Banana Caramel Cupcakes

1 box white or yellow cake mix (and ingredients that go with it)
1 cup mashed banana
1 bag of caramels, unwrapped


FROSTING
1/2 c butter
1 c brown sugar
1/4 c milk or cream
2 1/2 c powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla


Mix cake as directed. Add banana and mix until smoothed. Scoop batter into lined cupcake tins so it's about 2/3 full. Place caramel on top in the middle. Bake at 350 for 18-21 minutes. Cool completely before frosting.

FROSTING
Melt butter in a small saucepan. Add sugar and stir for 2 minutes. Add milk and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and pour into a small/medium bowl. Let it sit until room temperature. Add powdered sugar and vanilla. Beat until smooth. Frost cooled cupcakes.

Ice Cream Cake

8-12 ice cream sandwiches
12 oreos
splash of milk
1 pint of 3 ice cream flavors you want in your cake

cool whip to top

Spray a 9 inch spring form pan. Line sides with wax paper.

Either by hand or by food processor crush cookies. Add a splash of milk to create a oreo paste. Set aside.

Taking 4 ice cream sandwiches out at a time, unwrap and cut into fourths (once long ways and once short ways). Line the sides of pan with sandwiches, pushing together to create a firm bordered crust. Repeat process until all sides are filled in. On bottom of pan press oreo paste to create a bottom for your cake. Place in freezer for 30 minute-1 hour.

About 15 minutes before removing springform pan from freezer remove the pints of ice cream that you will be using to softened. Remove pan and start layering your ice cream into pan. Place in freezer again for 1 hr or over night.

Just before serving top with cool whip. Cut and serve. Can top with crushed oreos.

Easy Breadsticks

recipe courtesy Jamie Nelson

2 TBSP yeast

1/2 c warm water

2 c warm milk

1/2 c melted butter

1/2 c sugar

2 tsp salt

2 eggs

7 c flour

Put butter, not melted, in a large microwave safe bowl. Microwave until melted. Add milk, water and yeast. Whisk together. Add sugar, salt and eggs. Whisk together. Whisk in flour 1 c at a time until you can't use a whisk anymore then switch to a wooden spoon. Once well combined cover and set aside. Let it raise until double its size. (I only had 30 minutes to let it rise, and they seemed to be just fine).

Roll out on a sprayed surface (I like to use cooking spray instead of flour so the dough doesn't get too dry with the added flour). Roll out until 1/2 inch thick. Cover with the following ingredients:

melted butter

parmesan cheese

garlic powder

season all or salad supreme

Cut the dough using a pizza cutter and place on greased cookie sheets. Let it raise for 15 minutes and bake at 375 for 15 minutes or until golden brown. To make them look prettier top with melted butter again-or don't if you are worried about your butter intake :)

Creamy Chicken Taquitos

Recipe courtesy thesisterscafe.com

1/3 c (3 oz) cream cheese

1/4 c green salsa-I used normal red, i didn't even know you could make green salsa

1 TBSP lime juice (1/2 a lime)

1 tsp chili powder

1/2 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp onion powder

1/4 tsp granulated garlic

3 TBSP cilantro, chopped

2 TBSP green onions, chopped

2 c shredded chicken

1 c grated pepperjack cheese

tortillas

kosher salt

cooking spray

Soften cream cheese in microwave for 20-30 seconds. Stir in salsa, lime juice, and spices. Add cilantro and green onions. Add chicken and cheese until well mixed. *This can be made ahead of time and stored in fridge until ready to cook.

Preheat oven to 425. Line cookie sheet with tinfoil lightly sprayed with cooking spray.

Spoon chicken mixture in a line on the bottom edge of tortilla-keeping 1/2 in away from edge so you can tightly roll it up. Line taquitos seams down on cookie sheet. Lightly spray with cooking spray and sprinkle with kosher salt. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until crispy and edges turn golden brown.

Serve with guacamole, salsa and/or sour cream.