Happy Halloween

Happy Halloween everyone! 

Pumpkin Succulent Centerpiece

I love succulents and I love pumpkins. Put the two together and what could be better? This is such an easy craft that can be carried on through Halloween, onto Thanksgiving. 

(Diesel wanted to help)

What you need:

Pumpkin

Knife

Dirt

Succulents

Moss

Directions:

1. Cut hole in top of pumpkin. 

2. Clean out insides of pumpkin.

3. Fill with dirt. 

4. Arrange succulents. 

Thanks for reading!

XO, N

Witches Cauldron - A Halloween Cocktail

Ingredients:
1 oz Chambord (or any raspberry liqueur)
3 oz Champagne (or sparkling wine), chilled
lemon (optional)
colored sugar (optional)

Recipe: 
1. If making the sugar rim, cut the lemon into quarters and rub one of the wedges alongside the outer rim of the glass. Dip the glass/flute into the sugar and place in the freezer for 10-15 minutes, to allow sugar to harden.

2. Pour Champagne into glass/flute, top with Chambord, stir gently.

Recipe from Cupcakes and Cashmere. 

October Birchbox

Etat Libre d'Orange Like This Perfume // Too Cool For School Dinoplatz Highlighter // Davines Love Smoothing Shampoo // Davines Love Smoothing Conditioner // Shiseido Ultimate Power Infusing Concentrate // Eyeko Black Magic Mascara

Spider Peanut Butter Cookies

Halloween is my favorite time of the year. I love making spooky treats to satisfy my sweet tooth. I made half of the spiders with chocolate truffles and half with peanut butter cups, but you can do either. (I'm not a huge fan of chocolate truffles). These spider peanut butter cookies are almost too cute to eat... Almost. 

Ingredients

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened 

3/4 cup peanut butter 

1/3 cup brown sugar 

1/2 cup granulated sugar 

1 teaspoon vanilla extract 

1 large egg 

1 1/4 cup all purpose flour 

3/4 teaspoon baking powder 

1/4 teaspoon baking soda 

1 teaspoon salt 

12 milk chocolate Lindt Truffles 

12 Reese's peanut butter cups

3/4 cup milk chocolate chips 

48 candy eyes

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
2. Place the softened butter and peanut butter in the mixer and beat until fluffy. Then add both sugar and beat again until fluffy. Scrape the bowl and beat in the vanilla and egg.
3. In a separate bowl mix the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt together. Turn the mixer on low to slowly incorporate the flour mixture.
4. Roll the cookie dough into 24 - 1 1/2 tablespoon balls and spread 12 out on each cookie sheet. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven. Quickly use a pestle to press a cavity in the middle of each cookie. Then place back in the oven and bake another 6 minutes, until golden.
5. Meanwhile, unwrap all the chocolate truffles, and peanut butter cups. Once the cookies are out of the oven, cool until almost at room temperature (but not very warm) and place a truffle in the cavity of each cookie. If the cookies are too warm, the truffle will melt. If the cookies are cool, the truffle won't stick. (You can also wait until the cookies are completely cool, then glue the truffles in with chocolate to be safe.)
6. Melt the chocolate chips in the microwave in 30 second increments, stirring in between, until melted and smooth. Scoop the melted chocolate in a zip bag. Close the bag and snip off a small portion of one corner to create a hole. Pipe 8 legs on each cookie, starting from the truffle body down.
7. Then use the remaining melted chocolate to glue 2 eyes onto each truffle spider. Cool until the chocolate is firm and serve.

Recipe adapted from A Spicy Perspective. 

Recent Purchases No. 2

J Crew Jean Jacket 

I've been on the hunt for a jean jacket for awhile now. Every time I wear someone else's I fall in love and think, 'Why don't I own a jean jacket?' Well now I do. And it's amazing. 

Good Food, Good Life By Curtis Stone

I've been looking for new great cookbooks to add to our collection. I want to cook some new yummy things this fall.

Aritzia Talula Loz Feliz Pant

I'm all about comfort and simple pieces that I can just throw on and have it work with my other pieces easily. I love these because you can dress them up or down. Probably the most comfortable pants I own. I want them in every color!

Diane Von Furstenberg Julian Mini Wrap Dress

I've always wanted a DVF wrap dress. I finally gave in and invested in one after finding this one on sale at Nordstrom.

Helmut Lang Scoop Neck Tee

White T-shirts are definitely a staple in my wardrobe. I'm always on the hunt for a new one. This one is ultra soft.

Brixton Bristol Hat
I love straw hats! I've been searching for a new wide rimmed one for Hawaii, and this one is reasonably priced.




Thanks for reading! 

XO, N

Fall Booties

I am loving fall right now. It's my favorite time of the year! My go-to look lately has been a big comfy sweater, skinny jeans or leggings, and some super cute booties. It's so comfortable and so easy!

I've put together a collection of some of my favorite booties this season. 

I've included some high priced ones, low priced ones, and some that are in between. 

Which ones are your favorite?

XO, N

Pumpkin Bread With Streusel Topping

Ingredients

Bread

1 3/4 cup all purpose flour 

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt 

1 cup pumpkin purée 

1/3 cup oil

1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted

1/4 cup applesauce

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Streusel 

1 1/4 cup flour

1/2 cup brown sugar 

1/4 cup sugar

1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted 

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

2. Coat loaf pans with non-stick spray or butter and flour. 

3. In a stand mixer with paddle attachment combine flour, sugars, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, baking soda, and salt and mix together. 

4. In a separate bowl whisk together the pumpkin purée, oil, butter, apple sauce, eggs, and vanilla. 

5. Add wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, and stir until incorporated. 

6. Scoop batter evenly into the loaf pans, and tap against counter to release any air. 

7. In another bowl, combine all ingredients for the streusel, and sprinkle on top of batter. 

8. Place in oven, and bake for 40-45 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. 

Hope you guys enjoy this recipe! Take care. 

XO, N

Skinny Chocolate Chip Zucchini Muffins

One of my friends gave my this HUGE beautiful zucchini that her mom grew in her garden. I only used a quarter of it for this recipe too so I am hunting for more yummy zucchini recipes. This is a great recipe from The Typical Domestic Babe. I love it because there's no sugar (not including the chocolate chips). I hope you like it as much as I do. 

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup shredded zucchini, set on paper towels to absorb excess moisture
1/2 cup honey
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 tbsp coconut oil
1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 egg
1/4 cup milk {I used almond}
1/2 cup chocolate chips

Directions:
1. Make sure to place your shredded zucchini on layers of paper towels to absorb some of the excess moisture.  Set aside and allow to sit for 15 minutes.

2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Spray a muffin tin with non stick cooking spray.

3. In a large bowl, combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt.  Set aside.

4. In a medium sized bowl, stir together zucchini, honey, vanilla, coconut oil and applesauce.  Next add in your egg and milk and whisk together to combine.

5. Incorporate the wet ingredients into your large bowl of flour mixture, and gently stir until combined, taking care not to over stir {this eliminates any excess air into your batter}.  Fold in the chocolate chips.

6. Spoon batter into muffin tins, and fill about 2/3 of the way up.  Bake for 20 minutes, or until the muffins are golden brown & gently spring back when touched.  Cool on a wire rack.

Recipe from The Typical Domestic Babe. 

Pumpkin Sugar Cookies With Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting

It's finally fall and it's time for pumpkin everything! These cookies were super easy to make and amazingly delicious! They are just the right amount of pumpkin, so it's not too overwhelming, and the cinnamon cream cheese frosting is the perfect topping. You definitely can't eat just one!

INGREDIENTS

3 cups all purpose flour

2 teaspoons cornstarch

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt 

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened 

1/3 cup unflavored vegetable shortening 

1 1/4 cups granulated sugar

2 large egg yolks

2/3 cup canned pumpkin purée 

1 teaspoon vanilla extract 

3 oz cream cheese 

3 tablespoons butter, softened 

3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon 

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract (recipe here)

2 1/2 cups powdered sugar 

1 1/2 tablespoons milk

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

2. In a Mixing bowl, whisk together flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon ,nutmeg, and ginger. Set aside.

3. In the bowl of an electric stand mixer, cream together butter, shortening, and sugar until pale and fluffy. Mix in egg yolks one at a time. Mix in pumpkin purée and vanilla extract. With mixer set on low speed, slowly add in dry ingredients and mix until combined. 

4. Make balls using 3 tablespoons of dough per ball. Place on a SilPat lined baking sheet. Using fingers flatten cookies into rounds until they are 1/2 inch thick. Bake 11 to 12 minutes.

1. In the bowl of an electric stand mixer, with together cream cheese and butter until pale and fluffy. Mix in cinnamon, vanilla extract, and powdered sugar. Mix in milk and whip until smooth and fluffy.

Recipe from Cooking Classy. 

Halloween Pinspiration

To follow along, and see more of what I'm pinning, head over to my Pinterest account - NicholeStArnold