the best laid plans...

So, I had everything planned out perfectly:
Fri. Dec. 20: my last day of work before the Christmas holidays (and a two-week vacation!)
Sat. Dec. 21 & Sun. Dec. 22: Paul and I finish our Christmas shopping
Mon. Dec. 23: bake cookies for my entry in the kitchen frolic Cookie Advent Calendar
Tues. Dec. 24: spend Christmas Eve at home with my family
Wed. Dec. 25: spend Christmas Day with Paul's family

What actually happened? Our house lost power around 12:30 am Sunday (Dec. 22) morning and didn't get any power (or heat) back until early Dec. 24, nearly 56 hours later. Needless to say, almost all the food in the fridge/freezer was lost, although we did manage to give some away to those family who still had power  and we spent most of our nights staying with generous and hospitable family members. It's actually kind of scary to be sitting in a dark house, on a dark street, without power or heat and absolutely no way of communicating to the outside world (no phone lines or cell phone service!). It was eerie to say the least.

I also had to give Paul his Christmas gift early because it was being stored in the fridge! It was a monthly subscription to the Carnivore Club (more on that in a future blog post!)

Paul and I barely finished our Christmas shopping (we managed to do so by Christmas Eve) and I didn't get to do any Christmas baking at all. So, the Cookie Advent Calendar is missing Day 24, but I'm hoping to fix that sometime before I go back to work on January 6.

The ice storm and freezing weather that caused the huge power loss across southern Ontario (and parts of the northeastern US) created some beautiful photos, but seriously, you can only look at so many pictures of frozen trees before you think about the damage and inconvenience it caused, including some tragic deaths.

I'm very grateful to my family for being so generous, opening their houses to us and forgiving our hastily wrapped gifts (and my lack of baked goods this year). It's times like these that remind everyone what is really important about the holiday season - family and friends.

I didn't get much of a chance to take a lot of photos (trying to figure out how to save Christmas and stay warm is a really annoying distraction!), but here's just some of the beauty, aka destruction, in my neighbourhood.

No matter how you spent this past holiday season, I hope that it was filled with family, friends and an abundance of warmth and food!

Paul and I are heading out of town to spend New Year's Day at the Winter Classic (it's like I can't get enough of being cold or something!) so I also want to take this opportunity to with everyone a very safe and memorable New Year's Eve and Day! Here's to 2014! I can't wait to share it with all of you!

cookie calendar - day 23: rhubarb and ginger linzer cookies

Note: Sorry for the delayed posting again! Things at kitchen frolic are going to be a little off as Toronto is still dealing with the aftermath of a really bad ice storm. There are still over 210,000 people without power (us being one of them). We haven't had heat or power for almost 45 hours as I write this (and for half of that time, no cell phone service or internet access either). 

This is how much I like Stuart (aka CakeyBoi): If I ever had the opportunity, I would move to Scotland just so that we could be neighbours. Or I could figure out a way to get him to move to Toronto. Either way, the result would be that I could then partake in all his amazing baked goods. And I mean ALL OF THEM (Stuart bakes a lot)...actually, on second thought...maybe it's better there's an ocean between us - my daily caloric-intake would probably triple if we were residing in the same city.

Besides our shared love of his baked goods (LOL), Stuart makes be laugh with his funny cartoons and was the one who introduced me to the awesome Mackays marmalades, jams and curds product lines. We also have a weird need to share our McFlurry discoveries with each other.

But seriously, Stuart is an awesome blogger, baker and friend, and I hope one day, we can meet in real life, if only even just for a short visit (and a trip to McDonald's for McFlurries!).

p.s. A huge Thank You to Stuart for introducing me to some of the amazing bakers who took part in this year's Cookie Advent Calendar. I was short a few Guest Posters and Stuart was able to recommend several who were very enthusiastic about joining in and so through him, I've been able to connect with even more amazing "across the pond" bloggers/bakers.

cookie calendar - day 22: nonna's almond cookies

Note: Sorry for the delayed posting! Things at kitchen frolic are going to be a little off as Toronto is dealing with a really bad ice storm. There are over 300,000 people without power (us being one of them). We haven't had heat or power for almost 24 hours as I write this (and for half of that time, no cell phone service or internet access either). So please bear with me as the Cookie Advent Calendar may be a little behind schedule!

One of the things I love most about social media is that sometimes the most random interactions can lead to a real conversations that can are more than just passing. In the past (almost) two years that I've been blogging, I've met so many really friendly and interesting people and it's been so amazing being able to watch as some of them celebrated milestones and launched projects.

One of these was Jerry of Zeppoli's. We originally connected over Twitter. I remember exactly how we met - I was waiting for the bus and was browsing Twitter on my phone - I randomly entered a Twitter contest that Zeppoli's was running and I won. The emails and tweets exchanged after that contest have continued for over a year as I watched Jerry turn his dream of an Italian comfort-food catering company  in Niagara Falls (and one-day brick&mortar restaurant) into a reality.

This is Jerry's second year with the Cookie Advent Calendar, and he almost wasn't able to join in because this year he was WAS busier with catering orders than last year - and I hope that next year he's even more busy (perhaps because he'll be running a restaurant as well?)

Also, because of scheduling demands, Amanda and Jerry's crescent cookies are back-to-back - it wasn't planned, but that's the thing with Advent Calendars - you never know what's going to be behind that window!

You can connect with Zeppoli's by visiting:
Website: www.zeppolis.ca
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Zeppolis
Twitter: @zeppolis

cookie calendar - day 21: almond crescent cookies

Amanda is awesome. I can't remember how we first connected, but we did and she is like a burst of energy whenever we're talking online. She has a lot of varied interests and her blog is always lots of fun, offering some great ideas and inspiration on food, beauty and fashion!

This is also Amanda's second year taking part in the Cookie Advent Calendar! Last year she introduced us to spiced butter shortbread bites and I'm happy to have her back with us again.

You can connect with Amanda by visiting:
Website: www.heartlessgirl.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/heartlessgirlblog
Twitter: @hrtlesgirl

cookie calendar - day 20: minty dark chocolate crinkle cookies

As you'll read in her introduction, Steph and I have bonded through our shared names, love of food, and many eerie similarities that we are still discovering every time we chat.

This is Steph's second time taking part in my Cookie Advent Calendar and I'm so glad she was able to make it! I'm not a super-huge fan of chocolate and mint but Paul is so I'm definitely going to be whipping up a batch of these crinkle cookies soon!

cookie calendar - day 19: deviant rosemary cornmeal cookies with raspberry jelly

I am so excited to be able to include Beth in this year's Cookie Advent Calendar! Not only is Beth the Senior Test Kitchen Manager at Wilton (whose decorating tools, especially the frosting tips, I swear by!), but she is also a past winner of Food Network's Cupcake Wars!

We only recently "met" on Twitter, but she's definitely (for obvious reasons) someone I hope to learn a lot of baking tips from to help me on my way to becoming a better baker!

cookie calendar - day 18: chocolate, orange and cranberry cookies

Another brilliant blogger suggestion by Stuart (@MrCakeyBoi), Ros is an extremely talented baker who was so enthusiastic about being invited to take part in the Cookie Advent Calendar that I'm disappointed I haven't discovered her blog sooner!

One of the fun things about Ros is that she's always up for a baking challenge - check out her blog to see her results. It takes a certain amount of creativity to constantly come up with answers to these challenges, and Ros never seems to run out of ideas.

cookie calendar - day 17: oolong tea cookies

Linda is another blogger friend with an exceptionally beautiful blog. If you've never visited her at The Urban Mrs, you definitely need to get over there as soon as posslble!

This is also Linda's second year taking part in the Cookie Advent Calendar (you can check out her delicious Cranberry Lime Shortbread Cookies here).

I was really excited when Linda submitted this recipe. I'm a huge tea fan and have been trying to incorporate it more into my baking and cooking (ie. Earl Grey cupcakes, green tea ice cream) but I've never used Oolong tea as an ingredient, so I'm definitely going to be trying this recipe!

Besides her blog, you can also connect with Linda by visiting:
Facebook: The Urban Mrs
Twitter: @TheUrbanMrs

cookie calendar - day 16: whipped shortbread

When I was first introduced to Elizabeth, I was a little nervous about asking her to take part in my Cookie Advent Calendar. Not because she's not amazingly friendly (she is) but because her blog is BEAUTIFUL. Like, professional and stunning and everything I aspire for kitchen frolic to be. I'm always nervous about asking these great bloggers to guest post on my little blog.

But, I had nothing to worry about. Elizabeth is, besides being super-talented, also amazingly sweet and friendly. Having grown up in Eastern Canada, she now lives over in Britain. I not only love her recipe for whipped shortbread, but also the story behind it.

cookie calendar - day 15: brown sugar shortbread

Laura's adorable blog, I'd Much Rather Bake Than, is full of fun, beautiful baking ideas and everyone know how much I love to bake! LOL.

Seriously though, I love her recipe for brown sugar shortbread. I love the taste brown sugar adds to any baked good, but have never tried putting it into shortbread, so I can't wait to give this recipe a go!

cookie calendar - day 14: snickerdoodles

Another recommendation by Stuart (@cakeyboi), Lisa's blog has the most fabulous name and I fell in love with it the moment I started reading her posts. She also has a mini UK bakery tour list that I'm definitely going to be using the next time I'm lucky enough to travel across the pond (our trip to London seems like a lifetime ago!)

You can connect with Lisa by visiting:

Blog: United Cakedom www.unitedcakedom.com  

Twitter: @unitedcakedom

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/UnitedCakedom

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/unitedcakedom/

cookie calendar - day 13: shortie bars

I love Shannon...and not just because she creates lovely caramel creations for a living.  :)  She's friendly, supportive and lots of fun - a great combination. This is also Shannon's second year taking part in the Cookie Advent Calendar. You can check out her recipe from last year's calendar here.

If you haven't had a chance to try her amazing sweets at events around Toronto, you can order from Shannon directly at All Mine Caramel.

You can also connect with Shannon on Twitter at @allminecaramel

cookie calendar - day 12: oatmeal raisin cookies

I first noticed Lesley and the lovemuffin bakery on Twitter because of their gluten-free baked goodies. I have several friends who must eat gluten-free, so I'm always on the lookout for sweet treats to get them. Not only does the lovemuffin bakery offer gluten-free, but they also have vegan baked goods as well.

Lesley, the friendly owner of the lovemuffin bakery, was nice enough to share with me (and the Cookie Advent Calendar), her recipe for oatmeal raisin cookies.

Confession time: Growing up, I believed oatmeal raisin cookies were "healthy" cookies (because of the oatmeal and raisins) and thought that meant I could eat lots of them without feeling guilty!  :) Even though I'm an adult now and know better, I still feel like I can eat more than my usual share of oatmeal raisin cookies without any guilt.

Now, for some great news - Lesley has offered readers of kitchen frolic a sweet gift to go with her recipe! For the month of January, use the code FROLIC and get 10% off your first order from the lovemuffin bakery!

You can connect with Lesley by visiting:
Website: http://www.thelovemuffinbakery.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thelovemuffinbakery
Twitter: @lovemuffin_bake

cookie calendar - day 11: porlos testa

Some of my favourite Cookie Advent Calendar guest posts have a great story behind them - like this one from Peter in Chicago. His blog, which has the great name "The Roaming GastroGnome", embodies everything that I love - travel, food and family.

This recipe is a family tradition, but a dish that I've never heard of before, so I'm excited to try baking these myself!

You can connect with Peter by visiting:
Website: http://theroaminggastrognome.com/
Twitter: @PeterAndros1

cookie calendar - day 10: coconut lime shortbread cookies

Christine and I have been online friends since we were both chosen as Canadian Beef Ambassadors over a year ago. She lives up on Manitoulin Island with her beef-farmer husband and their adorable little girl. I've promised to make it to Manitoulin Island for a visit someday soon, but in the meantime, we connect on Twitter and our blogs all the time and I can honestly say, Christine is one of the most genuine, kind and generous souls you could ever hope to meet!

This is also Christine's second time taking part in the Cookie Advent Calendar! You can check out her last year's recipe, Gluten-Free Gingerbread Cookies here.

You can connect with Christine by visiting:
Website: www.lifeonmanitoulin.com
Twitter: @chancesmommy

 

cookie calendar - day 9: gluten-free shortbread bars

I met Christina while we were both working at the same corporation several years ago. We've both since moved on to other jobs, but we have stayed friends ever since, for better or worse. We both share the same sarcastic humour, love of delicious baked goods and the bad habit of encouraging each other to do "out of our comfort zone" things.

Seriously, we really shouldn't be allowed to be in the same room. For example, when we worked together at the same company, we were constantly encouraging each other to escape (Christina kept telling me I should start my own PR company and I kept pushing the idea that Christina should quit and start a bakery!). Final result: we quit within a week of each other. I went to work for a charity and Christina went freelance. Yeah, we're bad influences on each other.  ;)

This is the second year that Christina and her sister Loredana have taken part in my Cookie Advent Calendar and I hope they never stop! Their gluten-free recipes are always a big hit, and as someone who's tasted a lot of their baking first-hand, I can confidently say that they make some of my favourite gluten-free treats!

cookie calendar - day 8: chocolate macarons

I originally found Sylvia's blog, A Baked Creation, while I was doing research ahead of attempting to make macarons myself. As regular readers of kitchen frolic can probably tell you - I'm a little obsessed with macarons.

You can imagine how excited I was when Sylvia, one of my four "macaron goddess mentors" (see my macaron blog post here about my attempts and how these lovely ladies saved me), agreed to do a guest post for the Cookie Advent Calendar. I must admit I kept my fingers crossed and was ecstatic when Sylvia sent me a macaron recipe for the Calendar! (I know there's a debate whether macarons are cookies or not, but I don't care. It's my calendar so they count!)

cookie calendar - day 7: chocolate-ginger crinkle cookies

I'm so excited to introduce Natasha. She's one of the first Cookie Advent Calendar participants who I met on Twitter through conversations not related to food!!! Haha. Ok, she's still a great baker, but we initially met while chatting in a home renovation Twitter chat.

As some of you who have been following kitchen frolic know, Paul and I bought a house over the summer and have slowly, but surely, been tackling all the lovely things that come with first-home-ownership, including making the house "ours".

Natasha and her husband are building their own dream house from the ground up and some of her blog posts have been completely inspiring for me.

I'm so happy that Natasha agreed to share a recipe (her first time as a guest blogger!), plus her adorable photos of her and her son baking together is pretty much what holiday baking is all about!

Besides her lovely blog, you can also follow Natasha on Twitter!

cookie calendar - day 6: corn cookies

I can honestly say that Ange has been a friend to kitchen frolic since the very beginning of my little blog. I think she was one of my first Twitter followers! LOL. So I'm very happy that she was able to join me for the second year (that's two for two Ange!) in the Cookie Advent Calendar (you should also check out her 2012 Cookie Advent Calendar recipe, Coconut Macaroon)

I have yet to go to the famous Momofuku Milk Bar myself, although I have heard amazing things about their baked goods and my sister is a big fan. When Ange submitted this recipe I was really excited and can't wait to try it myself - hopefully her tweaks and instructions will help me master it in no time!

cookie calendar - day 5: peppermint pinwheel cookies

Stuart (aka @MyCakeyBoi) is a wonderful baker and a good friend, so when I asked him to suggest some of his favourite friends/bloggers who might be interested, he didn't have a shortage of suggestions. One of my favourites on his list is the lovely and talented Louise.

After first connecting with Louise on Twitter, I then spent a few days in a sugar-coma looking through her website. Then I got her recipe in my inbox and spent another few days recovering from the shock. LOL. These are definitely the most COLOURFUL cookies I've ever included in the Cookie Advent Calendar and they are awesome! So perfect for the holidays!