nerdy nummies smart cookies

I found the signature cookie featured on Rosanna Pansino's YouTube commercial. I don't know about you, but these YouTube ads that are served up on Hulu and plastered all over the subway made me kind of curious to watch as many Nerdy Nummies and Bethany Mota vids as I could handle. This blog was already a big fan of Michelle Phan from 2011 or so (yes, bragging); but Rosanna and Bethany were new to Dollhouse. What do you think? Rosanna has some skills, that's for sure. And is cute and likeable. It gets addictive, watching her vids. It puts you in a good mood, and I guess you get addicted to wanting to be in a good mood. It's like harmless escapism or something.

Check out how she makes the signature Nerdy Nummies eyeglasses with icing, a pastry bag, a #2 tip, waxed paper, tape and a template. So that's how you do it! Hey, I learned something!

just slice!

Piñata cake! Love the concept and the deliciousness. Has anyone ever made one? #happycincodemayo #treatsandeats

march 19

Did you get your special treats yesterday? "LIKE" on our Facebook page if you know what these are.

get in the mood: vday!

Totally cool idea, but instead of making your own cookies, because the arrow is really the cute factor here, take an Oreo or a Peppermint Patty or whatever, a toothpick with an arrowhead and another toothpick with a quill, stuff in, and repeat. Too cute.

get in the mood: vday!

Get in the mood! Valentine's Day is coming. Sure it's a sappy holiday. But it's kinda fun. And a good excuse to eat chocolate. Isn't this bouquet of chocolate-dipped strawberries such a great idea? And a totally unique presentation. [via veggieful.com]

get in the mood: vday!

If you don't have a sweetie for Valentine's Day, look no further. Now you have two sweeties. Chocolate keeps good company.

football + free ice cream

As you know, Superbowl Boulevard is right below Dollhouse HQ. And thanks to the crazy cold temperatures, the FREE ICE CREAM line is quite short. Free vanilla soft serve! With sprinkles! In a waffle cone! Yum, yum and yum. Get in line guys! And look up. Then wave hello to Dollhouse. We'll be watching you. #embracethecold #dollhousejeans

mash up

This just in from NYLON: there are two new flavors of Oreos and they've never been happier about anything. Well, what are your thoughts about this flavor combination?

The other filling, which sounds way more delicious, is marshmallow rice crispies. With chocolate? Yes please. Both flavor combos launch February 3, and are limited time offers.  

french fried deliciousness

So now for an important question. Where do you go for your favorite fries? And what kind of fries are your favorite? Curly fries? Sweet potato fries? Elephant fries? Twice-fried Belgian frites? Good old McDonalds? Tell us. In NYC, they're saying these places have the best. Oooh, crinkle fries! I forgot about those. Yum.

the cronut craze

Wait, this Cronut thing is not a total and utter joke? Eater can't stop writing about it. http://bit.ly/18GnIZ4 New Yorkers are so bizarre that they would line up around the block for a fried croissant. Apparently Dominque Ansel on Spring Street in SoHo is the only official Cronut maker. And produces just 300 per day, which sell out immediately (note: limit two per person). http://dominiqueansel.com/

Gregory's Coffee provides an imposter cronut. I wonder if that will last or they'll get sued. Who's heard of cronuts? [image via Dominique Ansel]

***
Update, June 17, 4:39pm
Checked out Gregory's Coffee and spied the imposter Cronut, called the Cro-Dough. Way better name, if you ask me. And only $4. But that's probably $3.50 too much for either pastry. I made my co-worker get one. The cross-section looks exactly like the real thing. It wasn't so thrilling. It could have been more flaky if it didn't have the cream piped in, he said. Well, there you have it.

snow! and bananas.

It's one o'clock and still snowing quite a bit here in NYC; and well, there's no point in braving the outdoors for lunch. Instead we'll just feast our eyes on delicious banana creations on the Internet. Like this one. They're calling it a mini banana split. But personally, I don't see any ice cream. If you're not out frolicking in the snow, click here to view the rest of the banana desserts. And have a happy Friday. [image via BuzzFeed]

how cute is this?

Get ready for a big burst of cute. How can you look at this and not want a soft serve ice cream cone? I do. Even though it's cold and snowy out right now. Check out these super-cute prints by Melissa Alcruz on Etsy. Each print is 8" X 10" and ships matted in an 11" X 14" white mat. So all you need to do is pop it in an 11" X 14" frame. And they're only $15! There's a heart cookie with my name on it. With sprinkles!

whisper neapolitan

Have you ever heard of a Neapolitan cupcake before? No, neither had I, until I read Sprinkles' Facebook feed and did a Google image search. Sure, most people know Neapolitan ice cream as strawberry/vanilla/chocolate, where the unwanted strawberry always gets left behind. But in cupcake form? Well, this looks promising. I wonder what Sprinkles' Neapolitan looks like. More on this research tomorrow. [image via The Cupcake Blog]

a cookie a day?

Show of hands, who can't say no to sweets during the holiday season? Is it like a-cookie-a-day problem? Or more? I mean, there isn't a minute that goes by at Dollhouse these days when someone isn't offering you chocolate. Are you all sugared-out by now? No? Well, good; because here's a super-sweet cookie recipe for you. Peanut Butter Marshmallow Whoopie Pies. I know. Ridiculous. But probably pretty tasty. This recipe practically makes itself with all the pre-made ® mix items used. You'll be munching in no time. Is that a good thing? [via Jif Peanut Butter]

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 package Pillsbury® Moist Supreme® Classic White Premium Cake Mix
• 2/3 cup Jif® Creamy Peanut Butter
• 1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup Crisco® Pure Vegetable Oil
• 1/3 cup water
• 3 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• 1/4 cup finely chopped cocktail peanuts
• 1 cup Jif® Extra Crunchy Peanut Butter
• 14 regular marshmallows

DIRECTIONS:

1. HEAT oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. BEAT cake mix, 2/3 cup creamy peanut butter, brown sugar, oil, water, eggs, vanilla and almond extract in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until blended.
3. DROP batter onto prepared baking sheets, 2 inches apart, using a medium scoop (2 tablespoons) to create 28 mounds. Sprinkle evenly with peanuts. Bake 11 to 13 minutes or until centers are set. Cool 1 minute. Remove cookies to wire rack to cool completely.
4. SPREAD flat side of 1 cookie with a scant tablespoon crunchy peanut butter; set aside. Place another cookie on microwave-safe plate, flat side up. Top with 1 marshmallow, flat, circular side down. Microwave on HIGH about 10 seconds, watching carefully, and stopping microwave as soon as marshmallow begins to puff. Remove from microwave. Top with peanut butter coated cookie to make the whoopie pie, peanut butter side down, pressing gently to spread marshmallow. Repeat to assemble remaining whoopie pies, one at a time, when ready to eat.

wait, what? part 2

There is a such thing as a chocolate Saltine? Is it a New England thing? Who else knew about this?

Ingredients:

• 40 saltine crackers
• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter
• 1 cup light brown sugar
• 8 ounces semisweet chocolate chips (about 1⅓ cups)

Directions:

• Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a large jellyroll pan with aluminum foil and the saltine crackers.
• In a medium saucepan, melt the butter and brown sugar together and bring to a boil. Boil for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and pour over the crackers, covering them evenly. Put the jellyroll pan into the oven and watch closely. Bake for 4 to 5 minutes, or until just bubbly. Remove from the oven and pour the chocolate chips over the crackers. When the chips melt a bit, spread them over the crackers with a knife. Transfer the pan to the freezer for 15 to 20 minutes, or until completely cold. They will form one big sheet. Break up into pieces. Store in an airtight container.

Yield: 20


Below, a super-fancy version. Hmm. Perhaps too fussy. The point is they're simple and easy to make. A short-cut to making candy, basically. Why complicate matters? 

'tis the season for eating chocolate

Chocolate begets more chocolate. Once you start, you can't stop. Have you noticed this too? Particularly during the holiday season, there isn't a day that goes by that someone isn't offering you chocolate. It's so festive! Why say no? More chocolate please.

So here's a recipe you'll love, if you're with me so far on this chocolate thing. Chocolate lava cookies with cocoa nibs. Nibs are the crunchy yummy chocolately (and believe it or not, healthy) part of the roasted cocoa bean. Make up a batch of these lava cookies and bring them to work or class. Everyone will love you for it.

Adapted from Divine Baking

Ingredients:

1-1/2 c. dark chocolate chips, divided

3 large egg whites, at room temperature

2-1/2 c. powdered sugar, divided

1/2 c. unsweetened cocoa powder

1 tbsp. cornstarch

1/4 tsp. salt

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 350F.  Spray a baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray or line with parchment paper.  Melt 1 cup of dark chocolate chips in microwave, stirring after 30 second intervals, until melted and smooth.  Set aside to cool slightly.
2. Using electric mixer, beat eggs whites in a large bowl until soft peaks form.  Gradually beat in 1-1/4 cup of powdered sugar and continue beating until mixture resembles soft marshmallow creme.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together remaining 1-1/4 cup of powdered sugar, cocoa, cornstarch, and salt.  On low speed, beat dry ingredients into meringue.  Add in melted chocolate and remainig 1/2 cup of dark chocolate chips (dough will become extremely stiff).
4. Place 1/2 cup powdered sugar in a bowl.  Scoop out 1 tablespoon of dough and roll into a ball.  Roll in powdered sugar, coating thickly.  Place on prepared baking sheet about 2 inches apart.
5. Bake 10 minutes or until  puffed and tops are cracked.  Let cool on baking sheet for about 10 minutes before removing to wire rack.

Yield: 18 cookies

[image via Life's Simple Measures]

everyone needs a polkadot cake

Who thinks up these colorful crazy cakes? I ask you. Simply amazing. To learn how to create the full cake, with all the complex interior parts, click Once Upon a Pedestal.

speaking of bombpops...

These are pretty cute. Here's the recipe for Bombpop Cupcakes. I'd suggest waiting for September to turn on the oven, but that's just me. [image via confessions of a cookbook queen]

thorncrown

If you like ice cream and architecture (and who doesn't), you should follow COOLHAUS ice cream sandwiches on Facebook. You know COOLHAUS from reading the Dollhouse blog. They make the architectonic treats named after famous architects, like the Mies Vanilla Rohe and the Frank Behry. And they're sold from a food truck. So that's good.


So anyway, if you follow COOLHAUS on Facebook, you'll probably learn about some pretty cool architecture. I just did. The Thorncrown Chapel in Eureka Springs, Arkansas is a 48-foot tall wooden structure with over 6000 square feet of glass, inspired by Sainte Chappelle in Paris. Opened in 1980 and designed by architect E. Fay Jones, Thorncrown Chapel was the dream of retired school teacher, Jim Reed who bought the land for his own retirement home. He instead decided to share the beauty of spot with everyone by constructing a sanctuary. Phew. That's pretty cool.

And if you follow COOLHAUS on FB, you'll probably learn their location for the day and the secret word to get a discount if, you know, you want to have some ice cream. And stuff.

good humor shortage of 2012

Rumor has it, there's a major supply shortage of some of Good Humor Ice Cream's mainstays, just in time for summer. We're talking Toasted Almond. Chocolate Eclairs. Candy Center Crunch. Super bummer. Apparently this only affects ice cream trucks, and not supermarkets. So there's that.