A winter cold snap really puts me in the mood for baking. It fills the air with delicious smells and heating up the oven also warms the house, which means we get double the bang for our energy buck. Plus...the best of all...sweets!

Cakes are my favorite. From basic to simple to elaborate, I love sweet, airy cakes.
The kids like cookies - probably because it's easy to swipe a couple when my back is turned. My dear husband prefers brownies or pies.

It will have to be brownies, because I've never mastered the fine art of pie. I'm great with the fillings, but I can't seem to roll out a decent crust. They're always too sticky (which makes a wet mess) or not sticky enough (which makes the pie fall apart completely). But who knows? If this cold snap holds, I might take on the elusive perfect pie crust again. If nothing else, it'll keep the house warm!

Your "Bake It Up" Gift Guru,
Linda