Hump Day

That's how Kathryn greeted me at the office in my morning to-do list email this morning, so I thought I'd use it here, too. Happy Hump Day! Now the weekend is getting closer since we're over the hump.

Let's start with all things cookies, shall we?

1) Happy Birthday, Rick Hlebain!! He got his birthday cookies on Friday in St. Cloud. :-)

2) My holiday bonbon cookie recipe is in the St. Cloud Times in today's edition. So that was kind of fun. Here's a photo of my rendition of the recipe:

3) Update on the cookie exchange: I have 18 cookie bakers/exchangers coming to my house on Dec. 20th. So far. Let's hope there's even more!! It will be great fun, I'm sure. Always has been.

4) I'm going to bake cut-out cookies with my niece Kaleigh sometime before Christmas. I think she'll have LOTS of fun with my bottles of sprinkles (I have more than this).

5) Got the first delivery of a Christmas card and cookies from a neighbor this evening. I already feel behind. Last year I don't remember if I ever did get cards done ... I did get cookies baked and delivered at the 11th hour, though.

6) George Huston had a great idea for my blog. On the way to Pine Island this evening (more on that in a sec) he asked if I knew how many cookies I baked in a year. Nope. No idea. But it's a lot. So at first he suggested a "cookie counter" on my blog (and I suggested a "cookie calorie counter" but that might be too depressing!) which I thought sounded like great fun. Then he turned his suggestion into a "cookie count contest" where I take guesses for the number of cookies I will have baked by the end of 2010 and the closest guess gets ... you guessed it. A batch of cookies! What d'ya think?? Lemme know ...

7) There are a couple of openings in the "cookies of the month" club for 2010. In previous years I'd auctioned off Cookies of the Month for a Year, first on the Y online auction, and then when that folded, the RTC website (as prize $ for the Fetzer 20K). But it looks like most everyone is re-upping for 2010 so I'm going to nix the auction and just re-up everyone, since they've won the bid every year anyway. Shaun Palmer gets a whole batch each month, and the others (a group) split a batch each month (and therefore, split the cost). If anyone is intersted in 3-4 large homemade cookies each month from yours truly, email me.

8) As I've done the last several years, I will be auctioning off 6 Dozen Holiday Cookies (it's usually more than that when all is said and done) on the RTC Website on Monday, 12/7 to the highest bidder. The funds will also be Fetzer 20K prize money. Cookies to be delivered Christmas week. Bid high. Bid often.

Whew ... that's a LOT of cookie news!! Time to move on ...

I went to dinner at the Rainbow Cafe in Pine Island

for dinner tonight with Jean and George. What a wonderful, relaxing evening. I can't believe I didn't snap a photo of the two of them. :-(  I had a salad and broiled cod ...

Jean had the salmon (it was fantastic) ...

And George had the scallops.

We shared an order of maple bread pudding for dessert. It was delicious.

I'm afraid I waited too long to take the picture!! Thank you again Jean and George for a wonderful evening!!

From Mary Wernstrom: Wehrenberg Theatres Cans Film Festival  Saturday, December 5 *All Movies before 5:00 p.m.* Bring in 5 cans of food (per person) to SEE A MOVIE FREE! Bring an additional 10 cans (15 total) per person and receive a FREE PASS FOR ANOTHER DAY! (Make sure items are NOT expired)

Off-Season Striders will run from Dunn Bros. South (TJMaxx Plaza) on Saturday morning at 7:30. I'll be there, of course, with treats for one and all. I'm thinking cinnamon streusel coffee cake this week ...

Morning workout: 13.1 miles (8.5 with Lisa and Bruce). It's now tights weather, after being able to wear shorts for many, many mornings. But it was a very pleasant run.

Here's a pumpkin pie that Kathryn says is a killer (and I have to agree, it sounds wonderful). It's from her mom and they enjoyed it on Thanksgiving day:

PERFECT PUMPKIN PIE


1 can (15 0z) pumpkin
1 can Eagle brand evaportated milk
2 large eggs
1/2 tsp ginger
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp salt
1 unbaked 9" inch pie shell

Heat oven to 425 degrees. Whisk pumpkin, milk, eggs, spices and salt in medium bowl until smooth. Pour into shell. Bake 15 min. Reduce oven temp to 350 degrees, bake an additional 35 to 40 minutes, or until knife inserted in middle comes out clean.

Streusel topping. Combine 1/2 cup packed brown sugar and 1/2 cup flour in medium bowl. Cut in 1/4 cup cold butter until mix resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in 1/4 chopped nuts. After pie has baked for 30 minutes at 350, sprinkle evenly over pie and bake an additional 10 minutes.

I got 5 hours sleep last night. Time to get to bed.

Quote for the day: "I get by with a little help from my friends. " ~John Lennon

Toodles.