Baking Overload

Why bake one batch of something when you can do two?  or four?  My mother probably taught me that.

Zucchini bread, Pumpkin Bread and Blueberry Cake

As luck would have it, tomorrow is both my turn at Breakfast Club and an ice cream holiday at work.  Breakfast Club means I'm baking breakfast stuff.  An ice cream holiday means I'm making ice cream base to churn at work in my old 4-quart White Mountain ice cream maker.  Its a tradition I started in 2004 or 2005:  I bring in the maker and custard base, everyone else brings makings for sundaes.  We churn at noon and have sundaes at 2:30.  We do this the Friday before Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day and possibly Columbus Day.  Not a bad way to kick off a long weekend.

On top of Breakfast Club and ice cream, I found a recipe for pumpkin butterscotch cookies I've been dying to try.  What's one more recipe?  I spent this evening making zucchini bread, pumpkin bread, pumpkin butterscotch cookies, blueberry cake and ice cream base.  There will be lots of happy people tomorrow!

For me, baking is synonymous with disaster area.  The kitchen is cluttered with piles of measuring cups and bowls, dirty pans and cookie sheets.  All of it dusted with flour and bits of cinnamon or nutmeg.  When I'm cooking this many things, they're all in different stages, so I'll be mixing batter at the same time I'm baking or having items cool.  I usually run out of counter space halfway through the evening.

 

But what a haul!  Zucchini bread that squirrels would die for (or at least chew through window screens to get at).  Nutty pumpkin bread.  Golden brown blueberry cake with Newbury blueberries - I can't wait to have a slice.  Lastly, the pumpkin cookies -  the brand new recipe.  They're a bit odd looking.  Not quite as pretty as the photo on the recipe.  It's a cake cookie, so it's light and sweet.  But I like the flavor.  I think they're a keeper.