Governor's Cookie Jar: Bake and Take

Just how do you get at least nine different kinds of cookies baked, wrapped and at the peak of their tastiness to the fair by 9 a.m. on a Friday morning? That was my quest when I entered the Governor's Cookie Jar contest at the state fair. 


I had collected a variety of recipes. Some were treasured regulars I often bake for my family. Others were internet finds to round out my collection. 

To the stars through difficulty

No project this big is problem free. It just isn't. I hesitate to compare baking cookies with any great endeavor. Hillary Clinton, I know, is not impressed. Still, this was a big, almost overwhelming project from me. And then there were a few bumps along the way . . .

-Monday (Labor Day) I had intended to spend the day shopping for ingredients and perhaps getting a batch or two in the freezer. But my dad was in the middle of unloading and stacking hay. When we stopped by his house we realized that we were needed to help with the project. The day was better spent on the farm.
Not recommended: Making macaroons for the first time.

-Tuesday I planned to do the shopping immediately after school. But when I got to my car, I had left the lights on and the battery was dead. Good grief! I am embarrassed to admit to you that I did such a ditzy thing (and its not the first time, either). I paid for this mistake and so did Mike, with time. We also ended up doing a little car pushing down the road. An hour and a half latter I was on my way making a big loop first to Glenn's Bulk Buy in Pleasantview for my vanilla and then around to WalMart for chocolate chips (among other things at both places). I arrived home with my bags of supplies late, tired and slightly shell shocked from the amount of money I'd just spent. Fortunately, Dillons had recently had a great sale on butter and I had already stocked up. I made Orange Cranberry Cookies that night and wrapped and froze them. It was the first time I had tried the recipe and it was superb.

Hunka Chocolate, Sour Cream and Brown Sugar Roll-Outs

-Wednesday was a okay day. I had a guest for supper so I only baked one batch, an old favorite, Oatmeal Peanut Butter with Chocolate Chips. They went into the freezer, too.  I also made my roll out cookies and put them in the refrigerator.

Thursday was D-day. There was lots to do. The alarm was set for 5 a.m. and two batches were mixed before work. As soon as I got home, baking and more mixing began in earnest. Could I possibly get them all done? Feeling a bit frazzled and sluggish from a sugar crash,  I reached for my camera to record the happenings. Where was it? I was quite sure I had placed it on the desk in the kitchen so it would be handy. 
Nutella pinwheels, Oatmeal Peanut Butter, Oatmeal Gingersnaps and Maple Walnut Balls, which didn't go to the fair because they turned out flat. The macaroons are on the paper in back.

It wasn't there. It seemed it wasn't anywhere. Cookie production screeched to a halt. A blogger must have a camera. A search ensued. Mike, the better finder in the family methodically looked through the house. Nope, couldn't find it. Finally I drove over to our son's home and borrowed his. Precious time had been lost, but as I returned peace and serenity prevailed. By 11 p.m. I was pulling Raspberry Bars out of the oven.  Most of the cookies had been wrapped in plastic wrap and were ready to be packed. (The camera was found several days later when I pulled a three-ring binder cookbook off the shelf and it fell out.)
Raspberry Bars were a new recipe and very good.


Friday- All that remained was one last batch of cookies (Mom's Skillet Cookies), wrapping the bar cookies and packing the Governor's Cookie Jar. By awaking at 5 a.m. all that was accomplished and I was at work by 7:30 a.m. Mike would bring my cookie jar to the fair and check it in.  They all tasted great he assured me.

But what would the judges think?


Cookie Jar filled-check; Recipes printed-check; Box with samples for the judges packed-check. I guess we're ready for the fair.



Next: Fair Contest
Previously: Gonna Do It!
The Recipes

2 comments:

  1. Oh yummo Bev! What a glorious week you had - I so miss you. We must walk this fall this time and catch up!
    I bet your cookies were scrumpdilicious!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Ahhh! Don't leave us hanging! What did the judges think? :)

    ReplyDelete

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