It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas.....

WOW.........look at all the snow. Good thing I had planned on baking/cooking my brains out today.

Actually, I didn't start the Christmas cooking until 11:00 am. Woke up around 7ish but didn't get out of bed until 8. I was trying to figure out a way to fake sleep so the Guard Dog would leave me alone. Didn't work. So, I decided that if he wanted me up it was because he wanted a tubbie. I got his towels down and he knew right then and there he was in for something not fun. When he was just a pup he loved the tubbies but now he decided that he is too old to have a tubbie. Since I out weight him I can tackle him to the ground and drag him into the bathroom. Ok, it is not that bad but almost. Got him all washed up, dried and combed. He looks so good when he gets cleaned up. Even though it doesn't last long, he was back to being a good looking dog for about 3 minutes. Oh well, at least he is clean.

Now my F-S-I-L is a great bread maker. So thinking that since I went to school for cooking/baking that I might try my hand a baking some rolls. This was my first project of the day. The recipe was easy. Not complicated. No sweat. As I said before I started at 11:00 and I am just now letting the rolls cool. It is 3:00. I think I am going to stick to baking cooking, pies and cakes. Waiting for the dough to rise is like watching grass grow. It says that you have to place the dough in a warm place to rise. Here is my dilemma. There isn't a warm place in the house, unless you open the oven door to heat up the kitchen. Brr. Sometimes it is so cold here that the dog has icicles hanging from his chin. Eventually, the dough did rise. I put the dough into round rolls and baked. The recipe says that you bake for 35-40 minutes. I was a bit surprised at this but since this is a new recipe for me, I followed the directions. Most people who cook or bake a lot can tell from the smell how well things are going. So after 25 minutes I "smelled" the doneness of the rolls. I ran down the stairs and opened the oven and sure enough almost over done. Thank goodness for the nose. The nose knows. These rolls are off the work for the office Christmas Potluck lunch. (Maybe they will taste better than the Hemits)

Now I am taking a little break from the horrible mess my kitchen has become. I have about 4 more hours before the season final show of Survivor to finish the rest of my Christmas cookies. Peppermint Puffs and Thumbprint cookies are all that is left to bake. I will be done tonight, I will be done tonight. That is my mantra. All together now.....I will be done tonight. (Hopefully)