*white cake mix (my favorite is french vanilla from Duncan Hines)

*1 1/3 cup water

*1/3 cup oil

*3 eggs

*3 Gala apples (peeled, cored and diced)

*4 tbsp pumpkin pie spice

*2 tbsp cinnamon

*1/2 cup brown sugar

*1 cup quick oats (not instant)

*muffin liners

1-Preheat oven to 350 F. Line muffin pans with paper muffin cups.

2-Pour white cake mix into mixing bowl. Add 2 tbsp pumpkin pie spice to the dry mixture and blend together. Set aside.

3-Peel and core apples. Chop and dice apples into small pieces and place in a medium size bowl. Add the remaining 2 tbsp pumpkin pie spice and the brown sugar. Using your hands, toss the apples until they are well-coated. Set aside.

4-Add the water, oil and eggs to the dry mixture. Blend on medium speed for 2 minutes (or by hand for 100 strokes). Add the oats, apples and cinnamon and fold in one at a time until the batter is well-combined and all the ingredients are incorporated.

5-Fill the muffin liners to the top and bake for 30 minutes, or until the tops of the muffins are golden brown. Remove from the muffin pan and place them on a wire rack to cool completely. Store in a covered container.

YIELDS: 28 muffins

Nichelle Parsons is a housewife and an excellent baker. Her favorite things to bake include cakes, cookies, pies, pastries, truffles, muffins and so much more. She loves to experiment with new flavors and combinations. She is also a writer and moderates a frugal living and sweepstakes group called "Our Winning Circle".