Bake anything lately?

[Red Apple Guy]

I took some of these steakhouse rolls to work today along with some sourdough slider buns for a Christmas luncheon.

What are you baking up for Christmas?



Red

[Donna M.]

I've been baking cookies like crazy, trying to get enough to make a nice assortment to plate up for the neighbors for Christmas. Holy cow, this is a lot of work! Add to that the fact that my family keeps eating them almost as fast as I bake them! No pictures, though.

[Mia in Germany]

Going to bake gingerbread cupcakes!
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Gingerbread-Cupcakes-with-Cream-Cheese-Frosting/Detail.aspx

[Bonnie G #2]

I'm also trying to get a selection of Holidy cookies in the oven. Then wouldn't you know it; ready to get in the oven and realized my nieghbor borrowed my cookie sheet pan and hasn't returned it; so now everything is on hold until I can get hold of her.

Hope the dough I've made doesn't have a problem with the wait!

[tasb]

Does mixing the dough, constantly repeating instructions until you throat is raw, and keeping an eye on the cookies as they bake count towards me baking? Cookie baking with the kids was an vadventure I will gladly wait another year or atleast a few months before repeating. In the last week we went through:

Gingerbread Cookies, 9 batches
Sugar Cookies, 4 batches
Candy Canes Cookies, 4 batches
Butter Icing, 14 batches
4 jars Sugar Sprinkles

Did I happen to mention I did all this with a dinky 5 speed hand mixer, after the dough got too stiff I had to put on food safe gloves to mix in the flour.

[Bonnie G #2]

I'd say that "more" than counts.

[tasb]

Just made up a double batch Shortbread Cookies with cherries on top. My favorite cookies.

[Bonnie G #2]

A Very Merry Christmas to all of you, hope it's wonderful and everything it should be.

Hugs Bonnie

[tasb]

Hope everyone has a Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays if you don't celebrate Christmas. Enjoy some time with friends and family if at all possible.

Today I have to do some baking. I gotta make some Sugar Cookies. I only make these at Christmas time because I am just not that great at making rolled and cut cookies, they like to fall part. I thought I wasn't going to have to make them, because when I was baking the Gingerbread Cookies for my DDs' class I accidentally lost track of time and burned some of the cookies, 1 whole tray that belonged to my oldest DD, and a few on other trays. I asked the kids if it was ok if I replaced them with Sugar Cookies. They said ok. My thought was that I would just use the dough I had at home and that would be enough, well out of the 20+ I made to replace DD's she traded 17 of them for Gingerbread, we already had lots of Gingerbread at home because I made a double batch the weekend before, younger DD was bringing some home too and then Grandma brought some store bought ones too.

[JoeV]

Made the breads for the Christmas ever Italian beef sandwiches, Hanky Panky's and sandwich bread.





In the beginning was the dough...







And here's the reason I made the party rye...

[duonyte]

That bread would make great sandwiches with the ham I'll have leftover after Christmas!

[Bonnie G #2]

That looks so good Joe, I'm putting dinner rolls together today and will keep in fridge until just before time to rise for the oven. We've got quite a few coming for dinner tomorrow. All the stragglers that didn't go home for Christmas this year.

[JoeV]

duonyte wrote:
That bread would make great sandwiches with the ham I'll have leftover after Christmas!

We're also having ham on Christmas day, and that's exactly what DW said when I asked her if she wanted loaf bread or sandwich thins. She loves the thin sliced rye for toast as well, although this recipe for party rye is sweeter than my basic rye recipe. I actually have four different rye recipes, each for their own particular situation. My favorite, though, is the Polish Sourdough Rye, but it takes 2-3 days to get the starter going for that. You can find my rye recipes on my website at: http://flyfishohio.us/bread.htm

Merry Christmas!

[Bonnie G #2]

I love rye, it's my very favorite bread but I've only made it a couple of times, and haven't seen any rye flour over here - but when I'm home, I'm going to try that recipe of yours. Afraid that won't be until March 20th though.

[Red Apple Guy]

JoeV, great looking loaves as usual. Do you use special loaf pans for the party rye?