Friday, December 16, 2011

Music to Bake By

School's out, and I'm celebrating by drinking a little wine, baking a few cookies and listening to some great tunes - let the holidays begin!
I'm going to my annual cookie exchange tomorrow. You can read more about it in this post. This year, I settled on "Cranberry Hootycreek Cookies," which are full of yummy oatmeal, dried cranberries, white chocolate chips and chopped pecans.  Here's the recipe:
2 1/4 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 cup softened butter
2/3 cup brown sugar
2/3 cup white sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
1 cup rolled oats
1 cup dried cranberries
1 cup white chocolate chips
1 cup chopped nuts
(red & green m&m's to garnish)
Directions:  Combine flour, baking soda and salt. Cream butter, then add sugars, eggs and vanilla.  Mix in flour mixture and oats, then cranberries, chips and nuts. Drop by spoonfuls on parchment paper. Push a few M&M's on top of cookie.  Bake at 350 degrees for ten minutes. Makes 3-4 dozen cookies.
Beverly is having a virtual cookie exchange, and I'm linking up to it. Grab yourself a festive beverage and go to this link to find more recipes. Although usually I drink champagne while baking (read the back story in this post), tonight I enjoyed a very nice Chateauneuf-du-Pape. 
I also enjoyed some awesome music tonight.  First up is Natural Born Lover by Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings:

Followed by Jenny by Walk the Moon - the regular version and an acoustic version because I can't decide which is better (which do you like better?):


And, finally, anything by Ben L'Oncle Soul but especially Soul Man here's the English version, followed by the uber-cool French version (you can choose your favorite!):


Do you listen to music while you do Christmas baking? Do you have any other good music to share?

17 comments:

Amy said...

Oooh, now I love all of this music ... especially the French version of Soulman - it is very groovy and just right for a lazy weekend ... and baking .... and drinking wine of course!
I shared our current favourite on my blog ... but I'm adding Ben L'Oncle to that!

Margi said...

I so need to make those cookies, sounds awesome and yummy! I need a cookie exchange!

scrappyjacky said...

Those cookies sound delicious,Rinda....I love biscuits with oats in them.

Deb @ PaperTurtle said...

LOVE the song choices, Rinda! Especially Walk the Moon acoustic version - takes me to a place in my mind with my brothers playing guitars and everyone singing along. Good times!

So glad for you that school is out and it's time for you to do the holiday cheer gig. Enjoy, my friend!!! xo

Fiona@staring at the sea said...

They look delicious Rinda. I love oaty cookies and cranberries make them very Christmassy :o)

Melissa said...

Those cookies look yummy - hope you have a great time at your cookie exchange! I've had Christmas music playing when I've been baking lately.

GlorV1 said...

Love the music you are playing. Listening to the soul right now. My goodness, you are heppy kind of chick aren't you. Tee hee. Rinda those cookies looks good and now I think I will bake some too. Happy Holidays to you and yours. Nice post.

Beverly said...

Rinda, so glad you joined the virtual exchange, these look amazing! Sometimes I bake in silence, sometimes to Christmas songs.

laurie said...

sounds like a fun way to spend some time during the holiday season! enjoy your time off - i'm still in school until next thursday but then i hope to have some time to relax.

Alison said...

I love the Ben l'Oncle song..in both languages...have never heard of any of your choices before!
Alison xx

Unknown said...

Cookies look good - I like listening to a mixture of Christmas tunes when baking for Christmas.

Irene said...

I have been listening to Christmas music since Thanksgiving. It helps to get me into the Christmas spirit. Because my son plays sax, we have been listening to alot of jazz around the house.

nancy y said...

My favorite is my $3.99 Brenda Lee CD of Christmas songs - including but not limited to my ever favorite Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree!

ComfyMom~Stacey said...

Great music selection! I don't usually listen to music unless I am alone in the house. Music in the kitchen competes with the TV in the family room & we end up with a noise war. :)

Wednesday we're getting together with friend & she & I will drink wine & listen to music while our kids decorate the cookies we baked.

Cheryl said...

Your cookies look great. I always put on Christmas music while doing my cookie baking. Just seems to go together.

Heather Foust said...

Oh I really like the live version of walking on the moon. very good! Cookies and more cookies. I have to stop!! I think I gained 10 lbs over the holiday! Happy New Year!

Anonymous said...

yummy cookies and yes Ido put Christmas music on when I bake,i its sets the mood, I paint with music too!