Favorites
Inedible Favorites – Luke’s 1st Birthday
March 26, 2013 | 
Author One year ago today, my nephew Luke popped into this world and immediately started melting hearts, mine most definitely included. Obviously this meant that there was no chance I would miss his very first birthday. And to celebrate he was thrown a Very Hungry Caterpillar party, which was very fitting because he eats everything!
One year ago: Jalapeno Popper Buffalo Chicken Pizza
Posted in 
Inedible Favorites – Luke 9 Months
Time to recap my holidays Luke-style! Which means you get to see a lot of pictures of my adorable nephew, whom I saw in both Boston and Rochester. He turned 9 months old the day after Christmas, how crazy is that? I already bought my plane ticket to be a part of his 1st birthday in March (which is also paired up with a NYC adventure with some fabulous food bloggers). As I said the other day he will eat anything you put in front of him, even inedible things. Also, he may skip right over crawling and walk first. He loves walking you around while holding his hands. Just gotta get a grip on that balance!
Taking a plane ride courtesy of grandpa
Already wanting to get buff and pump some iron
Beautiful baby eyes
First full blown snow experience. Complete with a snow suit which preventing him from stuffing that snowball into his mouth. “Dang these gloves!”
Baby snow angel
Rocking a bowtie on Christmas Eve
Luke missed out on a serious game of Geek Battle with more adult bowtie action.
- Three generations
See you in 3 months Luke! I expect you to run up to me when I get there 
.
Two years ago: Quinoa Pilaf with Pine Nuts
Best of 2012
I am trying my best to not write an entire post about how I cannot believe how fast this year went by, so let’s talk about the fact that by the turning of this calendar year I will have lived in Memphis (and been in graduate school) for 5 and 1/2 years now. Cannot. Freaking. Believe it. That also means I only have a few more months left until I defend my dissertation and graduate for (hopefully) the very last time in my life! We’re talking serious party time. But until then, I have decided to spend NYE in Memphis this year because I never have after all this time. Guess that’s what happens when you are still very much attached to family and friends who live elsewhere. But obviously I have friends in Memphis too, so I want to share this holiday with them for a change.
But before I venture off into the night and enter a new year by watching a giant guitar drop on Beale Street, let’s go back and take a look at all the best recipes from 2012 on The Spiffy Cookie. I have included a list of your favorites based on visits and also a list of my favorites that didn’t make the cut. Gotta show them some love too!
Your Favorites
1. Red Velvet Cake Batter Dip – This recipe exploded on Pinterest and was only the beginning of my adventures into cake batter dips!
2. Peanut Butter Fudge Brownie Bricks – I have to agree with you on this one – definitely a drool worthy treat.
3. No-Bake Peanut Butter Granola Bars – Best homemade granola bars I’ve had
4. Stromboli – It certainly was one of the prettiest things I’ve ever made as wel
5. Pizza Quinoa Casserole – This was the most popular Secret Recipe Club pick I’ve made. I guess I should make more things with quinoa!
6. Shortbread Cookies – I made these to serve with the red velvet cake batter dip so it’s not all that surprising to see this one in the list as well.
7. Peach Greek Yogurt Pie – It’s hard to know if this pie only made the list because it was also associated with a Chobani giveaway, but I certainly liked it.
8. Spicy Avocado Chicken Enchiladas – After the huge hit that the cream cheese enchiladas were last year, I knew you would be ready for an alternative.
9. Loaded Baked Potato Dip – This tailgating favorite got lightened up!
10. Cake Batter Puppy Chow – Cake batter strikes again! This time in the form of puppy chow.
My Favorites
1. Malted Chocolate and Peanut Butter Chip Cookies – Seriously the best cookies I made all year. The malted flavor along with the peanut butter got to me.
2. Goat Cheese Ricotta Gnocchi with Walnut Thyme Butter Sauce – It was hard to pick which gnocchi was my favorite, since I made so many different great flavors.
3. Bleu Cheese Ball – The cheese ball that performs disappearing acts! A good thing too, because nothign else would’ve stopped me from eating it all by myself.
4. Chocolate Peanut Butter 7-Layer Bars – Addictive award.
5. Chicken Pesto Lasagna Rolls – I was sad when I ran out of these leftovers.
6. Mini Pumpkin Black and White Cookies – Fun variation from the traditional. I actually liked it better!
7. S’mores Molten Lava Cake – Need I say more? Apparently since it didn’t make your top 10! It’s a molten lava cake with a graham cracker crust and marshmallow cream cheese filling. You cannot resist.
8. Pumpkin Bagels with Cinnamon-Walnut Cranberry Cream Cheese Spread – The combination of these two items together is what made them on the list.
9. Caramelized Chicken with Jalapeno Cream – Made this for a Valentine’s Day dinner with friends and it still has a special place in my heart.
10. Baked Oatmeal with Blackberries and Bananas – A great breakfast recipe that can be changed up with different berries. I know because I’ve remade it with others! Yummy.
Here’s to a happy new year in 2013 full of lots more delicious food!
Happy Holidays
HAPPY HOLIDAYS AND MERRY CHRISTMAS!! I will likely be stuffing myself silly because I lose all self control during the holidays. And in between meals I will be overdosing on my nephew, Luke. He’s 9 months old tomorrow and looking good enough to gobble up!
Two years ago: Hoey Cakes (Italian Almond Squares)
Inedible Favorites – Luke 5 Months
Happy Labor Day! Although I will be traveling for half of this day it’s been a great holiday weekend in Boston as a whole. And to prove it, I have more pictures of my nephew, Luke! He’s interacting with the world so much more than the last time I saw him.
Father and son – All dressed and ready for his first game day!
He loves flying
Cutest Buckeye fan ever
Taking a stroller nap after an exciting 56-10 victory
Unsure of this thing called “sand”
Future Spiffy Cookie fan!
First bubble bath!
Sad to leave but cannot wait to see him again in December! Here’s to hoping there’s plenty of snow to play with.
Inedible Favorites – Luke
The best thing I learned from my visit to Boston, was that Luke is cuter in person than in photographs. I am sorry that none of you get to experience his mighty powers of cuteness and must settle for pictures. Leaving yesterday was definitely not my favorite. I wanted to continue stroking his baby soft feet and watch him flail around trying to get control over his limbs. Pure adorableness. Wishing I lived a lot closer to make more frequent trips, but will attempt to visit again before I see everyone at Christmas-time.
First photo together at my brother's socccer game.
I cannot wait to bake all kinds of cookies for you
Giddy up
Tiny toes!
Unfortunately not focused, but look at him work those neck muscles!
Living the life
All that delicious cuteness should tide you over because that’s it for today – no recipe! He deserved his own post 
. There are even more posted on my personal Facebook profile for those of you who are Facebook friends.
Best of 2011
As 2011 comes to a close, why not take a look back at what drew the most attention on The Spiffy Cookie over the year? I present to you, the best recipes of 2011 based on visitor views, comments and also some of my favorites that didn’t make the fan lists! Funny how different the lists are, but I just had to find an excuse to share more since it was hard dwindling my list to only 10 .
Most Visited
1. Cream Cheese Chicken Enchiladas
2. Pumpkin Nutella Mini Cheesecake Bites
4. Lunch Lady Peanut Butter Cookies
5. Peanut Butter, Banana & Nutella Bars
7. Strawberry Nutella Bread Pudding
8. Homemade Olive Garden Salad and Dressing
Most Commented
2. Biscoff Cheesecake Ice Cream
3. Funfetti Truffle Chocolate Cupcakes
4. Gingerbread Pancakes with Crumb Topping
5. Peanut Butter French Toast with Chocolate Syrup
9. Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese with Caramelized Onions, Bacon and Apple
10. Butter Pecan with Brandy Ice Cream
My Favorites
1. Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Mini S’mores Pies
4. Double Cake Batter Truffle Ice Cream
5. Goat Cheese Cheesecake with Basil Roasted Peaches
6. Heart-Stuffed Shells in a Ricotta Sauce
8. Root Beer Pulled Pork Sandwiches
9. Pumpkin Kissed Gingerbread Brownies
10. Tomato-Pesto Pizza with Bail and Goat Cheese Stuffed Crust
Inedible Favorites – Part 1
Sorry nothing new to post about food today! Been kinda hectic. However I’ve enjoyed reading other bloggers’ posts about some of their favorite items, so I thought I’d give it a whirl. Here are a few things I’m in love with that have recently entered my life:
Utensil-houette Bowl from ModCloth
Isn’t this bowl neat? I really don’t know what it’s going to be used for just yet, other than sitting on my counter and looking pretty. But I needed it – obviously. There is also a matching napkin holder that I’ve contemplated purchasing.
H2OMG Bottle from ModCloth
I grew up on tap water. Tthe idea of having a water purifier is beyond me, but maybe I’ve just been lucky enough to live in areas of the country with great tap water. Either way, besides the obvious statement this bottle was exactly what I was looking for. Over the years I have been purchasing huge packs of bottled water, just so I had something to reuse (refilled with tap water) every day for the week in my lunch box. Sure I recycle them all, but I still felt wasteful and needed a permanent reusable bottle. And here it is!
“Chirp” Tan Wedges by Seychelles from Heels.com
I have been on the hunt for a tan pair of wedges since last summer. I originally lusted over the Cara Wedge by Rosegold, but after months of online searching I couldn’t find the tan ones in my size. Why did I have to be cursed with the most common size, 7.5?? It’s one of the first sizes to run out, I swear. Alas, I had to direct my energy towards finding a different pair that I enjoy, which was surprisingly difficult. Apparently I am too picky. But then I magically found these one day. They are stinking cute! I ended up having a hard time deciding what color to get because they also come in black and a metallic. But I stuck to the tan, and then discovered I had a $10 credit on my heels.com account. Doesn’t get much better than that!
Sweeter than a Cupcake Manicure Set from ModCloth
When it comes to my purse, I am not a typical woman. I don’t have a nail-file, clippers, cosmetic bag, or even a pen most days. (But I sure have a mass amount of coupons stashed away from Living Social and Groupon.) But that changed when I saw this adorable cupcake manicure set. So far I’ve used it to cut a tag on something – off to a great start, haha! Now, if they made it shaped like a cookie I’d have to justify buying another…
Necklace in Wonderland from ModCloth
Yes yet another ModCloth item. I might have an addiction, but they have new stuff everyday and there are so many great things! And did you really expect me to be able to resist dessert jewelry after buying a cupcake manicure set? Just hand over the fake tiny cookies in the cutest little jar ever.
Military Jacket by Free People from Macys
I cannot get enough jackets (now if only the heat would go away). Which means when I saw this on sale, and in a color I did not have yet (charcoal), I didn’t have to think about it before forking over my credit card. And I had an additional $20 off coupon. Promise I’m not an extreme couponer. I wish I were that good. (No that is not me in the picture – one day I should post a picture of myself.)
The Gathering Tank from Anthropologie
Did I mention that I am a graduate student? Because that means I should be staying away from stores like Anthropologie. But once I discovered their sale rack, full of items that at their nearly half-off price are typical regular-price ranged to me, I couldn’t stay away. And every now and then I find something that will sadden me if I wait for it to go on sale and runs out of my size. (I check their sale section online every Tuesday morning – cause that’s when stuff goes down my friends.) This shirt is not on sale and yes I own it, because I couldn’t wait (I also bought it in grey). And I had a 15% off coupon to justify. And it totally goes with my chucks, right?…
Callis Tank Dress by Mossimo from Target
Somehow in my overly stocked closet, I did not have a casual black dress. Target to the rescue! During one of my nothing-in-mind trips to Target I found this dress (along with many other things). Inexpensive? Check. In my size? Check. Pockets? Heck yes I’m buying it. Seriously, once I discover that a dress I am interested in has pockets, I can’t get to the cash register fast enough.
Kites in Flight Dress from ModCloth
My newest favorite dress for the summer! It doesn’t have pockets, but it still rocks and I love wearing it with a skinny black belt with a gold clasp. And I like whirling around in it like a 4-year-old. Would you have ever guessed that as a toddler I dressed myself in layered dresses? Then I went through a tom-boy phase, a preppy phase, and a punky phase (even had fabulous purple hair). Now I’m a blend of everything.
What are your inedible favorites?
