Frosty Chocolate Dream Bites for #SundaySupper

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The last few weeks have been some of the craziest imaginable. Aside from finally scheduling my big dissertation proposal exam (this June! eep!!) and rewriting one of my articles from scratch for re-submission to a journal, I have finally registered with the school for medical wrist treatment so I can hopefully type with all of you again soon–write replies, comment on your blogs, and everything else I miss.

I’ll be back in the game again soon, so don’t lose hope in me!

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Somehow, in the midst of all this craziness, I still have stories. There’s something about storytelling that makes … Read more

The BEST Bread Pudding for #OXOCookware

Disclaimer: I was selected to be part of OXO’s Blogger Outreach program, for which I received an OXO Stainless Steel Pro 5 Qt. Casserole Dish + Cover. All opinions in this post are 100% my own.

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So my latest trip to Disneyland proved that I am the queen of not being able to spot celebrities, ever. Period. Even when I pass by them so close I actually have to maneuver to avoid hitting them in the ribs with my elbow.

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Two nights ago, we paid the Happiest Place on Earth a fond visit to celebrate–along with other annual passholders–the 20th … Read more

Gluten-Free Black Bean Brownies for #SundaySupper

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When I was 5, my mom told me I was allergic to chocolate.

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Now, you’d think that a future 20-year product of the public education system would have smelled something fishy, but I smelled nothing but the tantalizing, forbidden scent of chocolate.

Believe it or not, the ruse lasted until age 10, when we were selling Hershey’s bars for a school fundraiser and I sank my teeth into a gorgeous, silky chunk of chocolate heaven.

Half a decade of my life. Irretrievable. Lost. Goner than a koala chucked into a black hole.

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Aside from those five years of chocolate-less existence–and … Read more

Easy English Toffee

Spoiler: majorly embarrassing stories ahead……

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Yesterday, over lunch, my friends and I were sharing our best embarrassing stories. You know, the ones that made you blush so hard you thought your face was actually going to combust into a bunch of fiery napalm and set ablaze everyone within 15 square yards of you. We’re not talking the kind of mild embarrassment that happens when you walk in late on the first day of class and get called out by the teacher.

We’re talking stress-dreams-of-getting-caught-stark-naked-in-a-Costco-parking-lot-on-a-Sunday-afternoon kind of embarrassment.

Unfortunately, I’m terrible at calling up examples while they are still relevant (i.e. … Read more

Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookie Crumble Peanut Butter Mousse Parfaits for #SundaySupper

Semi-serious writer’s note: I am currently struggling through a prolonged, increasingly aggravated case of carpal tunnel onset. While I’m doing my best to keep this blog running in the meantime, if I don’t reply right away to your comments or leave comments on your blog, don’t think I don’t care–I do! It’s just this silly problem, so I’ll get back to you as I can 🙂 thanks for reading!

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My first time on a red carpet was at my friend’s Netflix celebration, which took place at the Staples Center in downtown Los Angeles a few months ago. Sparkly gowns, diamond … Read more

Friday Wallflavourites: Edition 22

Happy Galentine’s/Valentine’s Day, folks! Whether it’s a table set for friends, for yourself, or for you and a loved one, we all know this weekend needs some sweetening up. Here are some of this week’s tastiest ideas for your dessert table! (By the way, have you entered my giveaway of the Top with Cinnamon cookbook yet?)

These Best Peanut Butter Cup Fudge Brownies via Half Baked Harvest have seriously made my knees go week. And I have the bruises to prove it.

If you know me at all, you’ll know I’m a crazy sucker for anything dippable, peanut buttery, or … Read more

Mini Samoas Sticky Banoffee Cake Donuts {+ topwithcinnamon cookbook giveaway}

Looking for a special, last-minute way to say “I love you” this Valentine’s Day? Check out my selection of baked goods and other treats on Etsy!

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All food bloggers have their obsessions. The lucky ones are obsessed with things like kale, quinoa, and detox smoothies made from a combination of leafy things that should never be placed in a blender together.

What about me? I’m obsessed with donuts, toffee, coconut, salted caramel, dates, coffee, and Top with Cinnamon. So basically, everything that is antithetical to what kale stands for. And today I’m ready to share my obsessions with all … Read more

No-Bake Cookie Butter Avalanche Cookies

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So apparently one of my students lives next door to me.

Forgive me if I don’t jump for joy.

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Living next door to any of my students–as you can probably imagine–isn’t exactly my idea of a delightful development. I guess this means I’ll have to actually put on pants now when I open the windows.

Kidding. I’m totally kidding. (Except maybe on laundry day.)

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Though this news has made me self-conscious enough to stop blasting Taylor Swift out the open window at odd hours of the day now, weirdly enough, my first reaction when s/he asked me if I lived … Read more

Funfetti Sugar Cookies

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When: Last Thursday. Location: Starbucks Coffee Shop. What: Story material. Lots of it.

If you have spent any time in my company or on my blog, you’ll appreciate how much I love meeting strangers. When I walked into the coffee shop last week for a late-night study sesh, I had no idea what the next four hours had in store for me.

Here’s a spoiler: It’s not a romance story. It’s something much better than that, believe it or not.

It’s a story of humanity.

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The funny part–and my personal favorite part–of the encounter was that it … Read more

Vegan Walnut Fudge {Raw + Gluten-Free}

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I know I promised to share “something juicy” with you in Monday’s blog post about these awesome cookies. That just goes to show two things: that a) I probably shouldn’t make promises I don’t have a mind to keep, and b) for future reference, you probably shouldn’t trust me when I say I’m going to tell you something juicy. I didn’t even have time to blend a fruity drink and present it to you as a punny example of my exceptionally dry humor.

So nothin’ juicy today. Just me and this fudge that disappeared in about 30 minutes when … Read more