Merry Christmas from The Bakery Box!

How was everyone's Holiday?!!! I have been in Utah the last few days enjoying some down time. Sometimes being on vacation really makes you realize how crazy real life is. I have had so much fun cuddling my boys and playing with them. I am really going to have to focus on this more in real life. What have you enjoyed doing? Our boys came down with strep throat and we had to pay a butt load, yes, a BUTT load for them to go to InstaCare here out-of-network. Now three days later, the baby, little Luke has a fever--ggrreeaatt!! More money down the tubes!! Perfect time of the year for that!! What did you get for Christmas? I got a CAMERA!! A really nice new camera to take pictures for my blog...oh yeah...baby! So exciting and unexpected since my husband is rather, er...thrifty. Well, we get back tomorrow and and we dive right back into real life. I am helping a friend out with her wedding, making 150 sugar cookies, cheesecakes, chocolate covered caramels, lemon tarts, etc. Should be an adventure...stay tuned!!!

Are You Out There? And...The first Bakery Box Give-Away!

Hello friends and family and The Bakery Box fans! Please follow me. In the left column of this page, click on follow, share your email address, and follow me. For those of you who are not familiar with blogs, this doesn't mean you are giving your info to the whole world or committing to anything. You will just be helping me fulfill a personal goal of getting 200 followers in six months. This doesn't help me in any monetary fashion, just helps me know you support me. In fact, ATTENTION PLEASE!!!

For those of you locally, if you are not a follower, follow me and get two friends to follow me and you get a dozen free cupcakes-your choice- anytime!!! Just leave me a comment letting me know who you got to follow me and I will choose a winner from a hat! (High tech, I know! :) )

Thanks everyone! As always, I appreciate the support!
I will draw a winner Friday!

Bake Till You Drop!!! And...Licorice Caramels

Yesterday I posted about being SUPER busy...well, here is why...Ben's Preschool had a little fair and I, being the crazy, over-achiever I am volunteered to do a Bake Sale Table. Such a great idea and I was grateful for the affordable marketing opportunity. However, in order to make sure everything was super fresh I had to make it all the day before. This resulted in pure insanity and no sleep! I was a crazy person the next day, but, looking back, it was so fun.

Sometimes when you are home all day with the kiddos, you forget that there is a big, wide world out! It was so great to meet other ladies with their little businesses...immediate bonding! And to each of you ladies out there...good luck...I wish you the best! For this little event I baked chocolate peppermint cupcakes and white chocolate vanilla cupcakes...YUM! And they turned out so festive! I will be posting these bad boys in the following weeks to come. I also attempted caramels for the first time. I made black and red licorice caramels that were a hit. Candy is so time consuming to make...seriously! I also sold chocolate chip cookies and sugar cookies and my homemade rolls. I did not become a millionaire ... I barely covered my table and supplies... but I am hopeful that I made some good contacts. RIGHT?!!! Here are some picture of The Baking Box 's first "BIG" event. (I use the term "big" loosely as there were only four tables :) )

I have some friends begging for me to post my black licorice caramels. Dang it! I didn't take a picture. So... I will post the recipe now and add a photo in later! Happy caramel making!!!

Licorice Caramels

1 14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk

1 1/2 cup corn syrup

1 cup butter

2 cup sugar

1/4 tsp. salt

2 tsp. anise oil/extract

1 tsp. black paste food color

Butter a 9 X 13 pan liberally, set aside. In a heavy saucepan, combine condensed milk, corn syrup, butter, sugar, and salt. Place over medium heat and stir with a wooden spoon until well mixed. If sugar crystals are present, wash down sides of pan with wet pastry brush.

Clip on candy thermometer. Cook, stirring constantly, to 244 F (120 C) or firm-ball stage (for harder candy cook to 245 to 250 degrees). I stirred mine on my gas stove set at number 6 for about an hour...pull up a chair and make yourself comfortable...if you stop for too long, it burns. Once it hits the temperature you want quickly add flavoring and color and blend well. Without scraping, pour into prepared pan. Allow to stand at room temperature overnight. Cut into 1 inch squares. Wrap in waxed paper of plastic wrap. Makes approx. 160 pieces.

Variation: Red Licorice Caramels- Use 2 tsp. cherry oil /extract and 1 tsp. red paste food color.

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Holy Cow! Did anyone else out there have a day like mine? I spent the morning having 8 children here to play, helped them make pizza and roll-out cookies, made three dozen rolls, delivered rolls to three people, made cupcakes, cookies, went to Costco, Walmart, Sunflower Market, bathed three little boys, brined a turkey, cleaned the whole house from top to bottom, and still have things on my to-do list that I haven't crossed off yet...but WHO cares???!!! Tomorrow is another day and I am SO grateful to be spending it with family! What will you be doing? Will you hit up Black Friday? Ohhh...you will be seeing me racing for the $25 Leaspster!! Good Luck, eat lots, and more this weekend!