Anyone mind if we start with the most important course first? You know, dessert?

Ben emailed me this afternoon with a very important message. “I have saved you a brownie.”

To which I replied “WHEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE”

His response back? “Real good brownie too… I didn’t even take a bite”

To which I asked “How do you know it’s real good if you didn’t take a bite?!”

I haven’t heard back. Bahahahaha!

I’ve waxed poetic about Ben a zillion times on this blog. Somehow the kindest, most thoughtful man picked me to marry, and I love him for a million different reasons. One of them being, of course, that he saves nibbled-on brownies from work, then brings them home to me.

Since my sweetie is working late tonight, I thought I’d return the favor and have his favorite dessert waiting for him when he gets home. Individual Apple Crisp.

ON ‘ROIDS – muwahahahaha!

Ahem, that is to say, I put toffee bits in the crisp!!!!!!

Individual Toffee Apple Crisp

Serves 1

Print this recipe!

Ingredients:

1 small apple

1/8 teaspoon each flour, sugar & cinnamon

1 Tablespoon brown sugar

1 Tablespoon old fashioned oats

1 1/2 teaspoons flour

1 1/2 teaspoons cold butter

1 teaspoon toffee bits

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Peel then chop apple into small, 1/4″ cubes. Toss with flour, sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl, then pour into a non-stick sprayed, individual-sized baking dish.

2. In the same bowl combine brown sugar, oats, flour, cold butter and toffee bits. Smush with your fingers until butter is well distributed among the ingredients. Top apples with the mixture and bake for 15 minutes, or until crisp is golden brown.

Ok, let’s be honest…I made an individual-sized serving for myself too. I had to let you know what it tasted like, right?! It was perhaps THE best apple crisp I have ever made. The toffee bits turned caramely and chewy as they baked. NUUUTS!!! And it clocked in at under 250 ultra-satisfying calories! Sweet!

Now you’re either going to think I’m lying or crazy after I tell you about the dinner I had cooking to tender, succulent, juicy perfection in the crock pot all day.

The good news is I can’t tell a lie to save my life – thanks, giggles – and the jury is perhaps still out on the latter…but seriously…Slow Cooked Pork Carnitas from Skinny Taste was better than One Pot Mac & Cheese and The Best Tomato Sauce. Ever. COMBINED.

I kid you not, this slow roasted pork and rice is in the Top 5 dishes I have ever made in my kitchen. It is incredible.

A lean, pork butt is spiced with homemade adobo seasoning, studded with slivers of fresh garlic, then slathered in chipotles in adobo before being cooked for 8 long hours in the crock pot.

The melt in your mouth pork that practically shredded itself is then piled high atop a mountain of homemade chipotle-style rice, before being utterly. devoured.

I think you all know by now how much I love me some Chipotle, but I have to tell you – this was 1000 times better. Spicy, salty and sooooo juicy. MMM!

You HAVE to make this pork and rice! The only change from the original recipe is I made my own Adobo seasoning using this recipe, I used a 3.75lb pork butt, and I didn’t sear it before putting it in the crock pot.

You must taste what I tasted tonight. So go forth, cut some apples, crank your crock pots, and get cookin’!!!!

Have a great night!

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In local health news…

Locals: Help Iowa achieve healthiest state in the nation status by participating in the Healthiest State Initiative’s Start Somewhere 1K Walk, Friday, October 7th at noon.

First take this pledge to walk, then hit the streets or treadmill at noon on Friday for a one kilometer (.62 miles) walk with friends, family, neighbors or co-workers. Organizers aim to have 250,000 Iowans participate in the simultaneous 1K! Click here to find a walk near you, or to organize one yourself!

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Brag time! What do you love most about your significant other? If you’re single & ready (or not) to mingle, what do you love most about yourself?