2016: Champagne Cupcakes + 30 Before 30

Dear 2015,

You were a handful. We had some adventures (good and bad), loss, illness, lots of laughing (mostly at myself), sleepless nights, dance parties, endless conversations with new and old friends and hope. You packed in several years worth of learning into one never ending, very bad, horrible year. Yet, I wouldn’t change a thing. I don’t have anytime for regret in my life and it has made me the best Libby I can possibly be. So here’s to 2016.

Instead of boring you with a list of New Year’s resolutions that will likely never happen, I’ve compiled a list of 30 before 30 instead. While I’m not a fan of this idea that you must rush and complete a list of to-do’s before your ‘life is over,’ I do like the accountability this list will hold on me. In my opinion, life is only going to get better each year and 30 is just another milestone.

1. Acrobat yoga

2. Use my passport once in 2016

3. Volunteer more

4. Travel, travel, travel.

5. Karaoke bar

6. Rock climbing

7. Bartend somewhere

8. Join an intramural sports team

9. Road trip

10. Fall in love (thanks, LP) – UPDATE: I met my husband in 2016.

11. Visit a national landmark

12. Get lost (on purpose) hiking

13. Hot air balloon

14. Learn about my family ancestry

15. Do something that scares me, really, really scares me

16. Ziplining

17. Sailing

18. Music festival

19. Learn a rap song from start to finish (and it can’t be one I already know)

20. Finish 20 books – mostly the classics

21. Visit friends near and far

22. Build something

A few of my favorites from 2015:

I have also included a recipe for champagne cupcakes to get you in the 2016 spirit. Buy the little bottle of Korbel, which provides the required amount for the cupcakes, plus a few sips for you.

Recipe via Gimme Some Oven

2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
2/3 cup butter
1 1/2 cups white sugar
3/4 cup champagne
6 egg whites

Frosting

3 1/4 cups powdered sugar
1 cup butter, at room temperature
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 tablespoons champagne, at room temperature

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a cupcake pan with liners.

In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until very light and fluffy. Sift flour, baking powder, and salt together, and then blend into creamed mixture alternately with champagne.

In another large bowl, beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. Fold 1/3 of the whites into batter to lighten it, then fold in remaining egg whites. Fill the cupcake liners about 2/3 full.

Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean.