Christmas baking?

Sure, I'll try that.

Well, I decided I would attempt to make some Christmas cookies here in Cambodia. Now, I wasn't about to try anything to fancy, so I opted to just make some plain sugar cookies rolled in some colored sugar.

This is what I had to work with...

I managed to find all of the ingredients I needed (though all of them are not in this picture), but I improvised a bit on the kitchenware (note the saucepan, which was used as a mixing bowl).

This is the oven I had to work with. Pretty fancy, huh?
These were my measuring utensils. That is a yogurt container that I saved from my breakfast and washed, and a regular teaspoon (it's close to the right measurement, right?).
I used the yogurt container to estimate my flour.
Some baking soda.
Some baking powder.
Some sugar and butter.
Cream that together using some good old manual power.
Add an egg and some vanilla. And again, use some good old manual power to mix it together.
Add the flour mixture gradually while still using your manual mixer.
Ta-da! Sugar cookie dough! (It was a bit crumbly, so I think some of my measurements were probably a bit off.)
Colored sugar the good ol' fashioned way...sugar in a bowl with some food coloring. So, I was hoping to do red and green, but the only food coloring I could find was pink...so pink is festive, right?
Sugar cookie dough balls on the cookie sheet.
Here is the final result.
The first batch that went into the oven got charred on the bottom. No good. So, I put foil over the cookie sheet for the next batch and turned the oven down a bit. Still charred on the bottom. Third batch I formed the cookies a bit differently, still used the foil, and turned the oven way down. Some of those were not too bad, but several of them were still charred on the bottom. Overall, it was not a very successful first baking experience, and I wasn't about to make anyone eat these sugary, charred biscuits. But, I am not deterred! I will bake again, and I will conquer!!! Stay tuned until next time!