So bring on the turkey, potatoes, casserole dishes 'Cause I ain't messing around with them buttoned up britches You got them skinny jeans on, girl, I feel sorry for you 'Cause I just tried everything, and I'm going back for round two 

I got my stretchy pants on (stretchy pants)

    Lyrics from Stretchy Pants sung by Carrie Underwood

Nearly a month ago we celebrated Thanksgiving and began gearing up for the Christmas season starting the day after.  Up until Covid and the crime rates that are plaguing the cities we would wake up early to send the men in the family off hunting.  Then we'd have ourselves a Wild day.  No, not shopping like you would suspect but rather a Wild hockey day. It was a yearly tradition us ladies looked forward to until the world as we knew it changed in 2020.  That was quite possibly the last Black Friday we spent at a hockey game.

Isn't it crazy how life changes?  This year we found ourselves eagerly looking forward to staying home that Friday.  The men got up and went hunting and we introduced little M to the world of baking with his mom AND grandma.

Now those lyrics are making sense aren't they?  We stuffed our bellies full of beef roast and homemade noodles on Thursday and began Christmas baking the next day.  Every year we discuss how much we love baking but how we tend to fizzle out of eating the cookies come a couple weeks from when they were made.  They really are the best fresh aren't they?!

So Thelma set out to find some new recipes to try and stocked up her baking cupboards anticipating a memorable time with her favorite daughter and grandson.  I mean, with a smile like that how could one NOT look forward to baking fun?!

Over the course of our weekend we learned quite a few things about ourselves and baking.  You will NOT be seeing any cookies by Thelma & Weezer gracing your grocery store shelves anytime soon.  We have decided we will stick to quilting!  But don't get me wrong the treats may not have looked like we anticipated but they sure tasted great.  

Here is our "Top 10" learning Moments. . .

10. Timers should be set to avoid having sugar cookies that look like gingerbread men (Weezer)

9.  Timers should also be set when making reindeer noses (pretzel, rolo, M&M) to avoid having runny rolo noses  (Weezer)

         **Weezer was no longer in charge of the cookie timer after this**

8. If you fill a frosting bag plump full of frosting to decorate cookies with it WILL have a powered sugar ball that clogs the end of it.  This WILL result in over squeezing and having frosting shoot everywhere

       

          By now the frosting is starting to get a bit runny from the heat of your hand squeezing the bag....

7.  If you get brave and change the tip at the bottom of the bag despite the mess, you MUST pay closer attention that the tip isn't too large so the frosting runs out.  

          **This resulted in going back to just using a knife and spreading it on the old fashioned way**

6.  Grandma is NOT good at rolling gingerbread balls in sugar.  Sweet Little M reminded her of this by placing the balls back in the sugar as quick as grandma set them on the baking sheet

5.  If you see beautiful pictures of spiral cookies with multi-colored dough...compliment the pastry chef.  When you make them, give yourself grace.  When two dough colors don't want to stick. . .use water

4.  When sprinkles don't want to stick to the side of the cookies, again use water.  

3. When the sugar cookie dough is perfect rolling consistency go with your gut and don't let it rest.  For resting results in cracking dough that Weezer has the patience to roll out

2. Always spray the Pizelle press with non-stick spray so the first ones don't clog the design

1.  When making pizelles for the first time in years it is highly important to double the batch of dough.  The first ones will be too small.  The second will be so big they'll look like a slice of break, the next ones not done enough, then too done and finally. . .the last four cookies will be perfect. 

The sun set on a fantastic weekend safe in the comforts of home.  Our stretchy pants were put to the test eating the delicious treats we laughed about in our kitchen.  New traditions were made and next years cookie baking challenge can't come fast enough.

We hope you take time to enjoy some baking treats with family and friends and that those of you with sweet little sous chefs will be gifted the time to make beautiful and fond memories that are made in the kitchen.