and red, yellow, and green food coloring. Split the frosting into three bowls. Use a different color for each bowl. Now you have your "ketchup, mustard, and lettuce"!

Now it is time to squeeze on your icing. I used zip lock bags with the corner cut off. No need to buy the fancy tools; zip lock bags work just as well! You can just use a knife to spread the "lettuce" over the brownie.

Then squirt the ketchup and mustard just like you would onto your burgers. [Sorry my ketchup is pick. I ran out of red food coloring - oops!]

Put on the tops. Take a lot of pictures. These won't be around long.

I promise these will be a HUGE hit. I had them displayed the entire time. One person actually came in asked "What are these?" and stuffed one his mouth mid-way my description. Win!

They are perfect for a cookout, Superbowl party, birthday party, or for the "I need a pick-me-up after a long day of work". Something really works out well with the consistency of the brownie and cupcake. Mmmmm.

Question:
Any Superbowl recipes you have hidden up your sleeve that are your go-tos for those crowds?

Closet Organization = A Happy Life

Yup, according to all of those "How to Make Your Life Happy in the New Year" and "Tips for a Happy Life", etc, etc, that you read in every magazine in January, they all say that organization is a key to making your household happy. Amen to that! I love love love to organize. It's fun. It makes me so happy. I feel accomplished. I actually reorganize organized things just because. It drives my husband crazy. He likes to live a bit more, well, organically. Which is why marriages are great. I give him a little bit of structure and he makes me loosen up. When it comes to some shared spaces, we definitely try to hit a harmonious chord, especially when we need to utilize a small space for so many functions.

That is how I would describe our hall closet. Since our living room is the first thing that you walk into (remember from our living room tour) there is no luxury of a mud room to shed all your outdoor pieces before entering the real rooms. So we have our 2x4 slate entry way and a small hall closet.

This is how it looked before, with its mish-mash of coats, car washing supplies, shoes, hats, gloves, and probably a few other surprises:

You can see that it was in need of some help with all the stuff in plastic bags spilling all around the floor and the big piles of stuff on the one shelf.

Here is all the stuff that came out of it (and in a moment of honesty, you may say this isn't so bad. It isn't. We actually cleaned out a mountain of junk from the closet a few weeks ago in preparation of this project. I was just so focused on getting rid of the stuff I completely forgot to take pictures. I was probably a bit embarrassed of all that collected in there too.) So this is the stuff that needs to be in the closet.

Now, our bargain organizers from Big Lots waiting to be inserted.

I highly recommend visiting your local Big Lots if you haven't recently. They have a great amount of housing items (including furniture), organizational items, beauty stuff, and food for great prices. Their supply overturns pretty quickly too so it is fun to check out repeatedly.

If you have a specific size that you are looking for, make sure to take measurements of the space BEFORE you head out shopping. Or you will either be buying a lot and returning or taking two trips after you figure out the measurements. So I took ever measurement of the closet before my visit.

Tip: bring a measuring tape with you! Luckily most of the items I bought had the measurements on them, but I double bought the baskets because they didn't have measurements. Oops!

So I mostly knew the items would fit but I was still crossing my fingers! Here they are inserted empty to make sure they fit.

Now the final result!

Oh goodness this makes me happy. Everything has its place and is easily put back in, a very important thing to remember to keep it organized. You can see that I changed out the basket on top for the smaller one since I needed a place for the car washing bucket.

The only other thing I may change it to make some homemade tags that label where things should go. Or in the case of the small blue shelves above, Eric and I have our own shelves to our hats/gloves/scarves so I may label each shelf with a name.

What are your organizational tips that keep you happy at home?

Buy Quality AND Quantity on a Budget?!

Yup. That's right. That's not coming from a rich person by any means. Actually it is coming from a super cheap-o. I am the person who buys something because it is really inexpensive. Or should I say I used to be. Who would have ever thought that would change when I got married? Huh, you say? It's true. I married a stylish boy who introduced the idea of quality to me. Quality? No, that only meant expensive to me. But not always. He also couldn't break all my cheap-o habits. I think that is okay though. That is how you have quality and quantity.

Here is my fashion equation:

• Staples for the closet = quality = can be pricier (although you should always scour for sales)
• Trendy pieces = cheap

Why these rules? Staple pieces for your wardrobe should be iconic pieces that will span different trends and even decades. The pieces you will pay to to save when they fray instead of toss them. Think leather boots, that blazer, a nice pair of jeans, a dress to take you to every wedding in your twenties. Yup, those pieces.

As for trendy pieces, they will come and go. Trends change quickly and while your trendier pieces may last a few years, they will eventually make you feel dated and perhaps even frumpy, so even in good condition they will be sent to the Goodwill pile.

So for those few reasons I have hit a nice stride in splurging for the staples and allowing my bargain hunting to come our for the trends. But also remember the beauty of sales and outlets...like the Williamsburg Premium Outlets that Eric and I hit up the other weekend. With some Christmas money in hand we went strolling through the stores to find some fun items. What I walked away with shows exactly what I have been talking about. They are also a little surprising. The items are bought are some I would have never have expected to buy on this trip.

Let me show you the trendy items I picked up on the cheap! These were the clothing pieces I thought I would come home by the bagful. A sweater and blouse from Banana Republic and two lace camis scooped up at Charlotte Russe.

May I share with you my sticker excitement?

The sweater price at the end of the day folks was $18.99; originally $64.99. SCORE!

The blouse, originally $59.99, marked down to a great price of $14.99, but mine for only $8.99!

Oh - and the camis were $5 a piece. Sweet!

Now, those are all well and good, but where are the quality pieces that I have been waxing on about. Here they are folks!

Not what you were expecting? Me either. Generally when I think staples, I think of the blazer, trousers, etc. But these are staples of their own. A real leather, great pair of snow boots and a Columbia fleece are items that are quality, I will wear repeatedly for years, and will last even longer than that. They were also practical items that I had been putting off buying for 2 years because the trendier items were more fun to buy. But when I was able to snatch them up at outlet prices I could let them stay there on their cold racks.

Quality items price reveal:



Yup; that's a 60% markdown for a $100 fleece. There is no picture of the boots, but they were originally $175. Authentic Timberland boots. My price: $43. AH! Awesome!

Let me share with you some fun outfit ideas I had with my trendy pieces.

The blouse belted at the waist for more definition, black trousers, and black boots.

The sweater with the white lace cami under it, dark rinse jeans, black slouchy boots, and a statement necklace.

All-in-all a very successful trip that let me have fun with trendy items and stock up on staples that will last for years.

What are your shopping rules to building your best closet ever?

Let the house tour begin!

So finally, all the Christmas decorations are gone and I can begin the house tour! Since I started this blog recently and have been living in our house a little less than two years, a lot has been changed/painted/fixed/updated already. So I thought to catch you up to speed I would take you through the house and explain what has already been done. I don't really have good before and after pictures but let me paint a picture with my words... :) Our house is a ranch house in an older neighborhood (translation: great trees!) and was built in the 60s. Oh yes, it had some great reminiscences of it that good ole age of wacky color. That's mostly gone but there are still some great dated moments.

So we will begin...at the beginning: the living room. Okay, okay perhaps the outside is the beginning but it's winter and things aren't blooming. So we will begin in the warm and cozy. As you walk through our front door you are hit in the face with our living room!

It is not the largest room in the world but it is cozy and pretty open with the entire house, which I LOVE.

Since the living room also has to absorb all of the stuff you tend to drag into the house with you (coats, shoes, keys, etc.) we were definitely looking for a piece that could multi-function. We finally hit upon this great antique piece. It has a few special pieces on it too: a glass bowl/plate, a gift from my mom for my college graduation. It also houses one of my favorite pieces of all time: a Tiffany style lamp. I love the colors and intricacies of these lamps. This piece overall provides a place to tuck shoes under, hold keys and other small miscellaneous items and proves a holding ground for things we need to remember to bring in and out of the house.

Now, the centerpiece of furniture: the couch. Microfiber of course. Soft and easy to clean. I also loved the simple lines, neutral color, and grommets that add a special touch.

The table is pretty sweet too. Check out its multipurpose use. Before is above. After is below!

Use this way to eat, put your computer on, do a puzzle, or use as a desk! What a great use for furniture.

You also need to make sure you notice the curtains and pillow custom made by my mother-in-law. That is also a theme you will see around the house. How awesome it that! (And another Tiffany lamp siting!)

We also found a matching side table to the coffee table in the clearance section of the store. Score! You can also see that I have an awesome husband who indulges in my sparkly obsession. So when we were shopping in a home improvement store and I started petting this lamp shade, he picked it up and said "We are buying this for you" and marched off to the register. Gotta love that.

Now to the chair that once you get in you will never get out because its comfort sucks you in. This chair is a cool piece because it was a hand-me-down from Eric's dad. He custom built this many years ago and gifted it to us when they moved. I love it, especially with its special memory.

Also, you can see the art work around the living room. This is artwork are prints that I had been saving up for my first house since college. I love the romantic style pieces and any pieces with a European flare. That's a common theme around the house.

Also, an improvement that we made to the house is the slate that you see in the entry and around the fireplace (above - forgive the "other" fireplace in front of the real fireplace - still using that great heater!). You should have seen the nasty, red, fake broken brick type flooring that was under this. Huge improvement. One you will just have to take my word on.

There are also a few sweet things on this bookcase that shows the beauty of melding different styles and working together as a team as husband and wife. The red vases are something I picked out but work with the robot (Eric's of course). The piece in the middle is a family keepsake that Eric's mom gave to me this Christmas. There is nothing more that gives you a sense that you are entirely accepted into the family. You also can't forget the huge car package beside the bookcase!

Well, I think that is enough house overload for now. Next up will be a tour of the kitchen where you will definitely find some great 60's keepsakes (think pea green trash compactor!). Also, the living room is definitely one of the most finished rooms in the house. The others are more a work in progress. Get ready for the fun!

Monday Inspiration: Martin Luther King, Jr.

Happy Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. This guy deserves way more than a day. I thought it would be appropriate for Mr. King to provide us the inspiration that we need to get this week going, and going well.

A right delayed is a right denied.

All labor that uplifts humanity has dignity and importance and should be undertaken with painstaking excellence.

Almost always, the creative dedicated minority has made the world better.

An individual has not started living until he can rise above the narrow confines of his individualistic concerns to the broader concerns of all humanity.
Change does not roll in on the wheels of inevitability, but comes through continuous struggle. And so we must straighten our backs and work for our freedom. A man can't ride you unless your back is bent.

Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.
Every man must decide whether he will walk in the light of creative altruism or in the darkness of destructive selfishness.
Faith is taking the first step even when you don't see the whole staircase.

Quote Source

Picture Source

Fashion Friday: Color Blocking!

Happy Friday everyone! I am sorry for the later post today but I had the day off :) Thus the later post. I am very excited about this upcoming post. It is a fashion trend that I have LOVED from day one, and I have now finally stepped into its realm. Color blocking. To give you an idea of what I am talking about it, check it out:

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I think a visual definition is better in fashion, but to clarify what color blocking is:

• It combines the use of two or more blocks of colour in an ensemble.
• Creating an outfit by putting areas or blocks of solid color next to each other.
• This can include shoes, scarves, bags, tops and bottoms.

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You don't need to go out and  buy a whole new wardrobe to join this trend. As you can see above just piecing bold colors pieces together gives the same look as clothing that is constructed to have the color block look. You might want to go out and grab some hot colored pants though just because they are awesome. I know I have been looking!

So how have I joined the color blocking trend? Not with the colored pants (yet) but when I hit upon this sweet find at my J Crew Clearance store. For $15 I got this little number.

Shown here is my take on color blocking that I have right now. Since the colors were muted on the shirt, I wanted to inject more color into the outfit. So I threw on the purple shoes and teal earrings!

Also, I thought I would get some great color blocking pictures to share with you on Pinterest (love!) and when I searched for it, literally, the first picture that popped up with this one.

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My shirt! From JCrew! Is that crazy or what? Now that I have started into this trend I definitely want to explore it more. I think what I like about it most is its unique use of color. I LOVE color and a trend that embraces it so much is just up my fashion alley! Here are a few more pictures to make you want to run out and go shopping!

Blue and green are my favorite colors of all time!

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Go wild! Put it on your nails!

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In a bag!

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Hello shoes!

Piperlime

So there it is folks! All about color blocking! I am going on a shopping trip this weekend so look forward to those finds on next Friday's post!

After the first week of Inspiration Monday, For the Home Wednesday, and Fashion Friday, how are you liking this sequence? Want more or less of a certain topic! Let me know!





My name is Megan and I am a dessert-aholic.

It's true. If you know me or even if you have just started following my blog. I love desserts at any time of the day (even for breakfast!). I think they are an important part of life. They make me happy, taste delicious, and are so fun to make. There is no better present or something fun to share with someone. Yet, it is also very important to have balance in your life and to be healthy (remember Monday's Inspiration?). I have known some people \when they make dessert they say it is going to be unhealthy anyway so why don't you just make it the best it can be with all the full fat? I am not that person. I always try to do everything low fat and as healthy as possible. Even in my cakes and cookies. So when I came across this blog I fell in love: Chocolate-Covered Katie: The Healthy Dessert Blog. It took making dessert to a whole new level.

I had every intention about blogging about how really tasty her creations are but my best intentions were waylaid by a 3.5 hour meeting at the end of the work day that took it out of me. Excuses, excuses but I was too tired to go to the store. I also knew that if I opted for the after work store run for dessert supplies, I wouldn't get in my daily exercise that let's me eat dessert! (I always tell people  I work out so I can eat dessert.) So I thought I would still gush about this delicious sounding blog and showcase a few recipes I am excited about trying.



Cookie dough batter with no dairy and made with...chickpeas is DEFINITELY my first recipe to try! Check it out here!



Flour-less chocolate chip cookies! Find yum here!


Cookie pie made with garbanzo beans?! What?!


Frozen PEANUT BUTTER hot chocolate! Drink up!

So I know I kind of cheated on this post by not actually making anything, but hey, this is something that every home needs right?! I do promise to deliver on following through with Katie's recipes. I am SO excited about these that last night I stayed up an hour later than usually perusing her blog.

Are there any healthy tips and tricks you use in cooking?!