Monday, December 23, 2013

Twitching, doughy heap

I am exhausted.

Like...seriously.

Was I the only person whose kitchen looked like this at a few points this weekend?


It was?

Oh...that was embarrassing.

Yeah, all of that cookie dough that I froze and labeled?  It was scoop and bake day and somehow I still had other doughs to make and frostings and stuff.  I did half the doughs for my friend who lives alone and his only love in life other than vinyl records is homemade Christmas cookies, so I oblige.  To watch him smell the entire tin like he's smelling the sweet scent of a long, lost lover is worth all of the time put into it.

Then remember how I said you could use it as a means to appease last minute drop overs for the holidays?  Well, apparently the mother in law couldn't get enough of us and decided she was going to drop over on our busiest weekend of the month and then get that slight dig in about how we don't have to answer the door while she drops something off if we just want to hide.  Yeah, because we have no life.


*Insert HEAVY eye roll here*

Despite the slight detection of 'tude, I decided that because I knew she wasn't likely baking again this year that I needed to provide a bazillion cookies for her that I really had no time to bake.  Because it's also not my style to just slap it on a plate and put it in a ziploc bag, I did this...


That is a large, leftover oatmeal container with the plastic snap on lid.  Perfect for cookie giving though not necessarily with the Quaker dude on the front.  So I grabbed my antique songbook and ripped out two pages and washi taped them to the container and tied a bow around it.  The lid was plain so I double sided taped (like how I made that a verb?) some scrapbooking paper to it, grabbed my 2 1/2" scalloped punch and made a quick tag and slapped a bow on it.  I scooped and baked 4 of each kind of cookies I had and filled them to the brim...all within 30 minutes.

Yeah...I'm that good.

I was left in charge of a dessert for a gathering with my grandma (not that one) so I made this...


A yule log.  I got the pan from Sur La Table during a late Christmas clearance the year before last and I made one last year with ganache on top but it was kind of thin and I didn't care for the way it turned out even though it tasted wonderful.  This year I melted down some fudge frosting and drizzled it over the top.  It was quite the feat to get it back on the cake carrier but it worked.

What's inside, you ask?


Homemade peanut butter buttercream.

It's totally fat free.

In a parallel universe.

We had a nice time at the gathering and my grandma went TOTALLY overboard!  I got a steam vac to replace the one that died, Father of the Bride 1 and 2 BluRay special edition and toeless yoga socks.  The Mr got 2 shirts, yoga socks and a CD he wanted.  There was much to discuss when we left.  You know how it is.

"I can't believe so and so said that!"
"What was up their butt tonight?"
"Why can't children keep it to a dull roar?"

Etc.

Then when we got home, I had to bake OUR cookies and by that time I just felt like I wanted to yak and when I did it would probably be the Pillsbury dough boy that shot out.  If I didn't have diabetes before today, I probably do now.

It's pretty bad when you crave vegetables.  Your body is saying "could you dial down the sugar inflammation, please?"

Today is the Mr and I's dating anniversary.  Twenty two of the best years of his life!  HA!

I love you, pookie wookie!

What did you do this weekend?

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11 comments:

  1. You have truly outdone yourself. All the cookies are amazing and I cannot get enough of them, although I had better slow down a bit or I am going to be in trouble. Oh and that yule log was phenomenal. Wow!

    On another note. I want to take a moment to tell everyone how proud I am of the fact that today is the day that marks 22 years of being together. On December 23rd 1991 I professed my love for the Mrs. and we'd only been together a short time at that point. 22 years later our love is stronger than ever and we're going on our 18th year of marriage next year. I love you baby!

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    1. Thanks. I've truly burnt myself out. I need to come up with a better plan for next year so that I'm not doing ALL the cookies the same weekend. That sucked. Big Sucky McSuckerson.

      Happy 22nd and here's to many, many more! I love you too! <3

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  2. 22 years. Wow. I'm in awe that people can actually do that! You're both very lucky!

    And so is your mother in law, that cookie gift is fantastic. Great job! I almost had to hurry up and scroll past the log cake, mmmmmmm man would I love to try that!

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  3. PHEw, ANele...I was tired reading ur blog...22 years..congratulations...good job Mr. :P...Just kidding ofcourse...

    I love the oatmeal container idea...nice...

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  4. Congrats on your dating anniversary! That is impressive and I'm in awe of the strength of your relationship.

    As for this weekend, I finally picked out, cut down, put up, and decorated my Christmas tree. We go to a local U-Cut tree farm every year and the weather has been miserable. We saw a window of opportunity on Saturday afternoon and found a tree. It is not the perfect tree but when you've got a 4 year old with you 'good enough' becomes the ideal tree. We put it up Saturday, let it drip dry overnight, and then decorated it on Sunday. I also managed to get the presents that I have to deliver today wrapped and finished planning the family meal for Boxing Day. Now I just have to pick up all the ingredients that I'm missing.

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  5. No, yours was NOT the only kitchen that looked like that--I had to do a double take and wondered when you had travelled hundreds of miles to take a pic of my kitchen to put on your blog! :-) Glad I'm done with that, now on to the food I'm responsible for at Mom's for Christmas dinner... Oh, and absolutely ADORABLE cookie gift package! Great idea.

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  6. My kitchen looked similar to that yesterday morning, and I haven't even done my baking day yet. My house is (basically) clean for my folks to arrive today, I just finished WalMart for (hopefully) the last trip of the year. I do have to hit Safeway later today for some veggies for Christmas dinner, but that won't be too bad later today. This weekend was house cleaning and lazying about. Plus I had to drop off my car to get the radiator replaced. Merry Christmas to me.

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  7. OH MY GOODNESS. That yule log is TO DIE FOR. I love anything peanut butter. My brother makes a peanut butter pie, that essentially is butter, peanut butter and whipping cream for a filling and it is the most delicious thing on this planet (and obviously, fat free).

    Merry Christmas! I hope you exit the sugar coma soon! :)

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  8. Congratulations on 22 years! Hope you both have a Merry Christmas & Happy New Year (don't go into a sugar coma, please ;) ).

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  9. Great gifts! Happy Anniversary! I made your Easy Cheese Ball yesterday and it was a big hit! Merry Christmas!

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  10. Oh yes, my kitchen looked very much like yours! It was chaos and I just finished the dishes and cleaning a few minutes ago after peeling five pounds of potatoes simmering in homemade chicken stock...the house smells so good! This weekend I had to work Saturday morning, then ran errands before going to a hockey game. Saturday night/Sunday morning hunkered down to wait out the snowstorm, then ran a few more errands. I was pooped! Hope your Christmas is a GREAT one for you and your Mr!!!

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