Minty Cookie-Butter Cookies

'Tis the season to indulge in cookies and what better way than to participate in The Great Food Blogger Cookie Swap for the very first time! 

Minty chocolate chips, creamy butter, fragrant cookie butter, and a hint of vanilla and maple syrup...these cookies pack a tasty wallop when it comes to spreading the holiday cheer! That's why I was super excited when my bestie suggested we use Justine and Zach's amazing recipe from their blog Cooking & Beer.

Trick or Treat.

One of the best parts of working in an art organization is the abundance of creative energy that gets channelled into every little thing including our annual Halloween potluck!

From zombie cake pops to creepy-crawly crackers, here are some snapshots of my favourite Halloween-themed dishes from this year.

Spooky and punny, these zombie cake pops were apparently a cinch to make thanks to a Babycakes Cake Pop machine and a handful of colourful paper straws embedded in cobweb-covered craft foam.

Chocolate pudding "dirt", eerie chocolate trees and cookie headstones...what's not to love in this no-bake Halloween graveyard dessert? Oh yes, the unmarked cookie headstones actually mark the dairy-free pudding cups that were made with almond or rice milk - how terrifyingly thoughtful!

These creepy-crawly spider crackers were way cuter than their namesake. With salty pretzel legs, sweet raisin eyes and velvety cream cheese sandwiched between buttery "body" crackers, this simple snack hits the spot while being festive and easy enough for kids to make too.  

How did you celebrate Halloween this year?

♥

Pug Macarons

Happy Thanksgiving!

Today I'm thankful for my amazing family, the gorgeous fall weather, and my super talented friends (including my friend Mandy who surprised me with these adorable pug macarons for my birthday!)

Hope you're enjoying a cozy evening with a delicious home-cooked meal and your loved ones!

♥

Boston Eats: Chowda, Cannoli & that Elusive Donut...

Because every trip I take seems to turn into a foodie trip, I thought I'd share some of the delicious eats I encountered on a recent trip to the beautiful city of Boston!

Before arriving in Boston, I wasn't really sure what the largest city in New England had to offer up besides seafood. I mean Chicago has deep dish pizza, Philadelphia has cheesesteak, but what else did Boston own the bragging rights to?

After a little online digging and a lot of hitting the streets and taste testing, it turns out there are so many local gems that Boston can be proud of. Here are some of the ones I discovered and at the end of this list, some of the spots I missed but will need to save for my next trip!

Snapshots from the Weekend

Mother's Day High Tea @ The Ritz Carlton (Toronto)

Top to bottom: 

Egg salad & cucumber sammies

Chocolate mousse / macaron / croquembouche / madeleine / red velvet cupcake

Plain & raisin scones / white chocolate 

Smoked salmon croissant sammies

Totoro modelling the DIY collar I'm making based on a tutorial by Honestly WTF

How was your weekend?


♥

Homework + Late Nights = Cupcake ATM

Sorry for the long absence from the blog! I recently started a copyediting course at George Brown College and it's been swallowing up a lot of my time, especially when you take into account minutes spent working and minutes spent procrastinating ;) One of the best things I found on one of my mini study breaks is this gorgeous cupcake ATM in Beverly Hills, California:

Serving up fresh Sprinkles Cupcakes 24/7, the address you need to punch into your smartphone right now (if you're lucky enough to live near Beverly Hills) is 9635 South Santa Monica Blvd, Beverly Hills, California 90210 :)

But don't take my word for it, see the cupcake ATM in action for yourself!  

(My favourite part is when the pink door turns around Price is Right style to reveal your purchase!)

So let's brainstorm friends...how do we get Sprinkles to open a cupcake ATM in our neighbourhood??

♥

(Photo & video by Sprinkles Cupcakes)

A Sunday Kind of Love

...consists of browsing through my favourite blogs, catching up on Pinterest and being inspired by all the lovely things people are creating.

Today's top finds:

Hugh Jackman looking scruffy and handsome in a heritage suit, checked shirt and bow tie <3

A recipe for cutely striped chocolate and salted caramel pudding pops!

Happy Sunday!

Image 1: Unknown. Found on Pinterest via So Much Light on tumblr

Image 2: Sweet Fiend on Endless Simmer

The Classiest Trifle I've Ever Seen

Strawberry and Vanilla Macaron Trifle

This elegant holiday treat is easy to whip up with store bought macarons, whipped cream folded gently with vanilla extract, and fresh strawberries to garnish on top.

From Australia's leading food editor and cookbook author, Donna Hay.

Photo: Donna Hay