Sugar Cookie Apple Pie Cups

Last year a career coach came to work and was trying to teach us to be better managers. He was pretty cool--normally that kind of stuff is horribly boring for me, but he was engaging and had an interesting story. Then the next day, we each had a one-on-one with him. I don't know what exactly pushed me over the edge, but in five minutes this stranger had me crying my eyes out and spilling my heart. (To be clear: I don't like sharing feelings with strangers, and I REALLY don't like crying in front of them.) We did some exercises designed to help me figure out my main motivations in life (ideally helping me figure out my perfect career), and one thing came up in every single scenario: I live to nurture.

It's at the heart of nearly everything I do. I cook and bake to take care of those around me (I rarely do it just for myself.) I plan and execute important events in people's lives. I try to stay close with my family and friends, and to be a good listener when they need one. In fact, nearly every thing that makes me happy is, at heart, an act of nurturing. Even these simple, half-homemade treats. I make them to make someone else happy, which in turn makes me happy. I'm genuinely lucky that the things that bring me joy are so attainable (even if I forget that once in a while.)

This one's for my sister. When I was coming up with the apple blackberry hand pies, sister voted for the sugar cookie-crusted apple pie. So incredibly easy, y'all.

Full disclaimer: the day I decided to bake these, I was incredibly distracted. But I put everything together, took the pictures, popped them in the oven, let them start baking...and realized I didn't line the muffin tins. Learn from my mistake--line the muffin tins. Or ignore this advice, "accidentally" make them impossible to share, and cuddle up with the whole pan and a spoon. Either way, they taste great!

Sugar Cookie Apple Pie Cups

Makes 16-20

1 batch sugar cookie dough

3 medium apples

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 c sugar

1/4 tsp nutmeg

Prepare your sugar cookie dough as you normally do (or cheat if you want to hurry things along, and use store bought dough.) Preheat oven to 350. Line muffin pan. Spray the top of the muffin pan (the cookies will spread over the top.)

Core, peel, and dice apples. Stir together apples, cinnamon, sugar, and nutmeg until evenly coated.

In each muffin tin, put a ping pong ball-sized drop of dough. Use your hands to press the dough into the bottom, and up all the sides, making sure there are no cracks, leaving a 1/4 inch gap at the top. Spoon the apple mixture into each tin. Bake for 10-12 minutes, until edges of cookie cups are golden brown.

xo
l

Breakfast +Bar Snacks

Mid November through New Years is, hands-down, the busiest time of year at work. 14 hour days, 7 day weeks, it's really just a matter of fighting to get through it. So needless to say, my first year, I assumed everyone blew off any kind of office Christmas celebration.

Wrong.

Suddenly the few days before Christmas, I was getting showered with gifts from coworkers for whom I had done nothing. When did they have time for all of this?!? When did they shop, and bake, and wrap? I barely had time to change clothes each day. I was pretty embarrassed when I had nothing for most of them, and frantically scrambled to find a quick gift for the people I absolutely needed to.

I didn't make that mistake this year. I found a half day off and whipped together this ridiculously easy, impressive, delicious treat, stuffed them into 24 mini mason jars, and handed them out like Santa. Everyone loved them (most were eaten the same day), and for once I felt like I beat everyone else to the chase!

Maple-Bacon Roasted Almonds