Acne Information

A Cookie Assembly Line: Efficient Cookie Baking for Busy Cooks


As a busy working mother, I'm short on time, especially during the holidays, but baking Christmas cookies is a family tradition I'm unwilling to give up. Over the years, I've come up with many ways to make the process of baking a large variety of cookies go much smoother and take less time out of my busy life. You may want to start by checking out my 6-day program for hassle-free Christmas cookie baking ( http://www.christmascookiesareforgiving.com/hassle-free.php ). In addition to the 6-step method, I've found an efficient way to prepare a large variety of cookie dough with minimum fuss by setting up a cookie assembly line. The best part about this process is that you can make 12 different batches of cookies and only have to wash the dishes once!

This process assumes that you have already chosen your recipes and gone grocery shopping. You will want to use your longest available expanse of countertop for this. My assembly line turns two corners as it winds around my small kitchen, but that is fine.

You may need to make some adjustments depending on your individual recipes, but for most recipes, you can set up your assembly line like so:

Flour Line:

-Large mixing bowl
-Measuring cups and spoons
-Fork for stirring
-Flour
-Baking powder and baking soda
-Salt
-Cocoa powder
-Spices
-Any other dry ingredients that are added to the flour in your recipes

Butter Line

-Another large mixing bowl (or the bowl from your stand mixer)
-A second set of measuring cups and spoons
-Electric mixer
-Wooden spoon
-Rubber spatula
-Butter, shortening, margarine and/or cream cheese
-Sugar (white and brown)
-Eggs
-Vanilla and other extracts
-Chunks such as raisins, nuts, chocolate chips
-Rolled oats
-Any other ingredients that are added to the butter and eggs in your recipes
-Plastic wrap
-Felt-tip marker

To avoid transferring flavors from one recipe to another, you will start with basic recipes that have no spices, chocolate, or other strongly flavored ingredients. Starting with your first recipe, go down the line measuring out the amount of flour, baking powder/soda and salt into one bowl. Then, combine the butter, sugar, eggs, vanilla in your larger bowl as directed. Gradually stir the flour mixture into the butter mixture. After that, stir in any chunks.

Next, scrape down the edges of the mixing bowl so that it's fairly clean, shape the dough into a ball, and wrap it in plastic wrap. Identify the recipe by writing its name on the plastic wrap with a felt-tip marker, and refrigerate it. If it is a slice-and-bake refrigerator cookie, form it into a log instead of a ball, according to the directions in your recipe. If you plan to bake much later, you can even freeze the dough. Most cookie doughs freeze very well. Defrost at room temperature while still wrapped in plastic wrap, and unwrap only when dough is thoroughly defrosted. Otherwise condensation could add too much moisture to your dough.

When your first batch of dough is prepared, wrapped, and stored in the refrigerator or freezer, return to the beginning of your assembly line, without washing your dishes, and begin preparing the next batch of dough. When you have prepared all the recipes that contain no spices or cocoa, move on to the recipes that contain cocoa, and finally those that contain spices. This way, you will only have to do dishes once at the end of the process, and you will have several different kinds of dough waiting to be baked.

When all your dough is prepared, then you can finally put away all your ingredients, clean up the kitchen, and do your dishes. Now if you plan to finish your baking today, you'll have lots of space for rolling out your dough or setting out your cooling racks. If you plan to bake another day, you're done!

Copyright 2004 Mimi Cummins. All Rights Reserved.

Mimi Cummins is co-author of the book "Christmas Cookies Are for Giving: Recipes, Stories, and Tips for Making Heartwarming Gifts." This book, "enthusiastically recommended" by Midwest Book Review, is full of baking tips and hints, including nearly 50 recipes each with a full-color photo. For more information visit http://www.christmascookiesareforgiving.com/ or order from your favorite online bookstore.

[Note to webmasters: you may include a link to the book using your affiliate program (Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or other) if you wish.]








MORE RESOURCES:

AFP

Condom lubricant popular acne cure for Cambodian women
AFP - 11 hours ago
PHNOM PENH (AFP) — A condom lubricant designed for sex workers and gay men has become a popular acne cure among female Cambodians, women in the capital and ...


Acnezine Reviews: Acnezine Addresses Acne Caused
Corsavoo.com, France - 3 hours ago
For those of you who are girls, acne takes on a special meaning once a month. It's not bad enough that you are bloated and cranky, you now need to dab ...


Best Syndication

Acne - 5 Proper Treatments from Medical Experts
Best Syndication, CA - 11 hours ago
Some people may disregard acne and think it as a painful passage of youth but what most people fail to consider is the fact that it is a serious skin ...


Pregnancy - Acne Treatment During Pregnancy
Corsavoo.com, France - 9 hours ago
Acne in pregnancy is very common, whether you have previously had acne or not. It is most common in the first three months while the levels of hormones are ...


'Free' acne product prompts rash of complaints
Vancouver Sun,  Canada - Aug 27, 2008
BC I Consumers say they are continuing to pay for their acne scar treatment even if they opt out of the program. The Better Business Bureau of Mainland BC ...


The psychosocial price of acne: $275
Globe and Mail, Canada - Aug 26, 2008
They surveyed 266 high-school students aged 14 to 18, all with at least some acne, as well as their parents. Questions included, "How much money would you ...


New Product Brings Benefits of Clinical Phototherapy Directly to ...
MarketWatch - Aug 25, 2008
based Oregon Aesthetic Technologies (OAT) today announced the availability of ANSR: Acne Care, a next-generation acne treatment featuring clinically proven ...


Treat Acne in Nature This Summer Without Cancer Fears
Corsavoo.com, France - Aug 27, 2008
While this is good news for seasonal beach bums, it's spectacular news for acne sufferers. For years, sunbathing has served as an anecdotal cure for acne. ...


Oneindia

Acne Drug 'May Cause More
Oneindia, India - Aug 26, 2008
By : ANI Roaccutane is used for the treatment of severe, persistent acne, but it has made headlines in recent years for its unproven links with depression ...


Natural acne treatment Is Simple As Well As Effective
Corsavoo.com, France - Aug 27, 2008
It is the liver that removes hormones from the body, and if it fails to do so, excessive oil that can cause acne spots to form builds up under the skin . ...
Causes of Acne - Top 10 Causes of Acne Corsavoo.com
all 2 news articles

Acne - Google News

Home | Site Map  Copy Right 2006 Mahavir.com
NISL | Herbal Acne Solutions | Promotion Factory | Web Design | Online University Degree | College & University | GtpInfo | VPayU