baking, ftw

[mickeym]

As part of Matthew's Christmas present, I'm baking for him: gingerbread cookies, peanut butter balls, and fudge. (No, he does not get all of all of those--some of the stuff is being sent to California with my mom's Christmas box.)

I'd forgotten how much work baking is -- but also how Zen I get, doing it. I burned myself a disk of my favorite holiday music and just went for it. (At my kitchen table, because the amount of counterspace I have is laughable.) So, I have 12 doz peanut butter balls with their chocolate coatings chilling in the fridge now, and I have the dough all made and ready to cut/bake for the gingerbread cookies (double batch, because these are a big hit in my family). I'll do the cut/bake tomorrow, because OMG, tired. That was a lot of stuff! Please three rounds of dishes. O_O

Gah, I still have to wrap the gifts that need to be mailed, plus actually, y'know, MAIL them. I have my cards (mostly) done, I just need to get them to the post office. How many days do I have left? *sags*

You know, the last time I baked on ANY scale...was Christmas 2004. Which seems like a really, really long time ago. My youngest niece wasn't even born yet. Yikes.

Oh, god. Somewhere in there, too, I need to finish up my spn_j2_xmas exchange story. Well, all the rest of the stuff HAS to be done by Thursday at the latest, so there's always the weekend -- and next week, because Matthew's winter break officially kicks off at 3pm Friday, so we can kick back.

My friend Mickey gave me a gift card to Barnes & Noble for my birthday; I bought the DVD version of A Muppet Christmas Carol, and also picked up a copy of Scrooged, because I love Bill Murray a really lot. Matthew and I will watch both of those and (probably) the first two Die Hard movies on Christmas Eve, while eating cheese, sausage, crackers, chips-and-dip and cookies.

Now I just need to get my tree up, and my house will look like I'm actually feeling Christmasy *g*

Comments

[fuskeez.livejournal.com]

Wow, all that baking sounds very ambitious. I wish I liked to cook/bake more, I just can't stand the mess! lol

[visionshadows.livejournal.com]

I know I got baked goods from you one year and they were yummy! I <3 baking. As long as it is in pie form. I seem to have forgotten how to do anything else. But I make a mean pie!

[jamesinboots.livejournal.com]

Matthew and I will watch both of those and (probably) the first two Die Hard movies on Christmas Eve, while eating cheese, sausage, crackers, chips-and-dip and cookies.

Awwwww, that sounds lovely! My family also will be spending Christmas Eve watching fun movies and eating snacks together. :D

[mkitty3.livejournal.com]

I'll be coming to E-town sometime this weekend. Probably Sunday afternoon. My bestfriend from highschool just moved there and her husband just shipped out to Iraq. She's lonely and miserable. I'd love to see you while I'm there.

[mickeym.livejournal.com]

Oh, my god, YES! And, y'know, if you want maybe the three of us to meet for coffee (or whatever), if she'd like someone else to know in the area, that'd be cool. (Plus, I have the added experience of having shipped a spouse off to war in Iraq. Granted, it was 19yrs ago, but you don't ever quite forget that.)

[mkitty3.livejournal.com]

That would be really nice. Once I figure everything out, I'll give you more details! Yay!

[fpvs.livejournal.com]

Oh! YUM! Would you care to share the recipes? (Especially for the peanut butter balls) I would love to try my hand at making deliciousness!

[mickeym.livejournal.com]

Here you go :)

[fpvs.livejournal.com]

Yay! Thank you. :) I have a blender thingy. I think it has a Mixer setting... *ponders* I may ask my (Candian) Step-mom for help on ingredients. Like, "Is powdered sugar icing sugar?" And where to find canning wax. :)

[mickeym.livejournal.com]

A blender isn't going to work very well, I don't think-- even on "mixer" setting. They're pretty much different animals. Yes, powdered sugar is icing sugar, and canning wax can be found (generally) in the baking section of your grocery (assuming yours are set up at all like over here). The baking section ought to have a row/display of canning items (jars, lids, pickling spices, etc) and the wax should be right there.

You also don't need very much; just take a vegetable peeler and shave some little bits all around -- it's just to help the chocolate set up.

[fpvs.livejournal.com]

Oh, no! I got given a blender/mixer thing as a house-warming/birthday gift. It's got the one base, but two places - one for the blender, and one for the mixer. And there are TONNES of attachments for the blender. Including a plastic one which I think is for mixing dough, etc. Mind, I've only used the blender (for milkshakes), so may still ask for tips on that ;)

I shall look for the canning wax :D ... Though they do not have a canning section at my store. I don't know anyone who really does that (much). Hmmm...

[britomart-is.livejournal.com]

\o/ Baking! I've been making madeira cakes this week as presents.