What are you up to today? This week?

[kat57]

My favorite 'pig-out' place here is "The Shed". I wish I could send you some, Morgan,and I wish I could taste your friend's! Yum!

Roxy,I hope you get the cookie temp figured out. I know it's aggravating!

Muriel,I'm not a baker,but your goodies sound great! I'm making 'flourless' peanut butter cookies from Gina's super easy recipe.

Jeremy,I wish I could lose about 40 pounds!haha My frame is bound to be a lot different,but in my younger years I too couldn't get past 110 and was told I was too thin by others. Now,40 lbs. off still wouldn't get me back there! lol (Why am I laughing! <_<) Just be healthy and be what weight you feel best at,IMO.

[havanaholly]

If I lost 40 polunds I'd weigh what I weighed in junior high school!

[pdlnpeabody]

I was a walking skeleton in the 8th grade. I was 6 foot tall (been 6' since 5th grade) and weighed 100 lbs. on a good day. But in the fall of that year I got a stomach bug like I have now, only WAY worse. I was around 75 or 80 lbs. when it finally resolved itself 3 months later. At 135 I'll lose my spare tire, so that's my ideal weight, unless I turned the extra 40 lbs. into muscle. However, Jell-O, rice and Gatorade aren't exactly calorie rich, so I don't have the energy needed to hit the gym right now.

[kat57]

Human body diversity always amazes me,Jeremy. My two 20something sons are 6 footers now,but were kind of slow to get their height,especially the younger one. Both went through a very chubby stage,then suddenly,each shot up and thinned out-just as our family doctor predicted they would,while my ex-husband and I were both pretty much slim jims our whole lives until our 40s. Weird!

My younger son,22,is still extremely thin and gets picked on to 'eat something,boy!' by his grandparents and others!lol Drives him crazy,because these same people were always nervously talking about what to do about the 'weight problem' when they were younger! I took their wise doctor's advice and just made sure they ate a normal healthy diet-not as in a weight loss diet-and they played baseball,so they got exercise. Anyway,you'd think I had 2 different children two years later! Amazing transformations!

[Stacey6163]

I got my sewing machine out and dusted off , and have my niece's rag throw almost all sewn , then a couple of hours snipping the edges. Had enough left over to do a matching pillow and tote. Going to finish those and sew up some curtains and bedspreads I have cut out later on today. All this cold and snow has me in a crocheting kind of mood , so I'm going to work on an afghan I started last winter , and see if I can finish it up.

Glad your plants are doing well Roxy , I have some of mine on a window sill that frosts over when it's really cold and they don't seem to mind .

Oh and I baked a chocolate cake and a pan of brownies , next is a batch of sugar cookies.

[havanaholly]

Planning an indoor day and actually getting one aren't always the same, but if I can wrangle both DS & me at home today the vac comes out. The downside of thi workshop construction is that all the rain we've had turned the pretty white fill-dirt into pretty white mud that didn't wipe off on the doormats and dried and fell out from between the treads on our shoes onto the floor, so need to get it up.

[pdlnpeabody]

Human body diversity always amazes me,Jeremy. My two 20something sons are 6 footers now,but were kind of slow to get their height,especially the younger one. Both went through a very chubby stage,then suddenly,each shot up and thinned out-just as our family doctor predicted they would,while my ex-husband and I were both pretty much slim jims our whole lives until our 40s. Weird!

My younger son,22,is still extremely thin and gets picked on to 'eat something,boy!' by his grandparents and others!lol Drives him crazy,because these same people were always nervously talking about what to do about the 'weight problem' when they were younger! I took their wise doctor's advice and just made sure they ate a normal healthy diet-not as in a weight loss diet-and they played baseball,so they got exercise. Anyway,you'd think I had 2 different children two years later! Amazing transformations!

You've got that right Kat!

My mom is only 5' 2 and has been an unhealthy weight most of her life. Her dad was as short, if not shorter. My dad is a few inches shorter than I, but works out to stay a healthy weight. When I was a kid everyone would see my mom and the four tall, skinny kids in tow, thinking we were step-kids.

I just dropped off the kids at their schools and I'm getting ready to take the fuel tank off my bike so I can fill the coolant reservoir. If I get that done in short order I'll run by the local BAM to see if the January issue of DHMS is on the shelves.

We're also getting ready for the big weekend coming up. We've decided to make Saturday the fun day for our kids (presents and lunch at Chuck-E-Cheese's). I'm going to take the kids to the store to get a cake for our anniversary (my DW doesn't know about the cake) while she puts the presents out. The kids will come home to that surprise. We still haven't found a sitter for Sunday, so we might not get to do dinner on our anniversary as we had planned. We can probably still do a movie, but it will have to be something "G" rated instead of the 2nd installment of the Hobbit as we had hoped.

[Roxxie2]

The cookies did not work yesterday, Kat! Frustrating!! I will try again today with some new baking powder, baking soda and see what happens. A woman told me she can't bake angel food cake here it will not work no matter what she does!

I am going into town today for lunch and if I don't freeze to death I am going to walk around and look in the shops.

Have a good day!

[grazhina]

For Roxy - links about high altitude cookie baking, in case you haven't seen them

https://www.kingarthurflour.com/recipe/high-altitude-baking.html

http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-Bake-Cookies-at-HIGH-ALTITUDE/

[Selkie]

... for raclette dinner tomorrow night (with victoria sponge cake birthday cake), .....with pavlova birthday cake ...

Talking of baking, I'm in advent baking mode:..... I'm looking forward to decorating the advent stars with Natasha (we'll do lots of other shapes too).

Well, this country bumpkin got a real cooking lesson today. I had no idea what Raclette, Victoria cake, or Pavlova is. I looked them up and wow - you have your work cut out for you getting all these elegant things ready PLUS the advent baking ! You have much more energy than I do. It sounds just lovely.

I always loved baking with the little ones - it's such a treasure. Blessings to you and your sweet little angels. Enjoy them while they small - they grow wa-a-a-ay too fast.

[Roxxie2]

Thanks for the links Grazhina! I have a site from a woman in Colorado and even she lives at a lower altitude than I do. Somethings just don't work! You really have to watch the cooking and baking time of things. I baked a carrot cake last week from an old recipe I have made for years. I usually have to bake it for about 48-50 mins. It took 25 mins here!

I got a post that my Orchid kit is at the Post Office depot today but I know I can't pick it up until Friday. Frustrating!!!! I am excited! I said I wasn't going to start on it for a while but how long can I hold out ???

Selkie don't feel badly, I never heard for those either. I am definitely a country cook also!!! Comfort foods and home made Americana type bake goods is about all I do!

[Roxxie2]

Grazhina

On the one King Arthur site, it actually says to raise the oven temp!!!! I was shocked! I am already baking stuff way too fast ! I checked the temperature on the oven just to make sure it was set properly and that's fine. hmmmmm
I am going to try the chocolate chip cookie recipe from the other site. I am at a much higher altitude than she is however. I can't seem to find any information on altitudes above 8,000 ft. Most people in Colorado live at around 5,000 ft or so.

[havanaholly]

This is interesting to me, too, because I didn't realize until the AM I was trying cook camp stove breakfast along the Blue Ridge Parkway, that we were also above 5000 ft altitude!

[Stacey6163]

Good luck with your cookies Roxy , hope they turn out this time. I have some sugar cookie dough chilling in the fridge going to do half with cinnamon and sugar and the other half cut outs with ALOT of frosting. Finishing up the throw and then off to start building Maggie and her magnificent barn.

[havanaholly]

The workers have shut off the water; water and electric to the workshop are occupying the same trench; it was easier to lay in the waterline at this time, rather than waiting to have it done later and have to negotiate the conduit for the electric supply.

[grazhina]

Adjustment for 7000+ feet:

• Reduce baking powder: for each teaspoon, decrease 1/4 teaspoon.
• Reduce sugar: for each cup, decrease 1 to 3 tablespoons.
• Increase liquid: for each cup, add 3 to 4 tablespoons.
• Increase oven temperature by 25 degrees F.

I also found the New Mexico State University site, and for cookie baking they agree with the above-

Cookies

Although many sea-level cookie recipes yield acceptable results at high altitudes, they often can be improved by a slight increase in baking temperature; a slight decrease in baking powder or soda, fat, and sugar; and/or a slight increase in liquid ingredients and flour.

Many cookie recipes contain a higher proportion of sugar and fat than necessary, even at low altitudes. For more nutritious cookies with fewer calories, up to one-fourth of the sugar can be replaced with nonfat dry milk powder without loss in product quality.

http://aces.nmsu.edu/pubs/_e/e-215/welcome.html

[chapchap73]

Roxy, definitely call the Baker's Hotline at King Arthur. They love to solve problems just like yours!

Holly, that workshop is shaping up fast!

Got the rest of the cookie ingredients today. It's kind of difficult to make tea cakes and pecan sandies without pecans. I made some fabulous chocolate peanut butter cookies yesterday. I also dropped by Michael's for some last minute decorations. All their Christmas floral is 70% off plus I had a coupon for another 20% off on top of that

[Selkie]

Looked at that NM website and they have another page just for cakes and such. Super yummy recipes for all kinds of cakes and frostings.

Here is a main page for all kinds of publications and the areas they cover.

Great info. Thanks.

[pdlnpeabody]

After reading about all that cooking, I have an urge to bake chocolate chip cookies. I won't get any, but the DW & kids will like them. I just need to do it while it's still humid outside.

I picked up the rest of my personal effects from my former job this afternoon. I also requested the letter of recommendation they offered last week. It looks like they only laid off around 30 people this time. Counting my time as a temp, I put in almost 8 years with the company. I dread the idea of working in an office that chases ambulances or inflates dubious claims. Unfortunately, there aren't many employers in town that are large enough to have an in-house legal department (the kind of work I prefer).

[sparklepuppies]

My boys are home, hooray! That was a long 4 days without them here. Sounds like they got out just before the weather got really bad too. Time to get back into the school routine again though.

Trying to make myself go wrap...

[GirlPiper]

Holly--I am so excited for you and your new workshop. It sounds so neat, and I hope you can move in before Christmas.

[Roxxie2]

I am bummed! The cookies did not even set right! Tomorrow is another day.......LOL

I started working on my real Gingerbread house. The Gingerbread came out fine!!! Does anyone know if you can store the Gingerbread house until next year? I hate doing all that work and then tossing it out!

[havanaholly]

I haven't made the royal icing to assemble my real gingerbread house I made before DS arrived, but I will before christmas, then we'll start eating it Christmas Day.

[KathieB]

I started working on my real Gingerbread house. The Gingerbread came out fine!!! Does anyone know if you can store the Gingerbread house until next year? I hate doing all that work and then tossing it out!

I made several gingerbread houses one year. Kept one and gave the rest away. My neighbor and I each wrapped ours carefully and put them away for the following year. Hers came through fine. Mine ended up hosting some creepy crawlies. Both were stored in closets. I wonder if storing it in a freezer would work better.

At any rate, don't toss it too soon. Give storage a shot. You can always pitch it next year.

[Roxxie2]

Hey everyone! Welcome to cooking 101!
Grazhina! Thanks for the link and the charts. I knew some of but I am still stumped as to the cooking times and temps. I actually had to lower the oven temps so it wouldn't burn up on the cake! I have an independent oven thermometer in my oven to make sure of the temp. The cooking sites say to raise the temp 25 degrees, interesting. I will tinker with the ingredients such as the baking powder and soda and sugar and see what happens. I appreciate your research efforts thought!!
Funny thing, an annex of the University of New Mexico is just across the street from the road I live off from! I can walk over there!

Kathie I was thinking freezer might be the better place to store the gingerbread house although our dry climate here wouldn't be a problem for mold or insects in the pantry. You can leave a package of crackers open in the pantry for weeks and it never gets soggy, moldy or stale. I was in the habit of storing everything in tight plastic containers in Virginia because of the wicked humidity and bugs. We have little to no humidity ( 10% at the highest) and no bugs to speak of. I haven't seen an ant or a mosquito in 2 years.

I can always make a new one next year from wood!!!