Home for the Holidays

It's Christmas break and I am back home again in good 'ole Indiana! I have to admit, there is something so comforting about being here and something so magical about the holiday season. I've been baking, seeing friends and family, going to church, and I even got to see the Colts beat Jacksonville in Lucas Oil Stadium today. Life is good. I am so blessed. :) Aren't we all tho? Praise the Lord for sending Jesus Christ to love us, teach us, and die for us so that we may be forgiven for our sins and know Him in an intimate way!

As far as baking goes, I made more snickerdoodle cookies, apple pie, and peanut butter cookies with Hershey kisses! Again, I really surprised myself by how well they all turned out. I'm really looking forward to sharing the goodies with my loved ones. I'll share the recipes with you!

Apple Pie
INGREDIENTS:
6 cups thinly sliced apples
3/4 cup white sugar
1 tablespoon butter
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 recipe pastry for a 9 inch single crust pie
DIRECTIONS:
1. Prepare your pastry for a two crust pie. Wipe, quarter, core, peel, and slice apples; measure to 6 cups.
2. Combine sugar and cinnamon. The amount of sugar used depends on how tart your apples are.
3. Arrange apples in layers in pastry lined pie plate. Sprinkle each layer with sugar and cinnamon. Dot top layer with small pieces of butter or margarine. Cover with top crust.
4. Place on lowest rack in oven preheated to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). Bake for 10 minutes, then reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Bake for 30 to 35 minutes longer. Serve warm or cold.

Peanut Butter Cookies with Hershey Kisses
INGREDIENTS:
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 egg
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
Additional granulated sugar
About 36 Hershey's® Kisses® Brand milk chocolates, unwrapped
DIRECTIONS:
1.Heat oven to 375°F. In large bowl, beat 1/2 cup granulated sugar, the brown sugar, peanut butter, butter and egg with electric mixer on medium speed, or mix with spoon, until well blended. Stir in flour, baking soda and baking powder until dough forms.
2. Shape dough into 1-inch balls; roll in additional granulated sugar. On ungreased cookie sheets, place about 2 inches apart.
3. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until edges are light golden brown. Immediately press 1 milk chocolate candy in center of each cookie. Remove from cookie sheets to cooling rack.