Friday is Baking Day

The church I am working at is holding a planning retreat tonight and tomorrow. I get to go along to observe and take notes and take photos (gotta remember to bring the camera!) and I really do mean it when I say "get to" go along - no sarcasm at all, I am eager to meet some of the people I email with or talk on the phone with, and I am VERY eager to see what types of plans they develop for their growth. The church is in a transitional phase right now with TONS of potential, having recently hired an impressive minister and a dynamo administrator (if I do say so myself) - they are poised to do some great things, if they can figure out how to organize and align themselves.

How many times over the past 25 years have I watched (or participated) as a nonprofit tries to plan for growth and development?!?!? It's got to be one of the most difficult things in the world. We will have about 40 personalities in one room, led by an able facilitator - I haven't met her yet but I am very pleased with the impression I have gleaned from her website, her emails and phone calls, and her plans. But while I have not met the majority of these 40 people in person, several of them I am getting to know quite well - and several of them are very headstrong leader types, which can be difficult in a group setting. Too many queen bees and not enough worker bees can make planning complicated and contentious. So I am very eager to see how this group works through all the strong personalities.

And - I am in charge of bringing desserts for tonight's dinner and tomorrow's lunch. I volunteered in the spirit of "Oh, I LOVE to bake!!" It's so easy two weeks ahead of time.

So - I am baking two batches of cake-mix cookies - the easiest, yet most delicious cookies there are:

1 Cake Mix (any flavor)
1/2 cup oil
2 eggs
Stuff
Mix up, drop on cookie sheets, bake 9-11 minutes at 350.

I made one batch of chocolate cake mix + PB Chips as "stuff", and one batch of yellow cake mix + chocolate chips as "stuff." Easy-Peasy.

Now I am working on 3 bundt cakes.

First, I am making Christy's Amazing Chocolate Cake - as blogged on previously, here.

Next, I am making a cinnamon-streusel cake - without a recipe. I have made them before, years and years ago, so I am hoping that if I just follow my gut, all will be fine.

And finally, I am making a sour cream carrot cake. Again, no recipe, but I have had this carrot cake mix in my cupboard for too long (they don't go bad, do they?) I've never tried this before - and I figure if it doesn't work out, I still have time to come up with another option. Basically I tried to adapt the chocolate recipe - so I added 8 oz of sour cream, 4 oz of baby food carrots, an extra egg, and then, when it seemed too thick, I added a 1/4 cup oil. It's in the oven right now - my fingers are crossed.

I'll add photos when they are all done!