Today, we share the secret for simplifying holiday baking chores: developing a "specialty". A simple strategy to streamline the holiday cook-a-thon, a baking specialty saves time and tears in the holiday kitchen. I'll share mine, too!

to do today ...

Holiday baking. For many of us, kitchen creations are integral to the holiday spirit. We love the feeling of family connection as we tuck pie crust into grandmother's pie dish, or when we follow a candy recipe written in a great-grandmother's spidery hand.

But when is enough enough? Under the influence of Christmas magazines and You-Know-Which Domestic Dominatrix, grandmother Mim's simple plate of pralines has exploded into six kinds of cookies, four kinds of candies and some powdered cocoa mix for good measure. Like other areas of holiday prep, expectations for holiday baking have exploded in the last generation or two--and just when we're struggling with increasing time pressure and stricter diets.

Holiday baking should be a pleasure, not a chore. Think smaller and simpler when planning holiday baking. Double up on drop cookies, and forget the tedious rolled-and-cut out creations. Opt for no-cook candies instead of hard-to-beat fudge. Replace elaborate cookie trays with mini-loaves of tea bread, or go whole hog and buy your Christmas goodies from your local baker.

The tastes of the season: they're unforgettable! What special holiday flavors help you find the holiday spirit, even in November?

The tangy sparkle of cream of tartar and crushed candy canes in Candy Cane Cookies. Mom's cornbread dressing, redolent with sage and onion. The sheer decadence of chocolate and whipped cream in my favorite Christmas dessert, Buche de Noel.

Think of the unique flavors most strongly associated with this time of year. Cranberries and pumpkins. Turkey and savory stuffing. Gingerbread men.

Who needs motivation when we have the sense of taste? Holiday cooking chores turn to sheer sensual pleasure when you consider the flavors of the holidays!

to do today ... clean out the freezer!

The secret to dinner-hour organization during the holiday season? A well-stocked, organized freezer! Today's the day to clean out the freezer in anticipation of holiday goodies and freezer meals to come. Add a free printable Freezer Inventory Form, and you'll sail through holiday cooking chores.

Thanksgiving Day is on the way ... will you be ready?

Find a pretty bit of planning help with this free printable Thanksgiving planner from Web site Whaddya Lookin' At?

With menu planner and shopping lists, recipe cards and seating chart, these printable pages would be a nice addition to the Christmas planner or household notebook.

Editing to add: Well, kids, it looks like these folks got too popular and ran out of bandwidth. At this writing (November 19, 2009), this printable is unavailable.

And that cover! Oh, so pretty! In .PDF format:

Free Thanksgiving Planner