holiday baking p.s.a.

i found myself baking some gingerbread cookies the other day, and was excited to use the new cookie cutters i'd just bought, when i realized i didn't have a rolling pin. i know i used to have one, but somewhere along the way it disappeared, or maybe it was sold at a garage sale. the point is, i had a bunch of cookie dough and a preheated oven that was ready to go, and no rolling pin in sight!

i know a normal person would just get in the car and go buy one. but i'm not normal (in case this is your first time reading this blog), and i don't own a car, and on top of that, i just didn't feel like going back out into the world that day. so i did what any non-normal person in my predicament would do: i improvised.

in case there's anyone else out there who can't justify the expense of a rolling pin to make a few batches of cookies once a year, here's a tutorial on making your own rolling pin. just like macgyver would do.

1. Get a large (750mL) beer bottle, my seasonal favorite being the Trader Joe's Reserve Ale (brewed by Unibroue! Half the price!). Will also work with a wine bottle, although I strongly recommend skipping step 2 prior to baking.

2. Drink contents of bottle.

3. Place dough on floured surface.

4. Wrap bottle in plastic wrap.

5. Roll out dough, as you would with an actual rolling pin.

6. Cookie cutter time!

7. Keep away from hungry cats.

8. Allow to cool before seeing how many cookies fit in your mouth at a time.

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