Sometimes the hardest thing about baking is getting everything out and ready to start. One of the ways I solve this is by having a child assemble the ingredients!

If I am busy with another task, I will have one of the girls read the recipe and get out everything I need to make it and line it up on the counter. Today Kadia really wanted me to make fudge, I was helping Cale so I told her to get out everything I needed and I would make it.

When I came in she had everything assembled and making it was a breeze! Megan even put everything away as I was through with it.

So if you have children who enjoy home-made treats, let them dig throught the cupboards for the ingredients. They won't mind and will enjoy helping you.

-- Melissa (cmnorris@1st.net), October 20, 2001

Answers

We did that for cookies last night. Tom and the older boys went to youth group, so the rest of us made our own treat. They got out all the stuff, helped mix it together, put in on the pans, and then cleaned up! I did the baking and helped the smallest ones put the cookies on the pans.

Here's a tip from a friend: Make a double batch of chocolate chip cookies (or other favourite drop cookie) and put the dough in the fridge. After putting supper on the table, and while the oven is still on, put in a pan or two of cookies for dessert. This is good only for those who are not tempted by raw cookie dough;o)

-- Cathy N. (keeper8@attcanada.ca), October 20, 2001.

when I bake I bake two or three of everything. Tonight I made chicken pot pie and I have 2 in the freezer for later. Cookies,cakes, anything. I put what we won't eat at that meal in the freezer.It is so much easier to do when your doing it any way.Sometimes I don't even bake all the cookies. I'll put the dough in some container and when I need it ,out it pops and into the oven.

-- Micheale from SE Kansas (mbfrye@totelcsi.net), October 20, 2001.

I get all my ingredients out and put them on the left side of my mixing bowl. As I add the ingredients, I put them away. That way I not only have everything put away when I finish but I also know when I have added something and never worry about "did I put in baking soda or was that baking powder?"

Also with the cookie dough; I prefer warm cookies, so when I make up the dough, I'll bake a sheet or two then drop the rest of the cookie dough onto baking sheets and freeze. Once frozen, I'll store them in a plastic bag in the freezer. Then I can take out only what I want to cook at a time. Always have fresh, warm cookies.

Wishing you enough.

-- Trevilians (aka Dianne in Mass) (Trevilians@mediaone.net), October 20, 2001.

Great topic! Since all of you are wise to the freezer advice, I thought I'd add my baking/gift giving tip: My sister didn't inherit the "homey" talent. She's the business career gal in the family, so anytime she receives something homemade, she's thrilled. When I make a batch of cookies, I shape some dough into a log and freeze it for my sister. Each one is labeled and I write directions on a card for her. Each log is only about 1 or 2 cookie sheets, so that's all she needs to wash when she's done and she doesn't have to lie when someone asks if she baked it herself.

-- Charleen in WNY (harperhill@eznet.net), October 21, 2001.