Thin Mint Cupcake Recipe OR Vanessa Delgado + The Bubble Necklace Incident

Momma Told Me: Not everyone's cut out for cookies and campfires!

As a very little girl Momma would tell me about a magical 'exclusive' group of young women who would sell delicious cookies, camp together and earn beautiful badges they wore upon themselves like a beauty queen's sash. These badges, she'd note, were even more important and revered than those of a beauty queen, however, because good little girls earned them through mastering new skills and making friends. Whether it was Momma's own desire to relive a childhood dream of becoming a Girl Scout, or my own genuine enthusiasm, I eventually broke down and began pleading for her sign me up with this 'elite' group.

Even at 6, I could tell Momma was torn. Placing me in the Scouts would require her to relinquish me to another parent for several hours a week, or become a troop mother and host events herself. As a woman who wished to helicopter parent, yet cared little for children other than her own, it was clearly a tough dilemma. This is all to say, just over a year of being enlisted with our local Brownies chapter and Momma was asking me daily if I still wanted to take part. When my enthusiasm didn't wain, she began using the group as an incentive and threat, all at once. If this all sounds sordid, I assure you it's only something I have revisited as an adult and discussed with Momma, looking back. My perspective at the time was much different!

Then, one fateful day, at school, the Friday of our weekly meeting, Momma found the straw she had needed to justify removing me from the program. At recess, playing with my best friend, I swung a plastic bubble wand necklace into the side of her face. Naturally, we had both been twirling the necklaces around by the string, and it had been a complete accident, but the moment tears began a report was made with the principal and I was informed I had sullied myself as a potential future Girl Scout and Momma would be stripping me of my sash.

It was traumatic, and something I discussed with my best friend, yes, the very one I had offended so grievously, at length through the coming weekend. No matter how I pleaded, Momma would not take her decision back. As I well know now, this had much more to do with Momma than myself, but through most of my younger years I was all a bit bitter towards my fellow Scouts about it. I suppose I too, one day, will be a mother trying to relive a chance lost through a child enrolled in such group activities!

Why have I told you this story? Why, because every year I see those green clad girls standing in front of the grocer I feel a twinge of regret for Vanessa Delgado and the Bubble Necklace Incident. And, even though I know there was little I could have done to fight an exhausted mother looking to lighten her load, I feel a twinge of guilt and buy an extra box of Thin Mints for all those Girl Scout Cookies I should have sold!

In the spirit of all things mint instantly tying into the festivities of St Patrick's Day, honoring the return of the Shamrock Shake, and inspired by my favorite Girl Scout cookie, here's perhaps one of the most delicious cupcake recipes I've ever dabbled with! And, while no Thin Mints are actually IN the recipe, you will surely want to pick up a box for comparison- don't forget you can now support your local troop and buy Girl Scout cookies online!  Were you ever a Girl Scout or Troop Mom? Were you one of those who wish you had been?

What Daughter Says:  I may not have been meant to sell them, but I can certainly EAT them!

Thin Mint Cupcakes

****Click here for the printable Thin Mint Cupcakes recipe.

Black Magic Cauldron Cakes, Ghoul Mix Recipe, + $500 Sweetworks Giveaway!

This is a Fashionista Event and a promotional item was provided to me by Sweetworks. Hosts for this event are Still Blonde after all these Years and ModlyChic.

Momma Told Me: It's frightfully fun!

Halloween was always my favorite holiday, hands down- even thought it isn't quite a holiday, but a commercial celebration, it seemed the most geared towards kids. And, while I was the only child, our family still went all out in decor and theme to ensure anyone who dared stop by our house on Hallow's Ever (or any eve in October) was sure to get a good spook. Momma and I would raid the 'after Halloween' clearance bright and early every November 1st and stock up on inflatables, animatronics, and plenty of fake cobwebs for the following year. I recall our family's favorite decorations vividly because they were 1.) handmade and 2.) still in our family for display to this very year.

There's the trash bag ghosts we'd hang from the giant tree out front, the wooden headstones Momma had so labored over to ensure each had a witty and original epitaph, and the skeleton we have affectionately named 'Judge Judy' for her horrible brown perm wig and long black cape. Now that I am grown up and in a house of my own I still raid my parent's attic for my favorite decorations each year, but also seek to find new traditions and ghoulish creations. Living in our condo, we don't have much room to decorate, so, for now, I focus on whipping up some frightening tricks and treats for the neighborhood kids and my bowling league. This year I have pulled out all the stops, with 4 devilish edible posts I'll be sharing here on Momma Told Me.

This week I wanted to share some simple ideas for last minute entertaining. You may recall our Halloween party last year involved a punch laced with floating ice eyeballs made of Twizzlers, pineapple, kiwi, and licorice drops. This year we're adding to our table with some fun Halloween treats from #SweetworksFall candy lineup. From the Witch's Brew 29oz single serve candy bag, Nerds Gumballs and Eyeball Gumballs are sure to be a big hit sprinkled around the table and in grab bags, or even at the door to excited trick-or treaters.

At our annual Hallow's Eve party we'll be serving up coffins full of trail mix with Pumpkin shaped pretzels, bat shaped pretzels dipped in dark chocolate, white chocolate pretzel 'bones', marshmallow 'ghost poop,' 'dried blood' cranberries, peanuts, and Halloween Sixlets chocolate candies. You'll find adorable little treat boxes like the one above if you wish to send a gift or two to school for your child's favorite teachers, just make sure to warn them something delicious is inside! We pre-made 8 cups of this fun mix for our upcoming party and stored it in gallon sized bags in the fridge- it will store for months without spoiling!

The Halloween Mix Sixlets and Halloween Mix Pearls make for the perfect decoration when paired with my Black Magic Cauldron cakes, cupcake recipe. Simply frost your Black Magic Cupcakes with some lime green frosting (get a little messy, it should look like a bubbling cauldron!) and decorate with the green candies for added 'bubbles.' Top with ghoulish eyeball gumballs and white chocolate dipped pretzel rod 'bones.' for an easy class treat that will have an entire school screaming for more this Halloween! If you don't fancy yourself a little Betsy Homewrecker, or are simply smashed for time this Halloween try picking up some of these Sweetworks Fall must haves for your next ghoulish gathering!

What are your plans for Halloween? Don't celebrate? What are your alternate plans?

What Daughter Says: Halloween is the perfect time to experiment in the kitchen, the messier your creation, the better!

As a special treat 10 people will win a $50 Sweetworks prize bundle including Spooky Eyes Gumballs, Halloween Mix Gumballs, Witch's Brew Candy Mix, Halloween and Fall Sixlets, and more! Keep scrolling down to enter!

Black Magic Cauldron Cakes

**Click here for printable Black Magic Cake Recipe