Holiday Baking - the good, the bad and the ugly, but still tasty

I've been telling my shortbread baking tale on Facebook. Rather than trying to re-tell this story, I'm just going to share it here - as it happened.

But there's a little bit of a backstory.

Harley and I had a playdate recently with our friends Pam and Jerry Williamson.

And I had some of the BEST shortbread I've ever tasted.

Could not get enough.

Made a bit of a pig of myself.

And have been craving more shortbread ever since.

Then I ran across this gorgeous shortbread picture on Facebook.


Facebook, by the way, can make a person drool with some of the recipes and photos that come through our newsfeed.


When I clicked through to the recipe, there was a video of Ina Garten making the shortbread, and honey - it looked easy peasy.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/shortbread-cookies-recipe.html?soc=socialsharingfb

Now. I love to bake. But I'm mostly a cake baker. Bundt cakes particularly.

Cookies have always been Donald's bailiwick.


He, however, didn't seem all that interested in baking shortbread.

So.

I mixed up my dough and here's how it went . . . 

I'm off to the kitchen - time to bake some shortbread!

When am I ever going to learn that just 'cause it looks easy for Ina Garten it's not necessarily easy for mere non-kitchen-goddess mortals.

okay - so. we're going to walk away from this for awhile. I'm thinking that I perhaps did not mix all the ingredients well enough, or long enough. So right now there's a big bowl of very crumbly "dough" sitting on the kitchen table coming back to room temp at which time we will commence to beat/whip/whatever the sugar out of it. wink emoticon So glad our neighborhood Christmas party wasn't tonight . . . and so glad this was an unplanned extra and not my originally intended contribution to dinner. <sigh>


It was right about here, I think, when my friend Dru Ann suggested I just buy this shortbread stuff at the bakery.


Which sounded more than reasonable.



But - not one to give up easily, I persevered.



HA!
Feeling a little like that little engine that could.
The crumbly mess that was in no way going to pass for "dough" for my shortbread is now looking exactly like Ina Garten's dough at this stage.
HA!
I think singing Tom Petty's "Stand me up at the gates of hell, I won't back down" was what did it, truth be told.
Oh, and Dru Ann offering to come set the timer. smile emoticon
Dough is now chilling.
Whether I actually try to make shortbread tonight is another story.
I'm not sure I could face the failure after getting this far.
Methinks a glass of wine is probably called for.
Don't you?
<clink>





I had given up on mixing my dough too soon. I "think" we're all set now. i think . . .


'kay.
So. first batch of shortbread is in the oven. If there's a baking saint, could y'all send up a little prayer, please? IS there a saint for baking??
If not - could you just cross your fingers, please?
Dru Ann? Bakery. Yes. Next time!


I love Facebook. This is where I learned from Terrie Moran that St. Elizabeth of Hungary is the patron saint of bakers.  And that St. Francis de Sales is the patron saint of journalists and writers.  And Lesa Holstine tells me St. Catherine of Alexandria is patron saint of librarians and lawyers. So she has Lesa and her sister Linda covered.



Shortbread - Yay!!
and they'll just get prettier as we go along.
Not too bad for a first attempt and the first batch though - you think?!





Don Barley has declared the shortbread "tasty." Truth be told, I was hoping for something like "Oh, Honey - C'est magnifique!"

After figuring out what I had done wrong and corrected it, making the dough exactly as it should have been to start with, and after one trial batch of shortbread. I decided it was tine to walk away.



Hanging up my apron and oven mitts for the night so I can read for awhile.
I'm loving THE WEDDING TREE.
and we'll get back to the shortbread tomorrow.
Nite, all!



And this morning I got back to it and finished up all the cookies.

They'll be going to our neighborhood Christmas party this evening.












But now I'll tell you a secret.

I'm proud as punch that I got my shortbread baked.

And it tastes okay.

But.

Truth be told?

What I had at Pam and Jerry's was better.

A lot better.

So - take Dru Ann's advice and buy your shortbread at a bakery OR

Costco.

Yep.

Costco.

The.

BEST.

and now, cats n' kittens,  I'm back to the kitchen.

Next item up for tonight's get together is a pork tenderloin.

THIS?  Pork tenderloin?

This I'm not worried about.

Happy Holiday Baking, Y'all!

Have fun!

A Visit With Dru Ann Love - well known, much loved, blogger and dear friend

I've invited a few of my favorite bloggers to come by for a visit.

These bloggers also happen to be favorite people of mine.

I may not get to play with them as often as I'd like, but I follow them around the internet, read every word they write in their blogs, find a lot of books and authors I may not have discovered without their help, and just enjoy having them in my life.

They'll be popping up here over the next several months.

You'll know most, if not all, of them, and I think you'll enjoy their visits.

The first is my friend Dru Ann Love.  

You can find Dru Ann at Facebook, at her wonderful blog, Dru's Book Musings, and every so often at another blog you really shouldn't be missing - The Stiletto Gang (which is where I started my own blogging career a long, long time ago).

And now - - - 

Here's Dru!

Subject: How I read what I read

There’s no rhyme or reason as to the book I pick up to read unless it’s a new debut series. Since I don’t have the added deadline of writing a review, I can take my time in reading and become involved in a book.  My goal is to review at least 4 books per month with at least one a traditional mystery since most of the books I read are cozies.

How do I pick which debut series book to read?

It will come down to several factors and the top will be if I know the author and this can be attributed to if I have chatted with them via social media, if I met them at a reader/fan convention, or if I have met them at a book signing.  Those connection put the author one up on others as I’m curious as to their writing style and their voice.

Next will be the cover. Yes, I’m very visual and the cover is always the first thing I see when I discover a new-to me book. I love covers that allude to what’s inside and there are several publishers that have some of the best covers out there. One thing I do dislike are covers with too much information on the front. The point is to get me to turn to the back of the book.

Next up is the blurb/synopsis/back of the book. Give it to me straight. Give me that teaser that tells me what are between the pages, yet will spurn me to open up the book and read the first few pages. If at an online retailer, it will be that synopsis that will have me clicking to read a few pages.

Next is my visit to the author’s website and please, please, let it be up-to-date. If I don’t see your new book on your website, that will discourage me to go further.  I should also see a little bit more about what the book is about, more than what I find on the back cover. 

And because this is how I reach out to authors to do a guest post on my blog, (dru’s book musings), please have your contact information on your blog, particularly your email address. I really do not like filling out those forms.

How do I pick which book to read on a regular basis? Sometimes it depends on my mood.

I have my auto-buy authors that I automatically will put on hold any book that I’m reading to read their book when it comes out. My friends know who this author is. There are other authors and I just realized that half are cozy authors and the other half run the spectrum between suspense, thriller and traditional mystery authors.

If I want to read a thriller, I have my tried and true authors that I’ll read. I’m not one for experimenting with new thriller authors. Although, if I meet them at a reader/fan conference or a book signing, I might read their book.

I’m much more flexible when it comes to suspense books, and again I do have my tried and true authors that I will read.  And yes, if I met them at a reader/fan conference, I will give them a chance.

Then there are the mysteries – either traditional or cozies.  I read what I like and I’m more willing to try a new-to-me author in this genre, but again, there are some books I will not read due to the subject matter contained within the pages.

Sometimes on that rare occasion, I will pick a book by the “eeny, meeny, miny, moe” method.

I wish I could read all the books that I want to read, but it’s not possible. So I do the best I can to enjoy those books that I do read. 

How many books do I read?  On average I read 15-20 books per month.  That is actually less than I did previously. And according to Pew Research, in 2015 fewer Americans are reading print books (72% vs. 76% in 2014).  However, I’m ahead of the game as Americans read, on average, 12 books in the past year.

Anyway, that’s how I pick books to read.  How do you pick which book to read?

(note:  I have the moderate comments app enabled.  So.  If you leave a message and don't see it right away, it means I'm away from my laptop.  But not to worry, I'm never away for too long - - unless I'm sleeping . . .  But, it will get published, I promise).

The loss of another friend.

I've worked a lot of places over the years.

It's easy for me to say that the best place I ever worked, the place I loved best, was The Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI) in Cobb County, GA


I also worked for Georgia Tech and I worked for GTRI on the downtown campus.  


All well and good.


But there was something magical about the Cobb Country facility, and it was all down to the people.


People I met there and still consider to be among the best and closest friends I have  - Vickie, Cat, and the adorable Dougs.  Many I still keep in touch with and miss - Jeff, James, Barry, Vince, and so many others I worked with and enjoyed  - -  and one woman in particular.


Violet Buck.


Violet and I had offices next door to one another for awhile, but - truth be told, I could usually be found sitting in her office instead of my own.  We were able to convince everyone, for awhile, that I was in training mode and Violet was the trainer.  And she was.  I learned so, so much from her.


We talked books.


We talked about her two sons.


We talked politics


We gossiped (well, we did).


We talked about traveling.


We talked about furniture, and curtains, and flowers and movies and the news and how horrible Atlanta traffic was.


We talked about her growing collection of Caithness paperweights.


We talked music.  (She was way more knowledgeable in this area than me.  When your son is Peter Buck and lead guitarist in a band as awesome as REM, you get to know a lot about music).



One of my favorite memories involves Peter and his music.


REM was up for their first Grammy (actually, seven, I think) in 1992 ( I "think" it was 1992).  Those of you who know these things, correct me if I'm wrong - okay?


Violet was going to the Grammy's and wanted, of course, to buy a new dress.


She asked if I'd go with her and help pick one out.


Well - dang.


Would I go help one of my favorite people go shop for a dress to wear to the Grammy's where her son was up for several awards?


Pfft.


Yeah.  I can do that, I said.


And we shopped.


And we shopped.


Giggled and shopped some more


And Violet chose a beautiful black and white gown that she looked so beautiful in.


So beautiful.


And she just glowed.


But.  It was long.  She didn't want it long.  "So, we'll have it cut down to the length you want!"


Okay.


But.  It was cut too low in the front.  She didn't want it so low in the front.  "So, we'll take some of that fabric from the skirt you're having cut off and have it placed oh so perfectly so you're not showing quite so much cleavage.  How's that?"


Okay.


Dress.  Bought.  


Next.  Shoes.


Easy peasy.


Violet was happy.


I was happy.


Know what she said to me?


"I hope I get to meet Sting."


She did not get to meet Sting.


But Peter and his band won a Grammy or two that night.



Violet retired from GTRI and we kept in touch.  Had lunch at The Swan House a couple of times.  Chatted on the phone, but neither of us were big phone people, so not too much.


But we always remembered to exchange Christmas cards with notes.


After Donald and I moved to Boone, Violet and I continued our annual Christmas card exchange - along with erratic emails - and made plans to get together when we would go to Atlanta.


Sadly.  Those were plans that somehow never worked out.


The last planned get together was this past summer.  A weekend was chosen and things were all set to go.


Except.


My mom got sick.


Violet got sick.



Today is Violet's birthday. 


But she left us last Tuesday.


I will miss her more than she might ever have known.  But, man - I was happy to have known her.  Lucky to have had her in my life.

Watauga Democrats Christmas Party 2015

It's not very often I have an occasion to get dressed in anything other than work-out clothes, jammies, or yoga pants and a Tshirt for hanging around the house any more.

As far as I can think of right now - that's the only downside of being retired.  The only downside.  

And it's not really all that often that it is a downside.


But.


Sometimes a gal wants to put on a dress.

At least, this gal does.

In case I haven't mentioned this before, I am pretty much as girly girl as a girl can get.


So, was there any better reason for me to go to the Watauga Democrats Christmas Party last night?

One even better than me getting to wear a dress AND my red cowboy boots?!

Well, in all seriousness - yes.

Yes there was.

I got to catch up with old friends and meet some new friends.

I got to participate in a delightfully fun and funny door prize event.

And eat some delicious food

And enjoy a little holiday spirit with a group I intend to spend a lot more time with next year.

I have gotten to know some of the people in this group over the years.

But, as politically minded as I am, I'm embarrassed that I haven't done more.

It's time.

The Watauga Dems are a force.

They're an unbelievably active group with some incredible politically savvy folks.

Many of their ideas have been drafted and put into action at the state level.

Some of the younger members who got involved while at Appalachian State University have been hired away.  They'll be doing important work for the Democratic party - just no longer at the local level.

Pretty impressive stuff.

I have attended a couple of the Dems luncheons, and have, of course, attended the now well known annual plant sale.


Last night at the Christmas party I was welcomed with open arms.


Introduced to people I did not know.


Got to hug the people I did.


I was impressed with the easy mix and mingle of everyone, and especially enjoyed watching the members of my generation interact with easy mutual respect with the younger members.

Besides the mixing, mingling, prizes and good food   .   .   .

One of the highlights of the evening was being entertained by some of our ASU students.

We had some stories about most memorable Christmases.

We got to hear a wonderful performance of Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah"

We got  tickled at a fun little skit

There was even a bit of a chorus line to Jingle Bells

And, of course, there was the political side of the evening.  We got to hear what's coming up and who we we can look forward to supporting in the upcoming year.

And we hugged.  I hope other groups of Democrats enjoy one another as much as this one does.

I got to enjoy Boone downtown and the Christmas decorations on my way home.

And I couldn't wait to show Donald (and Facebook friends) my wonderful door prize.  Don't you love these handblown wine glasses??  My friend Marybeth  declared them to be "Seussian," which I think is perfect!

In case any of you were wondering where Don Barley was while I was playing with the Dems, he opted to stay home to watch football (Yay, Panthers - ANOTHER Win!  Now 12-0, 1st in NFC Southern Division) and do some yard work.  

A lot of yard work . . .

It was a good day.


Life is good.


And because I'm going to try my keep to keep to my word about getting more involved in the coming year, you'll probably become fairly familiar with some of the faces you've seen in this piece.  

They're good people.  

They're doing good things for the people of Watauga County, and they want to do more.

I want to help them.