Fadedwords

How much do I charge someone who wants me to bake about 10 dozen buckeyes, 10 dozen cake balls, and 10 dozen sugar cookies with royal icing for their son’s wedding?

I’ve never baked for someone like that, and I’m unsure what would even be a fair price to give someone.

*edit*

In my research so far, I’ve found that most places charge about .50 cents each for buckeyes.  It’s about the same for cake balls.  Cookies go anywhere from .75 cents to $1.50.  That would put the cost $180-$210.  I’m not sure if I should factor in the time it will take to do all of this into the cost.  Hrm.

I got invited to dinner at my friends’ house last night and wanted to make something to bring with me.  I was searching for something Valentine-y and found Bakerella’s website.  Perhaps I should’ve been on to this wonderful blog prior to now considering my love of baking.  She has very creative and beautiful ideas.  I will say that my baked goods taste great, but I’ve never made anything as pretty as she has!  In any case I decided to try to make red velvet cake balls.

Red Velvet Cake Balls
1 box red velvet cake mix (cook as directed on box for 13 X 9 cake)
1 can cream cheese frosting (16 oz.)
1 package chocolate bark (regular or white chocolate)
wax paper

1. After cake is cooked and cooled completely, crumble into large bowl.  (pretend there is a picture of this!)

2. Mix thoroughly with 1 can cream cheese frosting. (I used my kitchenaid stand mixer for this, but you could use your fingers.  It’s very messy… this is the bowl after I’d made quite a few balls).

3. Roll mixture into quarter size balls and lay on cookie sheet. (Should make 45-50. You can get even more if you use a mini ice cream scooper, but I rolled mine by hand.)

4. Chill for several hours. (You can speed this up by putting in the freezer.)  **Truly adhere to this.  If they are not fully set they will fall apart in the chocolate.

5. Melt chocolate in microwave per directions on package.

6. Roll balls in chocolate and lay on wax paper until firm. (Use a spoon to dip and roll in chocolate and then tap off extra.)

I do not like the toothpick holes in mine, and will have to come up with a better dipping system next time, or turn them in to lollipops.

I also made buckeyes!

1lb peanut butter
1 and 1/2 pound confectioner sugar
1 and a 1/2 teaspoons of milk
2 sticks butter (Softened)
1 bag chocolate chips
1 tablespoon shortening

1. Cream together peanut butter and butter until smooth.
2. Add milk and confectioner sugar.  Mix until fully combined.  (consistency should be like play dough)
3. Roll into balls (whatever size you like), and insert toothpicks.
4. Melt chocolate and shortening together either in a double boiler or in the microwave.
5.  Dip balls in chocolate, leaving about 1/3 uncovered.
6. Let set in refrigerator.

It took me 3 different recipes to find one that actually came out right with these.  Everyone who has had them has loved them.  I’ve even been hired to make them for a friend’s son’s wedding!

It was a busy weekend for me, as most have been for the last two months it seems.  Not having school the 21st or 22nd made it necessary for me to do all of my holiday baking this weekend to get it done and out of the way prior to vacation.  The list of things baked goes like this:

• 8 dozen chocolate chip cookies
• 7 dozen sugar cookies
• 5 dozen molasses cookies, with homemade frosting
• 5 dozen bangin’ bars
• two trays of peppermint bark
• 5 dozen buckeyes

I also finished up two Christmas projects that I’ve been working on for several months.  It had me up pretty late both nights finishing this or that.  Gift boxes were delivered this morning to coworkers, and so far have been received very well.  As much as the process of baking all that is tedious, it does make me happy to be able to give something nice to my coworkers.  I don’t give to all the staff, as it would require me to double the baking.  I give to my principal, AP, the office staff, our custodians, and the people who sit on my committee.  I also give to my group of friends here.  All total it equals 16 little Chinese takeout boxes, three tall boxes, and two large boxes.  I go through tons and tons of little gift bags.  I also make my gift basket for S and D out of this, and the sugar cookies that I give to Bethany (and Rob).

I’m glad to have it all done.

I have a hilarious video of Merlin helping me bake that I meant to put up so I could have Merlin Monday, but I fell asleep instead.  Perhaps we’ll have a Merlin Tuesday.  Tonight is the annual death-defying Christmas shopping with Bethany, so we’ll see if I make it through unscathed.  I have only a few things left to get and then I will be set.

So ready for vacation.

A couple weeks ago my friend Drew mentioned that he was going to make magic cookie bars.  Apparently these were a big thing in the cafeteria at NU when we were there, but I never had them.  This is probably because they were made with coconut there.  Drew’s recipe omitted the coconut, so I decided to give them a try.  I must admit that they came out very good.  They’re rich though.

2 sleeves of graham crackers
1 1/2 sticks of butter (yeah, I know)
2 packages of either chocolate chips, peanut butter chips, or butterscotch chips (mix it up.  I used a bag of chocolate and peanut butter mixed and a bag of butterscotch)
1 12oz can of sweetened condensed milk
about 1/2-3/4 bag of mini marshmallows

Process:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Toss your graham crackers in a large freezer bag and roll over them until crumbled into fine bits – almost to the point they are a powder.  Melt your butter in the microwave, and stir into the graham crackers until well coated.  Press the mixture into the bottom of an ungreased 9×13 pan, and toss into the oven for 5 mins.  **I lined the pan with whole graham crackers and drizzled the butter over these, and then baked for five minutes.  It came out just as good, and it was easier to cut the cookie bars after.

After 5 minutes, pull crust from oven and sprinkle on your chips.  Make sure the entire crust is covered!  Drizzle your can of condensed milk over the chips, and then cover completely with mini marshmallows.  Toss everything back into the oven for about 20 minutes.  You’ll know it’s done when the marshmallows are starting to turn brown on the top.

Let this cool down a bit before you move it to the fridge, and let it solidify.  Cutting before it is completely cooled will turn it into a huge mess, so wait until it is cooled.  Cut into squares / small bars, and serve!  According to Drew this is good with ice cream.

Again, this is a very rich dessert.  But it’s very tasty.

    I took this recipe from The Lady and Sons Savannah Country Cookbook. I ate this at Paula’s restaurant while I was in Savannah, and immediately knew that I had to get the recipe. I lucked out when I bought one of her signed books, as it had this recipe. It’s quite cheesy and quite tasty.

• 4 cups cooked elbow macaroni, drained (approximately 2 cups uncooked)
• 2 cups grated cheddar cheese (I just put in a whole bag of pre shredded)
• 3 eggs, beaten
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter, cut into pieces
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. After macaroni has been boiled and drained, add cheddar cheese while macaroni is still hot. Combine remaining ingredients and add to macaroni mixture. Pour into casserole dish and bake for 30-45 minutes. Top with additional cheese if desired.

*serves 6-8