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Our tech team has launched updates to The Nest today. As a result of these updates, members of the Nest Community will need to change their password in order to continue participating in the community. In addition, The Nest community member's avatars will be replaced with generic default avatars. If you wish to revert to your original avatar, you will need to re-upload it via The Nest.
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Note: This only affects The Nest's community members and will not affect members on The Bump or The Knot.
Our tech team has launched updates to The Nest today. As a result of these updates, members of the Nest Community will need to change their password in order to continue participating in the community. In addition, The Nest community member's avatars will be replaced with generic default avatars. If you wish to revert to your original avatar, you will need to re-upload it via The Nest.
If you have questions about this, please email help@theknot.com.
Thank you.
Note: This only affects The Nest's community members and will not affect members on The Bump or The Knot.
* calling all bakers *
Milo was sent home from school today with a note saying we were encouraged to bake something for a raffle sale at the Christmas fayre next week. I need something AMAZING and easy to make 
I have a lovely tin I could put some biscuits into, so bisuit recipes would be my preference, but I'm up for anything delicious!
Re: * calling all bakers *
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/robbis-mm-cookies/detail.aspx
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/one-bowl-chocolate-cake-iii/detail.aspx
I love these and get so many complements on them http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/3773/
I also like making the basic oatmeal raisin cookies from quaker BUT I change it up, craisins instead or raisins and I add about half a cup of coconut and some white chocolate "chips" (can't get them here so I make my own) so good!! (oh and I switch cinnamon for ground all spice) SO I guess it's not the same cookies but they are GOOD!
You want to come to our house to make me some. Gingerbread and scones are the two things I fail at baking. Don't know why I guess I just suck
Oooh, those sound and look good and will keep for 5 days! We might have a winner, thanks!
Yeah, for some reason I can't do scones either. I also have a definite mental block over them as a result of a few failures!.
But W and I can make gingerbread men, which definitely means I can do them. With 3-year-old 'help' you can't make anything really complicated. ;-)
ETA: Edited for some appalling typos!
I have a real easy recipe for ginger snaps, they're really really good and super duper easy! (and sorry for the crazy font and such if it shows up, I copy and pasted it and am on Safari)
3/4 cup unsalted butter1 cup sugar1/4 cup molasses1 egg2 cups flour2 tsp baking soda1/2 tsp salt1/2 tsp cloves1 scant tsp ginger1 tsp cinnamon1 good pinch of finely ground (powdered) black pepperMy food blog
What I'm looking forward to in 2012:
Eating our way through (northern) Italy on vacation
<a href="http://www.thenest.com/?utm_source=ticker&utm_medium=HTML&utm_campaign=tickers" title="Home DShortbread with stem ginger pieces...
Here's the basic recipe:
http://www.goodfoodireland.ie/index.cfm/section/Recipes/key/115/
I use icing sugar instead and add small cut up pieces of stem ginger. Also, no temperature on the recipe - I do 160C for 12-15 mins (in a fan oven). They will still be soft when you take them out of the oven and I sprinkle with castor sugar then.
They keep well for a few days in a sealed box. Sometimes I make the dough and freeze it before cooking and it comes out well too (good for unexpected guests!)
Mint chocolate chip cookies, gingerbread christmas trees, M&M cookies using just the red and green ones come to mind as easy and keep for awhile.
Or you could make some cupcakes. They're not quite as easy to transport, but I've had some rave reviews on chocolate cupcakes that I made recently. Here's the recipe:
http://amandasbudgetbaking.wordpress.com/2011/12/01/chocolate-cake-with-marshmallow-frosting/
I've translated it as:
140g ground almonds
140g icing sugar
300g flour
200g margarine/unsalted butter
Rind zest and juice of 1 lemon
Rose water or vanilla essence to your tastes.
Sieve all the dry ingredients. Work butter in with fingers. Add juice, rind, vanilla and mix through. I take small balls of dough about 2cm diameter (doesn't matter really) shape into triangle and roll, twisting the ends. Put on baking sheet or oiled tray and bake at about 180 until just turning brown.
Dust heavily with icing sugar. They are quite fragile when just cooked but very transportable when cool.
The above makes a plateful. I usually double it and all in all it takes 15 mins for mixing/shaping and about 15-20 mins baking per sheet which I bake separately.
PIc here : http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_xjyTXhG9bGk/Se3i2nhPNXI/AAAAAAAAAN0/Oex-0Eku7Tc/s1600-h/SL271271.JPG