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HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE
MONDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2005
Holiday baking simple, enjoyable
BY BETSY PROFFITT editor@kansan.com KANSANCORRESPONDANT
The month following the traditional turkey feast is one of the most popular times to entertain. As a child in elementary school, I remember class parties spent creating ornaments, writing letters to Santa and learning popular Christmas carols.
In high school, the winter formal dance meant buying a new dress and my mom taking far too many pictures of my date
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and me. Now in college, I look forward to attending holiday parties and taking a break from school to spend time with my family and catch up with old friends.
No matter what your age or the event, one thing remains common throughout all of these activities: food. In third grade, the teacher brings decorated cupcakes to class and hands out candy canes to the winner of "pin the tail on the reindeer." Iced Christmas
cookies line the refreshment table at the dance and an assortment of breads, cakes and fudge are brought to all holiday gatherings.
I love spending time in the kitchen especially when it comes to baking. Early on, I grew fond of the activity when I helped my grandmother bake Christmas cookies.
Christmas and Thanksgiving are the largest occasions for Americans to eat. The indulging begins with Thanksgiving and continues until New Year's day when people resolve to cutting back on their intake. It's easy to see why such is the case because food goes hand-in-hand with entertaining, making it a critical element to any party.
She would prepare the dough and I would cut out my favorite shapes including everything from Christmas trees and bells, to reindeer and snowmen. We would mix together every color of frosting and spend the entire afternoon decorating what seemed like hundreds of cookies.
Since then, I've broadened my selection to a variety of cookies, breads, cakes and pies.
The possibilities to create anything
seem endless today, in a society where cooking and baking are becoming easier than ever.
Martha Stewart is the primary domestic woman of our generation, providing advice on entertaining, and food in particular. Since the rise of both her magazine and television show, other kitchen experts are gaining in popularity as well.
Rachel Ray is currently a favorite on the Food Network. Since the beginning of her show, "Thirty Minute Meals" with Rachel Ray, she has been seen as a guest on leading television programs. Recently, I watched her make five-minute fudge on "Oprah," and explain what to do with Thanksgiving leftovers on NBC's "Today Show." Her catchy, abbreviated phrases have even created a new vocabulary, which can be heard in kitchens across the nation. Two years ago, nobody would have understood "EVOO;" however, anyone familiar with Ray could easily explain her shortened reference to extra-virgin olive oil.
Although these culinary artists make baking appear "easy as pie," sometimes getting my cookies to bake for just the
right length, or mixing my dough the perfect amount is challenging. But with the rise of the Internet and such television shows, finding an answer to any question is right at one's fingertips. Hershey's Web site for example, provides an abundant amount of tips and advice regarding all baking purposes. For those people who learn better by seeing rather than reading, Web sites such as kraftfoods.com and foodnetwork.com provide comprehensive how-to videos to clarify any doubts.
Of course, if the exact answer regarding which pan to use when baking grandma's famous pineapple upside down cake cannot be found, going straight to the source is always the best answer.
So, this holiday season venture into the kitchen and bake your favorite childhood recipe or surf the web for something new.
An assortment of homemade sweets provides a wonderful gift for anyone, as well as an afternoon of enjoyment. I've included a few of my favorites on the Web to help you get started. Enjoy!
Edited by Kellis Robinett