That Mom

In my wildest dreams, I never thought I would become That Mom.

And for the most part, I'm not. 

For instance, I am lucky to get a shower by noon on most days.  Especially if it is a run day.  Why on earth would I shower in the morning knowing I am just going to get all sweaty and have to do it again a few hours later.  I have no desire to look pretty at the bus stop.

Also, let's talk about what I wear on a daily basis.  Um, mostly workout clothes.  Partially because they are comfortable, partially because I have very few clothes that fit.  You would be proud of me dear readers ... I finally braved the mall and it's teenage clerks and bought myself a pair of jeans that fit.  I hate shopping and having a 16 year old kid try to sell me skinny jeans is anxiety provoking for me.  So, can I get by all winter with just one pair?!?

Hairstyle, mostly ponytails.  Yes, I am 36 years old and my hairstyle of choice most days is a ponytail.  It takes too much effort and time to dry my hair.  And most days, the only people I see are my 3 year old and the clerk at Target.  Don't think either of them care. 

So I am certainly not the perfect looking mom that is bright eyed at the bus stop with her starbucks, but where I do get "that mom" status is my baked goods.

I'm the one that brings home made baked goods everywhere she goes. PTA meetings, bus stops, ballet class recitals, soccer games.

And considering the amount of catasphrophes that I have had in the kitchen, it is fairly amazing;

My fire count is at 3, I think

I've cut myself severely more than a few times with knives, scissors, a mandolin, and a blender

Once, I picked up a pan that had just come out of a 350 degree oven with my bare hands

I've burnt the heck out of a whole lot of recipes

I once mixed up the measurements for salt and sugar ...

I could go on and on

Despite all the catastrophes, I just love to bake.  It's fun.  And stress relieving.  

Here's my secret ... the reason that I bring this stuff everywhere I go ... Really is all about me ... I love love love to bake and play in the kitchen, but if it sits around the house, well, I will eat it and eat it and eat it ....

Seriously, until I am physically ill.  I have a sweet tooth like no other and absolutely no self control.  And I really don't want to have to go back to the mall and buy another pair of jeans.

Those Granola Bars I make ... I may or may not have finished off the entire batch once in 4 days. 

Just add it to the list of self help programs I need. 

And since I started running, while I could induldge more in sweets, I actually don't.  Seems counterintuitive I know, but my logic is that if I just ran my ass off for 50 minutes, I really don't want to ruin it 20 minutes later by eating a whole pan of granola bars.  Make sense?

So I bake, you enjoy, there is nothing to hate about that, right?

I saw these on pinterest and knew I had to try them.  They are so cute!  What a great idea!

They are sugar cookies ... shaped to look like candy corn.

Fun, right?

I used these for bus stop treats.  Packaged them up in little cellophane bags with cute little ribbons.

These were really easy to put together, I thought that they might be hard. 

Basically it is a sugar cookie with colored dough. 

***Just a warning before you get started, you really want to refrigerate this dough overnight!!!*****

Here's the recipe:

2 Sticks Butter, softened
1 c. Sugar
1 Egg
2 T. Lemon Juice
1/8 t. Salt
3 c. Flour
1/2 t. Baking Soda
Red Food Coloring

Yellow Food Coloring

Sugar for Coating

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Combine butter and sugar in a large bowl; beat at medium speed until creamy. Add egg, lemon juice, and salt. Continue beating until well mixed. Add flour and baking soda, beat until well mixed. Divide dough into thirds.

Press one-third of the plain dough evenly into the bottom of a loaf pan that you have lined with parchment paper. Place another one-third of the dough into a bowl and add yellow and red food dye to make orange.  Once it is mixed evenly, press orange dough evenly over white dough. In another bowl, add the final amount of dough and dye yellow. Press that evenly over the orange dough. Cover and refrigerate overnight. 

Once chilled, turn your loaf pan upside down on a cutting board and unwrap your dough. Cut loaf into 1/4-inch slices.  

Cut each slice into 6 wedges.  Roll each wedge in sugar then place on pan.

Bake 6 to 10 minutes, until just a tiny bit brown on the bottom.  You don't want to over bake these!

The kids loved them, they were delicious, and this made a ton (though the cookies themselves are small).

Happy Fall everybody!

Hopefully I'll be back later in the week with a scone recipe and a story of how NOT to use a mandolin!

Hallie