Pound Packing Traditions

I'm a woman who loves tradition. There are people in the world who enjoy tradition and people who feel restricted by it. I THRIVE off of it. Seeing traditions passed down from generation to generation, I feel has enriched my life and the lives of many people around me.
I love knowing what the holidays will look like and reliving similar memories year after year. Although each year has it's uniqueness, there's a sense of comfort in predicatability. The tree goes here, the same songs play on the radio, the same events happen like clockwork, the same dishes are served around the buffet.
At this time of year, part of that tradition is baking. I grew up in a family that did over-the-top baking around the holidays. Molasses cookies, chocolate covered cherry cookies, peanut butter fudge, toffee, ... you name it, we baked it. The SMELLS coming from the kitchen could have packed on ten pounds. It was a feast for the eyes as well as the taste buds.
As I've grown older, I've tried very hard to keep a tight reign on our eating habits, but there's still the lure of baking around this time of year. So I've come to the conclusion of everything in moderation. And to help with that, we've narrowed it down to two or three cookie recipes and peppermint bark. While I'm keeping the 5 Generation Jelly Cookie recipe under lock and key, here's the yummy peanut butter blossoms I'm tackling this week.

This recipe was developed by HERSHEY's and can be found in many of their cookbooks as well as on the web.

Peanut Butter Blossoms

48 HERSHEY'S KISSES Brand Milk Chocolates
1/2 cup shortening
3/4 cup REESE'S Creamy Peanut Butter
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
1 egg
2 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
Granulated sugar


1. Heat oven to 375°F. Remove wrappers from chocolates.

2. Beat shortening and peanut butter in large bowl until well blended. Add 1/3 cup granulated sugar and brown sugar; beat until fluffy. Add egg, milk and vanilla; beat well. Stir together flour, baking soda and salt; gradually beat into peanut butter mixture.

3. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Roll in granulated sugar; place on ungreased cookie sheet.

4. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Immediately press a chocolate into center of each cookie; cookie will crack around edges. Remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool completely. About 4 dozen cookies.

The recipe says 4 dozen cookies. I got 2 1/2 dozen and may have been able to stretch it to 3 dozen, but that was it. That's why, although I made a batch on Thurs evening, it looks like I'm already due for making another batch today.

Hope you enjoy these as much as we do. If you don't, why not make a batch of peanut butter cookies and dip them in chocolate? Now doesn't that sound good.

For more Tackle it Tuesday posts, check out 5 Minutes for Mom.