Instead of thinking big this week, I decided to think small. Growing up in a town that's one square mile, with a small dog in a small house I found that small things were a reoccurring theme in my life and I learned to love it.

When I was younger, I had an American Girl tiny treats cookbook where you could make doll sized snacks like s’mores and ice cream cones. Now that I'm just about 20 years old, I thought I'd share with you my favorite grown-up bite sized snacks. 

1. Mini cheesecakes.  I first found this recipe in my family cookbook and I believe it's one my grandma used to make. It's simple; you make cheesecake batter however you like it, put a vanilla wafer in the bottom of a muffin tin as a crust, bake it for a little while, then top them however you like. I usually use cherry and/or blueberry pie filling. These are also great for fundraisers or events. Easy to make and they look super cute. 

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/7307/mini-cheesecakes-i/

2. Little spritz cookies. Now these aren't always tiny, but I think that's the best way to make them. Tiny cookies are convenient for having a few with your morning coffee, packing some into a lunch, or grabbing one on the way out of the house for a little extra motivation. Since I don't have a cookie press, I just make the dough as directed, form it into little balls, then criss cross them with a fork to flatten. And this recipe is so simple you can also try adding lemon or chocolate to the basic vanilla dough. 

https://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/classic-spritz-cookies/aa68df04-bd64-4f1b-8421-0df82064bca4

3. Mini cupcakes.  You might think "a cupcake is already a mini cake, why make it any smaller". But I'm personally not a huge fan of normal cupcakes. They're supposed to be more convenient than full sized cakes but without a fork and plate they'll leave you and your house covered in crumbs. By taking it a step smaller, you and any house guests can eat them in less bites with less mess. 

4. Tiny pies. I'll be honest, I haven't tried this one yet, but aren't they so cute? You can make them in an ordinary cupcake tin and make them as simple or complicated as you like. If you’re looking for convenience, use premade crust and filling; if you’re feeling ambitious, make it yourself.  Add in different filling flavors and the possibilities are endless.  Definitely one I’m going to try.

https://www.tablespoon.com/recipes/mini-pies-in-a-cupcake-tin/8f1f2894-2665-49ba-905a-146c352bd16f

As I mentioned before, I make most of these treats from family recipes. I always prefer to use family recipes or ones we have written down and saved for years.  I think this makes baking more personal and meaningful. Also, you know the recipes are good if they’ve been around the house for years in little books and scribbled on notecards. There's plenty of recipes online for similar desserts. So find a good one, try it out, save it, and tweak it to make it your own just the way you like it. 

Because hey, it's the little things,

These sliders are a fun take on the classic BLT sandwich. They have all the great flavors in small servings.

Ingredients: 12 slices bacon. 6 small dinner rolls or slider buns, halved. 6 leaves lettuce. 2 large tomatoes, thinly sliced. Mayonnaise, to taste. Salt and pepper, to taste.

Instructions: Get the oven ready by heating it up to 400F 200C. Put bacon slices on a baking sheet that has parchment paper on it. In about 15 to 20 minutes, the food will be crispy. Take it out of the oven and use paper towels to soak up any extra grease. On the bottom half of each dinner roll or slider bun, spread mayonnaise. On the bottom halves of the buns, put lettuce, tomato slices, and crispy bacon. Add pepper and salt to taste. Add the last few bun halves on top. To keep the sliders in place, you can use toothpicks. Serve and have fun!

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Delicious and adorable mini pineapple upside down cakes transformed into a delightful parfait. Perfect for individual servings and a sweet treat!

Ingredients: 1 cup all-purpose flour. 1/2 cup granulated sugar. 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted. 1/2 cup buttermilk. 1 large egg. 1 teaspoon baking powder. 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract. 1/4 teaspoon salt. 1/2 cup crushed pineapple, drained. 1/4 cup brown sugar. Whipped cream and maraschino cherries for topping.

Instructions: Warm the oven up to 175F 350C. Put flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a bowl and mix them together. Melt the butter and add the buttermilk, egg, and vanilla extract to another bowl. Mix the dry and wet ingredients together until they are just combined. In a different bowl, mix brown sugar and crushed pineapple. Put a small amount of the pineapple mix in the bottom of each mini parfait glass. In each glass, add some cake batter on top of the pineapple mix. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until you can stick a toothpick in and it comes out clean. Let the mini cakes cool all the way down. In parfait glasses, layer the mini cakes and the rest of the pineapple mixture. Add whipped cream and a maraschino cherry on top. Enjoy! Serve cold.

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

These mini donuts are a delightful treat made with a blend of water and flour-sississima. They are baked to perfection, making them a healthier alternative to traditional fried donuts. Enjoy the fluffy texture and sweet flavor of these mini donuts!

Ingredients: 1 cup water. 1 cup flour-sississima. 1/2 cup sugar. 1/4 cup vegetable oil. 1 tsp vanilla extract. 1/2 tsp baking powder. 1/4 tsp salt. Powdered sugar for dusting.

Instructions: Grease a small donut pan and preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit 175 degrees Celsius. Mix the water, sugar, vanilla extract, baking powder, vegetable oil, flour-sississima, and salt in a mixing bowl. Blend the batter until it's smooth. Pour the batter into each donut pan well, about two thirds full. A toothpick inserted into the donuts should come out clean after baking for 10 to 12 minutes in a preheated oven, or until the donuts are lightly golden. After a few minutes, let the mini donuts cool in the pan before moving them to a wire rack to finish cooling. Enjoy the extra sweetness of powdered sugar dusted donuts after they've cooled! These miniature donuts with baked water and flour are ideal for sharing or nibbling. Have fun!

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes