by Sarah | Dec 5, 2008 | Crap, Holidays
Life lessons from Cookie Land Central – i.e. my house for the next 3 days.
1. DO take out your butter and eggs several hours before you begin. It allows for much easier mixing.
2. DO NOT – I repeat – Do NOT crack your egg so hard that it splits completely in half, dropping half the shell into your running KitchenAid that promptly shatters it and mixes it into 1c of butter and 1c of shortening.
3. DO ignore directions and go with your instincts on cookie size. Otherwise you end up with one GIANT cookie where 5 smaller ones were meant to exist.
4. DO NOT think that the fit of the bowl is “Good enough” to be a double boiler if it moves at all…the chocolate gets burnt and you get miserable.
5. DO make plans for a bigger kitchenm and then pretend you’re in it so the misery of no counter space seems far away while you’re trying to work under those conditions.
5. DO NOT forget to clean as you go…makes it much easier to get to the NEXT type of cookie.
6. DO make a complete list of ingredients needed and make SURE you have enough so that last minute supply replenishing isn’t required.
7. DO NOT forget to enlist the 10 year old to frost cookies so that once they are baked you can put your feet up and let them have the misery of frosting 10 dozen cookies.
I’m sure many more lessons are left to be learned…but we’re still on day 1 of cookie time!!
by Sarah | Dec 2, 2008 | Holidays
Cookies.
Last year at Christmas I baked about 600+ cookies – about 5 different kinds. I tried new recipes and not one of them flopped. I discovered the best-ever sugar cookie recipe, and discovered a few others that were just to die for.Â
This year I’ve found new recipes to try, and I just don’t know where to stop.
I have to make at least 5-6 dozen for a cookie swap party – of one kind of cookie. That will stamp out one kind.Â
But how do I choose what else to make? I don’t want my house overrun with cookies when my husband is a diabetic. I know he’ll take some into work to share with everyone. That will take care of several dozen as well. Plus I have to send some to our soldier.
The problem comes down to what kinds to make? I have too many options before me. Want to help me choose? Just select below. I’ll choose the top 4 to make with my standard cookies and giveaway cookies!!
by Sarah | Dec 1, 2008 | Random
The blog has been in the planning stages for months, but we’ve just now managed to get the coding/graphics done and the site put together.Â
My BFF Jess and I have joined together to start a review blog! We’ve called it:
Two Brooms Up
Today I’m over there with a review of Sandra Worth’s: The King’s Daughter. It’s due to be released tomorrow!! So go on over and read the review and click my link to preorder the book!!
Preview of the review:
Elizabeth of York was the only woman to be a daughter, niece, sister, wife, and mother to English kings. Her wide connection to royalty did not prove to grant her a charmed life, quite the opposite.
by Sarah | Nov 30, 2008 | Weekly Winners
For the week of 11/24-11/30/08
Weekly Winners is the brainchild of the wonderfully Sarcastic Mom, Lotus
This week all pictures were taken at our town’s holiday celebration – Christmas on the Square. It involved games and food, and ended with a tree lighting.
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by Sarah | Nov 29, 2008 | Uncategorized
My parents showed up for Thanksgiving. It was a great day. The girls got totally overwhelmed having two extra people in our house…but mostly they behaved. My mom was with me in the kitchen, the boys were in the living room watching football.Â
The turkey didn’t cook well…well, not completely. It apparently didn’t defrost all the way – but the breast meat was done and that’s the best part. We all gathered in the ktichen to eat, a table full of good food. I had made a new cranberry dish my parents raved over, and our plates were full, and soon were our bellies. The girls ate good, and the choking by Angel was kept to a minimum. I surprised my dad with a Lemon Meringue pie (his favorite).Â
After dinner the boys went into the living room again to sleep watch football. Mom and I did the dishes, getting them all knocked out (as I’d been washing as I cooked, which made it easier). Then we sat and talked and my parents left after a while. For the most part…it was a very good day…
Except the part where I broke my own heart…
I asked my Dad to carve the turkey. I could’ve done it, I should’ve done it, but I stupidly asked my Dad.
My Dad has parkinson’s. Over the past year it has become worse. He doesn’t walk now, he shuffles. Everything he does is very slow, very deliberate. I should’ve known better. But apparently I didn’t. He struggled and cut for several minutes – at one point exclaiming, “I’m butchering your bird.” And then he finally had to give up and say that he couldn’t. He was too tired. He couldn’t cut…he didn’t have the strength.Â
But other than breaking my own heart…it was good.
