Peanut Butter Blossoms

48 Hershey Kisses
1/2 cup shortening
3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 egg
2 Tbs. milk
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
granulated sugar

Preheat oven to 375*

Beat shortening and pb in large bowl until well blended.  Add 1/3 cup sugar and brown sugar; beat until fluffy.  Add egg, milk and vanilla; beat well.  Stir together flour, baking soda and salt; gradually beat into peanut butter mixture.

Shape dough into 1 inch balls.  Roll in sugar; place on ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake 8-10 min. or until lightly browned.  Immediately press a chocolate into the center of each cookie.  Remove from pan and let cool on rack.  Makes 4 dozen cookies.

Canned Apple Pie Filling

4-5 cups of sliced apples
3/4 cup water
1 Tbs. lemon juice
1 cup Sugar
1/8 tsp walt
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
2 Tbs. corn starch

Boil apples until barely tender.  Add sauce to apples and bring to a boil.  Place apple mixture into canning jars, and and water bath for 25 minutes.  Just pour this filling into a pie shell and bake.  It's better than the store bought apple pies.

(Carol Hansen)

Pear Pie

Mix together:
6 medium pears, sliced
3 Tbs. lemon juice
1/2 cup sugar
1 Tbs. flour

Place in unbaked pie shell and top with crumble topping.

1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. ginger
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp mace
1/4 cup butter

Bake @ 425* for 30 - 40 minutes

(Carol Hansen)

Lemon Meringue Pie

1 1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup plus 1 Tbs. corn starch
1 1/2 cups water
3 egg yolks, slightly beaten
3 Tbs. butter
2 tsp. grated lemon peel
1/2 cup lemon juice
2 drops of yellow food coloring (optional)

Need one baked pie shell.  Preheat oven to 400*

Mix sugar & cornstarch in large saucepan.  Stir in water gradually.  Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture thicken and boils.  Boil and stir 1 minute.  Stir at least half of the hot mixture gradually into egg yolks and blend quickly with a whire whisk.  Blend into hot mixture in saucepan.  Boil and stir 1 minute.  Remove from heat; stir in butter, lemon peel, lemon juice and food color.  Pour into pie shell.

Spoon meringue onto hot pie filling, carefully sealing meringue to edge of crust.  Bake until light brown, about 10 minutes.  Let cool.

(Carol Hansen)

Cherry Pie

1 Qt. cherries
3 Tbs. flour
2 cups sugar
1 Tbs. vinegar
1 tsp. almond extract
Red food coloring, if desired

Cook over medium heat until mixture comes to a boil.  Check for desired tast and thickness.

*She loves freezing pitted bing cherries and making Bing Cherry Pie. 

(Carol Hansen)

Chocolate Pie

2 cups milk in double boiler, or cook in heavy pan on medium heat.  Mix 1/4 tsp. salt, 2/3 cup sugar, 2 Tbs. cornstarch & 3 Tbs. cocoa.

Add enough milk to dry mixture to make a smooth paste.  Add two egg yolks beaten slightly.  Add this to the milk in the pan and cook until thick.  Add 1 tsp. vanilla.  Pour in baked pie shell.  use remaining egg whites to make a meringue, if desired.

Variation
She likes to eat this pie warm with whipped cream on top.  Make it festive by pouring a few M&M candies on the top of the whip cream before serving.

You can also line your pie shell with sliced bananas and pour the chocolate pudding over the top.

(Carol Hansen)

Butterscotch Pie

Melt 1 Tbs. butter in large skillet, allow to fry until lightly browned.  Add 1 cup brown sugar and 4 Tbs. milk.  Let cook for 5 minutes.

In a separate bowl mix 3 slightly beaten egg yolks, 1 heaping Tbs. flour and 1 cup of milk.  pour some hot mixture into the egg mixture, mixing quickly with a wire whisk.  Return mixture to brown sugar mixter and cook until thick.  Pour into the pie shell.  Use remaining egg whites to make a meringue, if desired.

(Carol Hansen)