Well, after avoiding the use of the oven for a while, I now have been using it almost constantly. I try to do my baking at night so that it's a little cooler. It still is pretty hot though!
It all started with Marcos' birthday. He loves Jon's motorcycle so I thought I would make him a motorcycle cake. We ended up having a transportation party since I had some "Thomas the Train" candy boxes, and some wind up cars. Marcos calls them all "I".
The kids built a city and played with cars.Marcos loved it when everyone was playing with HIM. No one told him "No, go away!"
Marcos calls this "Da-Da, I" because Daddy has one
Marcos with Cocoa--Marcos says "Doh-Doh"
This kitten showed up on his birthday.
I told Jon it was God's gift to Marcos :-), but we didn't keep it. It has disappeared now.
The "scream" is Goose
Next on the baking schedule was Thanksgiving. I offered to make rolls, green bean casserole, pumpkin pie, and dirt dessert (with leftover cake from Marcos' birthday). Back to All-Recipes! I started some rolls after the kids were in bed and then realized that I needed to punch the dough down several hours later--aka. midnight! I thought maybe it would be okay if I left it until the next day. However, I woke up at 3:30 a.m. to use the bathroom and decided to check on the dough. It was in Jon's office because that room is warmer. Well, the warmth helped it to rise all right! It had overflowed the bowl and was all over the desk, and even some had spilled onto the floor. So, at 3:30 in the morning I was in the kitchen finishing up the roll recipe--rolling it, buttering it, cutting it, and forming rolls. I really felt like a baker that day!!
Now the green bean casserole:
Would you believe they don't sell canned green beans here? I had never noticed that they weren't available! And guess what the recipe called for. . . canned green beans! So, I had to buy a bunch of green beans and dig out my Better Homes and Gardens cookbook (yes, I'm a "by the book" person--no "just throw it in a pot" for me!). Finally, everything came together and everything I had offered to bring was ready in time for our dinner. Good thing I had started several days earlier :-)!
And today, we had a special "Sugar Cookie Making" class. The idea was that it would be an outreach activity for women with whom we have had contact. We had had a "Quiche Making" class before and realized that we couldn't have everyone measuring and mixing ingredients for the sugar cookies. So, we decided to just make the cookies and give a demonstration of the cookie making process. Then, everyone could decorate the cookies to take home. Sooooo. . . Laura and I have been baking sugar cookies for the last couple of days. I managed to make 92. I forget how many she made. It was a fun time, but we were a little discouraged about the turnout. I told Laura we are "confronting the culture". Everyone says they will come, but few actually make it! I think our husbands have already "confronted the culture" and now it was our turn :-). But, there were at least 3 unsaved ladies there today (and lots of kids) and Juana shared a devotional with them. Plus, we sent them home with a tract and an invitation to our Sunday services which are starting this Sunday. So, it may be that our work was not in vain :-).
