dressing up for halloween.

Sometimes I wish I was crazy about Halloween. I like the idea of getting into costume and/or make-up and being someone, or something, other than myself. However, I'm not creative. And I feel like being Asian and not skinny really limits my pre-made costume options. That and I don't like shelling out $30plus for a costume that I'll only wear once.

Even as a kid, I didn't really dress up. I can only remember three costumes:

1) A couple years in a row I was a cheerleader. And it wasn't a cute costume...it was that nylon/polyester material that was stretchy and kinda shiny...and terrible. 

2) Another year I was a police officer. My sister's bf at the time had a sheriff's badge, and I found an old police shirt at a thrift store. I wore black pants and my imitation Doc Martens. I thought I was badass. Hahaha.

3) One year in high school, I was an angel. I wore a white dress and the typical white, wired angel wings with the silver glitter detail. Nothing exciting or original.  

Last year, I discovered that the high school that I work at is very big into Halloween. I was told I *had* to dress up or I would stick out like a sore thumb. So I stressed. What costume could I get where I could still function (and walk through crowded hallways) and not get fired over for being too revealing? Options were limited. So what did I go as?

A newsie. Hopefully you know what I'm talking about.

This year, I couldn't decide what to do. So I walk with a low head as I make my way through the hallways.

Instead of shopping in search of inspiration for a costume, I searched for decor and other such unnecessary items that would make the hubs question: "What is that for?" or "Why do we need that?" But I can't help it. I love going to the stores when they change over their holiday-related merchandise. A month or so ago, I came across these:

And though it may be predictable to use these special marshmallows to make the beloved crispy rice cereal treats, in the spirit of Halloween, I dressed them up a little.

Pumpkin Spice Rice Crispy Treat Cupcakes

Ingredients:

Dulce de Leche:

1 can sweetened condensed milk

hot water

This takes the longest, so it's best to do this first (even a day or so before).

Pour sweetened condensed milk into a 9 inch pie plate. Place plate onto the center of a baking sheet with edges. Place in preheated oven to 425 degrees. Pour hot water around the outside of the pie plate (into the edged baking sheet). 

Bake for an hour, covered with foil. Dulce de leche should be a thicker consistency and caramel-colored. Transfer to a mixing bowl and whisk until smooth.

Since I pre-made my dulce de leche, I used mine straight from the fridge. This can be stored in a glass jar in the fridge for up to one month.  

Crispy rice treats

1 bag pumpkin spice marshmallows

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter

~5-6 cups of crispy rice cereal

In a large bowl, melt the butter. Add marshmallows and stir. Microwave 45 seconds and stir. Microwave another 45 seconds, then stir until marshmallows are melted together. Add cereal and mix until it's well coated. 

Press cereal mixture into lined cupcake pan and form a mound with the cereal on top. Repeat until all of the cereal mixture is used up. Let cool.

Spoon dulce de leche over molded crispy rice treats. If you spoon over too much, you may have to use a finger to wipe it up. Just sayin'.

Topping:

white chocolate or vanilla almond bark

Halloween/autumn themed sprinkles

Melt chocolate or bark in 30 second increments in the microwave.

Dip crispy rice treats (already topped with dulce de leche) into melted chocolate/bark. Top with sprinkles.

Let chocolate/bark harden. Then, ENJOY!

Note: These are great minus the "costume", but they're not as festive ;) Besides, the dulce de leche and white chocolate are definitely a welcomed bonus.

of course i eat fruit.

I try to eat healthy. Honest. The problem is, I *love* junk. It's so good to me. I'd rather have a waffle with some pumpkin spice kisses melted on the inside, instead of oatmeal...or anything of that nature. I even try to make my own breakfast sandwiches with whole grain, fiber-rich English muffins and turkey sausage, instead of stopping at the golden arches every morning. I've tried leaving out the cheese, but who am I kidding? (Side bar: My mom once told me to stop eating cheese so I wouldn't be so fat. So I cut it out of my diet for a while. And perhaps it was coincidence that I lost a couple pounds. But then I realized I'd rather be fat and cheesy, than skinny with no cheese. It's made a world of difference. And probably a few pounds.)

So to make up for my lack of "right" choices, I try to eat fruit (veggies are a whole 'nother story). I love my honey crisp apples, so during this time of year, I'm good. The hubs eats a banana and apple every day. So I try to eat a banana every day as part of my breakfast. Only...after Monday hits, I'm usually banana-ed out. Therefore, my uneaten bananas get a little brown. And the hubs won't touch a banana with one speckle of brown on it. Seriously.

On a good week, I'll save the ripened bananas, unpeel them, and freeze them, like so many bloggers do. And I love my banana nutella muffins (I throw some flax or chia seed up in there, just to make myself feel better). But honestly, I can banana nutella muffin myself out too. I know what you're thinking...I must be crazy, right? What can I say though? I like variety.

Now, one of my favorite restaurants is The Melting Pot. (There's a connection here, I swear it.) If you've never heard of this restaurant, it's all about fondue. It's especially great when you're catching up with your besties or old friends...some go for a romantical night out -- unfortunately, the hubs hates TMP (blasphemy!).

Anyway. The restaurant offers different flavors of chocolate fondue for dessert. A few years ago, they started offering a bananas foster fondue. Y.U.M. I'd never had bananas foster, but ohmygoodness was that fondue delicious. And immediately I thought, I *totally* want to make this into a cupcake! Fast forward to recent times, and naturally, I am not the first person with this brilliant idea.

So a few weeks ago, when my uneaten bananas made their way into the fridge to prolong their ripeness, I decided I was finally going to do it. I was going to make bananas foster cupcakes.

I always like to start with a search, and then piece together and adapt what I want. What did I search, you ask? Bananas foster cupcake. And then I searched bananas foster fondue. You can't be disappointed. Initially, I wanted to make a little fondue bowl out of the cupcake, but decided against it since the fondue would have no way of staying warm. But tell me how fun it would be to dip your extra cupcake piece into your bananas foster fondue cupcake bowl.

The actual result? Banana cupcake, lightly drenched in a banana rum sauce (the fondue "sludge" minus the white chocolate), topped with white chocolate butter cream, a couple of banana slices, and more sauce. Um, yah. EXACTLY that.

 

Thankfully, I had a couple of small gatherings with friends, and then I brought some in for my co-workers. I'm pretty sure I was everyone's favorite person. And that's always nice. To be the bringer of fruit, cupcake, AND happy feelings? Life is good. And so is this cupcake.

The fresh bananas on top and the banana cake balance out the rich, sweet taste of the white chocolate butter cream. And the banana rum sauce gives the cupcake a little something extra, without making it soggy. It's a perfect way to get a portion of your daily fruit intake! Now if only I had some left over...

  

baking baby.

If you follow me on Facebook, then you may (or may not) know that the hubs and I just moved a couple months ago. As I packed up my old kitchen, I dreamt about the cake plates and platters and such that have been stored in the garage over the years. And then I organized my baking supplies into gigantic storage containers, dreaming of using it all, and having it all easily accessible to me, now that they would have a dedicated place in our finished basement.

For a couple weeks after we had finally moved in, I was still in denial about having to cook again...I was under the impression we could get take out for dinner every night, despite the fact that our entire kitchen was unpacked, organized, and clean (oh yah, and that we now had a mortgage to pay).

Slowly but surely, though, I began getting to know my new oven. I started by acquainting myself with her friend, the stove. Then I worked up the courage to start courting her, with easy things, like frozen french fries (seriously people...the hubs and I have been eating out since May...I've kinda forgotten what real veggies are). 

Rather quickly, things got a little more serious. We spent more and more time together, as I worked my way up to a casserole and meals of the sort. And then...we decided...it was time. Our first time together was magical, and we made beautiful chocolate chip whoopie pies. 
So. Good. 
It almost made me forget about the past four years that I spent with my old oven. And what makes this relationship more exciting is the fact that I get to use all the things I had been longing to break out.

We've been baking together as much as my schedule allows, and I got my first official order based out of our new location. Baking with my new baby for a new baby. 

One little buggy adorned the sweet invitation, so naturally buggy cookies had to be made.

And of course some onesies.

Stripes, houndstooth, and polka dots. Perfect patterns for baby boys.

S'mores cupcakes: graham cracker crust, graham cracker and chocolate chip cake, marshmallow frosting .

Caramel Mocha cupcake: vanilla cake, caramel filling, mocha butter cream, chocolate covered espresso beans garnish.

Cupcake toppers to display a sweet message for the shower guests.

I must say, it was nice getting prepped to bake, since everything was organized much better than I had it in our other place. All of my icing bottles were in one place. My treat bags and boxes were all together. It was lovely. I could definitely get used to this.

 

It's nice to finally feel settled. Perhaps I'll go make s'more whoopie with the hubs my oven. hee hee ;)