Jolene's Recipe Journal

  A few years back, I pushed myself out of my comfort zone with an Apple Cider Beef Stew, and it was a huge hit.  Could I possibly do it again? I went back and forth between a chili and a stew several times before I finally chose the stew.  Things got a little hectic, the weather shifted on me, and suddenly I found myself, down to the wire, trying to get it together.  

  Slowly, but surely, I am conquering my fear of yeast! I've had a copy of this recipe in my to-try binder for what seems like forever.   When I was planning my #AppleWeek out, I decided it was time to just do it.   I chose a relatively warm, no-plans-to-go-anywhere Saturday, and hoped for the best.

  We drive 2 hours into Maine to visit a fast food chicken chain.  The main reason for that is the chicken, of course, but a close second to that is their amazing apple pies.  They still fry them, and then coat them in cinnamon sugar while they are still hot.  So, so good. I saw this recipe on the Taste of Home website, and I knew right away my guys would love them. I used salted butter instead of unsalted, and I used a 4" biscuit cutter.  Be very, very careful not to overfill.  They will bust open and make a mess. I like parchment paper instead of greasing the sheets. I put the cinnamon sugar mix into a small paper bag. When the hand pies came out of the oven, I brushed them with the butter, and then dropped them into the bag, one at a time, and shook gently. These went so fast, I had to make a second batch 2 days later!  Thank you so much to Edwina G. for sharing her recipe. I hope you are enjoying #AppleWeek as much as I am, be sure to ch...