Edge and Vertex

Tomorrow is November 30 which means the next day is December 1! So close to Christmas! So many plans for parties, dates with friends, and, of course... baking!!

I have decided this year that I need to really improve my planning process for baking. I start out with the best of intentions... and then I end up staying up until 5 in the morning on December 23rd doing the baking (or at least I did last year). That was not a good plan.

This year, though, will be different. This year I will be prepared, especially since things just keep popping up and there are many people to bake for (I am giving out baked goods rather than gifts to some of my friends). This year, I will have the most awesome baked goods EVER (well, maybe not when I show up to a family event with Courtney there!).

So, I spent this evening planning, humming, and hawing over what I wanted to bake. I want to keep it simple since I have a lot of things to bake for. All right. Here's the plan, for all to see, so that if I fail miserably, it'll be very public... ha...

Baking Plan 2012 (now we're serious)

Ferrero Rocher Cheesecake (for Shoes' work party) c/o The Fig Tree

The following cookies will be made for the family batches: Shoes' mom's and dad's side and my mom and dad's side:

• Lime Zinger Cookies
• Orange-Scented Snowballs (from Very Merry Cookie Party (Grunes & Van Vynckt))
• Pine-nut Thumbprint Cookies with Fig Jam (from Very Merry Cookie Party (Grunes & Van Vynckt))

For gifts (to friends like Gennie, Madeleine, Kristin, and Kate):

• Toasted Pecans with cinnamon and sugar (I had some at the craft show this past year and it was delicious; I am fairly certain I can replicate it).
• Chai-Spiced Almond Cookies (I have always wanted to make these... they may pop up on the family platters as well... ) c/o The Fig Tree

That's it!  PHEW!

The dough for most of these cookies can be made ahead of time and frozen, which I think I'm going to be doing. I will bake the cheesecake the day before the Christmas party and do the toasted pecans a few weeks before (so I can give them away).

I will of course post the process!

PS - next post will be the "Currently" for this month!

PPS - Perusing through The Fig Tree some more, I found these, which I will be making for Christmas morning. More about that later.