The Big Baking Extravaganza

I'm not one to enjoy hanging out in the kitchen, but last night I got my bake on! The company that I work for receives a lot of generosity - from both the community and also the United Way. The United Way is responsible for helping out so many great organizations. As a company we decided to give back, so for the entire month we've been trying to raise money for the United Way - specifically another organization that the United Way helps support - Operation Fresh Start. Operation Fresh Start is a wonderful organization here in Madison that helps young people ages 16-24 have a fresh start at life. Many of them have been in trouble with the law or just come from rough families. Operations Fresh Start helps give these young people job experience, mentors and also helps them obtain their GED. The primary means of obtaining job experience for these young people is through rehabbing houses! How cool is that? They learn the necessary skills and help give houses a fresh start - these houses are then sold at a discounted rate to low-income families in the community.

One of the things my company is doing to help raise money is a bake sale! Woo-Hoo....heat up the kitchen! I was slaving away over a hot oven last night making chocolate chip biscotti and chocolate chip cookies for one of our events.
I love this biscotti recipe - it actually comes from one of my Weight Watchers cookbooks and I've made it a few times and it's always a hit. I'll admit, the cookies are not made quite from scratch like the biscotti was, but hopefully nobody will ever know the different!
I actually had a good time hanging out in the kitchen and so enjoyed listening to Steve playing the guitar while I was baking away. Sometimes I forget just how talented my husband is. I have to say he really is my favorite musical entertainment of all time.
He didn't really look too thrilled here, but trust me, he was jamming up a storm just minutes earlier.
It was a good night and a good reminder that I really am so blessed. It truly is better to give then to receive. Hopefully we'll raise a bit of money today!