Banana-Bo-Bana Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Icing

I hosted an appetizer-themed Ladies Game Night for some co-workers last week. So fun! I wanted to make something sweet and I KNEW I had to make some cupcakes when my friend Jenna gave me this darling cupcake stand last weekend as a belated Christmas present. :)

 

I'm also obsessed with this adorable cakestand my mom gifted me with last year!

I decided on banana cupcakes when I had some bananas that were the perfect ripeness for baking and I was not making anymore trips to the store! ha I just invented my own recipe (basically the same as my banana muffin/bread recipe- See the love marks?)

, but I got so many compliments on these little cuppies! Speaking of cuppies, remember these darling little cupcake liners I found in my stocking? I just love them!

The peanut butter icing is SO yummy. It just adds that extra-something when combined with the banana bottom. Warning! You will probably have a little icing leftover, and you will want to pipe it directly into your mouth...

Lightened-Up Taco Bell Burrito (without the Drive-Thru!)

I shamelessly love Taco Bell's bean burritos. They are delicious. They are cheap. They are goooooood. I often crave them when I need a quick bite and I've now gotten the bf addicted as well! :) I was stuck at home one night making some cupcakes for a party the next day, and I was craving one of these babies. I realized I had pretty much everything I needed to make these at home- let the drool fest begin!

I used canned refried black beans, but you could make your own refried beans if you wanted to. The only thing I didn't have was some enchilada sauce, but I thought it was still yummy without. I always order my burrito with sour cream and without onions, but make yours to your own taste! I thought this was so yummy that I brought the other half of the ingredients to work the next day and heated up for my lunch. So easy! :)

Easy Chinese Chicken Salad

I really like salads. However, some salads just don't pack enough flavor and textures. This salad is REALLY tasty though. It really fills you up too! The bf only manged to mumble "GOOD" while helping himself to seconds and asking for leftovers for lunch the next day. :) Why is it so hard for boys to admit they like salads too?

My mom used to make this salad A LOT. It's super easy and quick- perfect for a week night and it will easily feed 4 people. I took the liberty of adding a few more ingredients from her original recipe. If you have some other vegetables on hand that you'd like to add, go ahead and add those too! A friend pointed out that this would also be yummy with a light store-bought sesame-ginger dressing, if the dressing recipe on here has too much sugar for you. I always find that a little dressing goes a long way though, and I only use a tiny bit at a time.

I. Need. More. Sprinklesssss

 

So I went to Houston last weekend to visit some of my favorite friends. It just so happened that I found out that Sprinkles had recently opened a new cupcake shop there. I NEEDED to go. It was calling to me! So we stopped by on a rainy Saturday afternoon, waited in line, drooled over these...

Belated Christmas Photos

...I know I have no excuses. I'm just going to say I have photos from our Christmas in New Orleans on at least 3 different memory cards/cameras! Here are a few for your viewing pleasure. In case you haven't noticed, I'm a tiny bit in love with my parents' puppy, Jackson. He is a miniature schnauzer, for those who are wondering. :)

Jackson's Christmas sweater- he received many compliments!

Audubon Park on Christmas Eve

Actually, New Years Day Eve Dinner in Austin

Cinnabon Cinnamon Rolls

 

DISCLAIMER: I'm not saying you SHOULD make these this weekend, especially if they may or may not interfere with your new years resolutions, but I'm not going to stop you! I made these over Thanksgiving, so don't you worry about me ruining my healthy eating habits or anything- although its very sweet of you.
You know how when you're walking through the airport or mall and that ooey gooey Cinnabon smell makes you stop in your tracks and wish you could have one (even though you know you really shouldn't)? Well, now I'm bringing that feeling to you in your own home! (insert clapping) OK. I know these are not exactly the healthiest choice for breakfast, but I firmly believe its OK to treat yourself (or at least your guests) on special occasions/holidays! These are SO yummy and actually the first recipe I ever made using yeast! If I can do it- so can you! And you really don't even need a mixer... if you have really strong arms...  :)

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Balls!

THESE ARE AMAZING. I just had to get it out as fast as I could. They are seriously the best things ever! Joy the Baker was NOT lying. :) I'm warning you though, once you make these, you will never be able to get them out of your head. They'll be invading your thoughts from the freezer....

I made these a while ago. I needed something sweet like 5 minutes before I even found this recipe.  I did not have time to wait for anything to bake, and I did not have time to make them into perfect shapes. That also meant I did not have any time to waste taking photos- sorry. The cookie dough was whipped up in like 5 minutes, and um, maybe I did not even freeze all of it...  Although, I have to say it is MUCH better frozen, now that I'm enjoying the fruits of my labor a couple weeks later. I did not dip mine in melted chocolate like Joy did, but I'm sure that would be extra amazing. I'm just happy with the dough balls though.