Baked December

 We baked a lot in December at our house.  Pizza was a staple, and I'm pretty sure we've perfected it.

 This is my favorite!   Can you hear my voice getting higher in pitch as I say favorite?  Saute ham, leeks and 'shrooms, bake on a tortilla with olive oil, fresh garlic, salt and pepper.  Add mozzarella cheese, crack an egg.  Bake until egg is set and cheese is brown.

 This was amazing.  Emperor's Pancake from the December issue of Bon Appetite.  (a Christmas present to myself.. all year long!)  Since Shane hates raisins, I substituted cranberries, and added orange zest.  This made an already impressive breakfast become mind blowing!  If you love anyone in the whole world, please show them by making this!  I promise the results are SO worth it!

 Oh ya, my blender started bleeding, sad day :(

 The end result was the most amazing!  Shane (the "i don't care what it is, food is meant to be devoured without even tasting" kind of guy) is STILL talking about it!!  Cranberry-orangeish, baked, then fried (in sugar...wow!) pancake souffle, thing.  it is AMAZING!

 Bryn loves the cookie cutters.

 Our whole family made Oreo Truffles together.  And because it is so easy, you'll make them too.  Beat cream cheese until soft, add crushed Oreos and mix thoroughly.  Chill until firm, roll into balls (I used a cookie scoop to get them all the same size), chill again.  Dip in melted chocolate.  We drizzled white chocolate on top to make them pretty.  Sorry I don't have a picture of the finished product, but like the brown butter rice crispy treats,  cranberry orange shortbread cookies, cake cookies with holly sprinkles, and chocolate dipped pretzles, we quickly took them to lovely neighbors and friends where I heard they were devoured!

 If she drives anything like she operates a mixer, we have a NASCAR driver in our midst.

Eight cups of perfectly round, sprinkled to perfection, Christmas cookies.  I love baking season!