Banana Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

So, I haven’t shared this with anyone yet as I didn’t want to jinx my training through hardcore bragging, but this weekend my husband and I are running a half marathon!  I cannot wait for it to be over so I can get back to my love of cooking, eating, and lying around on my couch.  Training takes up a lot of time!  And since my husband is much MUCH faster than me, it hasn’t been one of those training programs where we are running together side-by-side on the beach, chatting away.  It’s him getting his 10 mile run done in about an hour and 15 minutes and me trecking in from the same run an hour after him, then passing out for 3 hours due to exhaustion.  Phew.  I’m tired just thinking about it. 

Anyway, due to an over-abundance of bananas in our house {for making protein shakes}, I decided to go ahead and use them to make some banana cupcakes.  And what goes better with banana cupcakes than cream cheese frosting?  Duh.  These little moist cakes really made my day today.  I needed that treat to get me out the door for my last run before the race on Saturday!  Boom!  Cupcakes to the face.  Ok people, wish us luck -- can’t wait to have more time to dedicate to this blog, which is a huge source of happiness for me!  Enjoy the cakes!

Banana Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

from Two Peas and Their Pod

For the banana cupcakes:

1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup sour cream
2 ripe medium bananas, roughly chopped
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
Pinch of salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the Cream Cheese Frosting:

1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
2 cups confectioner's sugar

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a cupcake pan with paper liners. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula and continue to beat, adding one egg at a time until thoroughly combined. Add the sour cream and bananas and mix until combined.

Peanut Butter-Chocolate Chip Cookies

It’s been a long weekend of work for this girl and I need some chocolate and peanut butter in my life!!!!!!!  As many of you know, I’m a pharmacist by day and obsessive home cook/eater by night, so that means working every other weekend in the pharmacy.     

I love my job but these past few days were killer so I’m very much looking forward to a couple days off spent in the kitchen cooking up some eats to show off to all my ChowGals {and ChowGuys -- if you’re out there!}.  Hubs and some friends of ours are also going out to gorge ourselves at a local Brazillian steakhouse tonight -- you know the place where you have the red card/green card and as long as your card is flipped to green the waiters keep bringing you assorted sizzling meat....it’s pretty much any American’s dream...right?  So pumped!  

Ok so these cookies don’t really need an introduction or explanation, for they are glorious.  Just make them and take them to the face, already!  

Peanut Butter-Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 c. creamy peanut butter

1 large egg

1 c. sugar, plus more for sprinkling

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

1/4 tsp coarse salt

1/2 c. mini milk chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
2. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together peanut butter, egg, sugar, baking soda, vanilla and salt until combined.  Fold in chocolate chips with rubber spatula or wooden spoon.  
3. Using a 1 3/4 inch scoop, scoop dough onto prepared baking sheet, spacing 2 inches apart.  Using the lines of a fork, gently press down on each scoop in a crosshatch pattern.  Sprinkle with sugar and transfer to oven.  Bake until slightly puffed, 11 to 12 minutes.  Cookies will still be soft.  Cool for 5 minutes and transfer to wire rack to cool completely.