Sunday Baking

When the weather starts to turn cold and my husband is downstairs watching football all day, Sunday's are usually my "baking day". I keep the cookies and football fare flowing for them. He thinks it's because I'm such a thoughtful wife. Of course, I am! (wink, wink) However, I also do it because it is therapeutic. I can just putter around in the kitchen all day and forget about the trials and tribulations of day-to-day life. Not to mention the fact that there's no better stress relief than taking your frustrations out on some bread dough.

I love to cook, but my passion is definitely baking. I've loved being in the kitchen since I was old enough to stir. Some of my favorite childhood memories are helping my mother with the holiday baking. I'm originally from Texas and my Mom is a fabulous southern cook. I'm a bit of a perfectionist when it comes to baking and I have Mom to thank for that. She always thought it a sacrilege to show up at a family gathering with a store-bought confection. No desserts from a box either! It's just as easy to make it from 'scratch'. I have certainly adopted that philosophy.

Today I think I'm going to make some of Paula's Deen's Monster Cookies. I saw her make them yesterday and they sure do look tasty. I'll probably make a batch of chocolate chip cookies as well. Maybe oatmeal raisin as well. Who knows? I start with an idea of what I want to make. Sometimes I make more than I originally planned and sometimes less. It all depends on how the day goes.

The day is bitter cold and perfect for baking. We are supposed to get our first real snow of the season tonight. Winter is indeed upon us. We have all the Christmas decorations up and even some presents ready to be wrapped and put under the tree. (Another thing I need to do today while cookies are in the oven!)

I'm off to bring my Kitchen Aid Stand Mixer upstairs. (My kitchen is far too small to keep it up here.) I'll tell you. That mixer is worth it's weight in gold. I would never make cookies again without it. Time to preheat the oven and get started.