In true Christmas fashion, we've been baking....a lot. Truth be told, ANY baking in this house is a lot of baking since it is something I am pretty much terrible at it. Adam is the baker and I am the cook. That's how it works and we're good with it. But with the season in full force, I'm trying not to be a grinch...hence the baking. It started with cheese crispies for the neighbors (which actually turned out to be quite good, but I don't have any pictures to prove it) and since the Rice Krispies were already out.....well, I'm sure you know what happened next. And for clarification, they were supposed to be red, but who has that much food coloring? Sheesh!
Next, Gray, who was quite displeased with the store-bought gingerbread house that we made last week, saying it "tasted too hard" for him, insisted on another. I decided that while I was willing to make my own gingerbread, I was not, however, willing to make it from scratch. I went to four different stores trying to find a suitable mix and finally found one lonely box on the shelf. After tasting it, I'm really confused as to what all the fuss was about. But, it was exponentially better than the store-bought house so I guess it served its purpose.
Here are the pieces I baked to make the house.....
and here it is after we were done decorating it......
and here it is about 20 seconds afterwards. Such a sad, sad fate.
Our sweet friends, the Wrights, invited Gray and me over for a cookie swap and decorating party. Again, with me being a non-baker, this posed a problem. So, I went to my old friend Marci's tried and true ginger crinkle recipe, and couldn't believe how great they turned out! Maybe I am a baker after all!
Ginger Crinkles
(courtesy of Marci Woodmansee)
2/3 cup oil
1 cup sugar
1 egg
2 tbl maple syrup
2 cups flour
2 tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ginger
Beat oil, sugar and egg together
Add maple syrup
Add flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and ginger
Mix well and shape into balls
Roll in sugar (can add sprinkles to the top to make festive)
Cooke at 350 for 8-10 minutes (best if soft)
Baking aside, we've also had time to squeeze in a little Christmas fun. Adam took Gray to Vineyard Vines to see Santa where he got to play with his godbrothers, Campbell and Airey. We went to Winter Wonderland at Bass Pro Shop with Katie and her boys, Lewis and Cole. And Gray debuted in his first school Christmas program. But, we're not Christmas'd out yet! Christmas break is finally here and we are just revving up for our own merry little Christmas.
Gray with Santa at Vineyard Vines
Airey and Gray at Vineyard Vines
Gray singing in his first Christmas school program
In true Christmas fashion, we've been baking....a lot. Truth be told, ANY baking in this house is a lot of baking since it is something I am pretty much terrible at it. Adam is the baker and I am the cook. That's how it works and we're good with it. But with the season in full force, I'm trying not to be a grinch...hence the baking. It started with cheese crispies for the neighbors (which actually turned out to be quite good, but I don't have any pictures to prove it) and since the Rice Krispies were already out.....well, I'm sure you know what happened next. And for clarification, they were supposed to be red, but who has that much food coloring? Sheesh! 
