Cookie Talk
This was totally my fault. No fault of SD12 who had fun. I just want some pretty cookies darn it!
So I made a batch of cookies recently, a type I make every single year. This time, SD12 helped decorate some of them. I managed to keep the decorating to a minimum for the first half as they are super rich and any additional toppings make them not so great to eat. I kind of let SD12 do what she wanted with the other half since I had enough. They didn't turn out that great, but consoled myself with the fact that I had enought for myself (no one else really eats cookies in our house even though they profess to "love them" - yeah, not so much).
Then SD12 friend came over, who I really like. We made sugar cookies her and her friend could roll out and decorate. Well, after more than one hour of 'rolling and decorating' they had maybe 5 tiny cookies. It was 8:30 PM. Told them to get a move on it as it was getting late (and they were messing around). DH and I abandoned the living room and watched a show...still not done. He told them to get a move on it too at that point.
Well, that second batch was awful. They put so much sprinkles and chocolate chips they were inedible. And OMG - does anyone in my house understand the concept of HOLIDAY COOKIES but me? I told DH I need to always make a couple batches ALONE so I get some nice cookies to give away. I spend my time and money on them, help with getting everyone going and then have to toss almost all of them - told DH that I should have just made play dough. Send SD12s friend home with as many as possible (ha!) and made sure SD12 took a bunch to school too.
I didn't make any cookies last year with the SDs for this reason - sure, they have fun, but my time, effort, money, and my ONE BIG WANT for the holidays, beautiful cookies is never to be otherwise. DH thinks I'm crazy, but he gets to cook the holiday meal (alone!) so have at it DH! No more cookie making for Cover! Next year, skids can do it alone and DH can buy the ingredients.
- Cover1W's blog
- Log in or register to post comments
Comments
I feel your pain
I love holiday cookies. I love to make them alone. I didn't think this could be a battleground but perhaps it can. I just never, ever let anyone in and it's MY thing. I think my DH doesn't cross this boundary because BM has freaked out when they were younger about me doing similar "mom" things and I've never even let my mother help me.
That being said, I always have made a batch of cutouts just for the kids to decorate however they want. And if there are any outside kids involved, the cookies go home with them "because your parents would want to get to have some of your amazing cookies" (with more sprinkles than cookie and the biggest tooth-cracking colored balls you could find in my supplies). The ones my kids make also stay at home "because I don't want anyone else to have what my kids made special, I'll just give them some of my plainer, big-batch ones."
Yeah, I've lost many of "my
Yeah, I've lost many of "my holiday things" and the cookies are my last stand. I didn't make them when SD12 wasn't with us because I was finishing re-flooring a room. I might make a mighty cookie batch just before New Years to make it up. Pecan puffs go great with champagne.
Pecan Puffs?? Would you
Pecan Puffs?? Would you please message me that recipe? Pretty please with sugar on top?
Skids ruined cookie baking
Skids ruined cookie baking for me years ago, I used to do alot more in the kitchen but they either complained or screwed up the works like your's did Cover, so I just stopped doing it, if anyone else wants to deal with it that's their decision, I'm out.
Have you tried teaching SD
Have you tried teaching SD how to make pretty cookies, or explain to her why so much extra sugar makes them worse?
I'm not saying you HAVE to do this, but she likely doesn't realize how serious you take it or how she can take it more seriously. Or, for her, baking is just a fun activity like playing with Play-Doh.
I do understand how frustrating it is to have the SKs ruin something we hold dear. But, if they are willing to learn, it can become a fun tradition.
Yes. Every single year. And
Yes. Every single year. And again this year, she asked why I was leaving some so plain...because x, y and z.
Answer: "That's wierd."
Not a lot you can do with a
Not a lot you can do with a kid who does that, then. If she decides she wants to do it again next year, then your DH can run out and buy some $3 sugar cookie dough for her to use as she sees fit.
Bingo.
Bingo.
Ha, I just had a similar
Ha, I just had a similar experience. SD11 always wants to bake or make food when she is at our house, basically because she ALWAYS has to have something sweet to eat and I don't keep a lot of sweets. I did buy a roll of sugar cookie dough for the kids to decorate. Of course SD was the only one interested in helping decorate and she of course went waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay overboard with the sprinkles/etc. She then of course ate almost every single cookie as well so it really didn't matter how awful they were, lol! I just get annoyed at the fact that she is constantly raiding my cupboards the moment she arrives trying to get us to bake or let her make stuff which is always a mess and not done correctly if no one is assisting.
SD15 was worst at this. SD12
SD15 was worst at this. SD12 not so much, esp. after she recently almost caused a small fire and freaked herself out. She hasn't baked alone since. She's not so bad. I should have baked alone as usual. I also made sure DH cleaned up the pans. At least the kids cleaned the kitchen.
My SD can't bake alone. No
My SD can't bake alone. No way would I allow that because she messes stuff up even supervised. One time she baked a cake with SO and decided to check the doneness with a glass thermometer that you use to check for fevers. I don't even know where she found it. Anyways it busted due to the heat and ruined the cake with mercury! Ugh! She always wants to use food dye and makes a mess every time and then half @$$ cleans it up b/c she knows SO will take care of it. I refuse to bake or cook with her and I leave her messes for SO. His kid his problem.
I hear you on this. SD9 has a
I hear you on this. SD9 has a cookie exchange at school on Thursday, so I said I would make cookies. She asked if she could help. Me: Uhhhh........... I really would rather do it myself, because sometimes she does a decent job, and sometimes she doesn't even try. I just prefer to do it alone.
I see all these posts on FB about "making memories" and "decorating cookies" together, and i'm over here like, hell no am I letting someone ruin my cookies!!
*biggrin*
My mom used to let us make
My mom used to let us make "gingerbread" houses.. really made of poster board then covered in royal icing and we got to decorate with candies.. gumdrops.. candy canes.. etc.. maybe that could be something SD could do.. you don't eat them.. it's really just for show.
Well...
I guess I'm in the minority on this one. Ex and DS would load up theirs with so many sprinkles I would not have wanted to eat them, but they did! As long as I got my share to decorate I didn't care. And we had fun. Growing up my siblings and friends and I all cooked and baked a lot and it does take a lot of trial and error to learn. I can see setting boundaries though. Maybe let them help you make some simple dough with flour, sugar, and shortening and let them go at it as long as they are kept to a time limit and clean up after themselves. We did have to do that growing up.
My SIL has hosted a "cookie
My SIL has hosted a "cookie factory" for almost 3 decades. There is a little silliness and a lot of fun and DOZENS of cookies. Never over-iced or over-sprinkled/candy-topoed, all edible However, she was a teacher and ran a tight ship.