4th Annual Ladies Baking Day with a wee bit of wine

Watch out "Best of Bridge" Ladies, make room on the shelf for the "Best of Wine" Ladies.  Or more appropriate "Best of Friends" or "Best of Memories".  I can say quite honestly it wasn't our baking that brought us together.  It was our children and love of our neighbourhood.  As our children grew up our expertise lay in rice krispie squares and gourmet Kraft Dinner (extra cheese slices).  No matter what we made our kitchens were always filled with our families.  Friday night pizza nights with kids asleep on the floor, our favourite wine was Capistro $7 a bottle.  The kids are all grown now, some married, some with children of their own (yes I have friends who are Granmas), we drink better wine and we still enjoy the laughter than resonates around our kitchens.  Our baking and cooking has improved, thanks to all the wonderful flavours available through our multicultural country.  

Christmas brings out so many different memories in all of us and probably one of the few times during the year that we all feel we should and want to bake, so what better way to start the festive season then baking with your best friends.  

 I am always amazed as everyone arrives, there are bags, boxes, containers, bottle bins of sugar, butter, flour, eggs and lots of chocolate.  And yes a few LCBO bags.

 The kitchen warms up and the champagne is popped.  As you can see my kitchen isn't huge and with 6 women and the oven on, we all take turns opening the patio door.  It must be the heat from the oven making us all so hot, nothing to do with the Hot Flashes :)

The saying "Too many cooks spoil the broth", doesn't work in our baking kitchen.  Yum, another batch of cookies is coming out of the oven.

 Bags of chocolate were melted.  Millionaire Bars, Sweet Marie Bars, Gingerbread cookies, Almond and Cinnamon shortbread were shaping up nicely.

 There was actually time to rest our feet and top up our wine glasses.

 Lindsey trying out the kitchen-aid for her butter cream icing.  Pass me the spoon.   There was a wee bit of whining as Dale and I had made our items ahead of time, but as the hostess I felt it was important that I was available to support everyone.  Next year I am thinking bake 1 item at home and bake 1 item here.

 Good job it is a big window ledge.  

Baking is all done, and divided into tins - now we just need someone to help us eat it all.

Ollie popped up to see what all the fuss was about.  No tuna bites.

The hubbies join us for dinner.  Chef Michael Smith's Lasagna  delish and easy.  Thanks to all the ladies for their contributions to the meal and dessert was our baked goodies.  

Lindsey provided us with a bag of peppermint popcorn which we used to start a sing song.  As it was passed around the table you had to sing a Christmas Song.  We had so much fun we did it twice, 24 songs.  Thankfully everyone likes to join in so you were never singing alone and we weren't too worried about harmonizing.  

Thanks to good friends, good memories and a quiet Saturday.  :)  

Love you Ladies and your wonderful husbands.

Wishing you always walls for the wind,
A roof for the rain,
Tea beside the fire,
And the love and laughter of those you hold dear.  (old Celtic Toast)

Almond Cinnamon Shortbread

Lemon Bars

Millionaire Bars

Mint Chocolate Fudge

Skor Squares

Peanut Butter Squares

Gingerbread cookies with Dark Chocolate

Sweet Marie Bars

Cheese Dreams