Christmas? I'm Halfway There.

I told you yesterday that I would keep you updated on my Christmas preparations.  Well, things are moving along pretty well.

Shopping is 3/4 done.  I went to one superstore yesterday and got most everything I needed.  One more venture out will take care of the rest.

The cookie baking plan is also on target.  I did run into a bit of a roadblock when I tried to make sugar cookies using my unrefined organic whole cane sugar.  Do NOT try this at home.  It is NOT a good substitution.  It will make your sugar cookie dough look brown, and it will definitely NOT smell like sugar cookie dough.  Unfortunately, I had to do the one thing I hate in baking fiascos... throw it away!  Such a waste.

At that point I was about ready to throw in the towel.  Baking is not my forte.  After I settled down and went to read my book for awhile, I calmly decided to run out to the grocery store around the corner and buy more eggs and real sugar.  (I didn't know we were out of sugar because only my husband uses it.) 

You know, I say I hate baking, but I think the key to enjoying it is to have a good, easy recipe.  I didn't just love the recipe I was using out of my cookbook.  I don't think I should have to use my pastry cutter to cut butter into my flour mix for sugar cookies.  I want my stand mixer to do all the work for me.  So I did a search on my favorite recipe website, AllRecipes.com, and I found one for the best rolled sugar cookies.  It turned out to be VERY easy.  Cream the butter and sugar together?  Now that's what I'm talkin about.

After dinner I was able to mix both sugar cookie dough and my chocolate crinkle cookie dough.  Both are chilling in the fridge, ready to be baked this afternoon.  And the really good part is... I actually still feel like mixing up something else. 

See?  It's like I said.  If I have a good recipe that's easy to work with, it makes it more enjoyable for me.

Happy baking to you... and shopping... and wrapping...