If you get my Freebie Friday newsletter, you most likely read Midge’s question about baking (if you don’t get my newsletter be sure and subscribe via the sticky note in the upper right corner of the blog). Read below for my advice on some basic, baking tips. Molly

Dear Midge,

Surely if you can pull off creme brulee you can bake some tasty treats for the upcoming holiday season! To get started you need pans, different sized cake pans. Round pans are nice to have and square/rectangle as well. 8×8″ or 9×9″ are the most versatile but if you’re baking for a crowd (or big family) you would probably use a 9×13″ more often. A muffin pan is good to have around as well as a big mixing bowl! I tend to look around my local second hand stores for bakeware and kitchen gadgets. You’d be surprised at what you can find for a decent price!

You need measuring devices when you are baking, this is a MUST! Know the difference between a liquid measure and a dry ingredient measuring cup. If you don’t know terminology or what something is, Google can be your best friend. Stick with easy recipes when you first begin baking, this is not the time to try fancy recipes with fancy ingredients. Getting a few successes under your belt will give you the confidence to move forward in the future and broaden your baking creativity!

Start with things like cookies. Try out one or two Christmas cookie recipes now, find one you can make well and stick with that recipe during the holiday season. I’m sure your family won’t mind helping you eat a bunch of desserts as you experiment with recipes!

Cakes, crisps and crumbles are other fairly easy recipes. Search out a recipe, make sure it is marked as “easy” or “beginner” and that the ingredients are ordinary and can easily be found in your grocery store. If you aren’t familiar with an ingredient, it’s hard to work with it and have your recipe turn out!

The weather has gotten cooler now, it’s the perfect time to turn on the oven and start baking! A little “warmth” from the kitchen goes a long way. Happy baking!

Love ya, Molly