Earl Grey Tea Mini Cupcakes with Honey Buttercream Frosting

Lately, I increasingly wish I could just curl up on the couch with some tea and a good book or one of those movies you watch over and over because it somehow brings you comfort. Maybe it's the chill in the air lately or how suddenly the sun is blazing through the window at 6:30 in the morning or perhaps the passing of Halloween signaling an official entrance to the holiday season. The habitual Starbucks drinkers in class now arrive with cheery red and white holiday cups and stores are shamelessly pushing their Christmas merchandise (though perhaps less so than those stores that were selling Christmas decor in Sepetember!). Regardless the reason, these mini-cupcakes are sure to brighten up a chilly day.

Happy Halloween!

Nutella Sugar Cookies & Coupons--A Moral Story

I will start off this story by stating that I conduct nearly all of my grocery shopping (and shopping in general really) at Costco and Target. Why Costco? I live practically on top of one Costco and drive by another almost every day. If you've got freezer room to spare and if you're like me and like to have things conveniently on hand, Costco is hard to beat. Why Target? For those smaller, incidental grocery items, Target usually has a good price, better than most grocery stores, and I happen to live across the street from one. What shall we conclude from this? Cheap and convenient is a major driving in the med student's life.

Those of you who shop at Costco are aware, I am sure, every once in awhile Costco assembles a group of coupons that are actually worthwhile! Conveniently the day after receiving such a collection of coupons in the mail, I had to go to Costco to pick up bagels en masse for a group event. For convenience, again my favorite motivating force, I decided to do some personal shopping while I was there because why waste a Costco trip, right? Right? Wrong! As I gleefully filled my cart with our necessities that were on sale (ok and some not so necessary items too), I had no idea what tragedy was lying in wait for me. One of these coupons was for something like $2 off Nutella. When I opened the coupons and flipped through them, this particular one was what I was looking forward to most. I had been eying the already fabulously priced Nutella at Costco for a month or two and this coupon finally gave me the impetus needed! I'll cut to the chase, I was about to pay for my items when I remembered to hand the coupons to the cashier who told me that the coupons weren't good until the next day. A reasonable person might have just not completed the purchase, but I'm a med student and time doesn't grow on trees, people! The cashier helpfully suggested that I could return everything tomorrow and repurchase it and the guy in line behind me lended some sympathy by relating a similar experience the previous month. I could have saved $11! Moral of the story? The first date on a coupon is just as important as the expiration date.

I have managed to live through my tragic coupon experience, but just barely. I was in need of some cookie therapy the other night. The husband unit recently gave me some cute fall-themed cookie cutters, which I was dying to use.  After my coupon ordeal, I have also been eager to whip out some Nutella. How could I combine the two? Of course! Nutella Sugar Cookies!

Halloween Time

Last Thursday night, Mr. Handsome and I partook in some early Halloween festivities. We went to Disneyland to see the decorations and stretch the legs a bit. Pumpkin & Jack-o-Lanterns abounded and so did the crowds. Surprising, really, since I don't really think of Halloween as a major holiday, but there were plenty of people out to enjoy the unusually warm evening. We began with a leisurely stroll down Main Street, festooned with yellow and orange bunting and flowers, windows and ledges filled to bursting with Jack-o-Lanterns of varied moods and facial features.

While Halloween is not a particularly favorite holiday of mine, I love fall and fall colors. The display was beautiful and I thoroughly enjoyed the decorations.

Biscotti Moment

With the onset of fall and the rush of pumpkin recipes perfusing the internet, I find that I am inspired to make things I would not normally even consider. Something about pumpkin just makes me want to try all sorts of new recipes. For example, last week I had some left over pumpkin I needed to use and what better use than for pumpkin biscotti?

Why biscotti? I have no idea. I had never had biscotti before because, well, I don't like crunchy cookies and it looks rather crunchy. Yet make pumpkin biscotti I did. I surprised myself because, for one, the end result actually looked like biscotti and futhermore I quite enjoyed the end result.