Elizabeth Dehn - HER LIFE Magazine

culinaryOrganizing YourHoliday BakingBy Lisa AllenAsk people to share their favorite aspects ofthe holiday season and many will wax poeticabout the trays of cookies, fudge and othersugary treats that fill their homes with sweet smells andtheir kitchens with calorie-laden snacks that embody thevery essence of the holidays.but those treats don’t usually just appear, and for ahome baker the most challenging part of holiday baking(after narrowing down which recipes to include in theyearly bake-a-thon) is keeping the season-long extravaganzaorganized and efficiently run.to make actual baking time smooth, it is important toget a grip on everything before the season hits. Beginningwith a list of clear and precise recipes, an organizationaltool that fits you and a bit of time, recipes can be tallied,calendared and scheduled so that last-minute trips to themarket don’t derail your good intentions.those organizational tools are as different as thebakers themselves; some prefer paper and pencil, othersan Excel spreadsheet and still others applications for theirsmart phones or tablets. Regardless of the method chosen,the important thing is to create a master list of ingredientsnecessary to make shopping less complicated. By enteringeach recipe into an Excel spreadsheet, for example,tallying the total amount of butter or flour necessary for allintended recipes is a snap. Further organizing that list intogroups of perishable and non-perishable ingredients willhelp ensure components with a short shelf life are purchasedclose to actual baking time, and eliminate waste.in addition to the spreadsheets or ingredient tallies,a simple calendar is an effective tool to make sure youcreate enough time during the busy holiday season toenjoy your time in the kitchen. By noting all importantdates (think school bake sales, school and work parties,neighborhood parties and the like) you can be sure to havea tray of prepared treats ready without scrambling at thelast minute. Scheduling baking time on the calendar willencourage a responsible use of time available and enableyou to bake as many recipes as possible.once that preliminary work is complete, and shoppinghas begun, keeping the supplies organized becomesthe primary focus. Totes, readily available at local marketsand discount stores, keep seasonal supplies handy and inone place. A cookbook easel keeps recipes within eyeshot and easyto read, particularly when a plastic page protector is secured to thetop to keep splatters and spills off of the paper.Keeping the cabinets stocked with non-food equipment andtools is also helpful. A ready supply of fresh towels, an apron or two,paper toweling, tin foil, parchment paper and the like assist in theprocess, and keep baking momentum moving happily along. Liningcookie sheets with parchment paper eliminates extra steps duringthe clean-up process, and wrapping cookie dough formed into logsin plastic wrap means ready-to-bake cookies are readily available inyour refrigerator, no thawing required. Websites like www.reynoldspkg.comand www.verybestbaking.com are a treasure trove of notonly recipes but quick and easy tips that enhance organization.another tip savvy bakers swear by is to bake early and savefor later. Pie crusts can be prepared in bulk and frozen for lateruse, and many cookie recipes can be prepared and then stored inthe refrigerator. Baking only the amount necessary for a week’sparticular needs is a snap when all that is required is either slicingor scooping. Other bakers swear by an assembly line method. Bymaking batter in double and even triple quantities, then storingin the refrigerator, baking day might consist of lining a number ofcookie sheets with parchment, loading and baking in increments. Byhaving extra cookie sheets and cooling space, the rotation of sheetsin and out of the oven becomes an assembly line of efficiency; oncecooled, the goodies can be packed in gift-worthy containers orstored in airtight containers for later use.20 HERLIFEmagazine.com