Caledonia Argus

Cookie marathon a cherished tradition for Bauer bakers

Posted: 12/16/03

The Rosine and Vince Bauer family of Caledonia has a fun tradition of baking Christmas cookies.

The seven Bauer daughters, the two daughters-in-law, and their children have been getting together for about the past 10 years to make many different kinds of cookies. They keep some of the cookies, and give some to their friends and neighbors.

They used to make the cookies at the kitchen of St. Maryís Elementary School, but itís changing into more of a family activity as individual families have gotten bigger, Bonnie said.

They still managed to fill Karen Colschís house in Reno on December 6 with a blur of people and cookies and a very delicious smell.

The daughters are Linda King, Bonnie Laumb, Karen Colsch, Susie Goetzinger, Cindy Augedahl, Ann Schmitz, and Jeanette Buttell. The daughters-in-law are Marcia Bauer and Pam Bauer. Cousin Maria Stemper helps also.

(Linda and her family of five girls and two daughters-in-law and their children did their baking the same day at Lindaís house. They didnít get as much baked, but then they had four babies to also take care of.)

At Karenís house, they started at about 9 a.m. and finished baking by noon. Then they ate dinner and divided all the goodies. The clean-up takes longer than the actual baking, Bonnie Laumb said.

ìWe have a lot of fun with it,î Bonnie said. ìWe play Christmas music and dress up in hats.î

Here are the cookies they make: sugar cookies, two kinds of caramel cookies, three angel food candies, two kinds of candy turtles, chocolate covered Ritz Crackers, peanut butter blossoms, cocoa carmels (a Stoltz family specialty!), Candy Kiss cookies, spritzes, crisp pastel cookies, Huff fudge, carmel almond bark, and pecan tassies.

Everyone has something they can do, Bonnie Laumb said. Even the little tykes can do cut outs or sprinkles.

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