Chocolate Kiss Cookies

1 C. white sugar
1 C. brown sugar
1 C. Jif creamy peanut butter
1 C. butter
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
2 tsp. soda
1 tsp. salt
3 1/2 C. flour

Mix sugars, butter and peanut butter. Add eggs and vanilla; mix well. Add dry ingredients, then roll into balls. (Add enough flour so the dough doesn't stick to your hands when you roll them.) Bake at 350° for 7-10 minutes or until they start to crack on top. Push an unwrapped Hershey's chocolate kiss (or star) firmly in the middle and bake one minute more. Makes 6 dozen.

NOTE: Sometimes I use a mixture of half butter/half Crisco instead of using all butter. Push the chocolate firmly into the baked cooked - not all the way through, but not just resting on top either. If it's not in far enough, they fall out easily when cooled. And I suppose if they're pushed in too far, the chocolate will come out the bottom.

Single Serving Hot Cider

Don't be thinking I'm going to take you step-by-step through the whole laborious process of making apple cider, because I'm not. I would never dream of doing that myself, although it would be fascinating to watch. LOL This is my version of a quick and easy recipe for just one mug of steaming appley/orangey/spicey goodness.

Start with your favorite mug and fill it 2/3 full of apple cider. Fill it the rest of the way with orange juice. Add one cinnamon stick, 3 whole cloves, and a few teaspoons of brown sugar. Heat in the microwave, then stir to combine everything good. Discard the cloves, but leave the cinnamon stick in - the flavor comes out more and more the longer it steeps. You can actually rinse it off and keep it for your next cup or two, or five. =)