Baking - Brainstorming Ideas

I love to bake with the kidlet, but I realize that for many people having little helpers in the kitchen is akin to torture. So, here are my suggestions for baking with little people.

1) PRE-MAKE your favorite cookie dough without the kids. Yes, I know this is where important measuring skills are learned but this isn't about that. This is about Christmas and you having your wits about you to be in the moment and enjoy the process of cooking with your kids. Pre-made cookie dough means the kitchen can be tidied, and the energy focused on cause and effect. Scoop it, cook it, wait for it, eat it. The best parts in my book! Simplify it even more to just decorating sugar pre-made sugar cookies or make it a two day event, cook Friday evening, decorate Saturday afternoon.

2) Embrace the gingerbread house kit. They are a life saver and come from heaven above. We tend to still buy our own candy favorites, but I would never have the time or patience to cook the gingerbread house bits myself, who am I kidding? Kids just want to build it and decorate it, my daughter has never once felt cheated because it wasn't home baked.

3) Classics are best. I've tried dozens of Christmas cookie recipes, but truly feel like we only need our three favorites: thumbprint cookies, chewy ginger cookies, and oatmeal chocolate chip. Those three make at least one of us happy. Narrow down your need for treats and resist the urge to buy the new cookie mags every Christmas...because you probably already have the recipe for the ones you really like, you just need to make them.

4) Find one baking project that can also be used to make gifts. If you excel at making homemade apple pies, share the love and don't forget where I live! Caramel popcorn, caramels, peanut brittle, bread, chocolates and a plate of cookies is never a bad thing (note favorites named above).