I’ve recently come to the conclusion that when I am feeling a bit depressed, my go to comfort activity is baking. While staying in one’s pajamas and reading a book are also at the top of my list, I apparently go into overdrive bakers mode, as well.

Over the past week I have churned out some brownies, whoopie pies, a loaf of beer bread and a yellow cake. That is a lot of baking my friend. Out of all the things created, what remains is the loaf of beer bread and yellow cake since they were popped in the oven last night during the President’s address to the joint session of Congress.

The brownies went down with some ice cream and a friend. The whoopie pies went to an oscar party. I intend to make the loaf of bread last as long as possible and use it for sandwiches. The cake, well the cake might not last very long.

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Ever since I saw this video on making marshmallows, I knew that I must try it. I didn’t have many of the necessary tools to make it happen. I was sans stand mixer and candy thermometer, but I was determined.

A year later, now burdened with my awesome stand mixer and candy thermometer, the great marshmallow experiment of 2008 was a success.

I used the recipe from ReadyMade Magazine and “carefully” followed the directions. I’m never one for precision when it comes to baking so, I was pleasantly surprised that these came out so well.

I’m not sure if my candy thermometer is broken, but the temperature would slowly start to increase, then I would loose degrees. It was frustrating to watch and a lot of yelling at the thermometer ensued. I also didn’t pay enough attention to the dissolving gelatin, so I needed to start that process over. You bake and learn.

Once everything with properly cooked and mixed and cooled I came out the other end with some tasty and pepperminty marshmallows. Or as my friend said, “its like getting your teeth brushed.” Hmmm.

For as long as I’ve lived in D.C., I’ve gathered with friends around the holidays and baked cookies. These are extremely crazy baking sessions with too many cooks in the kitchen.

We always have much fun, making too many cookies and assorted baked goods. In the end, we never want to take the fruits of our labor home, knowing that if we do, we will eat them all.

On Saturday, we proceeded with this tradition and broke our previous record of most people in one kitchen and most diverse set of baked goods made.

I think we covered everything. Spritz cookies, sugar cookies, chocolate-chip cookies, cupcakes, chocolate-chip pumpkin bread, chocolates, brownies and apple cake.

I wonder what next year will bring.

I was very fortunate to grow up with a mom that liked to bake. She always made such delicious cookies, pies, cakes; you name it. Once I moved out I realized that I missed all the wonderful baked goods that she made and immediately demanded several of her recipes.

To be honest, I don’t know where many of them originated. I know I should ask her one day, but in my mind they are generational. Secret family recipes that only those in the family can know. In reality, I have a feeling that many came from the old, well loved and very stained Betty Crocker Cook Book that lived by our stove.

I’m still learning many of the recipes and still refer to them as I go. For my mother, after many, many years of baking, she doesn’t need to read them, she just makes them. I admire this and hope to one day be able to do the same.

Today, I pulled out a molasses cookie recipe that I hadn’t had in many years. The weather has turned cold and I thought it was the perfect selection for the day. I love these cookies. They are spicy and soft and chewy. They are absolute perfection when they are perfectly golden brown, a little bit toasted around the edges and soft and warm in the middle.

Definitely like home.