Finals Week

I think there is a "food holiday" for every day of the year.  Seriously.  I used to read this daily email and it seemed like every day it ended with a "happy _______ day!"   Apparently, today is national cupcake day.  I'm not going to complain.

So, happy cupcake day!

I was even planning on making cupcakes today anyway.  How perfect.

And I'm willing to celebrate today.  I'm done with finals.  Thank goodness.  I mean, granted, I still have to proctor finals and then . . . grade them.  But that's a minor detail.  I don't have to study for that. 

So, besides baking cupcakes this afternoon, and watching many, many food shows, I sat in the same chair I've been sitting in studying all week.  Including a few leftovers finals dinners.  And breakfasts.  And lunches.  It's comfy.  I just feel like it's been a long week of sitting here.  But that's about to change.  I get to escape!

I often claim that I eat in cycles.  This week, I was inspired to make the mac and cheese I invented last year during finals.  I don't think I've had it since last December.  I'm telling you -- I eat in cycles.

But, this time, besides the garlic and herb cheese and the milk on the pasta, I added peas.  I even found fresh, shelled peas at the grocery store!  Awesome.

Basically, I use one of the garlic and herb flavored spreadable cheese wedges and I put it in with my bowl of pasta.  Or . ..  add pasta after, if the pasta is currently cooking.  The best part of this is that it can be made with leftover pasta too!

Then, I add a little milk, and now peas.

Then I microwave it for 30 seconds to a minute, and mix it until the cheese is melted.  

So easy.  And yummy.  Perfect for finals.  Especially in December, apparently.

And, I made cupcakes today.  SJM gave me a mix for the new cupcakes that come with the bake-in filling.  So I figured I'd try it.  It will be perfect for the day of grading ahead of me. 

And, for my co-TAs, of course.  They aren't ALL for me.

I actually think I prefer filling the cupcakes using the cupcake plug thing I have, to be entirely honest.  

The filling stuff is kind of like fluff when you first pipe it in -- and the instructions specifically say not to let it touch the sides.  It seems like it's just easier to fill them afterwards.

But, I guess not everyone has a cupcake plug.  So, I guess they are fun.

I was really tempted to get the white decorating frosting and put on the swirls. I kind of wish I had.  Oh well.

On to the proctoring/grading marathon.