Halloween At The Office

[bigbird16]

We've started doing these "morale boosting" activities at the office (when what really needs to be done is some manager training, but that's another story). They almost always involve cupcakes and cookies and sometimes pizza. If I know they're happening, I bring something suitable for me and usually don't care what they're eating. Last year's Halloween thing was great -- we decorated pumpkins and no food was involved. Because the pumpkins were deemed "too hard" this year's Halloween activity will be cookie decorating. I offered to make the cookies (to avoid the inevitable crumbs all over the conference room and the cc on the decorating materials) and was told I could make my own. Pretty much figured that would be the answer. I'm fine with that. Just stay away from me with those crumbs. So I'm going to pull out the stops and make my own cookie and bring my own serious decorating supplies (used to decorate cakes) and make the most amazing Halloween cookie. I'm thinking something 3D -- maybe a pumpkin made out of multiple cookies glued together with royal icing or a headless horseman made of fondant with a pumpkin-decorated cookie for his head or a spider up on glass-like sugar legs. It'll go beyond their tube icing and candy sprinkles.

And for my birthday this month, screw their cupcakes that I can't eat. I'll bring in the most fabulously decorated cake ever and make my tastebuds happy.

[saintmaybe]

Absolutely! People always act like I'm trying to poison them when I ask them to try gluten-free anything. I'd find it amusing if I didn't also find it ignorant as ****.

These are the same people who will moan for hours about being on restricted diabetic diets (much worse IMHO) or about their multiple unexplained health issues. I've learned to just keep my mouth shut. I'm of the opinion people just want a reason to feel better than you, and if they can label you as one of those health nut yoyos, that works for them. If they can actively exclude you or make you OTHER, so much the better.

[bigbird16]

It kinda made me chuckle inside when I was told I could make my own, because every time I've brought a treat into the office, it's gone within a half hour of its presence being announced to the sounds of "mmmmm, so good!" "yum!" "ooo! thanks!" "are there more?" The treats are always gluten-, dairy-, and soy-free and of the muffin, cake, or cookie variety. No complaints yet, only requests for another batch of whatever.

[pain*in*my*gut]

We've started doing these "morale boosting" activities at the office (when what really needs to be done is some manager training, but that's another story). They almost always involve cupcakes and cookies and sometimes pizza. If I know they're happening, I bring something suitable for me and usually don't care what they're eating. Last year's Halloween thing was great -- we decorated pumpkins and no food was involved. Because the pumpkins were deemed "too hard" this year's Halloween activity will be cookie decorating. I offered to make the cookies (to avoid the inevitable crumbs all over the conference room and the cc on the decorating materials) and was told I could make my own. Pretty much figured that would be the answer. I'm fine with that. Just stay away from me with those crumbs. So I'm going to pull out the stops and make my own cookie and bring my own serious decorating supplies (used to decorate cakes) and make the most amazing Halloween cookie. I'm thinking something 3D -- maybe a pumpkin made out of multiple cookies glued together with royal icing or a headless horseman made of fondant with a pumpkin-decorated cookie for his head or a spider up on glass-like sugar legs. It'll go beyond their tube icing and candy sprinkles.

And for my birthday this month, screw their cupcakes that I can't eat. I'll bring in the most fabulously decorated cake ever and make my tastebuds happy.

I love your attitude, Bigbird! LOL!

Please post a picture of that awesome cookie when you make it!

[ravenwoodglass]

Please post a picture of that awesome cookie when you make it!

Yes please do. My pick would be the spider or the Headless Horseman.

[pricklypear1971]

Ok, I haven't tried any decorating post gluten-free - so if you could share your sources for fondant, royal icing, etc. Id appreciate it!

And what cookie recipe do you use?

As I typed this I realized I can't make my grandmother's teacakes anymore. Ouch, that hurts.

[bigbird16]

Ok, I haven't tried any decorating post gluten-free - so if you could share your sources for fondant, royal icing, etc. Id appreciate it!

And what cookie recipe do you use?

As I typed this I realized I can't make my grandmother's teacakes anymore. Ouch, that hurts.

Royal icing is naturally gluten-free. I mix up 1 1/2 oz of meringue powder (Wilton or whatever I can find at the grocery), 10 oz water, and 3 1/2 lbs of powdered sugar.

Fondant is also naturally gluten-free. Wilton, Bakel's, and SatinIce are gluten-free. I believe that only SatinIce's white fondant is soy-free; their ivory and chocolate contain soy. I prefer the taste of SatinIce over Wilton. Always check ingredients, even if it's a product you've used before. I haven't checked labels on the fondants in quite awhile and don't have any in the cupboard.

For other icings I simply sub the butter or Crisco with Spectrum shortening and milk with hemp or coconut milk in whatever icing recipe. But those subs are because I can't do dairy or soy. Wilton's buttercream recipe produces reliable results.

Lately I've been using Elana Amsterdam's Gluten-Free Almond Flour Cookbook for cookies. Every recipe I've tried has been divine. I shared a batch of the chocolate chip cookies with a non-gluten-free friend and her husband. The next day she requested another batch.

Adapt those tea cookies! Find a flour combination you like that works for them!

[bigbird16]

Hi, All.

I forgot to update on the office cookie decorating thing we had around Halloween. Now that it's almost Thanksgiving . . .

Unfortunately, my awesome spider will have to wait for another time. The subject of when we'd do the Halloween cookie decorating thing didn't come up again all month, and I got sick the weekend of Halloween so didn't do much of anything. I pretty much assumed since nothing had been said about a staff gathering that the cookie thing had been forgotten. Around noon on Halloween it was announced that we should all gather for Halloween celebrations in the conference room in an hour. Bosslady had brought gingerbread haunted house kits for us to divide into teams to decorate. Joy. I stuffed down momentary panic, assessed the kits and how much of a problem they'd be for me, rolled up my sleeves, tied back my hair, covered my clothes, set to work on one of the houses, and kept my hands away from my face. Our house was, of course, the best. Afterwards, I brushed off my clothes just in case, trimmed my nails, and scrubbed as if I'd been playing in dog poop. It was fun playing in the "dog poop," though. I went home and baked some REAL cookies (almond flour based) for me.

[Skylark]

I'm so glad to hear you had fun and didn't get sick!