Halloween!

Have a punkin cake ball to celebrate!

It's not like this holiday revolves around candy or anything...

While I did make these a while ago, I felt like saving them until the big day was the right decision

Because they are a big deal.

Holiday big.

And absolutely experimental.

Could have turned out like little Frankenstein's!

But instead, they were masterpieces!

Also.

Crafted in a dorm kitchen.

The Master at work.

Which I think deserves some credit!

Along with my college budget...and determination to make them organic.

I had to make a couple of compromises, but all around.

I was a success!

Now, onto a recipe!

Happy chef!

Pumpkin Cake Balls

A moderate estimate of an experimental recipe!

• Yellow Cake Mix
• Pumpkin Pie Filling
• Butter (1 stick for icing, another for the cake!)
• Vanilla Greek Yogurt
• Whipped Cream Cheese
• Powdered Sugar
• Almond Bark
• White Chocolate M&M's

1. Mix cake according to directions, substituting about two tablespoons of yogurt for vanilla.

--Vanilla is expensive--

2. Mix in about half of the can of pie filling. Taste test until it's the perfect pumpkiny flavor for you.

3. Bake until insides seem to be undercooked, but pass the toothpick test.

--May also require some taste testing.--

4. Mix 8 oz cream cheese with around 3 tablespoons of yogurt and other stick of butter until smooth.

5. Add in about 1/2 cup of powdered sugar

--I did this all by hand. It was the definition of awful--

6. When cake is cooled, mix with cream cheese and form into balls. Freeze these balls.

7. While these freeze, smash the orange M&M's

Genius!

8. Dip the nicely frozen balls in the almond bark.

9. Immediately top with crushed M&M's

Trying to focus. Giggling instead.

10. Let harden and bon apetit!

Top View!

Now, we can thank Tess for these pictures!

The two of us had a great Halloween weekend =)

So much fun, and such a huge deal here in Austin!

It was incredible to say the least.

80's Rocker and a Mermaid!

Now, though, it's back to work.

Chemistry test tomorrow!

Wish me luck---it's greatly appreciated ;)

Reality.

So here I am.

Sitting in a 24 hour silent study lounge.

Not studying.

Listening to Simon and Garfunkel.

Eating a berry fruit leather strip.

And debating a Frosty.

When it hit me.

The big realization.

An epiphany, you might say.

Although I don't believe this would be the right context...

Anyway.

Reality struck.

Here it is:

I haven't eaten a fresh, home meal in over a month.

Isn't it frightening?

Gives me shivers just thinking about it!

In the onset shock and awe, I decided to browse some old pictures from this summer.

What did I find to appease my visual appetite, you may ask?

Well, let me tell you.

Asian Lettuce Wraps!

Circa sometime in August.

A good memory of real food.

Not mass produced.

Not from a menu.

From a mommy.

And a cookbook.

Made in a normal kitchen.
With Ramen, no less.

And assembled at my table.

By me.

Doesn't that just sound delightful?

A rare delicacy, if you will?

Ahh, the sentimentality is welling up inside me!

Makes the prospect of going home more exciting.

Beyond seeing that precious family again ;)

Not only that, though.

This wave of realization has made me even more excited to have my own apartment.

I know its over a semester away...

But I've already started to look =)

I mean, with the promise of cooking.

And eating my own food.

Why wouldn't I be excited?

Anniversary!

22 Years of Love ;)

Today, I am dedicating this blog to the two people I owe my life to.

Literally.

My parents!

Their 22nd anniversary was on Thursday, and today they came down to Austin

Celebrations all around!

Celebrating their marriage and love.

Celebrating our reunion.

Celebrating life!

And all of this celebrating called for some delicious meals.

Naturally ;)

I'm going to do things backwards...and start with dinner.

It was just too fantastic to wait!

And so,

For the fancy anniversary date night, we went to the Shoreline Grill.

Why yes, I was included in the date night.

I felt quite blessed.

With a view of Lady Bird Lake, we enjoyed this meal.

And the presence of family.

A presence I have so missed.

College is fun, 

But.

Family is essential!

Now, about this meal...

Here is some documentation.

Bread:

Something along the lines of Yorkshire Pudding.

Unexpected.

Crispy.

Yet with the texture of French Toast.

And savory.

Mmmm. Carbohydrates.

I love them.

Appetizer:

Blue Crab Cake

My mommy and I shared this crab cake.

Filled with actual crab meat. And a lot of it.

Perfect bite: sliver of avocado, solid forkful of crab, slight dab of puree!

My dad had a gumbo appetizer, which he says was delicious.

I trust his word.

Dinner:

Watercress and Beet Salad

The salad was topped with goat cheese.

Which I feel as though I may have mentioned my adoration for previously...

Seriously. I love the stuff.

It was a bitter salad, but was darn tasty too!

And that's coming from a girl with the bitter gene.

Which is supposed to influence people to dislike bitter tastes.

Just a little scientific f.y.i!

Market Crudo

I also had this crudo for my entree.

It was almost exactly like sashimi.

But with citrus and avocado tastes rather than Asian!

Incredible, to say the least.

And now,

The real main event.

Dessert!

Hot and Cold Chocolate

We got a complimentary dessert.

For the occasion.

And let me tell you.

Oh. My. Chocogasm.

This was pure bliss.

A milk chocolate mousse.

Beyond divinity.

And a hot chocolate.

Which from what I can tell, was just melted chocolate and khalua...

And a homemade marshmallow!

Words cannot suffice for this dessert.

All in all, I hope my parents enjoyed this celebration as much as I did.

So raise your glass,

To Linda and Pierre!

To 22 years, and many more to come!

Neglect.

That one word.

So negative, yet so true.

And I could give my excuses as to why this neglect has happened.

Social life, blah blah.

Studying, blah blah.

But who really wants to hear my excuses?

Instead, let's not dwell on the pessimistic view of these last two weeks.

Let's embrace the experiences I've had!

I've had my fair share of pizza

Pie a la Mellow Mushroom

This fine specimen happens to have sun dried tomatoes. 

And avocados =)

My self designed masterpizza!

I've also had a few bites of sushi.

Happy Hour sushi at Thai Spice

Most of those bites get devoured so quickly a snapshot would have to be ultrasound.

The speed I eat sushi could possibly be record setting.

Just ask my friend, Tess.

Blog, meet Tess. Tess, meet Blog!

This girl is my study buddy.

And party partner!

Oh, and my dinner date most nights ;)

We get to feast upon such delicacies as these:

"Texas Two-Step" Wrap

Which is from the market in my dorm.

Not too shabby, I'll be honest.

But then, there is cafeteria cusine....

Vegan Stuffed Shells and Strawberries

Yes, this red sloppy goo is edible.

And yes, I did spend about five awkward minutes taking pictures.

In the dining room.

Attempting to find the most attractive angle.

From what I was dealing with, I have to say it was pretty impressive.

Still, you can't disguise it.

The beauty of cafeteria shines on through!

Beyond these snippits, I have gone home for a weekend.

Which I will expand upon sometime later. 

When I'm having a slow week. Or keep up the habit of forgetting my camera...

I have also made pumpkin cake balls.

In a dorm kitchen no less!

You'll be visually tasting those within the week =)

Oh, and I may have had some ice cream.

Swirll...courtesy of my mommy!

Once...

Post Exam Rita's CreamIce!

Or twice...

Juicy Tart, my most frequent frozen haunt!

Well maybe more than a little bit of frozen goodness.

But what can I say?

I'm a sucker for that sweet!