oreo cookies & cream cupcakes

I owe this cupcake recipe to my cousin, Shannon, who introduced me to these little gems a few years ago. While they aren't always the most presentable cupcakes to a true icing perfectionist/sadist such as myself, they are always a huge crowd-pleaser. Doctoring boxed cake mixes can really make life easier when baking, so finding recipes that do so successfully is always a welcome treat. If you save this super-easy recipe in your arsenal, your friends will be very, very thankful that you did (each and every time you make them).

Oreo Cookies & Cream Cupcakes

Ingredients

30 Oreo Cookies
1 box plain white cake mix
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup vegetable oil
3 large eggs
1 t. vanilla extract
1 tub vanilla icing

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cupcake pans with 12 cupcake liners. Separate 12 Oreos in half, and place each icing-side wafer in a cupcake liner (icing side up). Crush the remaining Oreos in a ziplock bag and set aside.

Add cake mix, sour cream, oil, eggs and vanilla to a large mixing bowl, and mix by hand until just incorporated. Measure 1.5 cups crushed Oreos and mix into the batter.

Fill cupcake liners 3/4 full with batter, and bake for 18-20 minutes. Cupcakes should be very slightly golden. Allow cupcakes to cool before icing.

Mix the remaining crushed Oreos with the vanilla icing, and ice cupcakes. Garnish with additional Oreos, if desired/if you haven't already eaten the rest of the pack.

camera bag {jo totes}

Finding a camera bag that's functional, easy to carry, and of course cute is something that makes me very happy. As I've mentioned before, with my first amazing camera bag purchase, having a bag that I don't feel silly carrying prompts me to use my camera 1023.3% more (statistics may not exactly reflect actual increase in usage). While I love my black leather bag from Epiphanie, this one from Jo Totes is so much better and more appropriate for summer. I know summer is almost over, but in light of an upcoming warm-weather honeymoon and a move to sunny Austin, I know it will become another favorite purchase.

mint + neutrals

blouse // pants (anthro) // bag // heels // sunglasses

Pairing mint with neutrals is one of my favorite fresh color combos. I know, I know... I've mentioned this mint love about a zillion times, but this look feels like a sophisticated take on the combination that transitions well into September. It never hurts to find another use for my happy-go-lucky polka dot pants, either (bonus!). Finishing off the look with camel and nude accessories helped the outfit stay casual but polished. A very special thanks goes out to Adam for taking these photos after a long Monday of work, when it wasn't exactly high on his to-do list.

bacon jam {and brie!}

The other day, it really hit me hard that summer was coming to a rapid, unwelcome end. I realized that yet another season had passed me by, and I had tried about 0.03% of the seasonally-appropriate recipes I have saved hoarded on my laptop. I vowed to spend these last few days of summer making only fresh, summery treats full of fruit and veg. And then I made bacon jam.

This fabulous little invention combines many of the most amazing (though seemingly a little incongruous) flavors and smells out there, and cooks them all down into a little jar of spreadable heaven. It was incredibly easy to make, and if I hadn't accidentally left it out of the fridge the very same night I made it (and then cursed violently at myself for about ten minutes), I would have put it on everything then licked the jar clean. Maybe I jumped ahead of the summer season a bit, but no one is complaining.

For a sinfully good appetizer, cut a baguette into 1/4" slices, top with a slice of Brie and a dollop of bacon jam, and broil until the Brie is melted and gooey.

Bacon Jam
Adapted from Martha Stewart

1.5 lbs sliced bacon
1.5 medium yellow onions, diced
5 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
1/2 c. apple cider vinegar
1/4 c. dark brown sugar
1/2 c. maple syrup
3/4 c. brewed coffee (I used mocha flavored, because why not throw some chocolate in the mix, too?)

Heat a large skillet to medium-high heat. Add bacon and cook approximately 15 minutes, until fat is rendered and bacon is browned. Transfer bacon to paper towels to drain fat, allow to cool, and then crumble into smaller pieces. Reserve approximately 1 T. of the bacon fat, drain the remainder.

Add the onions and garlic to the pan, and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the maple syrup, brown sugar, vinegar, and coffee. Bring to a boil, deglazing the browned bits from the bottom of the skillet. Add the cooked bacon back into the pan.

Transfer to a slow cooker, and cook on high (uncovered) approximately 4 hours. Eat several spoonfuls while hot (because you can), then allow to cool. Bacon jam can be stored in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 4 weeks.

hey, look who it is!

Well, hello there. I think I know you. Look whose little blog post made the DailyBuzz Style Top 9 today! How fun. Approximately once a month, maybe every other month, I'm apologizing for going MIA for a while. I'll spare you the apology today, but know that I'm constantly trying to improve (who me?) for next week. Have a wonderful weekend that's anything but neutral.

pretty girly things {natural}

Sometimes when I'm feeling utterly uninspired, I like looking through the hundreds (OK, thousands) of random pictures I have saved throughout every nook and folder in my computer. That simple idea is what prompted my Pretty Girly Things posts. Pinterest clearly has not helped this little photo-saving addiction of mine, yet somehow even pinning isn't enough--I have to save my favorites PC "My Pictures" style. Here are some beautiful bits of muted, natural inspiration that I'm sharing for no other reason than that they made my day just a little brighter.

goat cheese & roasted red pepper crostini

Finding appetizers that are equally easy and delicious is always a priority for me (as discussed previously). Taking this a step further, beyond easy to assemble, it's even better to find apps that can be made ahead of time, before guests arrive if you're entertaining. After finding an unnecessarily large log of goat cheese on sale at Whole Foods (yes, a sale at Whole Foods believe it or not), I made this insanely easy and delicious treat. With only four ingredients, and insanely easy preparation, this a great recipe to have in your arsenal.

Goat Cheese & Roasted Red Pepper Crostini

French baguette
Jarred roasted red peppers
Goat cheese
Fresh basil

Preheat broiler. Slice baguette into 1/4 inch-thick rounds. Spread baguette slices out on a cookie sheet, and broil just until lightly toasted. Slice peppers into thin strips. Spread with goat cheese, and top with roasted red peppers and basil. That's it and that's all.