Because I don’t have enough useless tools and strange boxed mixes in my kitchen, Williams-Sonoma has gone and tempted me with the notion that I can make Animal Crackers at home. I just don’t think I could possibly be happy until I have a herd of lions, tigers, and bears prancing on my snack plate.

Remember when you were a kid and you’d watch Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom and practically hurl during the scene when the snakes and chilled monkey brains were served at the sinister banquet? Well if you’re into movie nostalgia and the nasty bits you might want to check out this auction on eBay for an authentic monkey head prop from the film. It’s got a pretty steep price, but I guess it would be quite the conversation piece to serve ice cream in [link via Cinematical].

Once upon a time, for about 5 days I tried to be a vegetarian. I bought 10 pounds of books on the subject at Barnes and Noble and than proceeded to crave meat like it was my job over the next few days. On the fifth day I made CK take me to Boston Market where I promptly ate a Chicken Pot Pie. While my vegetarian attempt was a complete and utter failure I really do admire people who are able to follow through with it. To that end there’s a really excellent essay over at Slate you may want to check out. It’s a vegetarian’s take on what it’s like to be ostracized and misunderstood by your meat eating acquaintances [link via Herbivoracious].

I’ve been reading John Grisham novels since 7th grade. At that time I was convinced that I was going to be a lawyer. Obviously I was temporarily insane at that time in my life. Recently, one of Grisham’s latest books, Playing for Pizza, has been optioned to be made into a film. The story revolves around a down and out quarterback for the Cleveland Browns who takes a spot on an Italian football team in Parma, Italy. The book is full of incredibly vivid descriptions of the food and wine of the region so I’m sure the movie will have plenty of mouth watering shots of decadent dishes [link via Cinematical].

Proof that you really can have chickens in the suburbs. I guess there’s hope for us all to have “grammy eggs” of our own some day.

I like macaroni and cheese just as much as the next girl, but I definitely have to draw the line at macaroni and cheese in a can [link via Newlywed in Dubai].

I’ve never really been big on recipe cards, frankly what I like to use the most to cook with is my Macbook, but these extremely cheerful, colorful cards are so cute I might just have to invest in a few [link via Crafterbation].

A new cupcake shop has opened in Boston. Sweet is apparently charging $3.25 a piece for a regular cupcake. Obviously I am in the wrong business. Do you think I have enough experience to be a cupcake salesperson? Either way I’ll be heading on over soon to test out the sugary goods. [link via We Are Not Martha].

Top 5 Recipes I’m Dying To Try

Zucchini Faux Pasta with Italian Sausage from Elle at Elle’s New England Kitche
Erin’s special Peanut Butter Nutter Butter Birthday Cake at Two More Seconds
The Brown Sugar Banana Apple Monkey Bars made by Sharon at Culinary Adventures of a New Wife
Tiramisu Macarons from Weeva at Weevalicious Recipe
The serious snack of Peanut Butter Popcorn from Francie at Ramblings of a Frantic Home Cook

I couldn’t help myself!  While waiting at the Whole Foods Bakery counter for my Seeduction Bread to be sliced I spyed this adorable puppy cupcake sitting on the shelf all alone among a sea of flower cupcakes.  I just coudn’t stand to see him there by himself so I brought him home with me.  I’ve decided that his name is George (named for George Michael of course).  I plan to give him to CK when he gets home from work.  It’s Corona and cupcakes for dinner tonight!

PS:  If you want to make your own edible puppy pack you should check out Francie’s step-by-step decorating tips.

Instead of baking a cake for Chris’s birthday this year we decided to pick out some goodies from a new specialty bakery called Kickass Cupcakes that opened recently in Davis Square. We definitely made the right choice. Why bake a whole cake with one boring flavor when you can pick up a 6 pack of gorgeous and original cupcakes to share?! Our unanimous favorite was the mojito which is a rum soaked cupcake topped with sugar cane lime frosting and fresh mint. While I really wanted to eat all six cupakes at once, we somehow managed to hold ourselves back, but just barely. From the top (left to right) we happily consumed:

• A vanilla cupcake with chocolate buttercream frosting
• The Super Chocolate (a chocolate brownie cupcake topped with bittersweet chocolate ganache and covered with chocolate shavings)
• The much raved about Mojito
• A chocolate cupcake with chocolate buttercream frosting
• A Banana Cream cupcake (vanilla cupcake and custard, bananas, graham crackers, and whipped cream)
• And finally Cinnamon Chai Pecan Sticky (a spiced up cupcake covered with gooey caramel pecan topping)

Two of my favorite blogs have been nominated in the “Best Food Blog” category for the 2007 Weblog Awards. Nicole from Pinch My Salt and Rachel from Coconut & Lime both have fabulous blogs so go check them out and don’t forget to cast your vote. Polls close November 8, 2007.

I wonder how well this Butterfly Pull-Apart Cupcake Pan works? I know I had some serious issues when I made my easter cake last Spring, mostly having to do with frosting the freshly sliced cake edges, and this could potentially be an easy solution. Unfortunately I’ve had some poor experiences with silicone bakeware so I’d be hesitant to buy this myself. It is pretty cute though, don’t you think?

The Simple Dollar reports on the financial and nutritional benefits of baking homemade bread. Trent makes it look so easy that I think I’m going to have to cease my bread making moratorium and give it another try. After all that KitchenAid mixer needs to earn its keep.

I’m quite aware that the Baker’s Edge Brownie Pan is an amazing feat of pure genius, especially since 75 people on my google reader have told me so. Unfortunately though I’m not an “edge” kind of girl. I like the gooey middle pieces, so chances are I probably won’t ever purchase the Goliath of all brownie pans.

However, their new lasagna pan is an entirely different story. Anything that cuts down on delicious food looking sloppy is “must have” in my book. PS: I saw an adorable Baker’s Edge drinking glass on a blog today. Does anyone know if this item is actually available for purchase because I really really want one.

Update: I received a note from Emily at Baker’s Edge and unfortunately the glasses aren’t currently for sale, but might possibly be made available for purchase during the holiday season. *Fingers Crossed* How cute would it be to give someone (whose really into those edge pieces) a gift set compiled of the brownie pan, some glasses, and a container of pricey cocoa powder.

Are these cupcakes life, imitating art, imitating life? My friend Gene made some pretty fabulous Jackson Pollack inspired cupcakes for a baking competition at his office. Yes, even though he did totally “cheat” and use canned frosting I’d still give him a gold medal, or at least a Starbucks gift card, wouldn’t you?

Speaking of dessert, have you seen the adorable new Threadless T-shirt? The expression on that Hostess snack cake is priceless. Obviously the horror of skipping dessert is just too much for some people (myself included). I know I feel personally wronged every time I lose out on an end of meal chocolate opportunity.

I’m addicted to my rss feeds on google reader. I always read the food blogs folder first (even before my “celebrity gossip” selections — sorry Perez Hilton, food always trumps pictures of bald Britney and her adventures in rehab). One of my favorite cooking blogs is Slashfood. I’m pretty sure I audibly squealed when I saw a link for Nutella cupcakes aka Self-Frosting Cupcakes. I’d just picked up a jar of Nutella at the grocery store and realized that I found it pretty disgusting spread on bread, but I was certain it would be an amazing ingredient in a recipe. I’m always looking for any excuse to use my pretty in pink KitchenAid mixer so I promptly whipped up a batch. While my cupcakes aren’t as aesthetically beautiful as the images at the Baking Sheet blog, they smelled heavenly in the oven and tasted amazing. But really how can you go wrong with sugar, white flour, chocolate and hazelnut? If I ever make these cupcakes again I definitely would use a little less Nutella as I think I went a bit overboard topping the batter, and it made for a messy challenge trying to make attractively swirled tops.

Mix	Scoop
Top	Swirl
Mmm…Nutella