Wednesday, December 8, 2010

A SNAP TO BAKE


For decades I've made cookies "from scratch" just as my mother taught me. If she had been given the option to take a few shortcuts I don't think she would have, but these days I welcome anything that makes cooking or baking easier.
'Tis is the season for Betty Crocker Gingerbread Cookie Mix. Today I baked Gingersnaps using that mix and my house smells wonderful. The cookies taste good too. I would have had them finished in a flash had I not done some very stupid things along the way.
The mix calls for one egg and one stick of margarine, softened, not melted. I put the margarine on a paper plate and stuck it in the microwave for 10 seconds, which unfortunately caused it to melt. So...I set the plate of melted margarine on the top of the portable dishwasher and turned to open the freezer door - thinking I'd put it in the freezer for a minute to let it become firm again.
Just as I reached for the melted margarine, the plate tipped, sending melted margaine streaming like a waterfall, from the top of the dishwasher to the floor. Of course, melted margarine spread all over the dishwater top and under my cookbooks and other things I'd placed there. Oh what fun it was to clean up the mess. I didn't get upset, but rather softened more margarine and continued with my cookie baking experience.
I poured crystal sugar into a small bowl and dipped the tops of the round balls of cookie dough into it before placing them on the cookie sheets. Well, it wasn't long before I tipped over the bowl and sent little sticky crystals of sugar rolling all over the kitchen - on the stove top, the counter, and the floor. Again, I just sighed and cleaned up the mess. That should have been enough, but no....
When I looked at the cookies in the oven, I noticed they seemed to be getting brown on the bottoms much faster than on the tops. I checked the oven setting and sure enough, I'd set it 25 degrees higher than it should have been. It's a good thing I checked on the cookies when I did. None of them burned but I did have to wonder why I hadn't put on my glasses before trying to read the cookie mix instructions. Once I had all the cookies out of the oven I decided I'd had enough cookie baking for one day. I never seem to do anything the easy way.

4 comments:

Wendy @ Ravenwood Whimzies said...

My goodness, what a time you had! Can you imagine how much longer it would have taken if you had made them from scratch AND had those two mini-disasters! Happy munching!
Merry Christmas

QUILTING IS BLISSFUL, DI said...

I know I know--this baking session is one I could of easily written!!!
Hugs, Di and miss gracie

Linda ★ Parker's General said...

Oh, yeah, taking the easy way....We use the refrigerated kind. Very fast and always good. And we don't make so many we can't get them eaten!
My daughter is the baker.

Lee Prairie Designs said...

Oops!!! When this happens it is time to laugh a little! Maybe it will help--- :) Hugs, Carolyn