Travis and I went to a Halloween party on Saturday night and I brought pumpkin cupcakes to mark the occasion.  I was happy with how they turned out, so I thought I’d share :)

These are technically pumpkin muffins, but with the addition of homemade cream cheese frosting, they are truly decadent (and perfectly festive).  Here’s the recipe…

The Muffins

1 1/2 cups flour                                 1/2 tsp. baking powder

2 tsp. cinnamon                                  1/3 cup water

1 tsp. baking soda                               1/2 tsp. vanilla

1 tsp. salt                                             6 Tbsp. butter

1 tsp. ground ginger                            1 1/3 cup sugar

2 eggs                                                    1 cup pumpkin puree

1) Preheat oven to 350.

2) Mix dry ingredients together in a bowl and the wet ingredients in a separate bowl.

3) Slowly incorporate the dry ingredients into the wet.

4) Bake for 20-24 mins.

*special trick* for extra moist muffins, place a glass dish with ~4 cups water under your muffin tin in the oven.  The water creates a more humid cooking environment and creates the perfect muffin consistency!

The Frosting

1 stick butter

1 tub whipped cream cheese (8 oz.)

2 cups powdered sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

1) Melt the butter and beat into room temperature cream cheese.

2) Add vanilla.

3) Slowly incorporate powdered sugar.

4) Try not to eat it all before applying it to your cupcakes :)

This weekend promises to be very festive! There are lots of gatherings and Travis and I are excited to rock our newly-finished Halloween costumes (I’ll show you guys next week). We still haven’t carved or decorated our pumpkins yet, either, so there’s lots to be done!

Let’s kick off the weekend with some fun links from around the web…

Sneak peek of Mad Men!

Awesome decorations for a Halloween party.

Would you rock spider lashes?

A friend of mine is making these for her sister’s baby shower… so cute!

Cool fall nails.

What a fun way to plant succulents!

Fun eyelash ideas for Halloween.

On my fall wish list: a collar necklace…

Are you serious?  PECAN PIE BARS!!

Herringbone floors are my latest design obsession.

What are you up to this weekend?  Going to/hosting any Halloween parties?  What’s your costume this year?  Share in the comments!

The weather was gloomy last week, so I tried to get into the fall spirit by whipping up a big pot of stew.  When Travis came home from work, he immediately dubbed it “the best stew ever” and we’ve been enjoying the leftovers for days!  Want the recipe?

Here’s what you’ll need:

-1 onion

-2 lbs. beef (many grocery stores have “stew” meat that’s already been cut into chunks— how convenient!)

-3 celery stalks

-red wine

-2 carrots

-6-8 small white potatoes

-1 container beef broth

-1 packet McCormick beef stew seasoning

-flour

The recipe:

1) Chop up the entire onion and sauté in your stew pot.  Once the onions are nearly cooked, add in the beef and chopped celery.

2) Cook the beef until lightly browned, then pout half a bottle of red wine into the pot and simmer with a lid for two hours.  (Feel free to pour yourself a glass of the leftover wine around this time.)

3) Check in on the meat every half hour or so and give it a stir to make sure the wine isn’t evaporating too quickly.

4) When the two hours are up, mix your McCormick seasoning with 3 cups water (per their instructions) and pour it into the pot.  Add the entire container of beef broth as well.  (Some people call cooking with a packet “cheating”.  I call it convenient and delicious.)

5) Continue to cook your stew on low heat as long as you’d like— the longer, the better!  About 90 minutes before dinner, add in your chopped potatoes and carrots.

6) Just before serving, mix 1/2 cup of water with about 1/8 cup of flour and whisk until there are no lumps.  Stir this flour mixture into the stew and turn off the stove.  This will help to thicken it to the perfect consistency.  (Add more flour if it’s not thick enough for you.)

7) Serve with a big slice of sweet french bread for dipping and enjoy!

Are you a fan of beef stew?  What’s you’re favorite cold weather dinner?  How do you feel about “packet” cooking?  Share your thoughts in the comments!

Happy happy Friday!  I am sooo excited for this weekend.  Travis and I are making our annual trip to Half Moon Bay for the pumpkin festival, where we will fill up on amazing food, fall treats, and feast our eyes on the 1700-pound, award winning pumpkin.

The weather has been gloomy and perfectly autumn— I am loving every minute of it!

So let’s kick off this weekend with some fun links from around the web…

Cute nails!

Would you trash the dress?

Awesome DIY stools made from side tables!

Fall in a box.

Pumpkin frozen yogurt… mmmm :)

Have you used a mattifier to keep your face from getting shiny?  I’m thinking about picking up this one for my clients…

I adore this hair color!

Cute idea: plant flowers in pumpkins for Halloween/Thanksgiving.

I’d love to curl into this bed with a good book…

And don’t forget to enter this week’s hair happy giveaway!

What are you up to this weekend?  Doing anything cozy or fall-related?  Is the weather changing in your neck of the woods?  Tell me what you’re up to in the comments!

Fall rolled into San Francisco and it brought a nasty cold along with it!  I spent all day yesterday in bed, and it looks like my Friday is shaping up similarly.  Good thing Netflix play-it-now documentaries and herbal tea exists!

I’m hoping to be back on my feet by tomorrow— there’s lots of fun events happening in the city this weekend!  Until then, I plan to lay low and browse the web… care to join me?

I just ordered new business cards!  (Aren’t they cute?!)

Glen Hansard is playing the Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival… be still, my heart!

So many boot socks, so little time.

Pretty sailboat tattoo…

Love this simple design esthetic.

Who wouldn’t want to wake up to this on their birthday?

Lovely hair for fall…

Neat idea: wallpapered stairs.

I am OBSESSED with this light grey nail color!!

These thin crust pizza bites would make the best appetizers, don’t you think?

What are you up to this weekend?  Got any big plans or laying low at home?  Have you stumbled onto any must-share links this week?  Leave ‘em in the comments!