Let nothing you dismay
I know, I do this to you every year.
Thank you all for another fantastic cookie season. Time's ticking and I have less than 2 hours to get ready for Christmas Eve dinner and I have a small dog snoozing on my lap and a large cat snoozing on my foot. I don't feel like disturbing them. I have more than enough cookies to bring to Christmas dinner tomorrow and to send to friends this week. This year was a lot of fun for me - much more fun than last year.
Thank you for the cute comments, the sweet emails, and for visiting my kitchen again.
I'll be retreating back to LadyGypsy.net for the time being.
***
Have yourself a merry little Christmas,
Let your heart be light
From now on,
our troubles will be out of sight
Have yourself a merry little Christmas,
Make the Yule-tide gay,
From now on,
our troubles will be miles away.
Here we are as in olden days,
Happy golden days of yore.
Faithful friends who are dear to us
Gather near to us once more.
Through the years
We all will be together,
If the Fates allow
Hang a shining star upon the highest bough.
And have yourself A merry little Christmas now.
Merry Christmas!
Saturday, December 24, 2005
The tools that rule!
While I'm waiting for the last batch of Snickerdoodles to finish baking, I want to pay tribute to a trio of tools without whom CookieCam would have been MOST difficult.
Mixer: Mom got me the Kitchen Aid mixer two Christmases ago. With the paddle attachment, it's totally unstoppable when mixing even the thickest of dough. I even trust it to evenly mix food coloring into dough, like I did with the Peppermint Swirl Cookies.
Chopper: Did you see me struggle today to chop the peanuts for my toffee? You didn't? That's because of the chopper I bought just last month at a Pampered Chef party. It's fun to smack (Kim eyes the pervs warily) the top and watch it pulverize whatever it's over. Much fun. I chopped WAY too many peanuts for the toffee today, just so I could keep using the chopper!
Spoonage: Another Pampered Chef item, the adjustable measuring spoons were also fun to use. All you have to do is slide the gray piece to whatever measurement you need. The gray piece pops off, and it all goes in the dishwasher. Counterpoint: Baron vonPlaque insists that these are no easier than the older measuring spoons we have, which are the old school four-spoons-on-one-loop type. But come on...the new teaspoon let's me measure as small as 1/8th teaspoon. Trying to fill 1/2 of the 1/4 teaspoon is too hard with the old system. The less thought, the better!
One batch of dough mixed for tomorrow, two batches baked. Captain Morgan is telling me to go to sleep now. Tomorrow's Christmas Eve and therefore the last CookieCam outing of 2005!
And no, I'm not going to take off my top. Sheesh!
Current score: Kim 15, Cookies 2, Oven 1
Casualties: Minor burn on arm due to splashed boiling butter/sugar/corn syrup solution. The mark has already faded.
Total Amount of butter used since the start of CookieCam: 14 cups
While I'm waiting for the last batch of Snickerdoodles to finish baking, I want to pay tribute to a trio of tools without whom CookieCam would have been MOST difficult.
Mixer: Mom got me the Kitchen Aid mixer two Christmases ago. With the paddle attachment, it's totally unstoppable when mixing even the thickest of dough. I even trust it to evenly mix food coloring into dough, like I did with the Peppermint Swirl Cookies.
Chopper: Did you see me struggle today to chop the peanuts for my toffee? You didn't? That's because of the chopper I bought just last month at a Pampered Chef party. It's fun to smack (Kim eyes the pervs warily) the top and watch it pulverize whatever it's over. Much fun. I chopped WAY too many peanuts for the toffee today, just so I could keep using the chopper!
Spoonage: Another Pampered Chef item, the adjustable measuring spoons were also fun to use. All you have to do is slide the gray piece to whatever measurement you need. The gray piece pops off, and it all goes in the dishwasher. Counterpoint: Baron vonPlaque insists that these are no easier than the older measuring spoons we have, which are the old school four-spoons-on-one-loop type. But come on...the new teaspoon let's me measure as small as 1/8th teaspoon. Trying to fill 1/2 of the 1/4 teaspoon is too hard with the old system. The less thought, the better!
One batch of dough mixed for tomorrow, two batches baked. Captain Morgan is telling me to go to sleep now. Tomorrow's Christmas Eve and therefore the last CookieCam outing of 2005!
And no, I'm not going to take off my top. Sheesh!
Current score: Kim 15, Cookies 2, Oven 1
Casualties: Minor burn on arm due to splashed boiling butter/sugar/corn syrup solution. The mark has already faded.
Total Amount of butter used since the start of CookieCam: 14 cups
Friday, December 23, 2005
Evening Update
Geez...am I done yet?
Apparently not. I just mixed some more of the Minty Chocolate Stars to replace the bunch I brought to work. While that's chilling I'm making more Peanut Butter Blossoms too. And maybe more snickerdoodles.
The first batch of toffee turned out to be so mind-numbingly, orgasmically delicious that I was going to make a second batch. Then I burned it. D'oh!
The more I think about the WoW cookie contest, the more I think, "Do I REALLY need to enter this? Do I REALLY want to build a murloc village?" And the more the answer is, "No. You don't."
Tonight's CookieCam is brought to you by Captain Morgan's Spiced Rum. Pa rum pa pum pum!
Geez...am I done yet?
Apparently not. I just mixed some more of the Minty Chocolate Stars to replace the bunch I brought to work. While that's chilling I'm making more Peanut Butter Blossoms too. And maybe more snickerdoodles.
The first batch of toffee turned out to be so mind-numbingly, orgasmically delicious that I was going to make a second batch. Then I burned it. D'oh!
The more I think about the WoW cookie contest, the more I think, "Do I REALLY need to enter this? Do I REALLY want to build a murloc village?" And the more the answer is, "No. You don't."
Tonight's CookieCam is brought to you by Captain Morgan's Spiced Rum. Pa rum pa pum pum!
Success!
The toffee looks good, so far. I used peanuts instead of almonds. So sue me. It's chilling in the fridge. As is the dough for the gingerbread murloc village. As the day goes on I'm less inclined to enter the darn contest.
But what makes me most happy is the amount of cookies I'll be able to share with work today. I'll stop over shortly and hand out the little baggies. The tray is for my department, naturally. They put up with me all year.
I have to finish my shopping today, and replenish some of the cookie supply tonight!
Current score: Kim 14, Cookies 1, Oven 1
Total Amount of butter used since the start of CookieCam: 11 cups
The toffee looks good, so far. I used peanuts instead of almonds. So sue me. It's chilling in the fridge. As is the dough for the gingerbread murloc village. As the day goes on I'm less inclined to enter the darn contest.
But what makes me most happy is the amount of cookies I'll be able to share with work today. I'll stop over shortly and hand out the little baggies. The tray is for my department, naturally. They put up with me all year.
I have to finish my shopping today, and replenish some of the cookie supply tonight!
Current score: Kim 14, Cookies 1, Oven 1
Total Amount of butter used since the start of CookieCam: 11 cups
(yawn)
Oh look...I typed 9:30am last night. Silly me. (blush)
Going to mix some gingerbread dough this morning (still have aspirations of entering the WoW cookie contest) and make some Toffee candy. And yes, I feel as tired as I look.
Oh look...I typed 9:30am last night. Silly me. (blush)
Going to mix some gingerbread dough this morning (still have aspirations of entering the WoW cookie contest) and make some Toffee candy. And yes, I feel as tired as I look.
Thursday, December 22, 2005
Change of plans
Instead of going with chocolate chips, I decided to whip out the cookie press and make some spritz cookies.
They're quick and pretty. Halfway through, John and Kristen came by to visit and experience life on the OTHER side of the cam.
Kristen pitched in and extruded some spritz cookies...
While John drank the vanilla extract.
(Disclaimer: John did not drink vanilla. Drinking vanilla is stupid and un-American.)
The cookies turned out quite well. Some of the cookies received a chocolate chip in the middle, while others were glazed and sprinkled with white sanding sugar.
After the guests left, I was inspired to decorate my chocolate mint stars. I gave them the same treatment...dip in glaze and sprinkle with sugar.
Tomorrow morning I'll make some butter toffee candy (peanut brittle is SO last year and the year before) and attempt to mix gingerbread dough for my murloc village. I'll have to shop tomorrow afternoon.
Current score: Kim 13, Cookies 1, Oven 1
Casualties: None!
Total Amount of butter used since the start of CookieCam: 11.5 cups
Instead of going with chocolate chips, I decided to whip out the cookie press and make some spritz cookies.
They're quick and pretty. Halfway through, John and Kristen came by to visit and experience life on the OTHER side of the cam.
Kristen pitched in and extruded some spritz cookies...
While John drank the vanilla extract.
(Disclaimer: John did not drink vanilla. Drinking vanilla is stupid and un-American.)
The cookies turned out quite well. Some of the cookies received a chocolate chip in the middle, while others were glazed and sprinkled with white sanding sugar.
After the guests left, I was inspired to decorate my chocolate mint stars. I gave them the same treatment...dip in glaze and sprinkle with sugar.
Tomorrow morning I'll make some butter toffee candy (peanut brittle is SO last year and the year before) and attempt to mix gingerbread dough for my murloc village. I'll have to shop tomorrow afternoon.
Current score: Kim 13, Cookies 1, Oven 1
Casualties: None!
Total Amount of butter used since the start of CookieCam: 11.5 cups
Mmmphf...
Cheez-n-crackers...I just got home. Haven't even eaten yet. I may try and frost some cookies, but will probably just make peanut brittle and/or chocolate chip cookies.
Crunch time. Cookie trays will have to be taken to work tomorrow - even though I'm off I want to show the peeps at work how much I care!
I think this is the first cookiecam year where I change haircolor midway. To celebrate, I'll be drinking Mountain Dew: Code Red.
Cheez-n-crackers...I just got home. Haven't even eaten yet. I may try and frost some cookies, but will probably just make peanut brittle and/or chocolate chip cookies.
Crunch time. Cookie trays will have to be taken to work tomorrow - even though I'm off I want to show the peeps at work how much I care!
I think this is the first cookiecam year where I change haircolor midway. To celebrate, I'll be drinking Mountain Dew: Code Red.
Change of plans
I was supposed to get my hair colored last night, but my stylist cancelled. I'm rescheduled for tonight at 6:30, which will push the cookiecam startup time forward indefinately. Maybe 9pm?
Color to be determined.
I was supposed to get my hair colored last night, but my stylist cancelled. I'm rescheduled for tonight at 6:30, which will push the cookiecam startup time forward indefinately. Maybe 9pm?
Color to be determined.
Tuesday, December 20, 2005
Tech issues
I couldn't get into Blogger until now and I was having trouble keeping the updated cam image loaded on my laptop. I'm not sure if it was my internet connection at fault, or the notoriously sluggish Blogger. It's probably a combination of both.
Tonight the Best Mom in the World joined me for an evening of baking and basically to experience my glamorous life in front of the CookieCam. As a result, the baked goods flowed freely from the oven and pizzelle maker in a quick manner!
First, we sliced and baked the Butterscotch cookie dough from last night. We used my brand new Pampered Chef crinkle cutter. The finished product looked like very thick potato chips!
Next, we tried a recipe that Mom found on the side panel of her box of corn flakes. The cookies were called "Crunchewies" and they looked and smelled divine! Maybe Mom can email me the recipe so I can post it on my Recipes page.
See Kim. See Kim when she can't get into the bottle of stuff that makes her feel so very perky!
Pizzelles were next. They're very easy, but a bit boring to watch (and make) since there is 60-90 seconds of boring stand-around time while they bake. Mom took over the helm for a bit.
At least we made a few nice sized stacks of them!
Tomorrow night's iffy, as I REALLY need to get some shopping done because the last day I'll see all my coworkers before 2006 is Thursday. I'll try to swing a late night version of CookieCam Friday night.
So for now I leave you with my favorite song of the week, Barenaked Ladies' "Elf's Lament". (warning...lyrics site...may have spyware...be careful!)
Current score: Kim 13, Cookies 1, Oven 1
Casualties: Two burned butterscotch cookies. Fed to dog. Two greasy pizzelles. Fed to dog. One bloated dog.
Total Amount of butter used since the start of CookieCam: 10 cups
I couldn't get into Blogger until now and I was having trouble keeping the updated cam image loaded on my laptop. I'm not sure if it was my internet connection at fault, or the notoriously sluggish Blogger. It's probably a combination of both.
Tonight the Best Mom in the World joined me for an evening of baking and basically to experience my glamorous life in front of the CookieCam. As a result, the baked goods flowed freely from the oven and pizzelle maker in a quick manner!
First, we sliced and baked the Butterscotch cookie dough from last night. We used my brand new Pampered Chef crinkle cutter. The finished product looked like very thick potato chips!
Next, we tried a recipe that Mom found on the side panel of her box of corn flakes. The cookies were called "Crunchewies" and they looked and smelled divine! Maybe Mom can email me the recipe so I can post it on my Recipes page.
See Kim. See Kim when she can't get into the bottle of stuff that makes her feel so very perky!
Pizzelles were next. They're very easy, but a bit boring to watch (and make) since there is 60-90 seconds of boring stand-around time while they bake. Mom took over the helm for a bit.
At least we made a few nice sized stacks of them!
Tomorrow night's iffy, as I REALLY need to get some shopping done because the last day I'll see all my coworkers before 2006 is Thursday. I'll try to swing a late night version of CookieCam Friday night.
So for now I leave you with my favorite song of the week, Barenaked Ladies' "Elf's Lament". (warning...lyrics site...may have spyware...be careful!)
Current score: Kim 13, Cookies 1, Oven 1
Casualties: Two burned butterscotch cookies. Fed to dog. Two greasy pizzelles. Fed to dog. One bloated dog.
Total Amount of butter used since the start of CookieCam: 10 cups
Monday, December 19, 2005
Uneventful, yet productive
The gingerbreads baked with very few casualties:
And ended up looking scrumptious, albeit plain. (I hate decorating cookies...so I save it until last)
And despite the supermixer kicking up a puff of flour out of the bowl, dooming me to a case of white lung in the future...
...the oatmeal raisin cookies turned out okay, though a bit chunky looking. That may be due to my new best friend in the world, parchment paper.
I also whipped up some Butterscotch cookie dough to chill for tomorrow. That should be a quick slice-n-dice batch and will serve to pump up my volume nicely.
So tomorrow (7:30pm EST works well for me this year) we slice, and tomorrow Mom's coming by so maybe I'll whip out the pizzelle maker.
(Shopping list: flour, brown sugar)
And for anybody new or those who miss me when I'm baking, I popped a "legend" into the right sidebar so you can see what goes on when the cam is live!
Current score: Kim 10, Cookies 1, Oven 1
Casualties: A decapitated gingerbread snowman and a gingerbread man amputee.
Total Amount of butter used since the start of CookieCam: 8.5 cups
The gingerbreads baked with very few casualties:
And ended up looking scrumptious, albeit plain. (I hate decorating cookies...so I save it until last)
And despite the supermixer kicking up a puff of flour out of the bowl, dooming me to a case of white lung in the future...
...the oatmeal raisin cookies turned out okay, though a bit chunky looking. That may be due to my new best friend in the world, parchment paper.
I also whipped up some Butterscotch cookie dough to chill for tomorrow. That should be a quick slice-n-dice batch and will serve to pump up my volume nicely.
So tomorrow (7:30pm EST works well for me this year) we slice, and tomorrow Mom's coming by so maybe I'll whip out the pizzelle maker.
(Shopping list: flour, brown sugar)
And for anybody new or those who miss me when I'm baking, I popped a "legend" into the right sidebar so you can see what goes on when the cam is live!
Current score: Kim 10, Cookies 1, Oven 1
Casualties: A decapitated gingerbread snowman and a gingerbread man amputee.
Total Amount of butter used since the start of CookieCam: 8.5 cups
The plan
So you've been watching for the last 1/2 hour and wondering... "What's she gonna do?"
Here's the plan...tonight I'll be:
Tonight's CookieCam session is brought to you tonight by Mountain Dew and Harry and David's Moose Munch courtesy of Ian and Liz. Thanks, guys! :)
Oh...and tomorrow night? Mom's coming over to bake with me. I mean, us. ;)
So you've been watching for the last 1/2 hour and wondering... "What's she gonna do?"
Here's the plan...tonight I'll be:
- Rolling out and baking the gingerbread cookies.
- Making some Oatmeal-Raisin cookies, and
- Possibly making some sugar cookie dough to roll out tomorrow.
Tonight's CookieCam session is brought to you tonight by Mountain Dew and Harry and David's Moose Munch courtesy of Ian and Liz. Thanks, guys! :)
Oh...and tomorrow night? Mom's coming over to bake with me. I mean, us. ;)
Sunday, December 18, 2005
Oh...my aching feet!
Wow...over 5 hours of cookieness today! To recap:
The swirl cookies sliced and baked perfectly!
I mixed some gingerbread dough...that's in the fridge now for baking tomorrow or Tuesday. I also baked a favorite of the husband's -- cheese sausage balls. Not cookies, really, but it'll be a cold day in hell before I try to launch "Hor d'oeuvre cam."
I then mixed and baked Peanut Butter Blossoms and Peanut Butter Cookies.
Unfortunately, a few cookies slid off of the parchment papered baking sheet and fell into the no-mans-land between refrigerator and stove.
But all told, it was a great day.
I'll be back tomorrow at 7:30pm EST -- think I'll make the gingerbread cookies and maybe some oatmeals.
Wow...over 5 hours of cookieness today! To recap:
The swirl cookies sliced and baked perfectly!
I mixed some gingerbread dough...that's in the fridge now for baking tomorrow or Tuesday. I also baked a favorite of the husband's -- cheese sausage balls. Not cookies, really, but it'll be a cold day in hell before I try to launch "Hor d'oeuvre cam."
I then mixed and baked Peanut Butter Blossoms and Peanut Butter Cookies.
Unfortunately, a few cookies slid off of the parchment papered baking sheet and fell into the no-mans-land between refrigerator and stove.
But all told, it was a great day.
I'll be back tomorrow at 7:30pm EST -- think I'll make the gingerbread cookies and maybe some oatmeals.
What's going on today?
Here's the plan:
The sausage balls and peanut butter duo are the request of my husband, Baron vonPlaque.
I gots my mojo going, kids...it's gonna be a prolific day!
Since Christmas falls on Sunday, I'm taking Friday off. On that day, I think I'm going to whip together an entry for the World of Warcraft Cookie contest. I'm thinking a gingerbread murloc village.
And for my gamer buddies checking in...check out this knife!
Here's the plan:
- I sliced and baked the peppermint swirls from two nights ago. They came out okay, shockingly
- While they were baking, I mixed up gingerbread dough. That's supposed to chill for 3 hours
- Now, I'm going to mix and make sausage balls.
- Then, peanut butter cookies and peanut butter blossoms.
The sausage balls and peanut butter duo are the request of my husband, Baron vonPlaque.
I gots my mojo going, kids...it's gonna be a prolific day!
Since Christmas falls on Sunday, I'm taking Friday off. On that day, I think I'm going to whip together an entry for the World of Warcraft Cookie contest. I'm thinking a gingerbread murloc village.
And for my gamer buddies checking in...check out this knife!
About CookieCam
- Hi. I'm Kim. I started CookieCam back in 2002 as a self-indulgent experiment. I baked cookies anyway, so why not turn the webcam on myself? I did just that. Oddly enough, people watched. When it's on, the webcam's picture refreshes every 30 seconds. I bake lots of cookies. Are they the best? Nah. But they're pretty darn good. I do not strip or bake naked. Once I get off of my butt, this'll be my 5th year, and my 3rd location.
This year, the header image is from Vikki Hansen and downloaded via Stock.XCHNG. The font in the header is called Frosty. The favorite icon was free from N.Design studios. I'm once again powered by Blogger, because I'm too lazy to switch this little project to WordPress, which is how my real website is powered.
My internet connection isn't the best this year and I'm running the webcam off of a laptop with wireless access so if things look wiggy, refresh the page. :)
Links
What you see when I'm live:
Archives
- 11/23/2003 - 11/30/2003
- 11/30/2003 - 12/07/2003
- 12/07/2003 - 12/14/2003
- 12/14/2003 - 12/21/2003
- 11/28/2004 - 12/05/2004
- 12/05/2004 - 12/12/2004
- 12/04/2005 - 12/11/2005
- 12/11/2005 - 12/18/2005
- 12/03/2006 - 12/10/2006
- Current Posts
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