Christmas Baking

Well....this baby is taking it's sweet time making it's arrival. Last week Lucas spent some time at daycare so I could "get some rest" before the big event.

I am bad at resting. I get bored easily. As soon as my PVR was empty, and my book was finished (Lisbeth Salander.....I bid you adieu) I was at a loss for what to do. I KNOW that there is always stuff to do in my house (my Mom: Go clean out a drawer or something. Are your windowsills wiped???) but that is neither restful nor enjoyable.

So I resorted to Christmas baking. Not restful but definitely enjoyable. I am taking a cupcake hiatus for Christmas to direct my energy at other baking projects. I have been collecting online recipes and finally had the chance to make some of them.

My baking list:

Peanut Butter Cup Rice Krispie Squares
Marshmallow Crunch Brownie Bars
Sugar Cookie Bars
Peppermint Balls
Coconut Balls
Peanut Butter Kisses Cookies
Butter Tart Squares

A trip to Bulk Barn was definitely in order to get all of the ingredients. YOU GUYS. Bulk Barn is like baker's paradise. Anything you could ever need for baking IN BULK. BULK ICING SUGAR. Awesome. It's probably a good thing that it is so far away from my house. A lot of unnecessary cash would be spent there otherwise.

I tried to pick recipes that weren't too complicated or involved a lot of work. Lots of squares. Pour into a pan, cool and cut. Easy!! No messing around with cupcake tins, or cookie cutters.

So far I have made the PB Rice Krispie Squares, Marshmallow Crunch Brownie Bars, Sugar Cookie Bars and Butter Tart Squares. The butter tart squares were a special request from my sister, and turned out to be my favourite of the things I have made so far.

I wouldn't recommend the marshmallow brownies....the marshmallow layer was problematic and they don't look nice. But they taste good....which should be all that matters.

Terry's one request for Christmas baking was Sugar Cookies. UGGGGGGHHHHHH. Making dough, rolling it out, cutting out cookies, baking them, making icing, then decorating the cookies?? NO THANK YOU. Does not fall into my theme this year of easy, non-time consuming recipes. So I found a compromise. SUGAR COOKIE BARS. They taste just like sugar cookies, with none of the work!!! I would highly recommend them. Recipes below.

Sugar Cookie Bars

1 cup butter (room temperature)
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
5 cups flour
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp almond extract

Cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing after each egg. Add vanilla and mix well. In a separate bowl combine flour, salt, baking soda and stir with a whisk to combine. Add to wet mixture and mix just until combined. Spread into a 13 x 18 pan. I didn't have this big of a pan so I used a 13 x 9 inch pan and an 8 x8 inch pan. Bake at 375 degrees for 10-15 min, until light golden brown or until a toothpick comes out clean (they won't look done so do the toothpick test). Cool completely and frost.

Frosting

4 cups icing sugar
4 tablespoons water
4 tablespoons light corn syrup (this makes the frosting all shiny....just add more water if you don't care about shiny-ness)
1 teaspoon almond extract (or to taste, I probably used 2 teaspoons)

Ta-da!!!

Butter Tart Squares

Crust:
2 cups flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup butter

Filling:
1/4 cup melted butter
4 eggs - lightly beaten
2 cups brown sugar (packed)
1/4 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups raisins (I used golden ones)
1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans (I used pecans)

In bowl, mix flour with sugar. Cut in butter until crumbly using pastry blender. Press into a 13 x 9 inch pan and bake at 350 for 15 minutes. Filling: In bowl, mix butter with eggs. Blend in sugar, flour, baking powder, vanilla and salt. Stir in raisins and nuts and pour over crust. Bake at 350 for 20-25 mins.



Mmmmmmmmm!!!!

Hopefully I will have time to make the rest of my list this week. But then again....hopefully this baby comes and I won't!!

Dear Lucas

You are two!!!

(Or at least you will be in about 10 days....we had to have your party early because of your new little brother or sister.....hope you don't mind....)

I can't believe you are two. You have grown so fast, too fast for Mom. We had your birthday party yesterday, and Grandma Jackie, Grandpa John, Grandma and Grandpa V, Uncle Lee and Kate all came to celebrate with you. You are such a spoiled little boy and loved by so many. You have everything a little boy could wish for and more. Your favourite gift? A harmonica from your Uncle Lee.

Even though you are a big boy now, you still love cuddles from your Mom and you are such a sensitive little guy. You don't like getting into trouble, and you are sad when Mom and Dad tell you "No". You love love love playing with all of your cars and trucks, and even take a few to bed with you each night. You know all the letters of the alphabet, and you are getting really good at your colors. You are so smart and make Mom and Dad so proud. I know you are going to be a fantastic big brother to the new baby.

My favourite time of the day is when you wake up in the morning and say "Mommmy mommy" and run into my arms when I go into your room. You are the sunshine in my day Lucas, and Mom and Dad are so lucky to have such a special little boy. We love you so much!!! Happy Birthday!!!

Sometimes you just have to make a snowman

Sometimes you can't drop everything and play trucks, you just have to get the dishes done. And sometimes you are too tired to do anything but snuggle on the couch and watch Cars for the 100th time, even though you know there has been too much TV watched today.

But sometimes you have to leave the dishes and the laundry and the vacuuming and just grab your coat and boots to go make a snowman:

Forced Nesting - Chicken Mushroom Rigatoni

That is what I have been doing. Forcing myself to get things done around here in fear that I won't be ready when the baby arrives. Still so much to do!!! Plan a 2 year old's birthday party (sniff sniff.....does 2 mean he isn't a baby anymore????), and clean clean clean clean clean. Thank goodness I have the cooking done.

Are you hearing this??? Cooking and cleaning??? Since when have these ever been important to me?? Soooooooooooo lame.

Anyway, I had a few requests for my Chicken Mushroom Rigatoni recipe. I took this recipe from Canadian Family magazine and adapted it a little bit by adding chicken and mushrooms. I am planning on serving it for Lucas' birthday meal. I wanted to make the main dish ahead of time so I didn't have to stress out too much about supper and I could just relax and enjoy the party.

Chicken Mushroom Rigatoni

1 tsp olive oil
1/2 cup finely chopped shallots (who ever has shallots on hand???? I used an onion.)
1 tbsp minced garlic
3 tbsp butter
3 tbsp flour
2 cups soy milk (I used 2% milk)
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper (which is not nearly enough. I am a pepper freak and probably used close to 2 tsp or more)
Pinch nutmeg (hmmm....I just realized I forgot to add that when I made it)
1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
1 lb rigatoni
4 cups baby spinach (I think they mean fresh, I used frozen and just added some until I thought it looked like enough)
1 cup grated mozza cheese
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
chopped mushrooms - however many tickle your fancy

Preheat oven to 425. Lightly grease 9 x 13 inch pan. Cube chicken breast, and saute it in a large skillet until browned. In a separate frying pan, saute garlic and onion in oil until translucent. Add butter; when it has melted, whisk in flour. Add milk and whisk until smooth. Continue to cook until sauce thickens to the consistency of yogurt. Stir in salt, pepper, nutmeg and Parmesan cheese. Reduce heat to minimum and stir occasionally.

While making sauce, bring large pot of salted water to boil. Add rigatoni and cook for 8 minutes; drain, reserving 1 cup of pasta water. (The pasta will not be fully cooked but not to worry you are baking it in the oven later). Add spinach to pasta pot and top with just cooked pasta. Add sauce and cooked chicken and stir until well combined. Transfer to prepared pan and top with mozzarella cheese. Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove foil and bake for an additional 20 minutes.

Delish!

Maybe I will post some of my other recipes from time to time. And by my recipes I mostly mean my mom gave them to me.

Now just to make Lucas' cupcakes. I am going to try my best to keep it simple because......

a) Lucas doesn't care if there are little fondant cars on his cupcakes. He only cares he gets to eat them.
b) I am 9 months pregnant for Pete's sake and cupcakes are the last thing I should be worrying about. Still.....I probably will be going to sleep tonight thinking of ideas.