Bake, Make & pooped!

After yoga and a quick trip to Walmart, spent the afternoon making stuff... to give to neighbors for Christmas gifts. Snack Mix (no bake) and Almost Turtles (hardly bake)... of course, sampled both - yumm-o.

tomorrow, will do mini muffins and mini bread loaves.

Wed will bring on the caramel corn and the cracker/toffeenut squares....

Thurs, can deliver !

I work it to the wire LOL

I'm too worn out with a cold to do any of the baking I'd wanted to. When I clean a lot and kick up the dust, my allergies go crazy and I usually end up with a cold. I'm really hoping it passes quick and I'm better for Christmas... and that I can keep the house clean enough to not get sick from dust next time.

so sorry to hear Karen you're not feeling on top of the world sp close to Christmas.... feel better .... sooner than later!

feel better thebigscott!!!

Lot sof goodies flowing out of your kitchen, Dee. You're being very productive!

My husband is feeling his allergies really bad right now too, Karen. It pretty much starts as soon as the we put up the tree. I may try vacuuming the branches before I put it away this year. A tree collects a lot of dust in the few weeks it stays up and then it gets put away all dusty and it's just worse the next year.

Thanks, guys. It isn't the tree for me, Lori. We don't even have ours up. It's when I clean. If it's a room I clean regularly and stay ahead of the dust, I'm okay. But when I clean a room that hasn't been cleaned in quite a while, it makes me sick. Then I get an actual cold from it (run a temp and everything) because my immune system is overwhelmed from the allergies and I can't fight off the germs the kids bring home.

I usually remember to not do to much at once, but I didn't pay enough attention this time and got in over my head with trying to make the house nice for the holidays.

Today it was pumpkin raison mini loaves and cranberry/choco chips/almond muffins.

Two more to go tomorrow... then I can have my aaaaah moment!

thebigscott wrote:Thanks, guys. It isn't the tree for me, Lori. We don't even have ours up. It's when I clean. If it's a room I clean regularly and stay ahead of the dust, I'm okay. But when I clean a room that hasn't been cleaned in quite a while, it makes me sick. Then I get an actual cold from it (run a temp and everything) because my immune system is overwhelmed from the allergies and I can't fight off the germs the kids bring home.

I usually remember to not do to much at once, but I didn't pay enough attention this time and got in over my head with trying to make the house nice for the holidays.

Oh I feel so bad for you and anyone else with allergies... I'm fortunate that I've never developed any... and know very few people w/o at least one... including my DH.

maybe you could get a dust mask for when you clean

You're way ahead of me! I haven't felt up to any baking, but I do hope to get some caramel corn made -- Sam and I are completely addicted to it since my cousin brought some over last month!

Rebecca - what is the recipe? Sounds good!

Trax, this isn't typica lcarmel corn, but this is the recipe I'm going to use. But have never made before and will adapt it .

1 - 3 oz package of microwave popcorn popped according to directions.

scant 1/4 tsp safforn threads (I won't use)
1/2 tsp distailed white vinegar or apple cider vinegar (if not using saffron, not needed
6 Tbs butter
1/2 cup roasted, chopped pistachios (I'm substituting peanuts)

Pop corn in microwave.

Coat a 9-13" baking pan or rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray

Mix saffron & vinegar in a small bowl, set aside (I'll skip this step)

Bring sugar & 1/2 cup water to simmer over medium-low heat in 5-6 quart pot, stirring often without scraping down sides, to dissolve surgar. Once mixture starts to simmer, increase heat to medium; immediately stop stirring. Contin to simmer, jiggling pot occasionally to ensure even cooking, until the liquid turns dark amber, about 10-20 minutes. (the mixture may crystalize for a while, but eventually it will remelt and become an amber liquid).

reduce heat to low; add butter, saffron (if you choose to use this expensive ingredient!) and nuts and stir until butter melts Working quickly off heat, stir in popcorn with wooden spoon. When thoroughly coated, scrape into prepared pan and pat down lighly. Let stand until cool and brittle, about 30 minutes. Break into clusters and store in an air tight tin.

Yield about 10 cups.

As I said, I've never made this before and I won't use the saffron nor the pistachios (not at $6 for a mere 6 oz!)

How much sugar is used in the caramel corn, Rebecca?

I hear you on the nuts. A bag of pecans was $12 here...I threw a fit, and DS must have been so glad he was shopping with his cheapskate mom. I ended up buying 2 smaller bags of pecan "pieces". Who cares if the pecans are broken or whole in the pecan pie?

I paid about 5.99 # for pecans this year. Dang hurricanes messed up the trees. They will make some next year though. I HATE having to buy something I can usually get free off the ground!

I have more baking to do today and tomorrow. White Chocolate Orange Cookies, Chocolate Mint Chip Cookies, Sugar Cookies, Peanut Butter Reese's Cookies. I will get to it eventually..homeschooling is keeping me so busy that I have to make more time in a day to get stuff done. Fortunately JJ can do his Literature assignment on his own today. He finished Art this morning and right now has to write a 3 paragraph journal entry from the point of view of the main character of the book David Copperfield which he completed reading yesterday. His health is done for the week, he took his Unit 1 test yesterday. He has history reading and questions after lunch and thats it for the day. Then he starts Christmas vacation tomorrow. However after Christmas break, he will be taking on two more courses on top of what he has now, Civics, and Passkey to ASVAB.