Peanut Butter Crumb Apple Pie

Are you looking for an alternative to the Traditional Pumpkin and Pecan Pies served at Thanksgiving. Do you want the pie to be super easy to make?? Well, then this Peanut Butter Crumb Apple Pie is the Pie for You! This Pie is BEYOND Delicious!! It was inhaled in a matter of minutes at a party that I took it to last weekend. Because it uses shortcuts in baking, it can be made quickly and with little effort or skill.


Have a Truly Blessed Thanksgiving.

"Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name."

Psalm 100:4

Peanut Butter Crumb Apple Pie

Ingredients:
1 can (21 ounces) apple pie filling
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 pastry shell (9 inches), baked
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1 to 3 teaspoons grated lemon peel
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
6 tablespoons chunky peanut butter
2 tablespoons cold butter

Directions:
In a small bowl, combine the pie filling and lemon juice; spoon into pastry shell.
In a large bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar, lemon peel, cinnamon and nutmeg; cut in peanut butter and butter until crumbly. Sprinkle over filling.
Bake at 400° for 20-22 minutes or until topping is lightly browned. Cool on a wire rack. Yield: 6-8 servings.

Oatmeal Craisin White Chocolate Chip Cookies

I made these yummy cookies this weekend for a church party and they were a HUGE success. They would make a nice appetizer/treat for your Thanksgiving festivities :). Sorry that there isn't a picture-they were eaten too quickly for that :).

Happy Thanksgiving my Friends! God's Love and Blessings in our Lives give us SO MUCH to be thankful for! May you be surrounded by the love of family and friends this week as you Praise God for His abundance in your life!

I Chronicles 16:34

"Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever."

Oatmeal Craisin White Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients:

2/3 cup butter or margarine, softened
2/3 cup brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups old-fashioned oats
1 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 (6 ounce) package Craisins (Sweetened, Dried Cranberries)
2/3 cup white chocolate chunks or chips

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Using an electric mixer, beat butter or margarine and sugar together in a medium mixing bowl until light and fluffy. Add eggs, mixing well. Combine oats, flour, baking soda and salt in a separate mixing bowl. Add to butter mixture in several additions, mixing well after each addition. Stir in craisins and white chocolate chips chunks. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on wire rack. Enjoy!

Mocha Chocolate Cheesecake and My Hubby's Special Birthday!

Today, I am so Blessed to Be Celebrating a Very Special Day-My Dear Husband's Birthday!! He is such an incredible blessing in my life and I fall deeper in love with him every day. Today, he turns 40!!! So here are 40 reasons why he is so Amazing. Following the list, you will find the recipe to the Mocha Chocolate Cheesecake that I made for his special day.

Enjoy! You are Prayed for and Dearly Loved!

40 Reasons why my Hubby is the Best:

1. He loves God with his whole heart

2. He loves our family and shows us that love daily.

3. He is full of integrity.

4. He is full of Faith and encourages me to trust God when times are tough.

5. He is Handsome.

6. He has Beautiful Eyes.

7. He makes me Laugh.

8. He is passionate about His Sports teams.

9. He takes me to the Vera Store everytime we go to San Antonio.

10. He is a Fantastic Dad.

11. He is a committed worker.

12. He is so intelligent!

13. He is an AMAZING Bible Study/ Sunday School Class Teacher.

14. He is worthy of respect.

15. He is Giving.

16. He is humble.

17. He is kind to others.

18. He sacrifices so much for our family.

19. He watches the Hallmark Channel Movies and Gilmore Girls with me.

20. He expresses love freely.

21. He makes time to play with our son.

22. He is honest.

23. He is trustworthy.

24. He is a source of strength to me.

25. He loves my baking.

26. He never complains.

27. He helps others.

28. He prays for people.

29. He rubs my feet.

30. He pursues a growing relationship with God.

31. He is so so silly.

32. He is an incredible dancer ;-).

33. He puts gas in my car.

34. He holds my hand.

35. He is so fun to just "be" with.

36. He "understands" me.

37. He still loves me...see above.

38. He is patient.

39. He is Handsome-oh, so Handsome!!!

40. He is my Beloved and I am His!!!

I LOVE YOU Googly Bear!!

Mocha Chocolate Cheesecake

Ingredients:
1-1/2 cups cream-filled chocolate sandwich cookie crumbs
1/4 cup butter, melted

FILLING:
2 tablespoons plus 1-1/2 teaspoons instant coffee granules
1 tablespoon boiling water
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
4 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened
1-1/2 cups sugar
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons Pure Vanilla Extract
4 eggs, lightly beaten
2 cups (12 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips, melted and cooled

TOPPING:
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
3 tablespoons butter
Chocolate-covered Espresso or Coffee beans

Directions
Place pan on a double thickness of heavy-duty foil (about 16 in. square). Securely wrap foil around pan.
Combine cookie crumbs and butter; press onto the bottom of a greased 9-in. springform pan. In a small bowl, combine the coffee granules, water and cinnamon; set aside.
In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese, sugar, flour and vanilla until smooth. Add eggs; beat on low speed just until combined.
Divide batter in half. Stir melted chocolate into one portion; pour over crust. Stir coffee mixture into the remaining batter; spoon over chocolate layer. Place springform pan in a large baking pan; add 1 in. of hot water to larger pan.
Bake at 325° for 55-60 minutes or until center is just set and top appears dull. Remove springform pan from water bath. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Carefully run a knife around edge of pan to loosen; cool 1 hour longer. Refrigerate overnight.
In a microwave-safe bowl, melt chocolate chips and butter; stir until smooth. Spread over cheesecake. Garnish with coffee beans if desired. Refrigerate leftovers. Yield: 16 servings.

Pumpkin, Spice, and Everything Nice Muffins

Occasionally, I find cake mixes on sale for less that 50 cents a box. When this happens, I stock up on Spice Cake Mix specifically for this easy Autumn muffin recipe. The original recipe calls for raisins, but I prefer putting either sweetened cranberries or chocolate chips instead. This recipe produces a moist, delish, and satisfying cake-like muffin. I am taking a batch to Sunday School tomorrow. Enjoy my friends.

God has been teaching me a lot this week with regard to worry and fear. This passage has encouraged my heart, and I hope it does the same for you. You are prayed for and loved dearly!!

Philippians 4:6 (The Message)
6-7Don't fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God's wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It's wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life.

Pumpkin Spice, and Everything Nice Muffins

Ingredients:

1 pkg. (18.25 oz) spice or carrot cake mix

1 can (15 oz) Libbys 100% Pure Pumpkin

2 large eggs

1/3 cup water

2/3 cup cranberries or chocolate chips or raisins

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease or paper-line 24 muffin cups. Combine cake mix, pumpkin, eggs, and water in large mixer bowl until moistened. Beat on low speed for 30 seconds; scrape bowl. Beat on medium speed for 2 minutes. Stir in cranberries (or chips or raisins). Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups, filling 2/3 full. Bake for 18-22 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in centers comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire rack for 10 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely. Store muffins in covered container. Makes 2 dozen standard sized muffins.