Happy Friday, all!
First things first, I need to announce the winner of the White Jacket Required book giveaway. Congrats to…
Chelsea: I would love to read this book :) My favorite comfort food is probably pasta with meat sauce and garlic bread…yummm!
Congrats, Chelsea! Email your mailing address to IowaGirlEats@gmail.com and we’ll get that right out to you. Thank you to everyone who entered, and do pick up a copy of White Jacket Required if you can, to support a fellow food blogger, and for a great read!
In other news, we went from a high of 83 earlier this week, to a predicted high of just 49 today. Brrr!! Seems like most of the country is experiencing some type of dramatic weather right now, from cold temps, snow, and rain, so wherever you are, try and stay warm, safe, and dry this weekend.
That was my Midwest instincts kicking in, btw. We love to talk weather. SO COOL. ;)
Anyways, my Mom and I are hoping to conquer the cold tomorrow and hit up the very last downtown Farmers’ Market of the season (sob!) then Ben and I have dinner plans with friends. Fun! Today I am spending the day staying warm indoors working on a few freelance recipe projects – a couple involving cranberries.
The holidays are coming! The holidays are coming!
Alright, I need to go, clearly. I hope you have some plans in the works, but in the meantime, please enjoy my favorite finds from around the web and beyond in this week’s Friday Favorites!
Favorite bite: Cookies & Cream Popcorn. One of my best friends and I used to hoard Hershey’s Cookies & Cream mini chocolate bars in our lockers, which were right next to each other, freshman year of high school. It was all fun and games until the boys on either side of us discovered our locker combinations and stole our entire stash. ‘Twas a sad day indeed. I would keep this stuff under lock and KEY!
Favorite cozy: Fitted Puffer Vest. I saw a girl at the grocery store earlier this week with the cutest vest on – puffy but fitted, with a cute, faux-fur lined hood. Kinda like this one!
Favorite fall: Butternut Bliss Fall Salad. I can’t decide what I like best about this gorgeous, Autumnal salad – the sight of caramelized butternut squash, tofu, walnuts, and dried cranberries – or the cute name.
Favorite furball. I vant…to suck…the cuteness out of this spooky little kitten!
Favorite fashion: Bahari Necklace. This statement necklace is GORGEOUS. I have so many outfits this would totally make.
Favorite project: Gallery Wall. So much easier than trying to figure out different hanging patterns, using a level, nails, and lots of prayers that everything lines up.
Favorite redo: Starbuck’s Cranberry Bliss Bars. A copycat version of Starby’s Cranberry Bliss Bars – these babies look sinfully delish.
Favorite must-have: Winestation. MUST. HAVE. NOW. How freaking cool, right?!
Favorite save: Green Mountain Fair Trade Coffee. I received some Colombian Fair Trade Select coffee through my GreenMountain.com K-Cup Ambassador Program earlier this month, and it is hands down my favorite coffee I’ve ever had. Sooo smooth, and not too dark, nor too light. Bonus – it’s on sale right now (as is all GM’s Fair Trade Coffee,) and you can get an additional 10% off all Fair Trader products with code: GMCFTC8131 through November 5 on GreenMountainCoffee.com.
Favorite dinner: Hummus Crusted Chicken. I love how moist and juicy this hummus-topped chicken looks. It would be a great weeknight dinner, plus you can never have too many chicken recipes!
Favorite DIY: DIY Mercury Glass Lamps. Apparently similar-looking lamps sell for $200+ at Pottery Barn. HAHA NO THANKS. This tutorial gives a pretty ingenious way to get the look for a LOT less.
Favorite indulge: Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies with Sea Salt. So simple. So divine. So want dozens and dozens of them right now…
Favorite vantage point. I don’t think I’ve ever seen this super-cool wedding shot before. Ladies – keep this one in mind for any impending nuptials!
Favorite upgrade: Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes with Walnut Streusel. Oh dear me! Love this idea for a Thanksgiving side!
Favorite place: Salzburg, Austria. Can you imagine how beautiful this place must be around the holidays, with twinkling lights and a light dusting of snow?
Favorite homemade: Homemade Tootsie Rolls. Homemade tootsie rolls are all the rage this year, and I, for one, am totally on board. How fun!
Have an awesome weekend, everyone!
Sarah 10.26.2012
I am so excited for the holidays. I love baking with cranberries and cranberry sauce is my favorite part of Thanksgiving.
Kasey 10.26.2012
I would love to go on Sat. 11/17. I have never been to it before. It sounds fun!
Thank you :)
EMILY 10.26.2012
How freakin’ fab is that wine cooler!? I feel like I would become more of a wine connesouir if I had one! And it doesn’t seem like it goes to waste as fast?
I would like to win tickets for the night of the 16th! My college friend from ENGLAND is flying in on the 15th and staying in IOWA until th 25th. This would be a fun night out welcoming him back to the states!
EMILY 10.26.2012
connoisseur* I spelled that completely wrong
Tammie Grey 10.26.2012
drooled at the tootsie rolls
kimi 10.26.2012
I’ve been so Salzburg a few times. It’s even more beautiful than pictures can show. Austria is amazing. Salzburg is home to an amazing side-of-mountain Stiegl bier garden. I want to live there. You must go!
Erica @ Midwesternita 10.26.2012
I’d love gift mart tickets! I could sooo use a girls night. :) I’d like to go Friday night. Here’s to hoping!
sarah k @ the pajama chef 10.26.2012
i went to salzburg on a trip to germany & austria a few summers ago with my mom. that pic is gorgeous and it’s even more amazing in real life so you MUST go. anyone, everyone. love it!!
Monique @ Ambitious Kitchen 10.26.2012
Thanks for the sweet link! xo
Melinda 10.26.2012
I would love to take my Mom to Gift Mart on Thursday night. What a fun treat – we have missed the last couple of years.
Sarah H.P. 10.26.2012
I’d love to attend on Saturday the 17th! I’m in Dubuque, Iowa but would definitely drive to Des Moines for the weekend!
Emily 10.26.2012
Love the pic of Salzburg…was there a few years ago and it is the most beautiful city!!!
Megan G 10.26.2012
I would love opening night tickets to Gift Mart!
Jill 10.26.2012
Would love to check out Gift Mart on Saturday the 17th!
Melissa 10.26.2012
You have such great taste bc I lOVE that gap vest! Also, that wine cooler is amazing! I’ve never seen anything like that and definitely a must have… i’m going to put that on my christmas list!
Lisa in Fort Worth 10.26.2012
Love the comment about the Midwest instincts!! It cracked me up this morning. When my Dad calls thats all he ever talks about is the weather! It’s so funny. My kids call me to tell me their grandfather calls to tell them the weather up North too! We love it!
Holly 10.26.2012
This might be one of my favorite Friday Favorites! So many awesome things!
My mom and I hang out every Saturday, so I would looove to be able to take her (and probably drag my dad along) to the Gift Mart!
Emily @ Have Your Cake And 10.26.2012
Hah it totally is a Midwest thing to talk about the weather. I live in FL now and people think I’m weird when I bring it up.
Megan 10.26.2012
Totally not a cat person but vampire kitty is so cute! Would love to check out Gift Mart on Saturday the 17th!
Kim @ Raising The Barre 10.26.2012
1) That wine cooler is amazing- must have.
2) That wedding pic is so beautiful!
3) The pic of Austria has me longing for European streets again.. *sigh
TGIF!
Leigh Anne @Your Homebased Mom 10.26.2012
What a great line up of favorite things! Love it. Thanks for including my copycat recipe for Starbucks Cranberry Bliss Bars! They are pretty yummy.