First Baking Day

Getting Ready

Yesterday was baking day.  After the chiropractor, a workout, starting laundry, some writing, I started the year Kolach baking.  Before I did, I posted the picture to the left to Facebook and asked if anyone knew what I was making. I fully expected to get a few question mark answers, but I also expected to get responses from my nephew Jesse Chapple, and nieces Olivia Gattozzi and Jen Centofanti.  They didn't disappoint.  Olivia knew, but couldn't remember what it was called, Jesse of course nailed it! Jen chimed in and didn't see that I tagger her, but she knew.  Of my own kids, Chuck just responded with "how may loaves are you making?" and Matt Facebook "shamed" Olivia for not knowing!  A couple of other people made guesses, but only on got it right - a fellow Kolach baker who knows exactly what it is!  Oh, and one friend who has not had it was threatened by Chuck and Matt over the loaves!  I'll definitely have to bring Rachel Rushing a loaf of her own!  

Anyhow,  I ended up making 10 loaves but discovered that I made 2 mistakes.  First, I used bread flour. In the past, this wasn't an issue, but this time the dough really raised and I the kolach came out much more bread-like than I would have liked. Second, I cut the dough for 12 loaves, only to discover that I only have 10 pans. I would have put the remaining two on a cookie sheet, but there wasn't room in my oven for that as well. So, I smooshed together the last 7 loaves into 5, 3 of which are ginormous!  Then the filling spread out all over the pans.  Oh well. Every year it's something, but I don't hear my kids complaining when they cut into them!  They still taste wonderful!

Finished Product

I was going to make a cheesecake for Thursday, but Matt told me yesterday that he's planning on bringing two. So instead the plan is to make sea salt caramel cookie bars. And I really need to start cookies for next Friday night's get together.  But first I have to finish this baby quilt.  All that is left is quilting the borders and binding it. 

Menu for Thursday as far as I know right now is:

Turkey - using  Alton Brown's Good Eats Roast Turkey Recipe

Tom's sausage dressing

Seven Layer Salad - Chuck

Sweet Potatoes - Abby

Cheesecakes and green bean casserole - Matt

Veggie Platter - Dianna

Mashed Potatoes - Amanda

I'm also going to have a variety of cheese, crackers, and fruit as appetizers. 

My Scripture writing this morning was Matthew 6:19-21 (ESV)  “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal,  but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.  For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

As we enter the holiday season, I'm going to set about to lay up treasures in heaven - memories with my now adult kids, reaching out to neighbors, and starting to work with a young Ethiopian mom as she wants to better her English skills.  Those are the treasurers I'm going to pursue this year.