Baking

Today and tomorrow are reserved for baking...I am providing some baked goods for the local animal shelter's cookie walk (well, cookies and other baked goods) next Saturday. Since the semester is rapidly winding down, I decided to bake things that will keep since I'll be super-busy during the week, so I'm making Cinnamon Pecans and Jar Cakes.

Here are some of the Cinnamon pecans:


The recipe is super simple. My Grandma made them for years as gifts and would NOT give up the recipe until my Mom finally cracked her (and then Mom promptly gave the recipe to me).

Here it is:
1 egg white
1 t. cold water
Mix until frothy. Toss 1 lb. pecan halves in mixture.

In another bowl, mix together:
1/2 c. sugar
1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. cinnamon
Transfer pecans to this bowl with slotted spoon and toss until coated. Spread on a cookie sheet coated with butter and bake at 225 degrees for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes.

The jar cakes are cakes with a more cookie or brownie-like consistency. You bake them in jars (hence the name), then put the lids on right out of the oven so they seal. They keep for about 2 months this way. I'm making banana nut, and M&M cakes.

Then once the semester's over, the REAL baking begins! I love to bake, and Christmastime is the perfect excuse to go all-out. Already on my list: Raspberry Poinsettia cookies, Shortbread Pecan Trees, Truffles, Apricot Pinwheels, Frosted Cut-Out Cookies, and Banana Cookies!

In knitting news, I am finished with the back piece of Grandma's cardigan, and halfway up to the armhole shaping on the fronts. And she recently invited B and I over for Christmas on Dec 21, so I have until then to finish the sweater! With only 3 more weeks of school, that'll give me plenty of time to get it done.

Namaste