Shabby Apple Giveaway

Let's talk about Christmas. 

I know, I know...everyone's really big on letting Thanksgiving shine this year, which I guess I get. I mean, Thanksgiving is like the middle child of holidays, squashed right between cool, rebellious, oldest child Halloween and everyone's favorite, attention stealing, youngest child Christmas. 

But I'm totes down with this whole "hey, let's give Thanksgiving it's just desserts" concept, so long as it doesn't delay my routine of spending way too much money on Christmas presents (many of which will be for myself). In an effort to keep your wallet just as full as your belly this Thanksgiving, I want to help you get your Christmas shopping underway with another giveaway!!!

This time, I'm partnering up with Shabby Apple, an amazing site with vintage-inspired clothes, like this dress (I'd wear it to work), this skirt (I'd wear it on New Year's!), and these shoes (which I'd pair with knee-high socks). 

In honor of all the turkeys that will be slathered in gravy this Thanksgiving, I've hand selected this gorgeous gold feather necklace to give away to one very lucky CupcakesOMG! reader!!**

This would make a fabulous gift for your mom, sister, best friend, or, let's get real--yourself. So, do you want it? Of course you do!

First, you must 'Like' Shabby Apple on Facebook

Then, leave a comment telling me you did so, who you're giving the necklace
to (it's okay to say yourself!) and a contact email so I can contact you about redeeming the goods!

But wait...there's more!! You can up your chances of winning with another FOUR ways to enter!

- Follow CupcakesOMG! on Google Friend Connect on the right side of the page

-Follow CupcakesOMG! on Bloglovin'

-Follow me on Twitter

-Tweet about this giveaway

Leave an additional comment for each entry, and don't forget the email address!! 

Giveaway will end Friday, November 25th at 12 PM EST.

**Sorry, the giveaway is only open to US residents.
Apologies to my international fans, but in the meantime hola, bonjour, and guten tag!

Things You Do With Your New iPhone

You take pictures, duh. Amazing pictures with like, a 10 megapixel camera, or something...I dunno. I'm not pretending to be smart, here.

Specifically, I took pictures of:

The perfect shade of rose gold polish--the holiday season's answer to neutral nails.
(Sephora by OPI in Chest-nuts About You)

Fall, falling. 

Tulips that don't seem to realize fall has fallen (see above).

My new favorite "everyday" work pumps.

Who else got a new iPhone? What are you enjoying best about it? Instant photo uploads to Twitter? The apps? Screwing with Siri???

TwoFaced: Paleo Coconut Banana Pancakes

My mom has a YouTube channel, did you know that? Our need to share tutorials, recipes, hobbies, and our entire selves with the internet must run in the gene pool. I'm telling you this not only to generate more views on her channel, but to also serve as a prologue to today's TwoFaced challenge recipe. 

My mom lives with a gluten allergy which means she abstains from a lot of the same things I do as a Paleo enthusiast, but that doesn't stop her from getting creative in the kitchen. A couple months ago, she posted this recipe for an Egg White Oatmeal pancake. Looks good, right? I realized that with one small tweak (leaving out the oat flour and replacing with more almond flour), I could open a litany of paleo pancake possibilities. To kick things off, I wanted to feature our TwoFaced secret ingredient, coconut. Thus, I present to you, Paleo Coconut Banana Pancakes. Cue the Jack Johnson music:

Making them even more irresistible, I topped them with coconut whipped cream, coconut flakes, and sliced banana, natch, though to be honest, they're just as good served naked.

These were so fegging delicious...and I'm not just saying that because it's (a variation of) my mom's recipe. Unlike other paleo pancake recipes I've tried, these cook and taste like the real thing. Another perk? They reheat pretty well too, so you can make a butt-load of 'em and refrigerate them for the next morning's breakfast. Or if you eat your feelings, a late night snack binge.

These pancakes will definitely make you feel like you've hit the Motherload. <--See what I did there??? Eh???

When you're done looking at my food porn, check out what coconut concoction Jenna dreamed up!

Paleo Coconut Banana Pancakes

Makes about 8 silver dollar pancakes

See the video here

• 1/3 cup egg whites
• 2 tbsp. maple syrup
• 4 tbsp. almond flour
• 2 tbsp. unsweetened shredded coconut
• 1/2 mashed banana
• coconut oil

1.) Using an electric whisk, beat egg whites and maple syrup into medium-stiff peaks, probably about 3-5 minutes.

2.) Add remaining ingredients to egg whites and beat just enough to combine.

3.) In a large pan, heat enough coconut oil to cover the pan. Using an ice cream scoop, spoon batter into pan. Cook pancake on each side for about 4 minutes.

4.) Serve with coconut whipped cream, sliced banana, and maple syrup.

Look at My Pretty Hair

You know how people use certain physical descriptions to describe someone? Like, "my coworker with the wonky eye?" or "my cousin who used to be fat, but then lost a lot of weight taking illegal fat burning pills from Mexico, got hospitalized and then got fat again?" Well, when people talk about me, I have no clue what they say verbatim, but I imagine it goes something like "my friend Melissa, who's gorgeous, funny, and has red hair." In fact, my friend Laura, with the cute bangs and great shoes, even told me she's described me in this manner. Well, the red hair part at least. I'm sure she's thrown in her own words of flattery. RIGHT, LAURA?!?!?

Anyway, I'm known for my red hair and I take the responsibility of red-head-ambassador-ship very seriously, which is why when I find someone who can give me the color I want, I'm incredibly loyal to them. Like a dog. Like a very chic, bitchy dog. So I surprised myself last week when I became disloyal to the colorist I've been seeing for the past two years to go see a new one at Hela Salon & Spa. 

His name is Ian McCabe, and let's just say he's a miracle worker. The Anne Sullivan to even the most Helen Keller of hair follicles. The man is, by his own admission, obsessed with hair. At the age of 24, he's already made a name for himself in the world of hair color. And, just my luck, he's especially obsessdies with red heads. I've been coloring my hair for over a decade, and Ian used techniques I'd never seen before. It wouldn't be untrue to say he gave me the best hair wash ever, and after all my bitching about never getting a salon perfect blowout, I'd be remiss to not to mention the impeccable blow out he did. 

Not a single hot tool touched this hair, ladies and gents.

So why do I dedicate an entire post to my hair color? Because this is my blog, dammit!! But the truth is, if you live in the D.C. metro area, and you want your friends to refer to you as the girl with "amazing hair", then you have to go see Ian. Tell him the girl with the red hair sent you.

Ian McCabe

Master Colorist, Color Educator

Ian.Mccabe@helabeauty.com

301.951.4445

Two Faced: Bacon Meatballs

Having featured a vegetable and a fruit in our previous Two Faced posts, Jenna and I decided to tackle pork this week. After all, meat is the axis upon which the paleo world turns. And if meat is the axis, bacon is the gravity. Or something. Look, what I'm getting at is that I made bacon meatballs this week. Yeah, meatballs, which are already delicious, filled with the king of all meat, bacon. It's like, meta-meatball.

 I did the most obvious thing you could do with meatballs and ate them on spaghetti.

Well, technically, it was spaghetti squash. This IS supposed to be a paleo recipe, after all. 

 Oh, and to keep it extra paleo, I made my own marinara (with mushrooms). Watch out for those bottled marinaras...they can be loaded with sugar.

Then again, if you don't give a crap what you're putting into your body, you could stuff these into a loaf of french bread and cover them with provolone, because god knows that would be delicious!! I know, I know. I'm a TERRIBLE paleo-pusher blogger. This whole "Two Faced" concept is taking on a whole new meaning.

Here's hoping Jenna does a better job of properly motivating her readers.

Bacon Meatballs

Makes about 24 large meatballs

• 1 package good quality bacon
• 1 pound ground sausage
• 1 pound ground beef (preferably grass-fed)
• 1 egg, beaten
• 2 tsp. dried oregano
• 1 tsp. garlic powder
• 1 tsp. onion powder
• a pinch of salt and pepper

1.) Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2.) Chop bacon into two inch chunks. Chop fine in a food processor. It should be pulsed into the size of grains of rice.

3.) In a large bowl, combine ground bacon, sausage, beef, egg and spices really well with your hands.

4.) Shape meatballs into large ping-pong-sized balls.

5.) In a large frying pan (with no added oil), brown meatballs on all sides in batches of of 4-6 at a time (or however many your pan holds). Remove from pan and transfer to a foil or parchment-lined baking sheet.

6.) When all the meatballs have been browned and placed on the baking sheet, finish in the pre-heated oven for about 10 minutes.

7.) Serve over spaghetti squash with you favorite marina and garnish with basil.

StyleMint Giveaway Winner!

Last week, I bestowed a great opportunity upon each of you: the chance to win free shit. But not just any free shit. A free tee from Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen's new line of tees, StyleMint. But like Lindsay Lohan's latest stint in jail, all good things must come to an end. But with the end of this giveaway comes a winner. Using the latest giveaway-winner-deciding technology (i.e., Random.org), the winner is...

...Annalilly!! 

And yours as well, Annalilly. Yours as well.

Thank you everyone who participated in this giveaway. And even though you are a loser now (except you're a winner in my eyes for reading CupcakesOMG!), check back often, as I'm planning to do another giveaway soon! 

Annalilly, please send me an email to claim your prize!!

HIWWI: Winter Kate Moonbeam Shirt

{Winter Kate Moonbeam top, $285}

Look at this top. 

Now, watch this clip (you can start watching at 6:39 if you don't wanna watch the whole thing--but you SHOULD!):

You see where I'm going with this, right? If you guessed "homage to Jennifer Connelly's puffy pirate shirt from the Labyrinth," you are correct. I also would have accepted "homage to David Bowie's puffy pirate shirt from the Labyrinth" and "I EFFING LOVE THE LABYRINTH" as correct answers.

As a child of the '80s, a mild obsession with the Labyrinth was like, mandatory. Besides, what's not to love about this movie? Glitter everything, crystal balls, David Bowie music, intentional cupping of David Bowie's crotch...it's a smorgasbord of merriment! So anyway, when I saw this Winter Kate top, I couldn't help but squeal with girlish delight over the chance to put together my own Labyrinth-inspired frock. Let's take a trip down sparkly, fantasy, over-indulgent lane, shall we?

First thing's first: the vest. It's pretty much rule numero uno that puffy pirate-sleeved shirts always be paired with a vest. To bring this look to the 21st century, I can't think of a better option than a fur vest:

{B.B. Dakota fur vest, $57}

Obviously, we're gonna need a tight, dangerously close to camel-toe-inducing pants (ya know, to get that authentic Bowie feel), so naturally these have to happen:

{Express sequin legging, $98}

Since we're gonna be running all around the Goblin King's maze of a front yard to get our literal baby brother back it's winter, this whole look needs to be rounded out with a closed toe boot. Would you be mad if I picked a matching sparkly one making it seem as though your legs, ankles and feet were just one, uninterripted stream of grey glitter? No?? Okay, great:

{Topshop boot, $160}

At this point, I would have free reign to burst into "Magic Dance" pretty much anywhere I felt compelled, but you could also top this look off with a hat, sparkly nails, kooky shades, and a crystal ball. I'm obviously just going for subtlety here, people.

How do you feel about this Labyrinth-inspired look? Would YOU wear this top this way?? HAVE YOU ENTERED MY STYLEMINT GIVEAWAY??? Tell me everything in the comments.

StyleMint Giveaway

I have never been a casual person. I started wearing heels at an earlier age than Suri Cruise. Sometimes I speak in an English accent, just to be more formal.  And even on the coldest days of final exam week in college, you wouldn't find me in a pair of sweatpants or, worse, without a full face of make up on. So, it goes without saying, I've never been much of a t-shirt person. That is, until, I discovered StyleMint.

StyleMint is the new t-shirt line from fashion icons/former Michelle Tanners, Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen. I wonder if Ashley ever gets P.O'd that her name always comes last. Because I'm an equal opportunist (when it suits me), I shall now refer to the gals as Ashley and Mary-Kate Olsen. DONE! Anyway, the tiny twins have big dreams for the casual tee, which means even super special fancy people like myself are jumping on the bandwagon. Here is a list of reasons I'm currently obsessedies with the StyleMint line:

• Every shirt is $29.99. I've paid more at a parking meter.
• Free shipping both ways (not that you'd want to return anything).
• StyleMint curates collections based on the results of your style quiz (per the video above). Unlike the pop quizzes my English teacher gave in high school, you can't fail!
• Each style is featured in a 30 second video wherein the twinsies talk about why they designed it and how to style it.
• The fabric is DIVINE. P.S. I'm using the word "divine" now. You're welcome.

{The Prince tee}

I just received my first StyleMint tee (the Prince style in navy) and have already decided I will never take it off. Until, of course, my second one--which is already en route--arrives.

In fact, I'm so in love with StyleMint that I'm going to be giving away a free tee to one lucky CupcakesOMG! reader!! You could have the Broadway, the Lincoln, the Pacific...whatever the eff you want!!! All you have to do is promise me your first born.

JUST KIDDING!! It's way easier than that, but probably no less degrading. All you have to do is leave a comment to enter...and there are three chances to enter (i.e., you can leave three comments).

You can qualify for an entry by:

-Following this blog via Google Friend Connect (on the right side of the page)

-Following me on Twitter
-Tweeting about this giveaway a la "@MHeraldo is giving away a free @StyleMint tee: http://ow.ly/7gMBd"

Then, leave me a comment PER ENTRY (so if you only do one of those things, you leave one comment, if you do two, you leave two, etc.). That's it, people. It's as easy as accusing Justin Bieber of being your baby daddy!! Good luck!

***Giveaway ends Monday, November 7th at noon EST. Winner will be announced in a separate blog post so check back then!***

TwoFaced: Pear Applesauce

Unlike Kim Kardashian's sham of a marriage, TwoFaced, the joint-venture between The Paleo Project and CupcakesOMG! is still going strong. 

This week, we found inspiration from the delicate fall flavors of pear. Not unlike a sugar plum, visions of a paleo pear tart started to dance in my head, but after devouring my LIFE-CHANGING chocolate covered pumpkin cupcakes (entirely non-paleo, btw), I opted for something lighter, simpler, but still sweet. I am, after all, on a never-ending mission to create as many delicious, authentic paleo sweets as humanly possible. And with that, I decided to make pear applesauce.

So, clearly, you need pears. And in case you lack basic observation skills, you also need apples. It'll taste better if you get pretty ones. Swear.

My recipe calls for a heaping helping of cinnamon, a dash of ginger, and is sweetened by nature's nectar, maple syrup.

  

When I ran out of cupcakes, I started eating this like it was my J-O-B. Pear applesauce eater: insult or best.job.ever.????

You can eat this warm, right off the stove, like I did, or you can let it chill for a few hours in the refrigerator. You could also use this as a topping for pork, paleo pancakes, or coconut whipped cream. Or like, you could eat it on ice cream too. But don't tell anyone I said that.

Pear Applesauce
Makes about 3 cups

• 5 ripe pears (I used Comice)
• 3 apples (I used Honeycrisp)
• Juice of 2 lemons
• 2 Tbsp. ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp. ground ginger
• 1/2 cup good maple syrup

1.) Peel and dice pears and apples into bite-sized chunks.

2.) Add pears and apples to a large pot. Stir in the juice of two lemons. Add enough water to pot to just barely cover the fruit. 

3.) Bring pears and apples to a low boil, then turn down to a simmer. Cover fruit and simmer for about 35-40 minutes, or until it starts to thicken.

4.) Using a potato masher or a whisk, mash the mixture. If it seems watery, use a ladle to funnel out some of the liquid.

5.) Add spices and maple syrup and cook until pear applesauce reaches desired consistency. 

Now, head on over to The Paleo Project to see what delicacy Jenna has whipped up!!

How to Win A Halloween Costume Contest

Step 1: Pick a costume that hasn't been done a bajillion times before but that's still socially relevant. 

I'm talking to you sexy nurse, sexy kitty cat, sexy police officer, and sexy generic slutty girl. Oh, and also Snooki...she likes pickles, we get it already!!! I chose Taralyn Eschberger from Toddlers & Tiaras fame. Oh, you've never heard of Taralyn specifically?? MY POINT EXACTLY!!!

Step 2: Become your costume.

Sure, I could have just slapped on some ruffle socks, fake eyelashes, a crown and called it a day, but that wouldn't make me a winner. That would make me a loser. And glitz pageant girls are WINNERS!!! I perfected my T-stance, my prissy walk, and most importantly, my "blow a kiss with one finger" face.

Step 3: Never break character.

When the bar announced that there was a costume contest, I expected to win, 'cus that's what winners do. That's what my mommy says! I never in a million years expected to NOT make the top 3! So when my name wasn't called for top 3, I did what any self-respecting toddler would do: I threw an epic hissy fit. It was both sincere and authentic. I stomped my feet, cried, and yelled for my mommy. And then I got added back into the contest.

And then I won. A hundred bucks to be exact.

Yes, in the words of Eden Wood, "I ROCKED THAT STAGE!!!!"

What did everyone else dress up as??? Did anyone else win a costume contest??