Motivation to do: mmmm, baking

Well, I don't do much baking per se, because I'm not great at it. I do a lot of cooking, but the cakes and breads aren't my forte. Turns out Miss Dunnit is the baker in our family; I can't get the oven to behave in the same way that she can. However,Miss Dunnit has more of a life than me of course, and so there are times when I'm happy to bake. And no better a time than when there's a new Mason Cash mixing bowl to be christened (my secret Santa gift from our Kelly of The Coven) and a recipe from The Pioneer Woman cookbook (my Birthday bunny gift from our Laura of The Coven). So I made the chocolate sheet cake. It wasn't difficult, and the motivation to start my festive baking and cooking was simple; an invitation with the request to bring a chocolatey pud. Similar then, to my motivation for getting the wrapping done.


So now I'm in the groove a bit, today I even planned a couple of menus and checked stock for shopping purposes - gracious my beloved Mother's efficiency and role modelling may well be paying off! There has been a horrible lack of mince pies in this house considering the season, so I really need to correct that too, they're almost the way to Mr Dunnit's heart, so I never mind making them. I need a couple of puddings and some nibbles for a couple of occasions...Nigella will help me with those. And that will be me done with cooking. Just to make you less jealous of the sudden smugness that you may feel is appearing, there's a pile of laundry waiting to be ironed that frankly looks as if I haven't done any for about six months, and I still, STILL have a present to make. all in good time. Ahem!