Tuesday, July 30, 2013

Time to Bake

It’s been a tough summer in the blogosphere. After a year of trying to decide whether I even wanted to keep blogging, I had finally settled in.  I found a schedule that worked for me, down from posting every third day to just twice a week. That should have been my first clue that everything was going to change.

And change it did. Summer came and life changed dramatically. Both boys are very much on their own. They have work schedules and social schedules. But there is so much that needs to be done in the next few weeks before my oldest son heads to college.

Writing has taken a back seat. So has baking. Those two have been so intertwined for me for the past year. And although my family doesn’t really have a reaction to my writing less, it seems the baking part has garnered some notice. And now, even I am noticing that, blog post or not, it’s time to bake.


Time to Bake | graphic designed by and property of www.BakingInATornado | #MyGraphics




How do I know? Is it time to bake at your house? Here are a few hints:

*It’s 8:00 pm and your teenager can’t find anything for dessert. So you make him an iced coffee, throw some vanilla ice cream in there and tell him it’s a float.

*You catch your son stuffing his face with your baking chocolate chips.

*Your husband searches the kitchen, the fridge, the pantry, then looks at you and says “are you feeling alright?”

*Your kids’ friends, who always stop in the kitchen to grab your baked goods on their way to the basement, are all standing in the kitchen looking perplexed.

*Your son holds up a stick of butter and says “Mom, these cookies aren’t going to bake themselves.”


Raspberry Lemon Bars | Recipe developed by www.BakingInATornado | #reicpe #dessert


Raspberry Lemon Bars

*Your husband threatens you with “don’t MAKE me go to the bakery . . . “

*Your son goes into the pantry, pulls out some store-bought twin-wrapped cupcakes and says “do you want to have to eat these?”

*Your son, who you’re sure doesn’t know where the oven is, offers to help you bake.

*You’re always out of parchment paper but when you check the drawer, there it is.

And finally:

*When even you have to concede that there’s nothing good to eat in the house.

See ya in the kitchen. Oven’s heating up.


Baking In A Tornado signature | Graphic designed by and property of www.BakingInATornado.com | #MyGraphics

Raspberry Lemon Bars
                                                                   
©www.BakingInATornado.com
 
Printable Recipe
 
Ingredients:
1 stick margarine, softened
1 stick butter, softened
2 cups flour
½ cup powdered sugar
½ cup Raspberry jam
4 eggs
4 TBSP lemon juice
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
4 TBSP flour
2 cups sugar
 
Directions:
*Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a glass 9 X 13 baking dish.
*Beat butter and margarine until smooth. Mix in flour and powdered sugar.
*Place into the baking dish. Press evenly into bottom and just a little bit up the sides. I find this is easiest to do with my knuckles and fingertips. Do it quickly so the warmth of your hands don’t melt the butter.
*Bake for 20 minutes.
*While the crust is baking, beat together the eggs, lemon juice, baking powder, salt and flour. Then beat in the sugar.
*Place the raspberry jam into a small microwave safe bowl. Microwave 30 seconds, stir, then microwave 30 more seconds until liquid.
*After the crust has baked for 20 minutes, remove from oven and pour ¾ of the raspberry jam onto the hot crust. Gently move it around so it covers the bottom of the crust.
*Pour the lemon mixture over the jam, then pour the remaining jam in swirls over the lemon mixture. The jam will mostly sink in, this is fine.
*Put into oven and Bake for 25 to 35 minutes. They’re done when the center is set and not runny.
*Cool completely before cutting.

36 comments:

  1. This is where I have been for several weeks now. I baked over the weekend & it was soooo nice! Bring on the cool weather & football! :)

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    Replies
    1. I agree, I'm much more willing to bake when it isn't so hot out.

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  2. I don't bake. I just simply don't have the want to do it. So this is another reason why I'm moving in with you......

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  3. OMG...I am coming over now...Dino would love to wrestle with yours and I'll buy all the ingredients and you can bake for me all day *wink*

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    Replies
    1. LOL, I'll leave the door open for ya, don't bother to knock!

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  4. I'm not much of a baker, but I'm totally with you on the writing, although mine aren't near college yet. While they are home during the summer, writing has become nearly impossible because the minute I sit down I am interrupted by someone who needs help, or wants food, or is fighting, etc. I won't say I'm ready for them to go back to school because I am really enjoying the more relaxed pace of summer, but I miss having adequate time to write.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes, I'm finding it really difficult to motivate myself. And once my older son leaves for college I'm not sure how I'll feel about writing. But I do know that my younger son and his friends will still want treats to eat, so I'll still be baking.

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  5. Awww...your family misses the love that you shower on them with your baking!! :)

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  6. It's ALWAYS time to bake around here! As soon as I'm done making something they suck it down quicker than a Hoover! SIGH.....
    HUGS for getting ready for college!!!!!


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    Replies
    1. I don't have as many kids as you but I seem to do a ton of baking. Can't even imagine what it's like in your house.

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  7. See what happens when you become so good at something everyone loves? They expect it. They want it. ALL THE TIME!

    LOL - maybe you should put them on a baking schedule!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Well, I can try. I'm not sure how well that'll go over, though.

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  8. I'm still holding out for a son to offer to help... The bars look great, by the way!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Believe me when I say that offering to help is just a sign of how desperate he was, not a true offer.

      Delete
  9. It is true. When my dad passed away and I was getting ready for my sons wedding, life was hectic. Blogging kept me sane.
    My dh is on vacation right now and has gone to visit his dad. He said to me "don't bake new creations and eat it all while I'm gone" LOL I thought I'd take a break while he was gone.
    What have I done? cook new recipes. ha but today my plan? Baking. Yep... can't seem to go without it for long.
    My dh said to me one night, "deep sigh...guess I'll have to go to the store for ice cream since someone around here has made any sweets" looking at me.
    ROTFL yes men will let you know.
    Have fun baking.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I always knew that baking was a way to show love, but I never realized that baking would show me love. It really is a refuge for me. Sounds like it's something you need too.

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  10. I wonder if that works for other things... Like, maybe, if I restrain myself for a while, my wife will suddenly protest one day, "Hey! My boobs aren't going to grope themselves, you know!"

    I don't think I have the kind of patience required to find out, though.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. LOL, good for your wife. Hey, if you need sweets, of any kind, you should just say so!

      Delete
  11. Gotta love your snarky sons. "These cookies aren't gonna bake themselves."
    Nope. They're not. Be sure to turn off the oven when you're finished baking, Kiddo!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. LOL, my kids would starve before they'd bake themselves. No, they'd harass me to death, but they wouldn't bake. I tried, believe me!

      Delete
  12. I would get so fat if I lived at your house with all these yummy baked goods. I know what you mean about your son stuffing his face with a bag of chocolate chips--only it's not my son who does it...it's me....shhh...don't judge--I'm menopausal.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ha ha ha. I would NEVER. Well, that's my story anyway, and I'm sticking to it.

      Delete
  13. College. Blerg. We are 5 years away from that and I'm already dreading it.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You're about to hit the High School years. One good thing about the college years is that it means you lived through the High School years. Wishing you luck.

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  14. This sounds like my house. I don't know what my guys would do if I didn't have something baked for them.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I think we've both done a pretty good job of spoiling our families. But I have admit I've enjoyed doing it.

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  15. Our youngest is just now heading to high school and I'm thinking I'd better learn how to bake and fast. He can't get enough to eat and neither can his friends. Lucky for me I have a go-to spot for great recipes!!

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    Replies
    1. Just heading to high school? I'd say bake or drink. Your choice. On second thought, maybe both.

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  16. First of all...your little illustration looks just like me when I bake...I'm so bad at it, it's not even funny!! But I agree with you...there are some signs that some baking is in order! Mine is when my teen says..mom I have nothing to take upstairs with me....how about we don't and we don't feed the ants with cake crumbs all over your room!!!! but I give in an come up with something all the time! it's a mom thing I guess..lol, hugs!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes, it really is a Mom thing. Going to the effort of creating something for you kids to enjoy is a way to show love. And I tell my kids that all the time.

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  17. Such a funny post! A few of those things have actually happened to me, and I thought I was the only one. I'm not much of a baker, but the raspberry-Lemon bars sound so good I have to try them. Thanks for the recipe. ~ Mary

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    Replies
    1. Mary, you don't know how happy it makes me to hear that these things don't just happen to me!

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  18. Oh how its feeling like fall today! Love that perplexed look on the faces of children lost in a kitchen. What do you mean its not already cooked?? Lol. My son hits me with that quite frequently. My husband too ...also my mom

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    Replies
    1. Sounds like you know what it's like to live in my house. Or maybe I know what it's like to live in yours.

      Delete

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