Burnt Cinnamon

Big fat flakes of snow are falling. It has been raining all day, much to the dismay of Wall-E, the wonder dog. He is loathe to soil the floor. He approached the back door twice mid morning. I opened it and he took a look before retreating back inside. Same with Toni Louise and Cujo. Right around noon Cujo danced frantically and the three ventured out into the rain to take care of business. I won't share Oscar's solution with you ....... let's just say it involved a mop.

I spent yesterday shopping and running errands. I wanted to get it all done, knowing the nasty rain was coming. I came home to a geyser on site 7. Not really wanting a water feature there, I hurried to turn off the water to the park. Another pipe to bite the dust. I alerted He Who plumbs and then put a pizza in the oven.

Today was cookie making day. I did not expect to be interrupted, given the weather and was happy to putter around the kitchen. I found a recipe for cinnamon sugared pecans. This involved 3 hours in the crock pot and seemed like a good idea ......

It did say to stir every 20 minutes or so and I tried. I put them on and whipped up the first batch of dough that needed to chill. I stirred, then went on to the recipe for giant peanut butter cookies. This is when the phone rang the first time. I may have won a cruise. Then he first door opening for the canine contingent and then back to the mixing of the batter. Another phone call about accepting credit cards for the business involving a live person at the other end. I had turned on the oven to preheat and did not have my cookies on the sheet and the dogs were watching me intently from their position at the door. I admit I was not very patient with my furry kids when, once again, they declined to go out into the rain.

After quickly getting dough on the cookie sheet and placing them in the oven I remember to stir the pecans. The sugars are starting to liquefy and the mixture is harder to stir, but I get it all stirred up and get another sheet of cookie dough ready. I pull out the first batch, put in the next and the phone rang. My insurance agent with some questions about our new policy. It is time to remove the cookies from the first sheet and I try it one handed and two fall over the side and break. No problem, He Who adores peanut butter, will eat the broken ones. I start over to the crock pot to stir while still on the phone and get distracted as he is trying to explain the Obama care to me. I turn back and see that Toni Louise has pulled the chair from under the table and is enjoying the cooling cookies from the first batch and the oven timer is dinging.

Toni Louise just looked at me, totally unperturbed at the scolding she received. The other three dogs are now shunning her .... she shared nary a crumb. I salvaged one cookie she nibbled on. Her daddy will eat it. I did not cool any more cookies on the table. Took them into the store and cooled them on the table in there. It was a lot cooler in there anyway.

But, I totally forgot about the crock pot and the stirring ....... until I smelled it. I picked up the lid and the sugars were beyond liquid and now it was sort of smoking. I dumped them onto the parchment paper as directed. Apparently the stirring every 20 minutes is important, kind of like watching the coconut closely as it is toasting.  He Who tows was here long enough to taste some cookies and grab a sandwich. He said the pecans tasted okay. He also stoked and fed the wood stove to a balmy 80 degrees. Makes me question his judgement.