It was only a couple of hours ago that I realized the big ball drops tonight. Mike and I have no plans besides watching more Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. I haven’t thought of a single resolution yet. You could say I’m unprepared.
But actually, I am ready. I may not have all the trappings quite prepared, but I’m more than ready to send 2011 off with a kiss and a wave. There were lovely parts of this year — my time with my students, my trip to San Francisco, and most of all, my reunion with Mike. But there were also many challenges. I’m thankful for where I am, but so ready to charge forward in 2012 and live a life I believe in. How about you? What are your resolutions, goals, or plans?
To conclude a wonderful year on Willow Bird Baking — a year in which I have so appreciated your every visit and every comment to these pages — here are the top 11 recipes from ’11. Thanks for a fantastic year, y’all!
11. Strawberry Cheesecake Stuffed Amaretto Cake Pops (on Pretzel Sticks!)
10. One-Skillet Gooey Pumpkin Cookie Cake
9. Birthday Cake Cheesecake
8. Deep Fried Cake Batter Cookie Dough
7. (Freshly Picked!) Strawberry Cream Pie
6. Cake Batter Cookie Dough Truffles
5. Salted Caramel Chocolate Trifle
4. Easy Sopapilla Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars
3. Pumpkin Spice Pull-Apart Bread with Butter Rum Glaze
2. Red Velvet Cheesecake
And the top Willow Bird Baking recipe of 2011 is . . .
1. Three Safe-to-Eat Cookie Doughs: Chocolate Chip, Sugar, and Cake Batter!
Happy New Year!
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Winnie
December 31, 2011 at 11:20 pm (13 years ago)Lovely round-up Julie! You are a wonderful person and deserve wonderful things in 2012. Cheers to a great year!
Julie @ Willow Bird Baking
December 31, 2011 at 11:27 pm (13 years ago)Thank you, Winnie! I feel the same about you! Happy New Year!
Nathan Miracle
January 1, 2012 at 1:07 am (13 years ago)Have fun watching Deep Space Nine! 🙂
Julie @ Willow Bird Baking
January 1, 2012 at 2:09 am (13 years ago)Thanks, Nathan! We’re deep into season 7, so everything’s very exciting. 😉
Averie @ Love Veggies and Yoga
January 1, 2012 at 4:55 am (13 years ago)I don’t even know where to begin first…wow…amazing recap of treats. It’s all fat free, right? 🙂
Happy 2012 and happy baking!
Julie @ Willow Bird Baking
January 1, 2012 at 8:08 pm (13 years ago)Of course, Averie 😉 Happy 2012 to you, too!
Lauren at Keep It Sweet
January 1, 2012 at 2:53 pm (13 years ago)I love all of those recipes (well and basically anything you made last year)! Happy New Year, Julie! I hope 2012 has a lot of good things for you!
Julie @ Willow Bird Baking
January 1, 2012 at 8:09 pm (13 years ago)Thank you, Lauren! Happy New Year!
Joanne
January 1, 2012 at 7:44 pm (13 years ago)One of my highlights of 2011 was definitely meeting you Julie! I hope 2012 sends you oodles of happiness!
Julie @ Willow Bird Baking
January 1, 2012 at 8:09 pm (13 years ago)Aw, thank you so much, Joanne! I feel the same! Happy 2012 🙂
DessertForTwo
January 2, 2012 at 1:17 am (13 years ago)I don’t see the button to click to have all 11 of these beautiful desserts delivered to me! Where can it be??
Oh, Julie, I share your sentiments about 2011. It was a good year, but full of unnecessary roughness. Well, I guess the roughness pulled out my desire to live the life I want to live in 2012, so it was all worth it. I am trying my darned hardest to move soon and get to that wonderful life I want!
Happy New Year to you & sweet Mike, who is truly blessed to have such a cheery, beautiful baker like you 🙂
Julie @ Willow Bird Baking
January 2, 2012 at 4:47 am (13 years ago)Christina, I hope for a MUCH improved 2012 for both of us! Here’s to better days! 🙂
Happy New Year, lovely! Thanks for your friendship this year!
Kelly
January 2, 2012 at 2:55 pm (13 years ago)Wow what a great round up of recipes, everything looks amazing! So glad to have found your blog, looking forward to your posts in 2012! 🙂
Mercedes
January 3, 2012 at 7:45 pm (13 years ago)Great list! There are so many I want to try this year! Happy New Year!
Jenni
January 4, 2012 at 1:36 am (13 years ago)You had so many yummy recipes this year, and everything looked amazing! I can’t wait to see what 2012 brings!! 🙂
Linda Dietz
January 6, 2012 at 6:11 pm (13 years ago)Ended up @your site today searching for a Mexican lasagna recipe that will freeze well. We recently purchased a fairly large upright & want to use it to the max! We host a monthly Men’s Prayer Breakfast in our home, I participate in the meal ministry @our church & we often house missionaries when they come to the states seeking support…and we live in Ohio(where today, 1/6/2012 the temperature is right around 50!
I had to laugh as I read your post about being a Southern girl. In the 70’s we were living on the Gulf Coast…courtesy of Uncle Sam. We were not used to the heat & high humidity & had no air conditioning when we first arrived in Biloxi. I taught school on the third floor of an old building with about 30 hot little bodies. Talk about misery! I spent much of the first 2 years there looking much like the wilted flower I felt like…with headache after headache to boot! After 12 years in Biloxi and then 5 years in Montgomery, we finally were able to get back to the midwest. We mainly missed the distinct change of seasons! I must say, though, North Carolina comes close to having the best of both weather worlds.
Am anxious to check out some of your other recipes. However, when I see recipes from the Pioneer Woman, I can feel my arteries starting to constrict just by reading the list of ingredients!
Blessings from Ohio!