Thursday, December 5, 2013

Baking Up a Storm and Cueing Up Christmas

I'm one of those, "Don't Mention Christmas Until the Sun Sets on Thanksgiving" kind of people, but Thanksgiving night, we break out the first Christmas movie of the year to herald in the season and this year the flour started to fly the very next day. With our girl home for a few days, baking is much more fun. Everything is more fun when she is around. She loves it as much as I do and she's always baking and cooking for her friends and neighbors when she's at college. Growing up, she preferred to be out at the barn with her Daddy, and she still does. Once a Daddy's girl, always a Daddy's girl and I love that.


 but I guess some of the endless hours of time her Mama spent in the kitchen rubbed off somewhere! And wherever the 2 of us are gathered, music will be playing and off key or not, chances are we'll be crooning along. Once again, we made herd of these:


This photo is from a previous reindeer making session.Every year I think I couldn't possibly need to make anymore and every year, I find myself making them. Our girl is taking them with her to college and then I have a date with my friend, Lora, who lives on the neighboring ranch to make more.

We're trying to get a head start on the baking this year so that we can pack a  box to send to our boy who is on the other side of the world for this deployment. It's hard to send Christmas in a box, but we're going to try. I usually don't start baking until later for the simple fact that it disappears really fast around here. :)

We've got a good start. We'll send jerky that DH made from the deer he brought home a few weeks ago, dried apples, these almond bark covered pretzels


which are not hard to make, but they take a lot of time.


the Pretzel Rolo Thingies that SOMEONE has been sneaking before they are even set. :)


  and Gingerbread Cowboys.


 We also made a batch of toffee, but  that was quickly packed and college bound before I thought to snap a picture. DD left a bag for her Daddy, but that didn't last very long either.

It's hard to know what to send when DS literally has no place to keep things, but I'm guessing that homemade baked goods won't hang around for long!

12 comments:

Doniene said...

Yum, Yum!! I'll be right up!! LOL I'm like you - NO CHRISTMAS until AFTER Thanksgiving!!! But then I hit it running!!!

Blessings and hugs!

Nancy said...

Your son has ample room for the biggest item you put in his Christmas Box, and that is love! God Bless him and his unit in the coming year.

Shelly said...

I LOVE those pretzel ROLO thingies! I need to learn how to make them. I think your boy will have no problem "storing" the things you send him! And your reindeer are so cute . . . you've been busy!

Sandy Panagos said...

What fun! You are really in the Christmas spirt. Everything looks great!

Dar said...

Those reindeer are so cute. Please tell us what they are made from and how to do it. All your edible goodies look great. I need to know how you do some of them too, esp. the Rolo and pretzel things. It is so much fun to bake with friends or a DD. Wish I had a DD to pass along some cooking favorites too. Enjoy the season.

Pauline said...

I wish I could at least smell the delightful aromas coming from your house! Rolo Prezels? Never heard of that, but I love pretzels and will get some almond bark. What a fun time for you and your girl, something she'll always remember and duplicate when she has her family.
The best to your and yours!

Gwynette in NW Arkansas said...

We are sitting out freezing rain and sleet. Already over an inch. Since I'm having surgery Monday, we rushed around today making peanut clusters, rollo thingies, and biscotti, hoping we didn't lose power. Reading about your marathon prep time made me giggle, too.

I also ask God to bless and keep your son and his unit.

Still hoping to keep power through the night as I listen to the tinkle of sleet.

Cow Pies & Mud Pies said...

Looks like SO MUCH FUN!
I hope to get some baking done tomorrow...too cold for much else and I have No plans....Yea for Saturdays.

Shelia said...

Please tell us about the reindeer! They are soooo cute! I would love to know how to make them. I read your blog all the time and love it. Hope you are recovering quickly! Thanks!

Alycia~Quiltygirl said...

What fun!!! All your treats look yummy!!

Christine Jensen said...

how do you make your reindeer? They are absolutely the cutest!!

thanks for sharing the goody recipes. they look yummy, too!

Chris

Staci said...

Oh, I knew I was behind on blog reading, but didn't realize I was THIS far behind!
How nice your girl was there for baking. It's so good to have them home for any reason at all, isn't it?

Love those cowboys! And once again your blog is making me hungry early in the morning!

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