Thanksgiving, Christmas, & New of Jan 2013

I was asked to be featured on a book cover a couple months ago. It was so much fun! Who would pass that up?

Yes I woke up at 4am Thankgiving morning to make 100 homemade rolls. Totally worth it!

Our Christmas tree may have been put up before Thanksgiving. Oops! Couldn't wait.

Kyle and I love our candy.. Ha just kidding. Just stalking up for Pickleville Playhouse's Box Office.

Are you kidding me?? Not baby hungry at all...

Made these delicious pretzels for some neighbors. One of my favorite holiday treats!

Candy trains at the Youngs!

Made it to Arizona! Diamond decided to get fat while I was gone so we took her on some doggy boot camp walks..

Mesa Temple lights!

 So in love with him..

A couple Tia Roses trips will make anyone happy. Best Mexican food ever!

Look of the day: So in love with my new mustard purse!

Gingerbread houses are always taken seriously:)

Kyle's:

Mine:

New glasses! So in love.

Had so much fun going out with these lovely girls. Miss them so much.

We also went to Frost Gelato Shoppe in Gilbert, Arizona. My new favorite place.

Homemade cinnamon rolls Christmas Eve. Yum!

My mom drove back with me to Utah and we definitely enjoyed our time up here. We watched way too many chick flicks but it was so worth it.

Ate lunch at Apple Spice Cafe yum!

I baked a delicious Banana Buttermilk Cake!

Banana Buttermilk Cake

• 1 ½ cups bananas , mashed
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• generous pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
• ¾ cup unsalted butter , room temperature
• 2 ¹⁄₈; cups sugar
• 3 large eggs, room temperature
• 2 teaspoons vanilla 
• 1 ½ cups buttermilk, room temperature

Preheat oven to 275°.  Grease and flour 3 6 inch cake pans.  You can also make this in a 9 x 13 inch pan.

1.  In a small bowl, mix mashed banana with the lemon juice; set aside.  In a medium bowl, mix flour, baking soda , nutmeg and salt; set aside.

2.  In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.  Beat in eggs, one at a time, then add in 2 tsp vanilla.

3.  On low, add the flour mixture alternately with the buttermilk.  Stir in banana mixture.

4.  Pour batter into prepared pans and bake in preheated oven for one hour and 20 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.   Unmold on to wire racks and cool completely.

Cream Cheese Frosting:

• 2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 pound cream cheese softened
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1 pound sifted powdered sugar

For the frosting, cream the butter and cream cheese until smooth.  Beat in the vanilla.  Add icing sugar and beat on low-speed just until combined.  Don’t overbeat.  Sprinkle chopped walnuts over top of the frosting, if desired.

 Worth every dang calorie. 

Took my mom to buy some temptation cupcakes. Sooo amazing! 

Ansley I love my cake stand!

Kyle was in New York for a business trip and went out of his way to New Jersey to buy me some cupcakes from none other then Carlo's Bakery from Cake Boss! Sooo cool!