It's Saturday! I started the day so wonderfully gently, with Christmas shows/music, and reading so many uplifting blogs of fellow Spark refugees. I think we all are appreciating what we have in our lives, letting go of negative thoughts, to be ready for a fresh new chapter.
Then I got sucked in by nostalgia. My mother's cookie press was in the cookbook drawer. I hunted up the recipe for Spritz cookie dough. And I made an attempt at recreating an experience that I remember from about 60 years ago.
This was after breakfast, of course. And I've been doing the Intermittent Fasting thing since Halloween. I have successfully baked banana bread, and formed the cheese puffs for Christmas, and made, divided and wrapped the French Vanilla Wafer dough, too. But this Spritz dough, combined with the mechanics of setting up and using the press? Ummm... let's just call it a "learning opportunity".
I burnt the first cookie sheet full. The burnt ones I gave to Frosty.
I did end up with at least one plateful of decent looking ones. They went across the street to the neighbors. They have two little boys who I am sure will help. Well at least the older little boy will. The baby might be too small for the cookies. I also gave them a half of the banana nut bread.
Meanwhile, though, I ended up "sampling" the dough and one cooked cookie. I felt both bloated and on a sugar high.
So I took some time to "give it a rest" until my chili supper! The chili was a fine antidote. I have zero desire for sugary stuff right now, and am ending my eating window with a snack of carrots and a mug of biocoffee.
I forget whose comment pointed at not considering it Christmas until they had watched "Christmas in Connecticut", and when it popped up on my list of "next for you" movies, I've had it on the Smart TV today.
I did go out to "brave the elements" when it climbed to 26℉, even though the wind was 23 MPH from the Northwest. It wasn't bad except on those part of the route where I was face into the wind, and even then, when the walk was done, I was feeling victorious.
Life is Good. Take care of that one and only body you've been issued for life, on this one and only Saturday, December 17, 2022 we'll ever get. At least, best we can manage, each day we're blessed with.
Spark on!
🔥🕯🎄💖✨
Well, at least Frosty got some cookies out of the deal! And how nice that you gave your neighbors cookies and banana nut bread. So good!
ReplyDeleteEnjoy Christmas in Connecticut. Then it will be the Holidays.
Hugs
Barb
1crazydog
Well, given that I no longer have a workplace to shed myself of the goodies, and the family gather that HAD been planned for tomorrow had to be canceled due to health of the guests... but seriously, it had been a part of my plan to give this family some goodies as they have shared THEIR traditional treats with me over the year and a half they have lived in that house.
DeleteOh, and what a trip Christmas in Connecticut is! I'm surprised I hadn't tripped over it before, but it's definitely going into my rotation!
Christmas is the season for sharing all those goodies. I'll bet those boys really enjoyed the cookies and banana bread.
ReplyDeleteIs it too forward to ask for the recipe for the cheese puffs? There are some who do not share recipes and that's okay, too. Just asking for a friend. ;-)
There are so many good Christmas movies to watch. The air waves are filled with dozens a day.
Be safe. Stay well.
I already linked the recipe for the olive-filled cheese balls, which this time around I called "cheese puffs", it's the same thing. It's in the archive under 2021, December, "Christmas Eve Day" is the title. https://onekidsmomspark.blogspot.com/2021/12/christmas-eve-day.html
DeleteAnd you are so right about so many good Christmas movies. A lot of them I forget the titles, so I find them another year and discover it's something I already watched before. Doesn't make them any less good, thankfully.
Be safe. Stay well. And warm!
My apologies. I didn't realize that you had posted the link. Drooling over the food photos, I must have missed it.
DeleteIt's now located and printed. Thanks! Now I'll see if I can make mine look as good as yours.
No problem. I keep changing what I call them, too, which can be confusing.
DeleteYou are quite the baker…your banana bread looks delicious! I had forgotten all about press cookies…I loved them as a child…don’t think I’ve had any since. Your neighbors are most appreciative, I’m sure!
ReplyDeleteEissa7
I was reminded of the press cookies by my son's in-laws-to-be at last years Christmas gather... they brought some. I do hope they enjoy them. Their older boy is having a birthday party Sunday, perhaps they will come in handy?
DeleteThe banana bread looks so good. I need to do some baking this coming week. My mom has one of those press cookie makers, but hasn't used it in years. I might have to pull it out and see how to use it.
ReplyDeleteWe've been watching so many Christmas movies and will continue throughout winter. It counts because there's snow in those movies.
It does, doesn't it? This is my second loaf of the season. After the first turned out kind of flat I looked at the expiration date on my baking powder and bought a new can. Ouch! This one looks much better!
DeleteKeep on watching those movies, the Spirit of Christmas needs to last beyond December!
Boy, do I remember the taste of green-dyed burnt pressed cookies. LOLOLOL!
ReplyDelete😁😂🤣😆😍 I did not dye the dough this time, but I did pull out the green and red sugar.
DeleteI wish I could eliminate my desire for sugary stuff; seems to hit and last all day. Sometimes I remember “Not my food” and it makes me turn away. Maybe if I put a post-it note on things that are “not my food” …
ReplyDelete-RunKeeper Dee
Do you miss WATERMELLEN's dog Charlie as much as I do? "Not my food" indeed! You know, having started this intermittent fasting thing, I'm finding myself mindfully avoiding sugar because I know once I start, it fuels the sweet trigger. So while I am baking a lot, I'm trying to minimize the nibbling/tasting. I succeeded on Thanksgiving with the pie, as I made it during my extended "fast" window. And I've done pretty well with the banana bread. These Spritz cookies were the big test, and I did not do as well with avoidance of the nibbling. Oh, well. New day, new fast cycle!
DeleteYour wish has been granted!
DeleteSee my blog.
Thank you, OJ! What a darling Charlie was!
DeleteThanks for posting the photo OJ.
DeleteI can’t do IF for more than 12 hours/day; seems to throw my lady hormones out of whack. Maybe once menopause hits and passes I’ll try again. For the moment, breakfast seems to dictate how the day goes. So I try to keep it savory.
-RunKeeper Dee
Yes, Dee... I agree. Keeping breakfast less sugar-y seems to be a key for how the day goes.
DeleteI tried IF in some form back before Spark shut down, after I retired, and I poohed out on the Leptin book that some recommended, and I wasn't up for it then. I think this is another thing you just have to be at the right place in your life.
There are some who do 12:12 intervals, and some who can't lose weight with it if they aren't fasting for at least 18 hours. It's really not "one size fits all"! The community of folks on FB is all over the map in what they are doing. Newbies come in and ask for advice and they get conflicting responses from different people.
I'll always be rooting for your success, no matter what method you choose to follow!
Thanks. The current weight loss has been unintentional; starting with losing my mom, then going from one illness into another, but I’m going to start by attempting to not gain any of the lost lbs back. And remembering that strength training is my friend.
Delete💖 Hang in there, and you are right, strength training *is* our friend!
DeleteStill working on eliminating my desire for sugar and I am like you, as long as I avoid I am good. If I give in, it is a trigger for more. You did great giving away the treats. I try to do that too.
ReplyDeleteIt's a conundrum, isn't it? Making them is a happy memory and a tradition. But eating them doesn't do our bodies a lot of good and sets us up for misery later. So... onward!
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