Wednesday, December 16, 2009

We can't all be Martha Stewart

The holidays are really the only time of year I bake. Sure I make the occasionally batch of chocolate chip cookies or brownies, or a cake, but Christmas is when I really get down and dirty with my muffin pans and cookie sheets. This year we made more than 100 cookies including mint brownie bites, peanut butter cheesecake squares, white and milk chocolate dipped pretzels, white and milk chocolate dipped caramel sandwich vanilla wafers and the traditional frosted cookie cutter sugar cookies.

But when we bake for the holidays, it's not like those television commercials where mom and kids are happily stirring, pouring and oohing and aahing over their creations.

Sure, the boys help. When they want to. But it's more like a sporting event, breaking up fights about who is "hogging the chair," who gets to crack more eggs or dump the brown sugar in the bowl.

And whatever you do, don't let a seven year old turn on the beaters. Nothing like a dough shower.

And then there is the decorating. Have you ever let six and seven year old boys decorate cookies with green, red and white frosting? It looks more like something we would make at Halloween, especially when using blood red gel frosting. And green and red sprinkles mixed together tend to make an ugly brown mess. Definitely not Martha Stewart worthy.

And when my children are not helping, they are using the couch cushions as human launching pads.


As for me, I'm pretty sure Martha does not bake in her pajamas at 2:30 pm, still in her glasses and hair pulled back in a ponytail, covered in flour, sugar and frosting. And I bet Martha does not have to clean up her own mess either.

Even after the holidays are long gone, I will find dried up frosting, tiny sprinkles and dough all over my kitchen. Now I remember why I only do this once a year.

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