(ARA) - With winter right around the corner, many party planners are getting set to host at-home holiday gatherings for family and friends. When it comes to preparing flavorful and festive foods, apple delights from hors d’oeuvres to desserts offer contemporary comfort to any holiday celebration.

Apples are in abundance this season, after one of the best harvests in recent memory. With more than 2,500 types of apples grown in the United States -- from classics like tart Granny Smith and tangy McIntosh, to newcomers such as sweet Honey crisp and scrumptious Pink Lady -- apples can help create palette-pleasing treats for any gathering.

With so many fresh choices at the market, there is plenty of opportunity to make your dish stand out. Holiday hosts can create eye-catching displays with colorful apples that span from red to green and are sure to add flair to your décor. Apples also offer a healthful complement as an ingredient or grab-and-go snack during the hectic holiday season -- a great pick for the season and year-round.

Welcome your guests in from the cold with hot apple cider and delicious apple treats. Here’s a recipe you may want to try:

* Peach Baked Apples

Ingredients:

6 medium baking apples

1/4 cup peach preserves

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 cup apple cider or apple juice

3/4 cup crumbled chewy oatmeal cookies

Directions:

Cut apples in half and core. Plane in 13 by 9 by 2-inch baking pan, cut side up. Combine preserves, cinnamon and apple juice or cider. Drizzle over cut sides of apples. Cover pan tightly with foil. Bake in 350 degree F oven about 35 minutes or until apples are just tender. Sprinkle crumbled cookies over cut surface of apples and drizzle with preserve mixture in bottom of pan. Bake 5 minutes longer, uncovered. Serve warm or cold. Can be topped with whipped topping or frozen vanilla yogurt, if desired. Makes 6 servings.

Approximate Nutritional Analysis (per serving): calories, 215; fat, 5 g; cholesterol, 0 mg; sodium, 105 mg; fiber, 5 g; percent calories from fat, 19 percent. Source: U.S. Apple Association.

For more recipes, visit www.usapple.org

Courtesy of ARA Content

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