Cat Cora's Whipped Coffee ****

Now that I'm working from home for the quarantine, I'm cooking a lot more. Sadly, that apparently pertains to sweets as well. A friend posted this on Facebook a couple of days ago, and I instantly knew that I needed it in my life. I made two servings today, and I let the kids have them. I had a healthy taste test of each of theirs, though. THIS IS SO GOOD. I honestly didn't know for certain that I'd like it, just because I'm not generally a fan of cold or iced coffee. But I am seriously in love. We all are. Aside from the hubs, who wasn't around to try it. He's not a coffee drinker anyway, though. I served the kids' with a pretty decent amount of milk and some white chocolate sauce on top. Definitely a winner in our little world.

*You can check out the YouTube video as well. It shows how quick and simple this really is!

CAT CORA'S WHIPPED COFFEE
(luckymommyto2boys ~ Amy ~ CatCora.com)

8 tablespoons instant coffee
8 tablespoons granulated sugar you can use
8 tablespoons boiling water
4 cups milk of choice
4 cups ice

Optional: 1/4 teaspoon or to taste of cinnamon, cocoa or vanilla

Optional toppings:
caramel, chocolate sauce, chocolate chips, sprinkles

In a bowl, add instant coffee, sugar, & hot water. You can add optional flavoring. 
Hand whisk or use an electric mixer until stiff peaks form. (About 5 minutes.)
Fill a glass with ice and milk of your choice.
Spoon the whipped coffee on top.
Add optional toppings.
Serves 4

Crockpot Sugared Pecans ***

So after the last time I made these, I commented that I should try adding white sugar at the end. This time, I went ahead and added about 1/4 cup to the powdered sugar in step 2 and another 1/4 cup to the cinnamon mix at the end. SO much better. The first part helps with the carmelization, and the second part gives it a bit of that cinnamon/sugar combo that I so dearly love. I might try getting rid of some of the powdered sugar next time. We'll see. No matter what, though, this remains one of our most favorite Christmas traditions. 😋

CROCKPOT SUGARED PECANS
(luckymommyto2boys ~ Amy ~ via TheSpruce)

16 ounces pecans (or walnut halves)
1/2 cup melted unsalted butter
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
(1/2 cup white sugar, optional)

Turn slow cooker to high about 15 minutes in advance.
In hot slow cooker, stir together the nuts and butter. Add the powdered sugar, stirring to blend and coat evenly. Cover and cook on high for 15 minutes.
Reduce the heat to low and remove ​the lid.
Cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, for about 2 to 3 hours, or until the nuts are coated with a crisp glaze.
Transfer the nuts to a bowl.
In another small bowl, combine the spices; sift over the nuts, stirring to coat evenly.
Let cool before serving.
*luckymommy's notes: I add 1/4 cup white sugar to step 2 and another 1/4 cup white sugar to step 4.

Previous Posts:
9/23/12 ~ Hubby loves the cinnamon sugar pecans that are sold at football games and at the stores during Christmas season.  For some reason, you can't find them anywhere in stores around here right now.  I went in search of some that I could make at home, and came across this recipe for the crockpot.  Score!  These are positively divine.  They taste kind of a like a mixture between pumpkin pie and pecan pie.  Yummy, yummy, yummy!  They don't get as crispy as the ones at the football games do, so I'll probably try another recipe eventually.  They definitely hold their own, though.    Both boys loved them as well.

World's Greatest Nana Puddin' ****

There are a zillion banana pudding recipes in internet-land.  I combined my favorite parts of each and came up with this one.  I let the 11-year-old come up with the name, lol.

This was another winner for us.  To show how far behind I am, this was actually my contribution to our Thanksgiving get-together.  What little bit was leftover from dinner was scarfed down at breakfast the next morning.  I think it's safe to say we'll be having this one again. ;-)

WORLD'S GREATEST NANA PUDDIN'
(luckymommyto2boys ~ Amy)

2 boxes Nilla Wafers
6-8 bananas, sliced
2 cups milk
1 (5 oz.) box French Vanilla pudding
1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese, softened
1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk
1 (12 oz.) container frozen whipped topping thawed, or equal amount sweetened whipped cream

In a bowl, combine the milk and pudding mix and blend well using a handheld electric mixer.
Using a different bowl, combine the cream cheese and condensed milk together, and mix until smooth.
Line the bottom of a large trifle bowl with a layer (or two!) of cookies.  Layer sliced bananas on top.
Fold the whipped topping into the cream cheese mixture.
Add the cream cheese mixture to the pudding mixture and stir until well blended.
Line the bottom of a 13×9 inch inch dish with 1 bag of cookies and layer bananas on top.
Pour some of the mixture over the cookies and bananas and cover with another layer of cookies.  Alternate layers until you get the top.
For garnish, crumble a few cookies and sprinkle on top.
Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Crock Pot Apple Dump Cake **

I decided to do this one for breakfast, since it was basically just muffin mix and apples anyway.  Unfortunately, I have to give this two stars, even though I'd really prefer to give it three.  One kid loved it.  The oldest said it "tastes weird, but okay... I guess."  He then decided to go with a bowl of cereal instead.  Personally, I thought it was great.  But since I have to do my ratings on how the family digs it...   It's basically just an apple crumb cake, but I loved that I could start breakfast before bed and have it ready first thing in the morning.  Not to mention how amazing the house smelled when we crawled out of bed!

CROCK POT APPLE DUMP CAKE

(luckymommyto2boys ~ Amy ~ TheCountryCook)

2 (7 oz.) packets Martha White Apple Cinnamon (or Apple Cider) muffin mix

2 cans apple pie filling

1 stick (1/2 cup) butter, melted

Lightly spray a 4-6 quart slow cooker (crock pot) with non-stick cooking spray.

Pour in two cans of apple pie filling.

Evenly sprinkle two packets of muffin mix on top of the apple pie filling. Pour melted butter over entire muffin mix. Note: the butter won't cover all the dry muffin mix.

Cover and cook on low or 3-5 hours.

You want the top to be golden brown and the apple pie filling should be bubbling up from underneath. 

Serve warm with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream!

Pumpkin Delight Dessert ***

This was delicious!  My grandma always made a cake she called a Robert Redford, which was basically a vanilla version of this.  Then my mom picked up and made a chocolate version, aptly named Chocolate Delight.  This one miraculously popped up on my Pinterest feed the very same day that my mom asked me to bring a dessert for a family get-together.  It was perfect!  I made it that morning, and it was good to go by the afternoon.  I will say, though, there were a couple pieces left over that the kids had for snack the next day, and it is so much better the second day.  I would probably make it the day before next time.  But however you look at it, this is a total winner for us!  I made it in a 9x13, and if you do that, be sure to follow her notes about increasing the crust amounts.  You don't want to skimp on that deliciousness!

PUMPKIN DELIGHT DESSERT
(luckymommyto2boys ~ Amy ~ LilLuna)

1 cup Flour
1/2 cup Butter (softened)
1/2 cup plus 1/4 cup Pecans, chopped
8 oz. Cream cheese, softened
1 cup Powdered sugar
3 cups Whipped topping, divided
2-1/2 cups Milk
3 small pkgs. White chocolate instant pudding mix (or vanilla) - 3.4 oz. boxes
1 (15 oz) can Pumpkin puree
1 tsp. Pumpkin spice

Layer 1: Mix flour, butter and 1/2 cup pecans together. Press into a sprayed 9x9 OR 9x13 pan. (For a 9x13 or if you would like more crust add an additional 1/2 cup flour, 1/4 cup butter and 1/4 cup chopped pecans.) Bake for 15 minutes at 350 degrees, then remove and let cool.
Layer 2: Blend cream cheese and powdered sugar, add 1 cup of the whipped topping then spread over cooled crust.
Layer 3: Mix milk, pudding mix, canned pumpkin, pumpkin spice and 1 cup whipped topping until smooth. Spread over top of layer 2.
Layer 4: Spread remaining 1 cup of whipped topping and sprinkle pecans.
Let chill for 3 hours or until set.

Caramelized Brown Sugar Cinnamon Grilled Pineapple ***

As long as we were using the grill for hamburgers and Grilled Brussels Sprouts, I figured we might as well put some dessert on there too. :-)  This is nothing fancy, but the sauce is to-die-for.  I seriously could have just eaten that with a spoon.  A small piece of pineapple fell off into the sauce as I was dipping them, and I popped it in my life.  I actually think I liked it even better than the end result, lol.  But it's sugar, butter, and cinnamon.  Like there was ever any doubt that it would be delicious!  I didn't bother with what she said about using the pan.  I just mixed it up in a bowl and then dipped the pineapple slices into it.  As sticky as it is, I think the pan idea would be way too messy for me.  But however you do it, this is definitely a winner in our book!

CARMELIZED BROWN SUGAR CINNAMON GRILLED PINEAPPLE
(luckymommyto2boys ~ Amy ~ TheRecipeCritic)

One pineapple cut into spears
1/2 cup Brown Sugar
1/2 cup Butter, melted
1 tsp Cinnamon

Lay the pineapple spears on a pan. Sprinkle lightly with cinnamon. Whisk together the butter, brown sugar and cinnamon. (If it seems thick, I always put it in the microwave for a few seconds so that it can easily pour on top of the pineapple.) Spread on top of the pineapple.
Grill for about 7-10 minutes or until it is starting to turn golden brown. I always like to brush the excess sauce from the pan back on top of the pineapple before serving.

Creamy Pineapple Dessert ***

I don't know what it is about summer, but I always crave pineapple-y things when it gets hot out.  Add in some nice creamy Cool Whip, and Amy is a happy girl.  This isn't a new recipe, but it's been a year or so since we've had it.  We love it every time.  Even hubby tried and loved it this time around, and he usually turns his nose up at these kinds of sweets.  I need to make it again soon.

Photo from Screaming Sardine

CREAMY PINEAPPLE DESSERT
(luckymommyto2boys ~ Amy ~ via Screaming Sardine)

Large can of crushed pineapple and juice (can also substitute chunks)
Vanilla pudding mix – large box
Whipped topping – 8 ounces

Mix all of the ingredients together, including the juice in the can of pineapple. You can also add some
coconut if you’d like. Chill. Enjoy!

Previous posts:
4/29/12 ~ We loved this!  I threw it together in just a few minutes and let it chill for a couple hours.  The kids begged for seconds, lol.  It's nothing extraordinary, but after taking our evening walk, it was the perfect cool, creamy dessert to come home to. 

Apple Pie Bubble-Up ****

This.was.phenomenal.  It's some kind of crazy mix-up of cinnamon rolls and apple dumplings.  I doubled the recipe and still used a 9x13.  We needed to feed more than 8, so I thought I'd better be on the safe side.  I just added an extra 10 minutes on to the cook time.  It was absolutely perfect.  There were two tiny pieces left afterwards, and I let the kids have them for breakfast.  Just as good reheated!

The butterscotch chips added an extra little level of flavor, but it honestly would have been just as good without them.  I may try it with halving them next time and eventually try it without them in there at all.  I also wonder how it would be with caramel chips.  Or with using peaches instead of apples.  The possibilities are endless!

We were in such a rush to eat it all at our 4th of July get-together that I didn't get to take a pick.  I'll have to do that next time.

APPLE PIE BUBBLE-UP
(luckymommyto2boys ~ Amy ~ PlainChicken)

1 (12-oz) can refrigerated Pillsbury Grands Jr biscuits (10 count)
1 (21-oz) can apple pie filling
1 tsp cinnamon
1 cup butterscotch chips
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 Tbsp milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly spray a 9x13-inch pan with cooking spray.
In a large bowl combine apple pie filling, cinnamon and butterscotch chips. Using a spatula, chop up apple slices into bite-sized pieces. Cut biscuits into 4 pieces. Stir into apple mixture.
Pour into prepared pan and bake 25-30 minutes. Combine powdered sugar and milk. Drizzle over baked casserole.
Yield: Serves 8
*luckymommy/Amy's notes: I doubled the entire recipe and put it in a 9x13. I then added on an extra 10 minutes of cook time. Next time, I'll cut the butterscotch in half.

Twinkie Strawberry Surprise ***

Oh, Twinkie Cake, how I love you!  My 9-year-old couldn't say "Twinkie" when I first started making it, so he always called it Weinie Cake.  We still tend to call it that around the house.  :-)

This cake is beyond simple, but it's oh-so-good!  It's almost like a creamier strawberry shortcake, but the cake doesn't get soggy.  It's crucial to let it sit in the fridge overnight, as that's when the topping firms up.  I wouldn't admit it to the kids, but in my opinion, it'd make the perfect breakfast, hehehe.  I have taken fresh strawberries and sliced them over the topping before, but the basic recipe is perfect as-is.  We took it for Easter lunch with the family today, and only one piece made it home.  We all had to fight for a bite, but it was worth it!

TWINKIE STRAWBERRY SURPRISE
(luckymommyto2boys ~ Amy ~ via Recipezaar)

10 Hostess Twinkies
1 (3 ½ ounce) box instant vanilla pudding
1 ½ cups milk
1 (8 ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed
2 boxes sweetened frozen strawberries, thawed

Slice Twinkies in half lengthwise and lay evenly flat side up in a 9 x 13 inch pan. Pour strawberries all over the top. In a large bowl, mix pudding, milk and whipped topping until well combined. Spread over strawberries.
Cover and refrigerate several hours overnight.
*** Tastes just like strawberry shortcake, but the cake doesn't get all mushy!

Frozen Lemonade Pie ***

I've made this several times, and it's always one of our favorites.  This is one of those awesome pies that you can throw together at the last minute before bedtime, and have a wonderful dessert ready to go the next day.  I always just use a premade graham cracker crust, which works perfectly for us.  The best part is that it makes too much filling for one pie crust, so we have leftovers we can eat from the bowl, hehehe.  To be honest, you could easily make two pies out of it.  It's not overly lemony, but it's just enough to cut back the sweetness.  I even use fat-free sweetened condensed milk and fat-free Cool Whip, and we can't tell a difference.  This year, I decided to use it for our festive St. Paddy's Day dessert, so I added a little green food coloring.  It's so, so good!

FROZEN LEMONADE PIE
(Amy - amylz - Recipe courtesy The Neelys)

Graham Cracker Crust:
2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup sugar
7 tablespoons butter, melted
Lemonade filling:
1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk, chilled
1 (12 ounce) container whip topping, thawed
1 (6 fluid ounce) can frozen lemonade concentrate, keep frozen
1 teaspoon candied lemon peel

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In medium bowl, combine cracker crumbs, 1/4 cup of sugar, and the melted butter. Press firmly on bottom and up sides of pie plate. Bake for 7 minutes and let cool completely. In a medium bowl, add chilled sweetened condensed milk and cool whip and fold gently. Add frozen lemonade and continue to gently fold. Do not let the mixture become soupy. Pour mixture into the pie crust and freeze overnight. Garnish with candied lemon peel.

S'More Bites ***

I feel silly even posting this as a "recipe," because it's so simple and seems like it should be common sense.  Well, for me it wasn't.  It really and truly never would have occurred to me to try these this way, so when I saw it pop up on Pinterest, I knew instantly that I had to make them for the kids.  They go mental for s'mores, but we normally only have them during the summers when we have campfires.  Every great now and then, I'll let them make one over the stove, but that's just too messy.  So I made these, and they loved them.  Again, you wouldn't think it would be such a big deal, but you should have seen their little faces light up.  Priceless. 

S'MORE BITES
(luckymommyto2boys ~ Amy ~ MelissaDionne)

6 graham cracker sheets*, or 12 Saltine or Ritz Crackers (or as many as you wish)
6 large marshmallows (enough to fit your crackers)
12 Hershey’s Kisses, unwrapped (enough to top your crackers)

Break graham cracker sheets in half.
Using clean scissors (or a clean knife) cut each marshmallow into 2 halves.
Heat oven to low broil.
Align graham crackers in the center of a cookie sheet about 1/2″ apart from each other.
Top each graham cracker with a marshmallow with the cut/sticky side down.
Place marshmallow topped graham crackers under broiler (turn oven light on if you have one) DON’T WALK AWAY, watch them closely as they will toast quickly, allow to toast until golden rotating pan with oven mitt as needed.
Once golden immediately remove from oven, place 1 kiss in the center of each toasted marshmallow and gently press down.  For best results serve warm, just like a real s’more.
Enjoy!

No Name Cookies (Energy Bites) ****

We love these things!  I've been making them for a few years now, and they're always a huge hit with the kids.  The OP was a member on BabyCenter (this was back in 2008, I think), and she posted the recipe, saying that she could never think of a name for them.  Hence, the name "No Name Cookies," lol.

This time, I used natural peanut butter, and I couldn't tell any difference at all.  They're so easy to make, and I love that you can throw them into the freezer until you're ready to eat them.  That at least keeps me from eating them all in one sitting.  ;-)

NO NAME COOKIES (ENERGY BITES)
(ihave3cute1s ~ Emily)

1 cup peanut butter
1 cup honey
3 cups of Old Fashion Oats
1/2 cups ground flax seed
1 cup chocolate chips
1 cup of your favorite nuts (optional)

Mix peanut butter and honey until smooth.
Gradually mix in oats.  Add flax seed, chocolate chips, and nuts, and stir until well combined.
Refrigerate for 30 minutes then wet hands (so it does not stick to your hands) and roll into balls. You can serve or eat right then but this is what I did. I put them on a cookie sheet covered and put in the fridge over night. The next day put them in a bag and put in freezer. You can eat them frozen or pop them in the microwave for 15 seconds.
*Emily's notes: They are soooo yummy. My sisters kids take one for lunch. In the morning she puts one in a container and by lunch it is good and soft to eat. ENJOY

Broiled Grapefruit with Honey and Cinnamon ***

As a rule, I really don't care for grapefruit.  I want to, since it's so healthy, but I just can't make myself.  My youngest, the 9-year-old, just adores it, for some insane reason.  So once I heard that broiling it can give it a completely different flavor, I figured it was worth a shot.  We actually enjoyed it.  Even hubby and the 11-year-old liked it, which really surprised me.  I just did honey and cinnamon, but I think the bananas or strawberries would be a good addition.  I'm thinking I might try slicing it into rounds (instead of just in half) and putting honey on each slice.  My only complaint was that the parts closest to the bottom tasted like plain old grapefruit (blech).  I only broiled it on the low setting this time, so I also think I'll give it a shot with broiling the halves on high.  The extra carmelization might help with distributing the flavor a bit more.  No matter what, I definitely know I'll make it again, because it makes for a great dessert that I don't have to feel guilty about.

BROILED GRAPEFRUIT WITH HONEY AND CINNAMON
(luckymommyto2boys ~ Amy ~ SheWearsManyHats)

grapefruit
honey
ground ginger (ground cinnamon is a good substitute or addition)
optional: banana slices (strawberries would be nice too)

Prepare oven for broiling. Position oven rack on top.
Cut grapefruit(s) in half. Using a small serrated knife or grapefruit knife, loosen the grapefruit sections from the membrane. Place the grapefruit halves on a baking sheet or shallow baking pan.
Drizzle grapefruit halves with honey. Place banana slices on top and flip once to coat both sides with honey. Dust with ground ginger (and/or cinnamon).
Place under broiler until bubbling and slightly browned in spots, about 4 to 6 minutes. Keep an eye on during broiling to avoid burning.
Serve warm.

Libby's Pumpkin Roll with Cream Cheese Filling ****

It's still so hard to believe that just a few years ago, I was paying someone else to make our pumpkin rolls at Christmas.  Oh, the money I could have saved if I'd only realized how easy they were to make!  True, they are a little time-intensive, but the simplicitiy more than makes up for that.  Not to mention the little bit of heaven that's in each bite, lol.  I've gotten to where I automatically buy enough to make two rolls when I make one.  It's just a given that we will need two, because the first always goes so quickly.  We normally end up fighting over the last piece.  ;-)

Photo courtesy of VeryBestBaking.com

LIBBY'S PUMPKIN ROLL WITH CREAM CHEESE FILLING
(luckymommyto2boys ~ Amy ~ VeryBestBaking.com)

¼ cup powdered sugar (to sprinkle on towel)
¾ cup all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground cloves
¼ teaspoon salt
3 large eggs
1 cup granulated sugar
2/3 cup LIBBY'S® 100% Pure Pumpkin
1 cup walnuts, chopped (optional)
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
6 tablespoons butter or margarine, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ cup powdered sugar (optional)

PREHEAT oven to 375° F. Grease 15 x 10-inch jelly-roll pan; line with wax paper. Grease and flour paper. Sprinkle a thin, cotton kitchen towel with powdered sugar.
COMBINE flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves and salt in small bowl. Beat eggs and granulated sugar in large mixer bowl until thick. Beat in pumpkin. Stir in flour mixture. Spread evenly into prepared pan. Sprinkle with nuts.
BAKE for 13 to 15 minutes or until top of cake springs back when touched. (If using a dark-colored pan, begin checking for doneness at 11 minutes.) Immediately loosen and turn cake onto prepared towel. Carefully peel off paper. Roll up cake and towel together, starting with narrow end. Cool on wire rack.
BEAT cream cheese, 1 cup powdered sugar, butter and vanilla extract in small mixer bowl until smooth. Carefully unroll cake. Spread cream cheese mixture over cake. Reroll cake. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least one hour. Sprinkle with powdered sugar before serving, if desired.
COOKING TIP:
Be sure to put enough powdered sugar on the towel when rolling up the cake so it will not stick.

Previous reviews:
12/27/10 ~ Loved, loved, LOVED this one! Hubby has been begging me to try my hand at a pumpkin roll for years now. He just adores them. I've always kind of shied away from them, since they seemed so complicated. I had no idea how easy they were! I went with the Libby's recipe, since I'd heard good things about it, and I figured it had to be fairly basic. I'll be sticking with this one, though. No need to improve on perfection. :) I used self-rising flour and eliminated the baking soda, baking powder, and salt. I'll keep doing that, since it came out so well and is much simpler. I don't have a wire rack, so I kept it rolled in the towel on the pan and just turned it over every 5-10 minutes or so, until it had cooled. Next time, I will make the filling layer thicker and make the roll looser, to keep the filling from spilling out so much. Other than that, no changes for me!

Cake Mix Cookies ***

It's been ages since I've made these, since I rarely have cake mix on hand.  I had a box of cake mix left over from Christmas, and we're iced in for three days with no school.  Figured we could use a little sugar pick-me-up. :-)  This time, I just used yellow cake mix with chocolate chips, but I've made lots of other versions in the past.  We used to love the chocolate mix with the Andes mint chips and the chocolate mix with mini peanut butter cups.  These are no gourmet delight or anything, but they're good nonetheless.

CAKE MIX COOKIES
(luckymommyto2boys ~ Amy~ Allrecipes.com)

1 (18.25 ounce) package chocolate cake mix
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 eggs
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
In a medium bowl, stir together the cake mix, butter and eggs until smooth and well blended. Mix in the chocolate chips. Drop by spoonfuls onto ungreased baking sheets.
Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.
* You can use peanut butter chips or raspberry chips and nuts instead. You can also add 1/4 cup of brown sugar. Or you can use another flavor cake mix and omit the chocolate chips. The cake mix, butter and egg mixture is the same for all.

Slow Cooker Baked Sliced Apples (Semi-Clean) ****

I am nearly speechless at how wonderful this was.  My monkeys were licking their plates.  They loved it.  It's not truly a "clean" recipe, since it has the margarine, but you could make it one by subbing olive oil.  It wouldn't be as good, lol, but it would still have great flavor.  I chose to go with organic butter, and it worked fine for me.  Since my crock is a 6-qt, I was afraid that it would burn easily.  I went ahead and used 6 medium Fuji apples (absolute perfection in this recipe) and doubled everything else.  I'm trying to get away from Splenda, so I went with Stevia instead.  I couldn't find unsweetened apple juice, so I used some that had the least amount of sugar I could find and was all-natural.  I don't have butter-flavored cooking spray, so I just used my olive oil spray.  Oh, and I used Craisins in place of the raisins, just because I really can't stand raisins in stuff.  I think that's about all of my changes, lol.  Seriously, though, this was some dynamite stuff.  It would be spectacular with a little scoop of vanilla ice cream on top!  

SLOW COOKER BAKED SLICED APPLES (SEMI-CLEAN)

(luckymommyto2boys ~ Amy ~ GetCrocked)

3-1/2 cups apples, (cored, peeled, and thickly sliced)

1/4 cups raisins (seedless)

1/4 cups Splenda granular

1-1/2 teaspoons apple pie spice

2 tablespoons apple juice, unsweetened

1 tablespoon margarine

Spray a slow cooker container with butter-flavored cooking spray.

Combine apples and raisins in crock.

Add Splenda, apple pie spice, and apple juice.

Mix well.

Dot top with margarine.

Cover. Cook on Low for 4-6 hours.

*luckymommy/Amy's notes: I used 6 medium Fuji apples and doubled everything else.  I also subbed Stevia for the Splenda and Craisins for the raisins.  

Two-Ingredient Banana Cookies **

Yet another review that I'm slow on posting.  We had these sometime over Christmas break, but I honestly can't even remember when.  I had some bananas to use up, so I whipped them up one night after supper.  They are probably the easiest cookies I've ever made in my life.  I added pecans and chocolate chips to ours. They were good.  Nothing fabulous, but a nice little sweet treat that wasn't too terribly unhealthy (would have obviously been much healthier without the chocolate, lol).  Everyone else said they really liked them, but I just thought they were okay.  They have a kind of mushy texture to them that I didn't really care for, but the flavor wasn't bad.  Kind of like banana bread, I guess.  

TWO INGREDIENT COOKIES

(luckymommyto2boys ~ Amy ~ TheBurlapBag via Pinterest)

2 large old bananas

1 cup of  oats (quick or regular! if you use regular, we’d suggest chopping them a little so everything holds together better)

Mix those two together. Old bananas are amazing for this, but you can use fresh ones too. I buy a bunch of bananas, let them get old on my counter, and then stick ‘em all in the freezer.

Then add in what sounds yummy to you! (or nothing!) We love: a handful of chocolate chips, crushed walnut pieces, cinnamon, raisins

Since all bananas are different sizes, the needed measurements can vary. If it seems too runny and the cookies would flatten out too much, add in more oatmeal. And make sure to not add in TOO many mix-ins as the cookies won’t hold together very well. The ones in these photos have a handful of chocolate chips, a teaspoon or two or cinnamon, and 1/4ish a cup of crushed walnuts.

We made 16 cookies with those measurements. We cook them at 350 degrees for 15 minutes on a GREASED cookie sheet. Don’t forget the greased part…. I did once and had to scrub my pan forever.

Two-Ingredient Pumpkin Brownies ***

Oh wow.  I found this one on Pinterest earlier this week, and I just knew I had to make it.  I love brownies and pumpkin, so I was dying to see how well they combined.  They were delicious.  The texture is very strange.  It's kind of like a dense, moist pudding.  The slices separate and hold together easily, though.  I tried the OP's suggestion of lining the pan with foil, and it worked really well for me.  I didn't bother with the frosting, since I wanted to get the full effect of the brownies themselves.  You can't really taste the pumpkin, but you get a whiff of it every now and then.  I did use a 9x13 pan, since I prefer more brownies over thicker brownies.  It makes them last just a teeny bit longer.  :-)  Overall, this was definitely a winner for us, simply because of how easy and yummy it was.

TWO-INGREDIENT PUMPKIN BROWNIES
(luckymommyto2boys ~ Amy ~ Cookies and Cups)

1 "Family Size" box (19.5 oz) brownie mix
1 (15 oz) can pumpkin
Frosting - optional:
     1/2 cup butter
     2 cups powdered sugar
     1/4 tsp pumpkin pie spice

Brownies:
Preheat oven to 350°
Line a 9x9 pan with foil and spray lightly with cooking spray.
In a bowl mix together brownie mix and pumpkin until smooth.
Spread batter into pan and bake for 25-30 minutes until set.
Let cool completely. Frost if desired.

Frosting:
Cream butter and pumpkin pie spice until smooth.
Turn mixer to low and add in powdered sugar
Turn mixer up to medium and beat until fluffy.
Spread on brownies, if desired.

Nutella Gooey Butter Cake ***

I'm a St. Louis native, and Gooey Butter Cake is kind of one of our "things."  Well, that and pork steaks, Provel cheese and toasted ravioli.  Basically all the good stuff in life, lol.  Anyway, I decided I wanted to introduce the kids to their first gooey butter cake.  When perusing Pinterest, I came across the Nutella one on accident.  I knew I had to make it.  It definitely did not disappoint.  Wow.  This thing is delicious!  It really doesn't taste much like gooey butter cake, but it's so good on its own.

NUTELLA GOOEY BUTTER CAKE
(luckymommyto2boys ~ Amy ~ via Little Kitchie)

for the cake, you'll need:
1 box chocolate cake mix (I used Duncan Hines Dark Chocolate Fudge Cake Mix)
1 large egg
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

for the filling, you'll need:
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 cup Nutella
3 large eggs, beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
2 cups powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 13x9 pan with cooking spray.
Add cake mix, egg, and butter to the bowl of an electric mixer and mix until completely incorporated. Use your fingers to press into the bottom of the prepared pan.
Clean the bowl, then add cream cheese and Nutella and beat until smooth. Add the eggs, vanilla, and butter. Beat on low until incorporated, then slowly add the powdered sugar and beat until smooth. Add to the pan and evenly spread over cake batter.
Bake for 40-45 minutes. Allow to cool completely, then dust with powdered sugar. If desired, top with fresh whipped cream. Aaaaaaand devour.

Apple Butter Spice Cookies ****

These are my very favorite road trip cookies.  I've been making them every summer for years, but I only let us indulge on trips. That always makes them a little more extra-special.  :-)  They're kind of fluffy and cakey, so they're perfect for our early morning drives.  I let the kids snack on them in place of muffins sometimes.  I always use the Stevia sugar substitute, and they still come out great.  I meant to try them with whole wheat flour this time, but I was completely out.  Oh well.  Next time, I guess.  Anyway, they're extra yummy and make the house smell divine.  I get about 40 or so cookies out of a batch.  Sorry for the not-so-great picture.  I had to take it on my phone, since I seem to have misplaced the camera, lol.

APPLE BUTTER SPICE COOKIES
(luckymommyto2boys ~ Amy)

2-1/2 cups self-rising flour
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 egg
1 cup apple butter
1/2 cup Craisins
1/2 cup chopped pecans

Cream sugar and oil until light and fluffy. Beat in egg. Stir in apple butter. Add flour and cinnamon. Mix well. Stir in Craisins and pecans.
Drop dough by heaping spoonfuls onto lightly greased baking sheets. They won't spread much, so make them the size you want them to be in the end.  Bake at 375 degrees for 10 minutes. Cool on racks.