Caramel Apple Pecan Pie

I've always thought of pies as a little complicated but this easy recipe is a toss and bake so it doesn't get much easier. I got this from Southern Food here and I thought I'd bring it for Thanksgiving! I'll let you know how it goes.

Ingredients:

2 pastry shells, 9-inch
4 Granny Smith apples peeled and cored, thinly sliced
1/2 cup Pecans chopped
1/4 cup Sugar
1/4 lb Caramels coarse chopped
2 tb Flour
1/4 cup Milk
Milk for top
Sugar for top
Preparation:

Preheat oven to 375°. Fit 1 round of rolled pastry into a 9-inch pie pan.
In a large bowl, toss together apples, pecans, sugar, caramels, flour and milk. Spoon mixture into pie shell.

Top with the remaining rolled pastry. Fold the edge of the top pastry under the bottom pastry. Pinch together and flute the edge all around with a fork. Cut several slits in the top so the steam can escape during baking. Brush top with milk and sprinkle with sugar.

Bake until crust is golden brown, about 45 minutes. Pie is best served slightly warm.
8 Servings

Orange Cookies

This easy cookie recipe is basically a orange sugar cookie that makes the house smell amazing. I'm pretty sure the smell should be bottled and sold. My friend gave me this recipe a couple of years ago and I forgot about it until now. I'm so glad I found it for this season!

Take note that you will need to chill the dough at least 2 hours but I like to toss it in the fridge overnight because I lack the control to wait 2 hours. If I pop it in before bed I let it actually let it sit.

1 1/2 cups melter butter (3 sticks)
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup frozen orange juice concentrate (mix the rest of the tub with water for juice in the morning while you bake!)
2 eggs
4 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 tsp orange zest (about 1 orange to make it easier on the measurement side)
4 cups flour
a little extra sugar to coat

Melt the butter in the microwave and mix in the sugar and orange juice concentrate.

Once the mixture has cooled a little, add the eggs, baking soda, salt and orange zest.

Add the flour one cup at a time and mix well.

Let chill for 2+ hours.

Preheat your oven to 350. Roll the dough with your hands into walnut size balls and roll in sugar. Don't flatten the balls as they will spread out fine when baking. Tip: they will roll when you transfer the sheet to the oven so squish them enough so you don't loose them on the transfer.

Bake about 10 minutes and let them cool on a rack. The sugar gives them a nice crispy bottom you'll love!

10 Minute Turtles

Easy holiday recipes made easier? How about a "cookie" that takes all of 10 minutes to make? It is Always a crowd pleaser, my kids love making them and the hardest part is unwrapping the Rolos!

You'll need small twisted pretzels, Rolo candies and pecan halves (although any nut will probably be fine - pecans are nice because of their size).

1. On a cookie sheet, spread flat the pretzels.
2. Place a Rolo on each pretzel.
3. Put in the oven at 350 for 3 minutes just to soften the Rolos - they won't look melted but they are gooey enough.
4. Remove from oven and immediately press a pecan half on top of the Rolo. Don't press too hard or the chocolate seeps through the pretzel too much - just enough to look beautiful.
5. Let cool and serve.

That's it! They make great little gifts and are truly addicting.