The Obvious Choice....and the best 1 minute EVER

Sometimes you just go with the obvious.
As in, hearts for Valentines Day....

When your daytime plans include a Valentine Party for 20 toddlers, heart shirts are the obvious choice. You just go with it and assume the obvious, like, other toddlers will be wearing your same outfit and probably half of the nearby high school and wonder how many Leona Lewis jokes you'll hear in one day.

Then you remember it's cool, you're cool and you're husband is amazing. You remember noticing the oddball outrageous purchase that showed up on the bank account just a few days ago. And, you get all excited for that purchase because it was to Stub Hub. You're so sure that it must be for the two of you since this time of year is not just for Valentines Day but also your wedding anniversary. You count the years married. one, two, three, four. And think yes, we'll be getting a night together and I may finally get to wear that dress purchased back over the holidays. The kind of dress you just can't leave behind but really don't know when or where you'll get to wear it. 

Then it gets better. Your mind escapes to food. ahhhh, simple easy treats like 1 minute cookies in a mug and healthy, sweet treats in simple packaging. You whip it up and sit back.....in all your coolness.

basic recipe used for a warm batch of chocolate cookies cut down to size...of course, melt the butter first.

mix all ingredients (flour last) in the mug. one dish people, that's it. stir well, heat in microwave for 1 minute.

Does it get better than that? Well, maybe. You could drop a scoop of ice cream in there or if you're really in the mood for a sweet treat and cookies aren't your thing...try this one minute to happiness.....

Brilliant. Best 5 minutes spent browsing Pinterest and best 1 minute spent in the kitchen.

So really you don't need the whole box of chocolates, you don't need anyone to gift chocolate to you.
You just need one minute and a spoon. And you can state the obvious in your attire...and get away with it.
At least I think you can...

Linking with Random Wednesday, WIWW, Workit Wednesday, Walkabout Wednesday, Style Sessions, WhateverWhenever, Look What I Got  -cookie recipe found here, tweaked just a bit.

Pumpkin Muffins with Cream Cheese Frosting

Swirls of Cream Cheese Frosting on top moist Pumpkin muffins, a deliciously, sweet dessert.
Perfect for holiday parties and dinners. Easy to follow recipe with a 30 minute baking time.

Are these Pumpkin Muffins or Pumpkin Cupcakes?
You decide. Hubby and the kids swear they are cupcakes...must be the sweet Cream Cheese Frosting.

The recipe comes from our local grocery store. (Kroger)
Trust me, it's good.
And your house will smell incredible.

What you need....
11/2 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1 1/4 cup sugar
2 tsp cinnamon and dash of nutmeg
2 eggs
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 cup solid-packed pumpkin (little less than 15 oz. can)
Preheated oven to 350 (25-30 minutes baking time) (makes 12)

What you do....
whisk all these ingredients except the flour into a large bowl. Mix well then add flour.

Keep mixing! And smell the goodness.

Spray muffin tin or use liners.
Be sloppy like me and dump batter into each little hungry hole or do it like a pro and fill only 2/3's of the way....

Test their "doneness" (I'm making that an official word despite auto-spell check) after 25 minutes.
I needed the full 30 minutes. Let muffins, ahem...cupcakes, cool for 5 minutes then transfer to cooling rack until room temperature so you can add frosting.

You could eat them just like this. Save a few calories and simply sprinkle cinnamon sugar on top.
But why?!!! It's the holidays...we all deserve a little extra!

There. Doesn't that look a lot better?

12 look even better :)

One dish for home, one dish for work.
Happy Monday to my coworkers. Such a nice way to start the workweek!

Hope you give this recipe a try!
I had my doubts, mainly because I've never gotten a recipe from the grocery store. But it makes sense.
I purchased the items I needed which were oh,so coincidentally on sale and who better to knock off a common recipe than a grocery store chain the size of Kroger?

Linking up with Hey, That's Pin-tastic!
They are on week of 8 this Pintastic party...how am just now finding out about this?
Hop over to AP's blog I love you more than Carrots and check it out!

I've also linked up with Wonderful Food Wednesday!
Go ahead, click the link to join the fun....
 At Home Take 2 is one of the host for this linky party - hop over and find all things mommy!

And to not miss a good weekend party I've linked up again with Serenity Now!
So get your bloggy weekend reading on...and find some tips on serenity, now.

Pumpkin Muffin with Cream Cheese Frosting

3 minutes to Baked Apple Goodness

Looking for an easy dessert or lazy saturday afternoon snack?
This is seriously easy to make, requires ingredients you probably have, and is de-lish!

Baked Apples in the microwave!

All you need:
1 TBSP butter
1 TBSP brown sugar
Sprinkle of nuts (your choice)
*add cinnoman or nutmeg if you'd like!

What you do:                                                                  
Core your apple and stuff it with ingredients of choice, topping it off with butter
Place "stuffed" apple in a deep microwave safe dish and cover
Microwave for 3 minutes!
That's it. It's that easy.

It's hard to give proper credit to this recipe...I saw it years ago....in some random magazine and because of its simpleness, never forgot it!