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Welcome! Have you linked up to this weeks Back For Seconds Social? Come join the party here!

Sunday, September 30, 2012

Caramel Apple Spice Cookies

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I love a good caramel apple, don't you?
When I found these caramel apple Milky Ways, I just had to buy them. 
Caramel apples = good. Milky Ways = good. Caramel apple Milky Ways = good!
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Thursday, September 27, 2012

Fall Favorites {Sally's Baking Addiction}

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You guys are in luck. Sally from Sally's Baking Addiction is here with you today! She and I bonded over our love of all things chocolate and peanut butter. I mean, what's not to love about her Skinny Peanut Butter Swirl Brownies? Or how about these adorable Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Blondie Hearts? Obviously I'm a fan of her Fudge Brownie Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Frosting. *drool*
Of course, she makes things with ingredients other than peanut butter and chocolate...but these recipes have won me over. Are you hungry yet? Good. Make sure to give Sally some love today!

Hi Back For Seconds Readers! My name is Sally and I blog over at Sallys Baking Addiction. While Stephanie is away, she asked that I share with you some of my favorite fall recipes. I jumped at the oppotunity!
While I'm a summer gal at heart, ther is nothing like a crisp September breeze, the golden leaves, pumpkin spice lattes, and warm cozy sweaters. It's time to embrace the fall and here's are five goodies you can eat while doing it. :)
Coated in a cinnamon-sugar outfit and full of pumpkin flavor. My favorite bite-sized treats!
My EASY banana bread recipe only used 1/2 stick in the whole loaf! And who could honestly resist all this glaze?
My love for oatmeal bars and pumpkin collide in these soft and healthy chocolate dotted treats.
I'm pretty certain these cookies are incredible year-round, but I love the comfort of a chocolate chip cookie in the fall! The Snickers are an added bonus.
Indulgently creamy salty/sweet caramel frosting cascading over a warm apple spice cupcake. There really is nothing better.
What are your favorite fall recipes?
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Wednesday, September 26, 2012

Blueberry Angel Cake {Kitchen Meets Girl}

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Lucky you!  My sweet friend, Ashley from  Kitchen Meets Girl is here today! She is amazing. She has loads of wonderful recipes on her blog like Strawberry Orange Margaritas (I will take two, please), Nutella Filled Oatmeal Cookie Pies (mmmmm...) and White Chocolate Blueberry Crunch Bread (oh my!).  I just know you're gonna love her - I do!
Enjoy, and give her nice warm welcome!


 Hi guys! I’m Ashley and I blog over at Kitchen Meets Girl. I’m super stoked to be posting over here today. Stephanie's blog is pretty much the bomb-diggity, because she has the awesome knack of putting a healthy spin on some really mouthwatering treats. I mean, seriously -- Skinny Cinnamon Swirl Nutella Bread? Um, sign me up. And Skinny Peanut Butter Truffles? Yes, please. Sooooo, since I'm taking over the Back for Seconds blog today, I thought it only fitting that I share a super yummy and healthy recipe with you all. And even better? This recipe only has two ingredients. It's practically not even a recipe.
 If you spend any time around my blog at all, you'll often hear me talk about how my husband doesn't like sweets. I know. Weird, right? But when he spotted this cake just out of the oven on the kitchen counter, he ate three pieces. Before dinner. And another piece afterwards. This is high praise, folks. Want the (non) recipe? I hope so, 'cause I brought it with me, just in case.

Blueberry Angel Cake


  • 1 box angel food cake mix 
  • 1 22-ounce can blueberry pie filling (other flavors would work, too--try cherry or lemon!) 
  • whipped cream and blueberries for serving, optional 


 1. Preheat oven to 350. Spray a 9x13 pan with non-stick cooking spray and set aside. 2. In a large bowl, stir together the angel food cake mix and your can of pie filling. The mixture will puff up--that's okay! 3. Pour batter into your prepared pan, and bake for 30 minutes, or until top is golden and a skewer inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean. The cake will puff up while baking and deflate as it cools. 4. Serve with whipped cream and fresh blueberries, if desired.

 These bars take just a few minutes to mix up–and who doesn’t love a quick and easy dessert?! It was so nice “meeting” you all, and I sure hope you stop by my little ol’ blog and say hi! You can also find me on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest! Thanks again, Stephanie, for having me here today! Have a happy Wednesday, everyone!
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Tuesday, September 25, 2012

Back For Seconds Social *Link Party*

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Hi there, friends!  Are you loving all of my guest poster this week or what? If you haven't stopped by everyday, you need to go back and check out their posts and recipes - they're all so fabulous and I don't want you to miss out!
I am still having fun in the sun, vacationing with my family, so I don't have features for you this week. I know, I'm sorry. But I am committed to all play and no work during this trip!
So let's get to the party! And remember to come by each day so you don't miss out on my sweet friends posts.


Please tell your friends about this party! Link up and tweet, facebook, blog, instagram your besties and tell them the Back For Seconds Social is where it's at! You guys rock!



Here's the skinny:
  • Link up your recipes, DIY projects, helpful tips, etc...I want to see it all! (Please only link up your own material)
  • Check out some other links - this is a Social after all :) Have fun and come back next week to see if you were featured!
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Espresso Chocolate Chip Coconut Cookies {Crumbs and Chaos}

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What a fun day today is going to be. Becca from Crumbs and Chaos is here to share a yummy recipe with you! Becca and her 3 sisters blog together and have some awesome recipes you just have to try! Nutella Donuts? Love them! Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Sandwiches? Gotta have these! S'mores Brownies? Yes, please. I'll take 5. Crumbs and Chaos has no shortage of delicious treats, trust me!
Let's give Becca  a nice warm welcome!

Hi, I’m Becca from Crumbs and Chaos, a blog I write with my 3 sisters.  We have 12 children between us, hence the name Crumbs and Chaos…we deal with our fair share on a daily basis.  We love sharing our favorite recipes, tips on controlling the chaos and seeing awesome things from our readers every Saturday at our Seasonal Inspiration link party.  I am honored to be here today at Back for Seconds sharing this sweet treat with you.


I'm not a huge fan of cookies that spread way out when you bake them and the last couple of new-to-me recipes that I've tried have done that.  I am a huge fan of coffee and chocolate and coconut...I couldn't believe when I found them together in one cookie and it wasn't one of those spread-out-when-you-bake-them cookies.  I was super excited!

You can find espresso powder online (I ordered mine from here) and you can use it in all kinds of great things like frostingbrownies and, of course, these cookies. These go perfectly with a cold glass of milk  or an afternoon cup of coffee!


Espresso Chocolate Chip Coconut Cookies


  • 3 1/2 cups FLOUR
  • 1 teaspoon BAKING SODA
  • 1 teaspoon SEA SALT
  • 2 Tablespoons ESPRESSO POWDER
  • 1 cup UNSALTED BUTTER, room temperature
  • 3/4 cup packed BROWN SUGAR
  • 1 cup GRANULATED SUGAR
  • 2 EGGS
  • 1 Tablespoon VANILLA EXTRACT
  • 1 teaspoon COCONUT EXTRACT
  • 1 cup SEMI_SWEET CHOCOLATE CHIPS
  • 1 cup SHREDDED COCONUT


Preheat oven to 350°.  Line baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, salt and espresso powder.  Set aside.

In a mixing bowl, beat together butter and sugars until light and fluffy.  Add eggs and then extracts, beating well after each thing you add.  Turn the mixer to low speed and add the flour mixture, beat until just combined.  Stir in the chocolate chips and coconut by hand.

Using a 1 Tablespoon cookie scoop, drop onto prepared baking sheet and bake for 8-9 minutes.  Cool on pans for 3 minutes and remove to wire rack to cool completely.

Recipe Source: Adapted from Annie's Eats

Thanks so much for having me today!


Stop on over and say hi!
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Monday, September 24, 2012

Caramel Apple Pound Cake {Life as a Lofthouse}

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I am super excited to have Holly from Life as a Lofthouse here today! She is so sweet and has tons of delicious and easy recipes on her blog. She lured me in with her tempting goodies like these Cinnamon Roll Pancakes, Candy Bar Cupcakes, and Red Velvet Brownies. Ok, wipe away the drool and give Holly a warm welcome!



  Hi everyone! I'm Holly, and I'm the gal behind the scenes over at Life as a Lofthouse! I was totally excited when Stephanie asked me to guest post, while she's on vacation. I LOVE her blog, and am always drooling over all the yummy stuff she posts!
 
  I started my food blog 2 years ago, and have had so much fun doing it. I'm a mother to 3 kiddos, and my hubby is my best friend. I am so blessed to have such amazing friends and family!
 
  Cooking and baking is a huge passion of mine. For a lot of people, cooking is a chore. For me, it's the exact opposite. It's actually a stress relief. From Mexican, to Italian and good ol' American fare, I love all FOOD! I hope you will come over and check out my Recipe Index! I'm sure there will be a few things you'll want to try!
  Today I thought I'd share this Caramel Apple Pound Cake.  Now that Fall is coming soon, it is the perfect cake to make! I hope you all enjoy it as much as we did!
 
Caramel Apple Pound Cake
  • 2 cups granulated sugar
  • 1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla
  • 3 large eggs
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons apple pie spice
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 2 medium Red apples, peeled and finely chopped (2 cups)

Caramel Glaze:
  • 1/2 cup butter
  • 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
  • 2 teaspoons milk


Directions:  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a 12-cup fluted tube cake pan.

In a large bowl, add the granulated sugar, oil, vanilla and eggs. With an electric hand mixer, beat on medium speed until light and fluffy.

Gradually beat in flour, apple pie spice, salt and baking soda until just combined. Stir in apple pieces.
Pour mixture into prepared pan. Bake for 55-65 minutes, or until toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Let cake cool in pan for 15 minutes, and then invert onto a cooling rack.

For Caramel Glaze:  Place all glaze ingredients in a medium saucepan, over medium-high heat. Stir until butter melts, and then comes to a boil. Boil for 2 minutes, stirring constantly; remove from heat. Spoon glaze all over the warm cake.

Cut cake into slices and serve with vanilla ice cream. Enjoy!♥

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Sunday, September 23, 2012

Apple Pie Dip {Something Swanky}

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Today Ashton from Something Swanky is here! I started following Ashton's blog after seeing her monster cookie obsession. I LOVE monster cookies. Who doesn't, right? She even made a Monster Cookie Dough Dip. Yum! She also has a little crush on Nutella and she made Nutella Kiss Cookies just like one of my all time favorite peanut butter kiss cookies - but with Nutella, mmm.
Let's show Ashton some love!

Hi folks!
Ashton here, from Something Swanky, where I blog about desserts and how to make your blog look pretty :) But who am I kidding? It's really all about the desserts!
I'm super duper excited that Stephanie asked me to guest post today! I'm in love with pretty much every little thing she makes and can say with a surety that this is a very comfy home-away-from-home for me today!!
Sweet dips hold a special place in my tummy heart. My brownie batter dip was the first really successful post I ever had. And I think you always look back on your first successful post fondly, kind of the way you remember your first love.
Because that's when you really start to love blogging. At least that's how it worked for me.
It's not as vain as it sounds, I promise. It's just that once you get a taste of it-- once you feel the rush that comes from seeing lots of total and complete strangers commenting on your blog and pinning your stuff, you start thinking: "hey! I can do this!"
And before you know it, it's a thrill to find new photography tips to try, and you're waking up in the middle of the night writing down a new recipe to try tomorrow, and you're learning all about the best times to post to your different social media pages... and you're completely smitten with blogging.
That's where sweet dips have brought me, and that's why I love them so much.
Oh, plus-- they taste amazing. Here are some of my family's favorites:
Samoa's Dip (my Grandma)
And I'm really excited to share another crowd pleasing sweet dip with you today: Apple Pie Dip! Perfect for Fall entertaining... or eating alone in your sweats. Whatevs.
A big thanks to Stephanie for having me on her blog today!! I hope you'll swing by and see me at my place too! Here are a few other cool places I like to hang out:
Apple Pie Dip
Ingredients:
  • 4 medium apples, peeled, cored, and diced into small pieces
  • 3 tbsp. butter
  • 3/4 c. sugar
  • 1/4 c. brown sugar
  • 2 tbsp. flour
  • 1/2 tbsp. cinnamon
  • 1/2 tbsp. nutmeg
  • 2 pre-made pie crusts
Directions:
  1. Melt the butter over low in a medium saucepan.
  2. Toss in the apples,  and stir to coat.
  3. Mix in the sugar, the brown sugar, the flour, the cinnamon, and the nutmeg. Stir, stir, stir until everything is smooth and well mixed. If the mixture looks to dry, add another tablespoon or two of butter-- but just know that the mixture will get a little "wetter" as the apples continue to cook.
  4. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring often, until apples reach desired softness. Quick tip: If you like your apples really soft, trying microwaving them in a ziptop bag for 1 minute before tossing them in the saucepan. That will help speed up the process and ensure that your apples are plenty soft!
  5. Meanwhile, use a cookie cutter to cut out pie crust rounds. Bake at 400º for 10-15 minutes until golden brown.
  6. Serve the dip in individual bowls or in one big bowl, using the pie crust rounds as dippers!
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Friday, September 21, 2012

Toffee Apple Cake {The Domestic Rebel}

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You are in for a real treat today! My friend, Hayley, aka The Domestic Rebel is taking over Back For Seconds for the day. Hayely is one of the most creative bakers ever, with goodies like Pumpkin Pie Pops (aren't they the cutest?!), Brownie Batter Pretzel Bites (you know I swoon for anything brownie), and Cinnamon Roll Stuffed Cupcakes (seriousy.). Her blog is so fun to read too - she's hilarious. Show her some love today, would ya? 



Hey guys! My name is Hayley, aka The Domestic Rebel. I'm obsessed with sprinkles, sparkles and cupcakes, and I fully endorse eating that extra cookie, you know, the sixth one. I like pairing easy, accessible ingredients together to form absolutely extraordinary desserts!

When Stephanie asked me to guest post for her, I was super stoked! Stephanie and I have become fast friends through this insane world of blogging. She's incredibly sweet, super funny, and bakes ridiculously drool-worthy treats like these Bubblegum Cookie Truffles and these Gooey Chewy Pretzel Bars, just to name a few. Needless to say, I'm hooked on her blog and her recipes!

 Know what else I'm hooked on? Fall. I'm obsessed with it. Honestly, any reason for me to further avoid swimwear and Daisy Dukes is preferable in my opinion. Bring on the boots and chunky sweaters! However, fall is not even close to happening here in Sacramento. We're battling 90-100 degree days despite the fact that it should be illegal that I'm still allowed to wear tank tops in September. Or, uh, any time of year (butthat'sanotherstory).

 So in an effort to duke it out against Mother Nature, I'm forcibly bringing fall to my home. I've busted out the cinnamon candles, dug up our fall decorations, and needed a fall-inspired dessert to bake up while I was reminiscing about days of red leaves, pumpkin carving and boot-wearing.

Enter this Toffee Apple Cake. It's gooey, buttery and totally delicious. It starts with a box of cake mix that's jazzed up and baked slightly underdone, so the result is almost cobbler-like and utterly soul-warming.
So even if you're eating it in your swimsuit, you can still be in the mental fall mindset.

 Now does anyone have Mother Nature's email? I need to air some grievances.

Toffee Apple Cake

  • 1 box butter yellow cake mix 
  • 2 eggs 
  • 1 stick butter, melted 
  • 1/4 heaping cup brown sugar 
  • 1 cup toffee bits 
  • 1 can apple pie filling 
  • 1 tsp cinnamon 
  • 1 cup cinnamon pecans (found by the ice cream syrups in the grocery store) 


 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Liberally grease a 13x9 inch baking pan with cooking spray and set aside.
2. In a large bowl, combine the cake mix, eggs, butter and brown sugar until combined. Stir in the toffee bits. Spread the mixture evenly into the prepared pan.
3. Spread the apple pie filling evenly over the batter, then sprinkle generously with the cinnamon. Top with the cinnamon pecans.
4. Bake for approx. 22-25 minutes or until edges are golden and center is just barely set. Cool completely on a wire rack before cutting into hunks. This tastes excellent warm or at room temperature. Store leftovers airtight, at room temperature, up to a day.

  I I flipped for the sweet smell of toffee and the spicy hint of cinnamon while this cake was baking and fell in love with the mixture of flavors when I dug in. The toffee adds another layer of buttery goodness to the cakey base, while the tender apples and spicy cinnamon taste very cobbler-y.
And those cinnamon pecans are totally worth it--sweet, caramelized pecans add that extra crunch and texture that makes these awesome! Hope you enjoy!!
Feel free to pop on over to The Domestic Rebel and say hi sometime! xo, Hayley


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Thursday, September 20, 2012

Pecan Pie Poptarts {Crazy For Crust}

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I am so thrilled to have my friend Dorothy from Crazy for Crust here today! She is a brilliant baker who makes things like Red Velvet Brownie Pie, and Devils Food Cake Batter Dip with Pie Crust Dippers. Is your mouth watering yet? 
Plus she's super sweet and really funny, and I just love her - I know you will too! Show her some love and enjoy!



Well hello there, Back for Seconders! I'm Dorothy, from Crazy for Crust. As you guessed it, I'm sorta crazy for crust. {Pie, that is.} I'm also a little crazy in real life, buuuut that's another story, mmkay?
 I love pretty much anything with sugar. I'm a major sugar addict. I think that's why I'm so glad to be here today! I mean, a place where you can find Double Decker Coconut Cream Brownies and Peanut Butter S'mores Bars is definitely a place I want to be.

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Tuesday, September 18, 2012

Back For Seconds Social *Link Party* and {Features}

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I am really exited about this week! Not only am I going on a much needed vacation (squeel!!!) but I have a week packed full of incredible guest posters. Trust me, you will not want to miss a day.
While I go pack my bags, check out this weeks awesome features and stick around for another fabulous party!

Pretzel Toffee Bark from Vivi's Messy Kitchen





















Spider Cake Pops by Sugar Kissed

Halloween Treats - Spider Cake Pops - sugarkissed.net
























Cake Batter Bark Blondies from Lemons For Lulu

Cake Batter Bark Blondies

Pumpkin Pudding Cinamon Rolls from Fantastical Sharing of Recipes


Congratulations!! Grab a button and wear it proud!

Now onto the Back For Seconds Social!

I really appreciate each one of you for coming to link up each week! I get so excited seeing all the fun things you guys share - thank you!!
Please tell your friends about this party! Link up and tweet, facebook, blog, instagram your besties and tell them the Back For Seconds Social is where it's at! You guys rock!



Here's the skinny:
  • Link up your recipes, DIY projects, helpful tips, etc...I want to see it all! (Please only link up your own material)
  • Check out some other links - this is a Social after all :) Have fun and come back next week to see if you were featured!
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Single Serving SKINNY Apple Pie

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This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of NECTRESSE™Sweetener for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

This is not your average apple pie, friends. For one thing it's served in a glass not a pie crust. Right there you just saved probably 300 calories. Secondly, it's made with Nectresse sweetener instead of sugar, Again, saving you gobs of calories. 

Have you tried NECTRESSE™Sweetener yet? It is the only 100% natural sweetner made from monk fruit extract! It is 150x sweeter than sugar (which mean you use a lot less) and has zero calories. IT is the perfect sugar substitute to use in cooking, baking, and in beverages. You can get a  FREE sample of NECTRESSE™Sweetener here!

NECTRESSE™Sweetener was the pefrect thing to use to sweeten up this single serving apple pie without adding any calories! My 3 year old gobbled it up happily. I think it's safe to say she couldn't tell it wasn't made with sugar ;)

So here you have it: apple pie that's healthy for you! No kidding! Give it a try when those cravings hit for something warm and comforting. Your tastebuds and waistline will thank you!

Single Serving Apple Pie

by: Back For Seconds

  • 1 large Granny Smith Apple, peeled, cored, and choped
  • 3 packets of NECTRESSE™Sweetener
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 tsp cornstarch 
  • 1/4 cup water
  • dollop whipped cream
  • 1/8th cinnamon graham cracker 

In a small skillet stir together apple, sweetner, cinnamon, cornstarch over medium heat. When a sauce starts to form add in the water continuing to stir occasionally. Let cook for about 8-10 minutes. Spoon into a glass or jar and swirl a dollp of whipped cream on top. Srpinkle with cinnamon graham cracker crumbs. Enjoy!

You can learn more about Nectresse in this video

Visit Sponsor's Site

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Monday, September 17, 2012

Kindle Fire HD GIVEAWAY and Online BlogCon

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Boy, do I have a treat for you today! How would you like to win a brand new Kindle Fire HD? 





Have you hears of Online Blog Con yet? 
It's this awesome conference that Dorothy and Ashton have put together. It has all the perks of a snazzy blog conference but it won't cost an arm and leg to get you there. This one will only cost you $15. 
And you can show up in your underwear if you want. 
Because it's online. ;)
There will be awesome speakers and even prizes! Are you in?
You can learn more about it here and register here.

Now on to the giveaway! Use the Rafflecopter at the end of this post to enter. Once you register for Online BlogCon you can earn tons of extra entries. Good luck!!


Official Product Description:

Stunning 8.9" HD display, exclusive Dolby audio, and fastest Wi-Fi



  • 1920x1200 HD display with polarizing filter and anti-glare technology for rich color and deep contrast from any viewing angle
  • Exclusive Dolby audio and dual stereo speakers for crisp, booming sound without distortion
  • High performance 1.5Ghz dual-core processor with Imagination PowerVR 3D graphics core for fast and fluid performance
  • Dual-band, dual-antenna Wi-Fi for 40% faster downloads and streaming (compared to iPad 3)
  • Over 22 million movies, TV shows, songs, magazines, books, audiobooks, and popular apps and games such as FacebookNetflixTwitterHBO GOPandora, andAngry Birds Space
  • Integrated support for Facebook, Twitter, Gmail, Hotmail, Yahoo! and more, as well as Exchange calendar, contacts, and email
  • Free Skype video calls with front-facing HD camera
  • Free unlimited cloud storage for all your Amazon content
  • Includes special offers and sponsored screensavers.
  • Learn more
  • Kindle FreeTime - a personalized tablet experience just for kids. Set daily screen limits, and give access to appropriate content for each child. Free on every Kindle Fire HD. Coming next month Prime Instant Video - unlimited, instant streaming of thousands of popular movies and TV shows Kindle Owners' Lending Library - Kindle owners can choose from more than 180,000 books to borrow for free with no due dates, including over 100 current and former New York Times best sellers and all 7 Harry Potter books.
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Fine Print: Giveaway open to U.S. residents only. You must be registered for Online BlogCon in order to enter. The Kindle Fire HD 8.9″ comes out on November 20th. It will be pre-ordered for the winner and shipped to them by Amazon on or around November 20th. The winner has the option of choosing a cash prize of $200 in lieu of the Kindle Fire HD 8.9″. Cash prize will be paid via paypal. Giveaway runs through October 21, 2012. The winner will be contacted on Sunday, October 21, 2012 via email. If the winner does not respond within 48 hours, a new winner will be selected.

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