Sunday, December 4, 2011

A Year of Blogging: December 4, 2011

December 4 is 'National Cookie Day'. It's the time when people go crazy baking cookies. I can say this, because I am one of those people. Last year I didn't bake any cookies because I had to make an emergency trip home to NY. This year, I'm making up for it! For me, making Christmas cookies is a very calculated process. It is not just a matter of throwing some ingredients in a bowl and pulling a tray of cookies out of the oven. I sat down one night this week and carefully went through my recipe binder, choosing the cookies for this year's baking. Some are staples I make every year: Chocolate Chip, Chocolate Snow-Top Cookies (my favorite), Maple Drops (good for those diabetics in my life- the only sweetener is pure maple syrup which is actually better for a diabetic than sugar), and of course, Sugar Cookies. What would Christmas baking be if I didn't use all of my cookie cutters? I have Santa, a Christmas tree, bells, teddy bears, stars, a sleigh, a rocking horse, snowmen, and snowflakes. Each year, I try to make different kinds. It usually involves finding a new recipe and giving it a try. The feedback I get from those who receive the cookies tells me whether to keep the recipe or toss it. The only new one I'm trying this year is a Maple Walnut cookie. I'm also making a Cherry Tea cake, which is a cherry cookie with a butter cookie base. Then I'm going to make Mexican Wedding Cakes, another favorite of mine that I haven't made in a few years. I have special chocolate chips in my pantry: a package of mint chocolate chips and a package of raspberry chocolate chips-so there's two more batches of chocolate chip type cookies. I'll be topping it off with a couple of batches of Peanut Butter Fudge. That's mostly for me, because I find it so irresistible. But I do share it with others. Once I have selected the cookies, I need to make my grocery list. I go through each recipe and figure out how many batches of each cookie I'm going to make. Then I figure out how many sticks of butter and how many eggs I will need. I check the basics: sugar, flour, vanilla, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. I add any special ingredients such as walnuts or cherries. And then it's off to the store! Today was the shopping day. I already have 20 lbs of flour stored in the freezer. We had about 12 lbs of sugar, although we have to make jam so that will take some of the sugar. And I had 5 lbs of butter in the freezer. That said, I bought another 4 lbs of butter, 8 lbs of sugar, 3 lbs of confectioner's sugar, and 2 bottles of vanilla. Among other things. Oh, and a dozen and a half of eggs. That won't get me through the whole baking bonanza, but it might get me through the first weekend. That's right! The *first* weekend. I divide the baking into two weekends. I create a schedule which tells me what cookies to make each weekend. I start with the ones that I know can easily be frozen: Sugar, Chocolate Chip, Snow-Tops. Once they are baked, I wrap them up in air tight containers and freeze them. The second weekend I bake the cookies that are more delicate: the maple drops, the cherry cookies, and of course, the fudge. On the Sunday evening of the second weekend, I assemble. All of the cookies are placed on the table, and I make gift bags. I used to make cookie trays, but I found it is much cheaper to do it as a gift bag. Plus, it's easier to transport. I buy basic red or green gift bags at the craft store. I also buy the 'treat bags' which come in fun prints. I fill a treat bag with one type of cookie, add a label so you know what it is, and put the treat bag in the gift bag. The gift bag ends up filled with a bunch of little treat bags. I try to give each person maybe 4-6 of each cookie type. Then I tie a bow around the gift bag handles with a festive ribbon, and add a Christmas floral pick (like you would put into a wreath) through the ribbon. Yes, I do all this baking and then give 90% of the cookies away. Mom used to bake cookies and give cookie plates to people in town or in the church. Even she admits though, that she never baked like I do. (And, I've actually cut down in the past couple of years!) I loved the sense of joy we spread to elderly or shut-in people. Now I give the cookies to people at work, and others like our Vet, my hair stylist, and my massage therapist. I enjoy baking. For me, it actually isn't stressful. It's part of Christmas. People actually were disappointed last year that I didn't bake. Happy Cookie Day! Whether baking them or eating them, it's a wonderful day to enjoy. And don't forget to thank the most important part: your Kitchenaid mixer!

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