There is nothing better than getting a gift from the kitchen during the holidays.  Recently, My Country Kitchen was asked for some candy recipes.  I pulled out my favorite gift giving candy recipes and posted them.  Visit http://www.mycountrykitchen.com,/ and look under the “Recent posts” and you will find the candy recipes that I enjoy making and giving as gifts at the the holidays.  I hope you enjoy the recipes.

Blessings,

Betty

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

Preheat oven to 375̊. Fit 1 round of rolled pastry into a 9-inch pie pan.

In a large bowl, toss together apples, 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

1 ¼ cup          Flour
½ cup             Butter (softened)
½ cup             Pecans (finely chopped)
2–8oz pkg       Cream Cheese
½ cup             Powdered Sugar
1 ½ cup         Cool Whip
2 boxes          Chocolate Pudding mix ( Instant)
3–4 cups        Milk or follow directions on box
20                  Oreo Cookies (crushed)

Directions for Layers:

Mix the flour, butter and pecans. Pat the mixture into a 9×13 pan and bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes. Allow to cool.

Mix together the cream cheese and powdered sugar with an electric mixer. Spread over the cooled crust.  Spread 1/2 the Whip Topping over the cream cheese layer.

Prepare the pudding folding in ½ of the crushed cookies and spread over the Whip Topping Layer.

Spread the remaining Whip Topping over the  pudding and top with the rest of the crushed Oreo cookies.

*Hint: The cookies can be crushed in a food processor or plastic bag.

I love Crock Pot Recipes for the Fall and Winter.

2  large onions, cut into 1/2-inch wedges (2 cups)
1  3- to 3–1/2-lb. boneless beef chuck pot roast, cut into  1-inch cubes
3/4  cup dry red wine or lower-sodium beef broth
1/4  cup tomato paste
3  Tbsp. balsamic vinegar or cider
2  3-inch cinnamon sticks
1  tsp. dried rosemary, crushed
1  tsp. ground allspice
3/4  tsp. salt
1/4  to 1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper
1  2-lb. butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces (about 4 1/2 cups)
2  large quince or cooking apples, cored and cut into 1/2-inch wedges
4  cups hot cooked couscous

Directions

1. Place onions in a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker. Place beef on top of onions. In a bowl combine wine, tomato paste, vinegar, cinnamon, rosemary, allspice, salt, and crushed red pepper; pour over beef.

2. Cover and cook on low-heat setting for 6 hours or on high-heat setting for 3 hours. Adjust low-heat setting to high-heat setting. Stir in squash and quince. Cover and cook 1–1/2 to 2 hours more or until squash is tender. If using apples, add to cooker the last 1/2 hour of cooking. Remove and discard cinnamon. Serve pot roast with couscous and juices. Makes 8 servings.

3. Stove top instructions: Set onions aside to add later. In a 4- to 5- quart Dutch oven, brown beef one third at a time, in 2 Tbsp. hot olive or cooking oil. Transfer beef to platter; drain fat and return beef to Dutch oven. Increase wine to 1–1/2 cups and vinegar to 1/3 cup. Stir wine, tomato paste, vinegar, cinnamon, rosemary, allspice, salt, and red pepper into meat. Bring to boiling. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 1–1/4 hours. Add onions, squash, and quince, if using. Return to boiling. Reduce heat. Simmer, covered, 30 minutes more or until quince and vegetables are tender. If using apples, add the last 10 minutes of cooking. Remove; discard cinnamon. Serve as above.

2 potatoes
1 sweet potato
4 hard boiled eggs, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
1/2 red onion, chopped
3/4 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon prepared mustard
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons ground black pepper

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add potatoes and cook until tender but still firm, about 30 minutes. Drain, cool, peel and chop.

Combine the potatoes, eggs, celery and onion.  Whisk together the mayonnaise, mustard, salt and pepper. Add to potato mixture, toss to coat. Refrigerate and serve chilled.

1- 15 ounce can pumpkin
1- 12 ounce can evaporated milk
3 eggs
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1/2 teaspoon cloves
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup sugar
1- 18.25 ounce yellow cake mix
1 cup walnuts or pecans
1–1/2 sticks melted butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease 9×13 pan. Completely combine pumpkin, milk, eggs, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, salt and sugar. Mix well. Pour into prepared pan. Sprinkle with dry cake mix. Gently pat down with spoon. Sprinkle with nuts. Drizzle with butter. Making sure all dry ingredients are wet.  Bake for 50 minutes. Cool and cut in squares. Top with Powder sugar.