Are you trying to avoid all those Hershey’s Miniatures, bite-sized Snickers, and candy corn that seems to be everywhere around you?!  You know the ones, the ones you hid in the way back of the cabinet in hopes that if you didn’t see them, you wouldn’t eat them?  (Or the rest of the family wouldn’t so you would actually have some for the trick-or-treaters?)  Lucky for me, I don’t get any trick-or-treaters, so I didn’t even pretend that I needed candy.  Nope, didn’t buy a single bag. Except candy corn, which I don’t like, so it was easy to avoid.  Now, watch all that resolve go right out the window when it’s marked down half price at Target tomorrow.  {Note to self – do NOT go to Target. I’m sure I’ll go.}

While you’re telling yourself not to eat all the candy laying around (and this will be a pure internal battle I’ll have going on) you can make these instead.  Your welcome.

Flourless Chocolate-Chip Cookies 

from

3/4 cup rolled oats
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/8 tsp salt
2 T brown sugar
1 T plus 2 t white sugar  *I used 3/4 T. NuNaturals Baking Blend
2 T chocolate chips
1 T oil or melted margarine *I used olive oil
1-2 T nondairy milk (start with 1) *I used 2 T skim milk – prob could have used 1 1/2

Blend first 5 ingredients together. (I used my food processor.)  Mix with other ingredients, form into cookie shapes, and placed on a greased cookie sheet. *I used a silicone mat.  Cook 6 minutes @ 375 F.

This recipe only makes 8-10 cookies.  Portion control. Of course, I’ll be doubling it next time!

These cookies are really, really good!  They are a little bit crumbly but not enough to deter me from making them again.  I love oatmeal chocolate chip cookies, and these were delicious.  I don’t know that nutritional stats, but they may be listed on the original post.  Also, since they have no flour, low in sugar, and made with olive oil – they are much healthier than most cookies, and less calories than all those “bite size” candy bars.  Because we all know you can’t eat just ONE bite size bar.  I need several bites.

Now…I have a million things to get accomplished today. I’m sure at least one of them requires a trip to Target. Better put that one off until tomorrow 😉

I’m having issues.  Anybody else notice a drop in their page impressions?  Mine suddenly plummeted a few weeks ago and I haven’t figured out how to fix it.  I hate that Facebook is constantly changing things!  So anyway, I thought I would participate in a few hops to hopefully get my Facebook numbers back up.  I’m feeling very unloved at the moment.

Feel free to follow me via GFC or too 🙂

It was my turn to provide snack for my girls’ Girl Scout troop the other day, so I wanted to do something “halloween-y”.  I decided on these .

Halloween {Muddy} Buddies

• 4 1/2 cups Chex Corn cereal
• 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• 1/4 cup peanut butter *I used Sunbutter
• 2 T. butter or margarine (I use Smart Balance)
• 1/2 t. vanilla
• 3/4 cup powdered sugar
• 1 cup candy corn (I used the Caramel flavored)
• 1 cup salted cocktail peanuts *I replaced these with Cheerios!

1. In a large bowl, measure cereal; set aside.
2. In 1 quart microwavable bowl, microwave chocolate chips, Sunbutter and butter uncovered on High for 30 seconds. Stir. Microwave 15 seconds longer or until mixture can be stirred smooth.  
3. Stir in vanilla.  
4. Pour mixture over cereal, stirring until evenly coated.  
5. Pour into 1-gallon Ziploc bag.
6. Add powdered sugar.  Seal bag, shake until well coated.  
7. Add candy corn and Cheerios, shake to mix.  Spread on waxed paper to cool.  Store in airtight container in fridge. (we had NO leftovers!)

This has been one of my favorite baked donut recipes so far, and wouldn’t you know it – the battery was dead on my camera.  So, all I have are cell phone pics which are not going to convey the yumminess that are these donuts!  And they are mini donuts….so you can eat a bunch without feeling guilty!!  (Great logic don’t you think?)

Guess where I first saw them?  Did you guess ?  If so, you get a gold star for today.  I have over a thousand pins, a majority of them food – it’s getting ridiculous.  Yet, I can’t stop.  Anyway, before you organize an intervention, let’s get to the recipe!

Baked Mini Apple Cider Doughnuts 
slightly adapted from

1 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp apple pie spice **I used pumpkin pie spice b/c that’s what I had on hand
“flax egg” (1 T. milled flax seed mixed w/3 T. warm water – let sit for 10 mins) *or one egg
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup apple butter (can also use applesauce)
2 T. maple syrup
3 T. apple cider (I used Gerber Apple Juice :D. It’s what I had!)
3 T. nonfat plain yogurt
1 1/2 T. olive oil


Directions
*Preheat oven to 350 F.
*Lightly coat donut pan with cooking spray.
*In medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, spice; set aside.
*In large bowl, whisk together flax egg, brown sugar, apple butter, maple syrup, apple juice, yogurt and oil.
*Add dry ingredients to wet, stir just until moistened.  Fill pan 1/2-3/4 full.
*Bake until the tops spring back when touched lightly, abt 5-7 mins.  Remove donuts from pan and let cool on wire rack. *This is also a good time to dip them in a little cinnamon sugar if desired! It sticks nicely to warm donuts, so no butter is needed (unless you want it).


I’ve read that some people have a hard time getting the batter into the mini donut pan and try to pipe it in, etc. My advice – just dump it in there.  Dump some batter in your sprayed pan, uncover the piece in the middle that will make the donut hole, and stick it in the oven.

I’m linking this up with , , , , ,

• All you have to do is fill your crock pot full of peeled, cored, and sliced apples.

• 1-2 cups sugar (depending on how sweet the apples are that you are using – I used 1 cup)
• 1 tsp cinnamon *I used 2
• 1/4 tsp ground cloves
• 1/4 tsp salt

I wanted to share with you my newest addiction love.  My Keurig.  Love, love, love it.  My Dad started the Keurig obsession in my family by getting my mom one for her birthday last year.  Then my sister got one for Christmas.  Then my brother went out and got one.  That left me.  Keurig-less.  I entered every giveaway I could find to no avail.  Then my dear parents, seeing as I was the only child without one, took pity upon me and gave me one for my birthday this past August.  I have used it at least once a day, every day, since I got it!!  If you are a coffee or tea lover, then a Keurig is for you.  It’s just so…..convenient!  (And who doesn’t need a little convenience in their life?!)

Once you have your Keurig (you won’t regret it, go buy one now or add it to your Christmas list!) you’ll need to put in it.  These are the small, disposable, containers of coffee/tea/hot chocolate/hot cider that all you have to do is pop into your Keurig, add water, and in 3 minutes….voila! It’s ready!

There are so many varieties, that at first I was a little overwhelmed.  What is the best?  Do I want regular coffee or flavored?  How many cups should I buy at one time? Are they worth the expense?  See, so many questions.  Lucky for you, I have all the answers 😉  A great source for all your Keurig needs is !  From brewers, to all the K-cup varieties you could want, they have it!  If you’re like me, and just starting out with your Keurig, (or like a lot of variety) you will love the option.  That’s what I did, and it allowed me to try all different coffee varieties so I could decide what I liked best.  Of course, it wasn’t just coffee!  

I also got a couple for my girls, for when I wanted a little “me time” in the evening, and some flavored varieties like the infamous !  Yes, they have (still in stock at the time of this post – better hurry!)  And let me just tell ya, a cup of Pumpkin Spice, with a dollop of Cinnamon Cool Whip, and holllaaaa.  It is THE.BOMB!  Who needs Starbucks?!  Seriously, save yourself some time and money, and make these delicious drinks at home.  *Iced coffees too* Your Keurig will pay for itself in no time!!

Back to the ….they are exactly what they sound like – you choose 8 K-cups of your choice, and there are SO many possibilities!  (The traditional packs come in all the same flavor, with 22-24 cups per box – which is a lot better value than the 16 cups you can buy at some retail locations! **Not to mention great customer service and fast shipping**)  Right now, through 11/30, they are offering a special where if you buy 4 (24ct.) boxes of K-Cups, you get a FREE Pick-A-Pack. Use code: PICKS


One Cup Connection has a  page, so check it frequently for extra deals!  They also have a , are on , and .  Give them a follow so you can be the first to know about sales, and new products!  As a matter of fact, they just put on Facebook the other day about a new coffee, , that sounds so good! I can’t wait to try it!  (I’m a huge fan of molasses 😀 )  If you “like” One Cup Connection on Facebook, you can receive 20% off your first order of $50 or more!  Just go to the on their Facebook page.  Right now, I’ve fallen in love with d, and the regular , but the was also delicious (what little bit I was allowed to taste from the girls), as well as the above mentioned Pumpkin Spice!  I can’t wait to see what other will be coming out!


As a side note, I’ve heard some people use their Keurig for heating cups of water too – for instant drinks or soups.  It’s especially good for kids, b/c then they aren’t trying to get very hot cups of water out of the microwave.  I’m going to start doing this, since my microwave is above the kids’ heads, and they have a hard time getting things in and out of it.  Plus it is so darn fast!


Can you tell I love my Keurig and the different K-cups?  Do you have one?  If not, is it on your wish list?!  What’s your favorite coffee or tea?


Disclaimer: I received two Pick-A-Packs from onecupconnection.com to facilitate this review. &
nbsp;All opinions are 100% my own.  No other compensation was received, but boy, have I enjoyed reviewing my coffees! 

Say what? Yes, you read that right…homemade dishwasher detergent.  Compliments of .  It inspires all kinds of DIY activities.  So, when I saw this one for detergent, I wanted to give it a try, b/c I hate spending a lot of money on cleaning stuff.  That money could be used on something important.  Like shoes.  (A girl has to have her priorities in order.)

The “recipe” comes from  and is super simple.  It is also made from ingredients that are healthier for you and the environment.

2 cups Borax
2 cups Baking Soda
4 small packs of lemonade (the ones without sweetener)

I have used this a few times now, and I have to say, I was pleasantly surprised.  It works great!  Better than the name brands I have been using.  There has been no yucky residue, no spots, everything comes out super clean.  I’ll definitely keep using this, and all the ingredients pictured were about 5 bucks.  It only takes a small amount, so it will last a long time (and I use my dishwasher everyday).  Bottom line?  This homemade, natural cleaning product is a keepaaah.

Happy Friday y’all!

Pumpkin Spice Cereal Treats

• 4 T. butter
• 1 bag Pumpkin Spice Mallows
• 6 cups Rice Krispies (or in my case, 5 cups Krispies and 1 cup Cheerios b/c I like to be creative.  Or I ran out.  Whichever.)
• 1/2 t. pumpkin pie spice