Baking has begun

Yesterday was a great day to start my Christmas baking. It was windy and cloudy and rained most of the day. I woke up and baked some Pillsbury cinnamon rolls to get the oven going and me motivated. 

I have never been good at making sugar cookies. I had to make a couple dozen for my grandson's school Christmas party today. He loves to volunteer me for baked goods. He wanted the green and red sprinkles so I just decorated them with the sprinkles. Nothing fancy but the kids will love them. 

Hubby has been wanting one of the applesauce cakes like his Mom always made. We have never made one and he doesn't eat a lot of it and I don't eat applesauce cake so we just never made it. This year, i am giving some goodies as gifts so we decided to make the cake in mini bundts and mini loaves. That way he can keep some and we can give some away. He said it tasted just like his Mom's so I was happy. 

And then of course, I had to bake the annual batch of Mom K's Orange Cream cookies. The recipe makes around 6 doz. This year we ended up with 78 cookies. Some as gifts, but most to keep. This is the one sweet that he does eat a lot of. Every year that I make them since she passed away, I have to ask him to check the consistency and flavor since there is no set amount on the juice from the orange. Every year, he will tell me how much to add to get it right. This year, when he taste tested the batter I had it perfect. When he tasted the icing, he said I nailed it. Then he gave me the ultimate compliment...."Mom would be proud." I love my mother-in-law and miss her very much. Baking "her" cookies every year is one way I honor her memory. She has been gone around 20 years and I still find myself wanting to call and tell her something. 

That is it for now. I'm going to make something else this weekend but not sure what yet. I have a couple more gifts to pick up on Saturday. I haven't even started my wrapping yet. I may try to do some this afternoon.