Rosemary Chicken Wings

I'm not surprised, not everything lasts
I've broken my heart so many times I stopped keeping track
Talk myself in, I talk myself out
I get all worked up then I let myself down

I tried so very hard not to lose it
I came up with a million excuses
I thought, I thought of every possibility

And I know some day that it’ll all turn out
You'll make me work so we can work to work it out
And I promise you kid that I'll give so much more than I get
I just haven't met you yet

There is a perfectly good reason why I am quoting Michael Buble, other than the obvious reasons like his talents, good looks, romantic songs, and his good looks (it was worth mentioning twice). This recipe for rosemary chicken wings came from Mr. Wonderful himself. They are his go-to party dish and seemed like the perfect thing for me to make for a football-filled Saturday. I had never made chicken wings before but once I saw the words "rosemary" and "Buble" I knew that this was the perfect way to dive in to this dish. 

I will say the hardest part about this recipe was removing the wingtips and separating the wings in to two pieces. I still can't say for sure if I did it correctly, but they look and taste good and that is really all that matters. 

Michael Buble just hasn't met me yet. 

Rosemary Pumpkin Hummus

Hummus is like granola in that once I made it myself, I will never be able to go back to buying it at the store. Rosemary and pumpkin are two of my favorite fall flavors so I loved the idea of combining them for this Roasted Garlic and Rosemary Pumpkin Hummus.  

I made this recipe a couple of weekends ago when I was house-sitting for my parents. I had to wait to make it at their house since I don't have my own food processor yet (it is my #1 on my Christmas list though) which was perfect, because that meant I could eat it all without feeling bad about not sharing. 

Although the recipe didn't specify, I peeled my chickpeas before throwing them in the food processor like Smitten Kitchen recommends (and I did here). I know that it is more time consuming but I think it is worth it to have the smoothest hummus. 

Pumpkin everything. 

Pumpkin Ginger Cookies with Cinnamon Chips

These cookies combine three things that I love to cook with. Pumpkin, ginger, and cinnamon chips. When I found this recipe I tucked it away for safe keeping until the "Fall Baking Season" had officially commenced. Even though I know that you feel like you have enough pumpkin recipes to last until August, I want to add another because these cookies are absolutely worth it. I followed this recipe and what resulted was some addicting dough specked with cinnamon chips and a soft, light, perfect-for-fall cookie.

Like some of my other favorite cookies (peanut butter and ginger snaps) you roll this dough in sugar before baking. It gives the cookie a wonderful texture and adds a little touch of sweetness. I love these cookies and I can't wait to share them. 

So good with my morning coffee. 

Caramel Corn

One of my constant recipe inspirations is Emily and since I have always had great luck with her recipes I knew that this caramel corn would turn out great. Emily is always entertaining and since this past weekend I had my two best friends coming over to watch football I wanted to make something sweet and delicious for my guests. I followed this recipe to create the perfect fall treat that I haven't been able to stop eating-it is so addicting! I used peanuts rather than cashews (because I had them on hand to make my other fall addiction) but any type of nut would work, I might even do a mixture next time. 

This is great for entertaining, keeping around for a snack (if you can control yourself), or as a gift all wrapped up and topped with a bow.

**The only change I would make to Martha's recipe is to spread the popcorn on the baking sheets before pouring the caramel mixture over it. I feel that this would result in more equal coverage!

Prepare to get your hands a little sticky.

Big Cluster Fall Granola

I haven't been too keen on jumping on the fall recipe bandwagon since the temperatures outside were still causing me to break a sweat on the short walk from my apartment door to my car. Although when I woke up this weekend and the temperature was 56 degrees outside, I was more than happy to delve in to the plethora of fall recipes I have had on stand-by for months. 

Homemade granola was a life-changer for me. After my first batch, I was hooked and knew that I would never go back to store-bought granola. I have been playing with different recipes and was excited to try this recipe for Brown Butter Pumpkin Seed and Espresso Glazed Big Cluster Granola. 

The name alone...swoon. 

I love this recipe because it is packed with nuts, seeds, and fruit combined with the flavors of brown butter, espresso, and honey. It's a fantastic combination and a granola recipe that I know I will be adding to my rotation.

I need the cooler temperatures to stay for good!

Butternut Squash Soup

Being sick with strep throat couldn't even keep me in bed when I saw this recipe for butternut squash soup. The Glitter Guide posted this recipe, along with nine others to jumpstart your healthy eating for 2013 and they all looked amazing. 

There has been a butternut squash waiting patiently in my refrigerator since before Christmas (I had plans to make my favorite butternut squash flatbread) but with everything going on I hadn't had a chance to cut into it yet. This soup recipe looked so good and easy, and I had all the ingredients on hand so I knew that it was perfect for a cold, sickly night.

Sorry I didn't capture too many pictures, at one point I got a little dizzy and thought it best if I put my camera down and stop trying to multi-task.

Butternut squash soup for the soul, and the throat.

Welcome November

via. Hip Hip Gin Gin

Happy November everyone, and happy Friday! I couldn't be more pleased that the weekend is a mere hours away. This week seemed to drag on, despite all the fun things happening. I cannot wait to get some relaxation in, some kitchen-time in, and some much needed Barre.

Here are some lovely links to get you through the day- I know I need it. 

Afternoon Cravings with Anh

Outfits for a rainy day

Anything chai

Tips for a happier house

Some serious pumpkin carvings

I could do this

Newest blog crush and seriously loving the outfit

Favorite pin of the week

This makes me want to stay at home all day

I have to make this sandwich again

And in case you missed it-- A Peony For Your Thoughts has a new Facebook page, where you can enjoy more sweet things. So if you haven't already, please go there and "like" it

Starbucks officially has Christmas cups. Swoon. 

Caramel Spice Cookies

Because I hadn't blogged a recipe in a while, I forced myself to make something tonight that would be blog-worthy. Well out of the four things I made tonight, only this cookie recipe will make the cut, but that is alright with me because it was fantastic and perfect for fall.

Ingredients

1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 egg

1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 tablespoon bourbon 

1/ 2 cup mascarpone 

2 and 3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spices (or nutmeg)

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 bag Hershey's caramel-filled Kisses

1. Cream the butter and sugar together.

2. Add the egg, vanilla, and bourbon, mixing well.

3. Add the mascarpone.

(This is when I started smelling the wonderful scent coming from my mixing bowl)

4. Combine the dry ingredients in a bowl.

5. Add to the wet mix until combined.

6. Refrigerate the dough in plastic wrap for at least 30 minutes.

7. Bake at 325 for 10-11 minutes.

8. Unwrap the kisses and place on the center of the cookie (pushing down lightly).

9. Cook for 1 more minute.

10. Let cool.

These can be a little messy with all the ooey-gooey caramel, but absolutely delicious.

There might have been a Melted-Caramel-Kiss fight going on in my kitchen between me and my tasting audience. This is not required in this recipe, but highly recommended.

Dough not recommended for anyone under the age of 21. 

Girls Guide to the Matchbook Life

At the start of each new month comes the excitement of new weather, thrill of planned activities, and the arrival of fresh editions of your favorite magazines. 

As a child I would wait impatiently for the newest American Girl magazine to come each month. I would read the stories, take the quizzes, but most importantly punch out the paper dolls that each magazine held within it's pages.

As I grew up and grew out of American Girl (well who really grows out of American Girl) my monthly obsession was Teen Vogue when I could cut out fashion spreads, read up on the pressing issues of our youth, and read the horoscopes, of course. 

Now, I love getting my monthly House Beautiful in the mail for it's exquisite layouts and ideas, but there is no magazine that I look forward to more than my online Matchbook Mag.

October cover featuring Steven Alan

This month did nothing less than deliver it's usual swooning over every page.

A feature on how to create the perfect jewelry box, fashionable treats to please everyone, and my favorite new addition to the Matchbook goodie box-- checklists. Perfect little checklists for all the Matchbook Girls.

These checklists can help build your perfect closet to the perfect bar cart--just what we all need, especially in the changing season!

Being the movie fanatic that I am, I started with the classic Matchbook movies and started marking off those I had already seen. Now I just need to print this list off and have a movie marathon this weekend.

A big batch of movie popcorn and my favorite, oversized fleece blanket and I will be ready to start marking more movies of this list!

I was a little alarmed when I started marking off the closet checklist when realizing I am missing some vitals. I think I will start with the 'baubles' and work my way through the list, investing in some pieces and bargain hunting for others!

This year...

Matchbook 20

I am so happy that the September issue of Matchbook Mag was the twentieth because it not only gave me a witty title, but also a great reason to track down all the Matchbox 20 songs on my iTunes. 

#NowPlaying Bright Lights

What was ironic was that when I went to type in "Matchbox 20" into my search bar on iTunes, I kept typing "Matchbook" and couldn't figure out where all my great songs had gone. Oops too many things on the brain at one time. 

The "Matchbook Girl List" is my favorite part of every issue that is published. I love to think of myself as a "Matchbook Girl", and this list either helps me confirm that in my mind or realize that there are so many things that I don't know-- I feel like this list is almost criteria that a girl has to meet before she can really be dubbed a "Matchbook Girl". If that means me switching my address to the Plaza Hotel or the BG Restaurant in NYC then so be it.

While I am anxiously awaiting Fashion Week, I unfortunately will just be enjoying the events and activities from my phone via twitter. But this list only makes me wish I was there more, not to mention all my favorite bloggers packing up for NYFW.

Next year.

I also love the feature about Margaret Mitchell, the southern belle author of Gone with the Wind. This beloved tale has always been one of my favorite movies, but I have surprisingly never read the book. I guess if I want to be in the Matchbook Club then I had better get to reading... and polishing my boots...and eating french toast. 

All things that I am more than happy to do!

Have a charmed September!

Something to Talk About

Oh the joys of being at home and being able to watch the Today Show. It really is the little things in life. 

This morning on the Today Show, iVillage released the "Most Talked About" topics of the year. Most of the events and people on the list aren't things I would normally blog about but I promise there is a reason for exposing this list.

8. Kardashians...

7. High-profile infidelity 

6. The Royal Wedding

5. Amanda Knox verdict

4. Steve Jobs

3. Casey Anthony trial and verdict

2. Penn State scandal 

1. The economy 

After hearing this list I started thinking about the things I have talked about the most on this blog. I went back through the past year's posts and did some research on my most popular rants and raves. I wasn't too surprised by what I found, I know what I love and I love sharing those things with you.

10. Holidays

9. Cupcakes

8. Weddings

7. Shoes

6. Coffee/Starbucks

5. Kate Spade

4. J. Crew

3. Essie

2. Fall

1. Nail Polish

Surprising? Not one bit. I like my list much more than the one from iVillage; a little most positive. There is too much crummy stuff in the world to let it leak into my blog. I would much rather continue believing in true love and the goodness in people. 

Until next time.

Some things in life are too sweet not to be shared.  

Things I Love

This week is shaping up to be the best this season. It is really, really beginning to feel like fall and my wardrobe is showing that in my daily uniform of oversized sweater, J. Crew pixie pants, assorted pairs of boots, and a leopard scarf. 

 I added a new item to my leopard collection, which is the beret featured in the My Space picture above. When you are all alone and just want to show off your new hat to your family, sometimes you must resort to strategically posing for a "self-y". Shameful, but I kind of like it, and I LOVE my new hat. It will undoubtably be worn everyday this winter.

When the temperature hit 54 degrees, it immediately put me in the mood to watch a movie. I have been a huge fan of Dead Poets Society since we watched it in 8th grade and it has only gotten better as I have grown up. I very rarely have crushes on movie stars and I never had Beiber Fever, but I can't help but admit that I am in love with Knox Overstreet from this movie. His name alone makes me go weak at the knees, not to mention that he barges into his true love's classroom to read an original poem inspired by her. So, I might actually gag if that ever happened to me, but I swoon every time I watch it on screen. Chris Noel, you are a lucky girl to get that catch in a prep school uniform.

While watching DPS, I whipped up some delicious Pumpkin Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting to share with my coworkers, which we all loved. An incredibly easy recipe!

I love when one of my dreams comes true (kind of). My dream job has always been to create the window displays for Barney's. Well today at work, I was given the task of changing our store's window display and although that only involved me changing the clothes on the mannequins, I secretly pretended that it was for Barney's. I would even freeze and pose like a mannequin as people would so innocently stroll by. The things I find amusement in...

Until next time.

The best weeks result in even better weekends. 

Pumpkins+Coffee

I just realized that this would be the perfect post to show off my pumpkin carving for this season. 

Pumpkins and coffee just seem to make a great team lately. Last year I carved a cupcake so it only seemed fitting to continue carving my loves and obsessions. Next years "oversized, chunky sweater pumpkin" could be interesting...

Until next time.

The first sign you have a problem is when you start carving it into pumpkins.

Pumpkin Spice Latte in my Kitchen

Almost everything is better homemade. Nothing beats the taste of a chocolate chip cookie warm out of the oven that you spent precious minutes watching form in the oven. No restaurant can make eggs better than me and that is a fact (but maybe that is just because I am so picky and I don't like any eggs that I don't personally make.) I can now say that I might make better lattes than Starbucks as well, which will not stop me from happily handing over $3.65 to my barista five times a week for my grande extra-hot nonfat latte, because I am saving the homemade one for special occasions, and days that I am not in a rush...which would be never.

Tuesday morning I did find myself with extra time to sit down and catch up on blogs and Pinterest when I remembered that I had pinned the recipe for these lattes awhile back but had been waiting for the perfect day. Well a perfect day to me sounds like having class at the art museum and getting home with enough time to sit and look at blogs on my computer screen rather than on my phone screen while speed walking to class. Homemade pumpkin spice lattes it is!

Ingredients

1/8 cup pumpkin puree

3/4 cup milk

1/2 tbsp sugar

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 tsp. nutmeg

1 cup STRONG coffee (see how I capitalized strong, that means it's important!)

Over medium heat, warm the pumpkin and spices for a few minutes.

Add the milk and whisk until smooth. Be careful to continue whisking so that the milk doesn't burn on the bottom.

Fill a mug almost half way and top off with your STRONG coffee. Stir together and enjoy!

Until next time.

Perfectly pumpkin.