I'm No Martha Stewart or Ree Drummond but my Oven Might Disagree!

I'll remember the Christmas Season of 2012 as the year I took on the task of making homemade gifts of food for my husband to take to clients for Christmas.  In year's past, we've given away cookies from a Cookie Bakery in town to a number of his clients as a thank you/Christmas Gift, but this year we thought it might be fun to give them some homemade goodies.

Of course while the oven was working overtime, I figured it made sense to make cinnamon rolls and caramels for the school teachers in our lives as well as a few friends. P might have even figured that his office staff might enjoy some caramels too and since he was willing to make up all the waxed paper wrappings, I agreed.

If you are going to make things, you might as well make the hours you spend in kitchen worth the effort.  I even ventured into teaching a good friend how to make caramels and thankfully, we did not have a repeat of last year's disaster.  Guess one on one teaching works much better!

By the end of the first day of "Christmas Baking Extravaganza" when I'd spent nearly 10 hours stirring, mixing and taking cookies in and out of the oven, I handed the job over to Miss A for a bit.  She gladly stirred the caramels waiting for them to reach the magical 238 degree mark and declared "Baking is My Passion."  When I looked over at her smiling face, she admitted she had no idea "what a passion is, but it sure sounded right."

While it was a bit of investment in time to accomplish the baking and making of all the goodies, I guess it really was my gift to share!  It might not be my passion, but I enjoy spreading a little Christmas Cheer with others and my way of doing that this year was Cinnamon Rolls, Homemade Caramels, and Secret Family Recipe Chocolate Chip Cookies

Just to keep it honest, I do have to say that after about three days of baking I told my husband that I did not see me ever working in a professional bake shop. Standing on your feet for hours, burning your hand with hot caramels, and doing dishes constantly can be exhausting.  I think I'll leave that for the professionals and just take up baking as a seasonal gig!