Obsessions + Confessions

I've missed you!!!!

I apologize about the lack of recipes this year month. It's the end of the fall semester, PLUS I started two new Saturday classes at the end of November. So wrong! You think you're done with the semester, but then 2 new classes sneak up on you like BAM! No break for you! But I do get a nice little holiday break from school. I'll take it :)

Time for some of my current obsessions + confessions.

This outfit. Plus her new show, Courtney Loves Dallas. Reality TV about a fashion blogger? From a show I used to watch? I'm in.

These Snowman Milk Bottles are THE cutest!

I'll admit it. I'm such a Taylor Swift fan. She's adorable guys! And I love her songs. I like to think if we hung out we'd be BFFs and cook together and play hopscotch on her rug and dance and dance and dance until we can't dance no mo. 

This nail polish would be the perfect last-minute Christmas present for the girlies in your life!

I've never eaten one, but I have an unhealthy obsession with macarons and their cuteness. I mean come on guys, Penguin Macarons with Eggnog Ganache? I get it. You're now also obsessed with macarons and their cuteness.

And while we're talking macarons, how about these White Chocolate Ganache Filled Gingerbread Macarons? 

The perfect holiday treat. Bourbon + sugar + pecans. Did I mention bourbon?

Another holiday treat - these Meringue Acorns with Salted Pistachios and Chocolate are so creative and pretty! 

This Apricot Orange Twisted Coffee Cake would be the perfect Christmas morning breakfast for your family.

You know those round butter cookies that come in those blue tins and only appear in stores at Christmas time? I love those cookies! These remind me of those, but with rosemary. All sorts of right.

2 of my fave things - salted caramel + egg nog! Win + win.

Add this cookie to your holiday tray. Nutella + sea salt + brown butter... these could quite possibly be the best cookies of all time. 

How are you guys on Christmas shopping? Done? Almost done? Haven't started? I hate leaving mine to the last minute. I have about half done but am feeling the pressure! PJ cracks me up... he usually goes on Christmas eve and buys all of my presents (he's so busy at work in December so doesn't have time earlier than that, and I buy for his side of the family) and gets it all done the day before Christmas. Boys!

Come back soon for a post about last-minute gift ideas for the foodie in your life.

Peace, and bacon grease!

 

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Obsessions + Confessions

Obsessions + Confessions time!!!

Did you all have fantastic Thanksgivings? I did, I did! Busy, but fantastic. We spent Thanksgiving day eating yummy food at my mama's house. Then Friday I met up with some grade school friends :) Always fun. Saturday we had another Thanksgiving dinner at PJ's mom's house. Again, yum. She's the best cook! Sunday I made my own little Thanksgiving dinner of Roasted Turkey Breast, Creamy Cranberry Salad, Stuffing Muffins, and No-Drippings Onion Gravy. It all turned out delicious! I wish I had gotten better pics. But here's some of them! Maybe I'll post recipes next Thanksgiving :)

Are you still in turkey mode? Have some leftover turkey in the freezer? Get your turkey AND pumpkin fix with these Turkey Melts with Caramelized Onions and Spicy Pumpkin Mayo. 

Caramelized Onions, mushrooms, apples, and gruyere cheese all in one bite? Ok maybe two. Sold. 

Not quite ready to let go of fall yet, especially with these Mini Caramel Apple Pies. 

Ever since a coworker let me try some straight-from-KY Apple Pie Moonshine, I've loved all apple-flavored alcoholic beverages, including my current fave beer, Angry Orchard  Ciders. These homemade Apple Spice Cocktails? Yessssss.

Apparently I'm really feelin caramel apple right now. Doesn't the photo for these No Bake Salted Caramel Apple Cheesecake in a Jar make you wanna lick your screen?? 

How can you make a pound cake even better? Add apple bits to the batter and then drench it in caramel. Ok done.

Ok, one more before I switch to Christmas mode. This Harvest Cobb Salad is everything.

Time for Christmas! I love these Rosemary Wreath Place Cards for your holiday parties and gatherings! So creative.

Is this real life right now? Crusted baked cheese as a pizza crust??!?! Topped with shrimp and mushrooms?!?! This can't be real life.

This Cheesy Biscuit Topped Chicken Pot Pie is the perfect comfort food and definitely going on a dinner plan soon.

I'm praying for lots of snow so my Saturday classes get canceled. Don't judge me!  

R.I.P. Nelson Mandela! May your message live on.

Peace, and bacon grease!

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Obsessions + Confessions

Time for my current obsessions! Plus any confessions that I must share with you!

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I die for short ribs. 

Cancersucks. Love doesn't. 

Is there anything more beautiful than this glorious Oreo Fudge Cheesecake? Nope, nada. 

I'm not usually a meatloaf person, but Buffalo Chicken Meatloaf? Heck yeah!

Chris is the grill master, he can even grill a Thanksgiving turkey!

The most beautiful apple pie I've ever seen. 

Fried chicken-scented candles? Lord have mercy yesssssss. 

Fall will be over soon. So I'm cramming in all things pumpkin while I can! Savory and sweet pumpkin recipes!! Ever since we made these yum-yum Savory Baked Pumpkin Flautas, I have a whole new outlook on the use of pumpkin in recipes!

• No-Bake Mini Pumpkin Cheesecakes 
• Mini Pumpkin Pasta Bake with Crispy Bacon and Fresh Herbs
• Pumpkin Cheesecake Cupcakes
• Honey Pumpkin Biscuits
• Chocolate Pumpkin Peanut Butter Cups
• Pumpkin Naan Pizza with Gruyere & Fresh Herbs

Fall also means sweet potatoes. These Pulled Pork Stuffed Sweet Potatoeslook so good and filling enough to be its own meal! 

And these Sweet Potato Fries with Andouille Gravy and Pimento Cheese. Insane.

Thanksgiving is quickly approaching! What are you guys making? How about a Blue Cheese Tart with Cranberry Chutney?

Grad school is no joke. Not only am I always tired, stressed, and have no time for things I enjoy like blogging, I also am making less money because I have to work less at my job, and more at my intern site where I MAKE NO MONEY! What is with this rule that interns don't make money?! Hello, we work our butts off. I feel like I'm working the hardest I have in awhile (ever?) and not getting paid for it majorly sucks. I just keep telling myself this will be over in a year or so and just have to hope that it will all be worth the struggle in the end.

I'm starting a new set of classes tomorrow morning. Yep, Saturday. That's another reason grad school sucks. Classes all day on Saturdays. Saturdays should only be for shopping, relaxing, drinking, and other fun things.

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That's all for now!

Hopefully I'll be back soon with some recipes :)

Peace, and bacon grease!

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Obsessions + Confessions

No matter how busy I am, I can always make time for these posts. Read on to find out what I'm currently obsessin over and what's going on in my life lately!

Obsessions:

These blackberry cheesecake bars are mesmerizingly gorgeous. Dang I thought I made that word up but just googled it and it is indeed a word.

I could pop about 20 of these little sandwiches in my mouth in one sitting. And then come back for more after an hour.

This is the perfect appetizer.

If you don't know that I love all things salted caramel, including this Salted Caramel Cheesecake, then you never really knew me at all and it is time for us to break up :(  

Scratch that. I could never leave you!!! Especially if you made me Rosemary and Sea Salt Sweet Potato Chips.

Why hello there, pretty salad. Have we met?

These Pumpkin Parfaits are the perfect taste of fall!

These Lemon Blueberry Cupcakes are so vibrant! And let's be real. Blueberry and lemon go together like chocolate and caramel. 

The perfect combination of fall and breakfast - I love them both. 

Caramel and bananas are a match made in heaven too.

Obsessin over new fall tv shows like The Goldbergs, Trophy Wife, Mom, and one of my all-time fave shows, Parenthood is back! My life is complete.
 
Confessions: 

This past week I had a great group counseling session with some students. They really opened up and I feel like we're all starting to be more comfortable. They even said they couldn't believe the hour was already up! Something must be going right :)

I really like my individual client. He is really easy to talk to and makes me feel comfortable as a newbie counselor. I think I'm starting to get the hang of this counseling thing! Sorta. Maybe. For now.

Um, how is it mid October already? I'm not ready, time... slow down! I still need to put up Halloween decorations, buy candy, hopefully make and blog some Halloween goodies, and figure out my costume this year so I can win the contest at work for the 3rd time!! 

This past Saturday we all got together to celebrate my mama's birthday at Longhorn Steakhouse. Love that woman!! Enough to wait over an hour for a table :) And the others? They're my peeps too. I'm pretty lucky :)

Peace, and bacon grease!

 

Rosemary and Sea Salt Sweet Potato Chips

Rosemary and Sea Salt Sweet Potato Chips

Rosemary and Sea Salt Sweet Potato Chips

Rosemary and Sea Salt Sweet Potato Chips

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Obsessions + Confessions

Time to share my latest obsessions and confessions. Are you ready?

Fall is officially here and I don't mind at all if it means I get to gulp down Pumpkin Frappuccinos. Healthy ones, at that! 

Speaking of... I've been stockin up on all things fall! Pumpkin spice bagels and english muffins and cream cheese and yogurt. I'm OBSESSED with the apple crisp yogurt. 

Possibly the best stuffed mushrooms ever?

All of my favorite things in one blondie.  

Summer + fall all in one. Still holding on to summer as much as I can!

Tailgator Nachos for football season. 

Stacks and stacks and stacks of pork paninis! 

Brownies topped with peanut butter cookies. Love you long time. 

I want this Healthy Chipotle Sweet Corn Fettuccine right now for breakfast at 9:00 AM. 

Banana Cream Pie Ice Box Cake, you're the banana of my eye. Wait, what?

These Homemade Corn Dogs have me daydreaming about summer county fairs. 

This here's one long recipe name, but I'd eat these Grilled Mac N Beer Cheese Sliders with Bacon, Beer & Tomato Jam every day for the rest of my life. I do not lie.

My all-time favorite dessert is Pineapple Upside Down Cake but this Upside Down Strawberry Cake would probably be a close 2nd.

27 of the greatest moments in the history of parenting. 
I want at least two kids just so I can do#5
#8 sounds like a mighty fine museum
#11 is just genius
#13... luggage face plant
#16... oh, only in Walmart
#17.... BURNNNNN! good one mom
#19... creepy and hysterical all at once
#21... moths ARE scary!
#25 will most def be happening at my house very soon, minus the kids :)
#27 and #28 make me smile from ear to ear

You know you're having a good time when you stay for 4 hours eating sushi and drinking wine with grade school friends.

I led my first group counseling session this week... alone... by myself... with 6 high school students. I'm terrified and have no idea what I'm doing.

So doing this. 


































Have a great week, friends!


Peace, and bacon grease!

reade more... Résuméabuiyad

Obsessions + Confessions

I know, I know. I've been slacking on the recipes. Life is busy and crazy and exciting and filled with new things right now! Trying to get my counseling career started, but it means I have less time for recipe-making and blogging unfortunately. I hope to find some kind of rhythm so I can fit blogging back into my life.

But for now, I've always got my current obsessions that I wanna share with you!

Bacon crack. Lisa just may be my foodie soul mate.

Wow. Almost too pretty to eat. I said almost.

23 of the most perfect foods. Eva eva. Let's be real, I want them all, but that Mac and Cheese Bacon Lattice Pie is simply a masterpiece.

This needs to be all up in my belly. 

Savory s'mores? Ok I'm in. 

Don't go away, summer. I still need to make these Toasted Coconut Milkshakes. 

I refuse to accept that summer is almost over. I'm still all about chocolatey popsicles and tart popsicles and strawberry cheesecake popsicles and pink lemonade popsicles and margarita popsicles and frozen pies and grilled thingies and all things s'mores, even frozen s'mores ! Longest run-on sentence ever?

Ok let's talk ice cream for a minute. Before summer's gone! I'm craving burnt sugar ice cream and blueberry ice cream and s'mores ice cream and ice cream pies (with alcohol!) and ice cream sandwiches and ice cream sundaes and ice cream cups and sorbet. 2nd longest run-on sentence.

You know what else is great about summer! The fruit! Loving this peachy goodness and this gorgeous blueberry bread! 

Add peaches to your caprese salad. Do it!

More proof that summer shouldn't end? These homemade hot dog buns and summer corn dip. Yep, those will be made. 

Apparently I'm summer-obsessed. Summer salsa!

Betcha I could gulp this whole milkshake down in like 5 minutes.

Adorable DIY arm candy.  

Can we pretend that I'm all crafty and can make this DIY kitchen chalkboard? Cool thanks.

#13 and #17. That is all.

Cupcake ATMs? Backpack hammocks? Grilled Cheese Sandwich Buns?!?! Genius bookmarks?!? Cereal milk?!? Where in life are these things?!?!


Ladies, you're welcome. 


Live by this quote.

Peace, and bacon grease!

 

reade more... Résuméabuiyad

Obsessions + Confessions

I haven't done much of these posts this month and I dunno why because I have a bajillion links saved up for the sole purpose of these posts. Well back to my obsessions + confessions of the month!

Keep these lunch ideas in mind for back to school ease.

And for the teacher in your life... these adorable teacher gifts. 

Leopard is my thing.

So intimidated by the mere thought of making these glorious macarons. 

More macaron intimidation.

I'm not Brazilian but I KNOW this is good stuff. 

Can't get anymore summer than this. 

Need to get my peach fix before summer's over!

A healthy rainbow.

Not helping my "diet".

Melty ooey ice cream goodness.

Fancy schmancy hot dogs. 

Black pepper in popsicles?? Who knew?!? 

Are you kidding me???

Vegetarian goodness. 

What the what? I'm a buffalo+blue cheese freak!!!

Let's get chocolate wasted.

Speaking of cakes, is that frosting technique not the best?

This quote. Kinda life-changing.  

Love this perfect blend of edgy and soft. She is rockin that outfit. 

Can my fiancee be more handy so he can make me this gorgeous kitchen island? Oh, to dream.

This DIY makeup table makes me wish I was more into mkaing my face all pretty. Apparently I've reached the point of not caring :) 

I start back to school today! Well technically I started Saturday. It just seems wrong for the first day of classes to be on a Saturday. My niece is starting as a freshman at Xavier too! I'm so excited to have her there with me and to watch her grow into more of an adult and live the college experience.  

  


























Oh, and I start at my practicum site this Thursday! Things are bout to get real! I'll be counseling actual clients. I just don't feel ready! Hope I don't mess anyone up :)


Whoa there's a ton of links in this post that I'm obsessin over. Confession: I spend way too much time on the internet.


Peace, and bacon grease!

reade more... Résuméabuiyad

Obsessions + Confessions

Time for another week of my obsessions + confessions!


Loving these DIY ruffled curtains

I need an iPhone solely for these foodie phone cases. 

What's with all of the gorg preggo bloggers who look better pregnant than I do not pregnant?! They make pregnancy look so easy breezy.

These are on sale! Must buy asap. When I recover my losses from that vacation. 


The little girl in me wants these.

The little girl in me also wants these. In my belly. Like now. 

Salsa in summer form.

Like, the ultimate s'mores idea.

Summery breakfast perfection.

Ombre nails. Nuff said.


Oh.my.word. 

Oh, this is so me. Sorry Peej.

If there's any recipe in the whole wide world that will make me like potato salad, this would be THE ONE.

Same for pasta salad. 

Omgizzle. 

Cassie, will you marry me?

Love this creative way to serve shrimp cocktail. 

I wish I had an infinite amount of walls so I could do all of these gallery walls. 

I live by this.

Peace, and bacon grease!

reade more... Résuméabuiyad