How I was Volunteered through Compliments to Donate Fresh Baked Cookies

I’d rather be baking right now. Hmm, that would make the perfect bumper sticker for me. I have a coffee cake “started” and waiting for me in my kitchen, but I don’t have enough time to mix it up and bake it before picking my son up from school. So, the dry ingredients and the dry filling sit in bowls while the butter softens in the mixer awaiting my arrival back from the school in an hour.

Aaahhhhh baking. If you haven’t read my post “The Story Behind DDD” that I posted in October 2011, now might be a good time to read about my therapeutic passion for baking. I was at a Parent Advisory meeting yesterday morning at The Parenting Place, one of my favorite places and one of my favorite meetings. I have taken many things away from The Parenting Place over the years; friends, support, toys (from the lending library), a college student who began as a babysitter and grew into family and an hour or so of sanity for several years while my kids were very young during their wonderfully run Friday playgroup just to name a few. The Parenting Place is one of the wonderful resources my community offers that if I were to come into a lot of money I would write a big check with a smile on my face and a thank you on the memo line.

We were discussing their big semi-formal fundraiser that coincides with Child Abuse Prevention Month, the Blue Ribbon Ball (April 21 – mark your calendars now!). My husband and I reluctantly (me, more than him) decided not to attend last year in part because of the $50/person ticket price. I had already decided that this year I would be RSVPing with a resounding yes! The topic of silent auction items came up and Fran (love Fran!) looked directly at me when she asked us all to think about any talents we could donate to the silent auction. “Fran, why are you looking right at me?” “Your baking.”

I never before knew the answer to the question What talent would you perform in a talent show or the Miss America pageant? Oh, Fran! Baking! I have a talent, and what makes it more flattering is that someone other than myself has named my talent.

 

So that is the story behind the tray of cookies you will find at The Parenting Place’s Blue Ribbon Ball silent auction, and why I will be stalking it in a spy-like manner. The highest bidder will win two-dozen cookies baked by me to be delivered within La Crosse city limits every other month for one year. In the end I will have shared my six favorites cookie recipes, one of which is bound to be my new favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe.