Sweet potato cupcakes

I have a new favorite recipe for fall/winter sweets! Actually, this is pretty much tied with my recipe for apple pie cookies, but it definitely wins for cupcakes.

I roughly followed the recipe found here, but this is what actually went into these cupcakes:

1 cup brown sugar
½ cup unsalted butter, softened
½ cup pureed sweet potato
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup white whole wheat flour
1 tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
½ tsp ground cinnamon

I combined all the ingredients (not in any particular order) then baked them for 15 minutes at 375 degrees. I topped them with my roommate's cream cheese frosting recipe:

8 oz plain cream cheese
1 cup white sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla

These ingredients were blended until evenly combined, and spread on the cupcakes. I sprinkled a little more cinnamon on top and then, finally, enjoyed my cupcakes!

Mondays are the perfect nights to...

...go out to eat! After surviving the hardest day of the week, a little celebration is in order. Plus it's more exciting because it's an unexpected date night, not a Friday or Saturday.

I had a Spicy Baja black bean burger at Smashburger, which I must say is a welcome change from the usual bland veggie pattie at burger joints, often the only option for vegetarians. Yummm, must learn how to make black bean burgers!

Any other suggestions for vegetarian-friendly restaurants?

Free goodies

It's student appreciation day at the CU bookstore, yay! Got a Vera Bradley purse for free (an old pattern, but still) and tinsel in my hair. I'm obsessed with the tinsel, it's sparkly but subtle. So fun!

I decorated a cupcake too, but I ate it before I took a picture :)

Aspens

Went for a drive to see the aspens today, absolutely striking!

Arepas

Made arepas for breakfast, roughly the Hispanic equivalent of pancakes. Growing up in a half-Hispanic household, they were my favorite breakfasts. Now I can make them for myself whenever I want!

Traditionally they are prepared in a more complicated way involving tools I don't have, but this way that I learned from my mother is super easy.

Combine "Masarepa" (flour for arepas, found at Hispanic supermarkets) and water until it is possible to form little balls by hand. Flatten the balls into patties and cook on medium in a pan coated with butter. Cook both sides until slightly hardened (they won't change color much), then remove and top with butter, salt, and the cheese of your choice. Enjoy!

CoCookieokie

This is not just a cookie...

Can you guess what's inside?

It's a mini Oreo!

My roommate made these adorable cookies, a chocolate chip cookie with an Oreo inside!

Autumn

Despite the season still officially summer until Friday, fall has arrived in my mind. My day was full of little signs telling my five senses that the season is changing.



On my way home I saw these leaves beginning to change color at their edges...



...I heard my bike crunch through the fallen leaves...



...I smelled my amazing Autumn candle from Slatkin & Co. ...



...I tasted the first warm chai I've had in a very long time...



...and finally, I felt the soft scarf that I am knitting in anticipation of the colder weather to come.

Happy almost fall!