What Christmas Means to Me, My Love

Baking.

Admittedly, it got a little out of hand this year. I've always enjoyed making holiday treats; cookies, candies, the occasional doughnut or rosette. However, my furvor in past years was always tempered by time constraints and the fact that I was a poor college student, with barely enough extra cash to scrape together for an extra bag of chocolate chips.

This year however, I spent the month of December with my parents, since my husband and I managed to find a subletter for our apartment in Madison (score!). Living with your parents again introduces all sorts of possibilities for regression, not the least of which for me turned out to be the forgotten euphoria of an endlessly stocked kitchen.


Its been a long time since I've experienced the joy of a full pantry, stocked with every baking supply I could need in duplicate and sometimes triplicate (just in case). I even rediscovered some old random kitchen gadgets from my fidgety days of baking. Check out these sweet cannoli forms.


If they look like they're just 4 inch metal tubes, well you're right. Kitchen Etc. really got me with that one.

And so, with so many resources at my hands, and a surprising amount of free time, I found myself baking at pretty much every given opportunity.

The problem with the holidays is that there is a ready made full repertoire of goodies that are waiting to be made all the time, so you're never at a loss for something to prepare. Chex Mix? Cut Out Cookies? Divinity? Also, I've gotten in the habit lately of making an assortment of candies for Christmas, so that I have something convenient to give out to people as gifts, and to take along to parties and holiday events.

Here's a few of the goodies I made this year, post holiday food massacre, so a lot is missing.


My full stats included:

Chex Mix
Meltaway Cookies
Cut Out Sugar Cookies
Whole Wheat Molasses Cookies
Peanut Butter Balls
Peppermint Bark
Peppermint Patties
Hot Cinnamon Candy
Candied Almonds
Chocolate Pecan Toffee
Vanilla Ice Cream
Coffee Ice Cream
Divinity
Black and White Creme Brulee
Jello Jigglers

It was good to get that off my chest. We're all very fat now. Next, A New Years Vegetarian Feast!