Talk about a long day! I'm ready for bed!! Hopefully the stiff back I usually get from all day baking fests will work itself out in the night tonite.
Finished snickerdoodles and sugar cookies waitingfor their turn in the oven
Here's a close up of the snickerdoodles which,
sorry Michele, there were NONE to spare...
Just about every Christmas I bake up huge amounts of iced sugar cookies, fudge, lemon bars, snicker doodles, chocolate crinkles and more - including a foray into the lands of divinity and peanut brittle this past year! I don't normally think about the expense of it all - I just know I usually put several evenings into it, and really get a kick out of taking trays into friends and departments at work, sending some in with Brett, dropping them off with friends and neighbors, etc. And now, wow, I'm realizing I must spend a fortune every Christmas!!
We're ready for our close up!
Below are pics of the last nite of baking, icing and other prep for Brett's coworker, who ordered up 2 dozen iced sugar cookies, 4 dozen snickerdoodles, 4 dozen chocolate crinkles, 2 dozen peanut butter cookies, a single recipe of fudge and a single recipe of peanut brittle. (Sure sounds like Christmas fixin's, but he really likes the stuff I've done for the holidays...). To figure out how much to charge I first determined about how much of each ingredient would be used in all the combined recipes, then priced the ingredients at the grocery store, figured out what percentage of the packages I'd be using, and then added on about 50% for my time and labor. Hm, maybe not the smartest way to go? Any suggestions?
Cookies on parade
Close-up of the high-maintenance sugar cookies
What else should I do for a high school graduation part other than graduation caps using the school colors? Tonite we learned how to make marroon. NOT easy!! Used up a TON of "red red" and "burgundy" food dyes to make the color you see below. I'm actually pretty happy with how it turned out. The first batch (minus the help from a "color chart recipe" I found online) turned out more terracotta. Funny - I ordered a "potted flower" cookie cutter along with these grad caps - so I'll be able to use that terracotta colored icing real soon! Was also fun learning how to make royal icing - usually I just squish powdered sugar, almond extract, milk and dye together in a ziplock baggie. Snip off the corner and squirt! Sometimes works out great - sometimes it BOMBS! And it never fully dries.... The meringue powder in royal icing should take care of that!
This photo could almost be in a magazine!
Could definitely use a bigger kitchen. While ours isn't SMALL, I take up a lot of counter space with projects like this!
With the peanut brittle, I did a side-by-side testing of Steven's recipe and the recipe I used last Christmas. I started the boil-on-the-stove version first, then Steven's. Steven's version was done and cool enought for me to snack on while I was still trying to get to the soft ball stage on the candy thermometer with the stove top version. Hm! Plus there was less clean up afterwards - bonus! Learn something new every day... Will definitely use Steven's/Martha's version from here on out...
MUST learn to get a steadier hand...
Ok, time for bed... I WON'T be dreaming of sugar plums - just sticky sugar... Can still feel it on me, no matter how many times I've washed. Plus my hands are stained red. Sure hope Brett's coworker likes all the cookies, fudge and peanut brittle! Thanks to Peter for assuring me royal icing isn't hard to work with, to Steven for his (Martha's) microwaveable peanut brittle recipe, and to Brett and Michele for offering to taste test cookies. ;-)
And in case you're wondering who this Michele chick is who's so eager to eat the cookies that someone else has paid for... Here's Sharon, me and Michele from our Halloween party this last October. Girls - hands OFF the goodies!
Ok, Blogger's not cooperating - will try uploading the image to a separate entry!
19 comments:
The chocolate crinkles look great, any chance of posting a recipe or is it a house specialty?
Oh by the way, all the cookies look great and I heartily approve of the use of the expensive vanilla. If there's one thing I hate, it's fake vanilla. I can taste it in anything it's used in and it's nasty. Did you know that fake vanilla will kill lice? It's an INSECTICIDE! Vanillan is a by product of the oak timber industry and occurs naturally in the wood, it's what gives oak-aged wines a vanilla note, but when it's used in large quantities like a cookie recipe it just tastes awful.
Totally with you on the real/vanilla fake vanilla debate. Do not even get me started on how margarine has no place in the world of baking either!
Peter
Margarine has it's place,The Eighth Circle of Hell where the fraudulent are cast.
LOL
Steven, based on that comment, you are my new best friend. Sorry Jeph.
The tagline from my Yahoo! 360 profile page: Saving the world from margarine-based baking one jam tartlet at a time....
Knowing your Dante is the true path to social success!
Ok, I'm feeling left out here! Would you two like to be left alone in my blog for a little bit? LOL
I hate to admit it, but we made the Dan & Steve's Party Line show (Food Network) truffle brownies a couple times last year, and they were a HUGE hit! And they specifically call for margarine, not butter. I can't complain, they tasted great - very rich. Only - what do I do with the leftover sticks of margarine? I ain't lettin' 'em ANYWHERE near the rest of my food! ;-)
And Steven - yes, I'll definitely post the recipe for you! Sometime this week - nag me if I don't get to it too soon. A coworker/gardening friend has also asked for a copy of it...
Even if a recipe specifies margarine you can still use butter, just say no! In fact you can use pretty much any fat interchangably in baking and in some instances you can swap the fat for applesauce or prune puree.
Don't feel left out, ignore all your other responsibilities and post more!
I know, I know, but I'm notorious for mucking around with a recipe and I've lately been trying to stick with the original version the FIRST time through - just so I know what I'm aiming for. Who knows, maybe Dan & Steve from Food Network found some secret about margarine that the rest of us don't know about. Hello - gay guys pushing the use of margarine on cable television?? Something's up there....
The queens from "Queer Eye" will set Dan & Steve to rights about margarine. "Eeeeeeew maragarine is NOT fabulous!"
Dan and Steve? Are those the two from Hearty Boys (or HB Cafe or whatever they call it now)? Cute place, though they remodelled last year and it's darker now. I haven't been in ages, though: the food never delivers on its promise, the service can be rather inattentive, and it's somehow not the same in a lot of ways without the little glass-front case of baked goods and the homemade granola.
And if they are using margarine, well, no big loss I say!
The queens from Queer Eye? I sometimes forget that show is still on. Jeph, does that make the two of us the queens from blogspot?
Can I be the "cultural" one that does nothing but pass out CDs and show people how to shake hands?
Since you brought it up Steven, it's only fair you get first crack at which queen you get to be!
LOL
"Okay, firm grip and here's a signed copy of Goldfrapp's "Felt Mountain"
Ah, great CD. Lovely Head is such a wonderful song!
Fine - but I get to be Ted then, 'cause he gets to cook all the time.
Well, Cayenne (sp?) is really good looking, and um, wow, it HAS been a long time since I've watched the show. Ted? Who's the room decorating guy? I always liked him alot!!
Aw heck - I'll be any - it'd be fun to get paid to do what they do!
Which one are you Peter?
Agnetha, the blonde one - of course!
You be STYLIN', eh!?
Very pretty design! Keep up the good work. Thanks.
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