Gearing up for baking........

[tunes]

I'm sitting here staring at my ever growing list of things to bake this week, wondering if I've maybe lost a few of my much decreased mental marble supply.

This is what I started out with:
Buckeyes
Lemon squares
Cut out cookies
Peanut butter blossoms
Chocolate chip cookies
Cake cookies

It has now grown to include:
Cranberry bread
Pumpkin bread
Pumpkin log
Sweet potato bread
White bread

Also recently added to the usual Christmas food is:
Sausage rolls
Sweet potato casserole
Snicker salad

Ugh - There are only FIVE of us at the holidays. I only have my mom nearby, there is no other family around here. I do this every year - make enough food for several armies. I just don't seem to be able to help it!

Anybody else go overboard with this stuff at Christmas? Or am I the only one? Why don't I make this stuff at other times of the year, and instead hoard it all up just for Christmas?

 

[Stackie]

Can I come eat?

We have around 10 or so people come every Christmas and everyone just brings a few things, that way not all the cooking is dumped on one person. This year I'm making the turkey AND ham. Scary thought.....

Though, I'm not baking...I'm using the smoker.

 

[AZChins]

That sure is a lot of food, Peggy! WOW!

I used to bake constantly the entire month of December making tons of stuff for everyone. No one seemed to really appreciate the work, so I stopped working so hard. I just make my cheesecakes and a few pies now.

What's Snicker Salad? Is that somehow made with Snickers bars?

 

[threewingedfury]

My grandmother and I have made 34 pies in the past few days. I'm not sure why, as we don't have enough people to eat that many pies!

 

[tunes]

What's Snicker Salad? Is that somehow made with Snickers bars?

Yup. I'll have to get the recipe and post it. It's got Snickers, grapes, apples (any kind of fruit really) in a pudding/something sauce. All I can tell you is it's really good and have your insulin nearby. I'm going to get the recipe from the girl who works at, and makes it for, the local restaraunt today. Mwahahahahaha.

My grandmother and I have made 34 pies in the past few days. I'm not sure why, as we don't have enough people to eat that many pies!

See? It's the insanity of the holiday!

 

[Spoof]

Yup, we did that with the cookies, but there's plenty of family up north to eat them. I can't even comprehend that many pies. Yikes!

This year I will be stuck in the south all by my lonesome. Petsitting for free no less.

I think I may go get a ham and make ham and cheddar cheese rolls. Nom.

So no, no crazy here... except for the usual.

 

[threewingedfury]

I honestly hate holidays. I just don't see the point of wasting so much money. My grandmother spent $800 in supplies to make homemade cookies, pies, cakes, casseroles, fruitcakes, cheese and meatballs, etc for NO REASON. The supplies for just one of the cakes was like $44 - that's stupid! For 4 months she watched the Food Network day in and day out and I printed 20-30 recipes a day for her to figure out what she would make for Christmas. Honestly, I'm happy with a turkey sandwich. That's a good Christmas for me.

 

[tunes]

Want me to send you some cookies Tara??

 

[AZChins]

For some people baking is very pleasurable. It's just like any other hobby. I used to bake because it was very relaxing. I used to have every Sunday designated as my baking day.

Oh man, 34 pies! I'd love to not have anything to do but make pies. Mincemeat, apple, pear, peach, cherry, etc etc etc. I love pies...making them is so much fun because you get to make a brand new little creation with each and every pie. I get to crimp the crust a different way each time if I want...and I can use any left over dough to make little decorations.

 

[Harleychin]

Any extras can be sent to my house,We will dispose of them for you!

 

[threewingedfury]

I'm not a cooking fan. There's just too many arguments in my kitchen over cooking. My grandmother is disabled and she sits in her scooter and bosses me and my grandfather to get her certain supplies. When we can't find them, she starts throwing a hissy fit. There have been so many fights in our kitchen, that I just learn to keep my mp3 player on while I'm cooking and make sure I don't have slippery shoes on, because most likely my grandmother has thrown some type of liquid at someone that's made her mad because she doesn't have Pet milk, she just has Carnation.

 

[addictedtochins]

Tiffany, OMGosh soo funny. I have got to see a video of you guys. illowfight:
Hmm, to get back at her first I'd put sleeping pills in her morning OJ, and disable her chair by not charging it or there is a neutral spot you can put the wheel chair in so it won't go. Some of that fading ink stain stuff you get in online might be useful, the ink stain disappears when dry.

Peggy, I don't go overboard at all. I go to the grocery store and food is flying off the shelves, why is December any different from any other month, there is just so much you can eat.

 

[Remyma0408]

I've only made 2 batches of cookies so far, and depending on how I feel when I get off work tonight, I might make some oatmeal cookies too.... I'm giving cookies as gifts to my grandpa and mom and probably Bryan's grandma too.... we'll see though...

 

[Chinmama]

I want your cake cookie recipe!

 

[tunes]

One box any flavor cake mix (chocolate, strawberry, orange are big faves here)
2 cups cool whip
1 egg

Mix ingredients together. It will be a sticky mess. Drop by spoonful into powdered sugar, cover outside of batter. Place on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 until done (cookie springs back when you touch it). I tend to do mine just a little under that, because we like really chewy cookies.

That's it!

ETA: You can add chocolate chips to a white cake mix and it makes really good chocolate chip cookies.

 

[Spoof]

Want me to send you some cookies Tara??

Whoot! But alas, I'm on a cookie ban after my naughtiness earlier this month. I brought home five pounds of them, they were gone within the week. I did share a few though.

 

[eroomlorac]

Any cookies sent here will be very welcome. Some years I bake up a storm but not this year. I just made about 10 lbs. of home made Chex Mix. I've been very lazy.

I want to see the food fight at Threewingedfury's house. I am trying to imagine grandma in her scooter throwing Carnation milk because it's not Pet Milk. Happy Holidays!!!!:rofl:

 

[threewingedfury]

Oh you guys just don't know how crazy it is. I'll have to videotape the madness.

 

[AZChins]

I think you just committed yourself to getting us a video, Tiffany!

And, Tara - how many people were all those cookies made for? That woman is sitting there dipping them in chocolate! I just gained 5 lbs by looking at the cookie pictures.

 

[Sandi]

Um, Peggy? Where's the meat?? I do see the sausage rolls and maybe you didn't mention it because this is a baking thread but just wondering, where's the beef? LOL!

The cake cookies seem pretty simply enough for me to attempt, believe me, no one wants me cooking, that's why I'm in charge of the wine! Every Christmas Eve is spent with my family, the immediate plus all the cousins, aunts & uncles. We all take turns hosting the large family holiday party, so this year it's at my mom's house and there 65 attending, so I'll be bringing lots of wine!

ETA: Tara, I want to dive into that chocolate bowl in the "dipping" pic!!!!