Nesting = lots of baking (4 days to Shrimpy's Due Date)

What to do when you're sitting around waiting for your full-term baby to come out? As far as "nesting" goes, we've already done everything we can possibly do for the baby's arrival. A full complement of baby clothing/linens/blankets/etc. is all washed, folded, and in their proper places. The "go-bag" has been packed and repacked and is ready-to-go in the car. The car seat is installed. We have all the baby gear (stroller, carrier, bottles/pumps, etc). We've celebrated with friends and co-workers the incoming bundle of joy (thank you all!). My mother has arrived from far away and is settled in. I've finished all my academic obligations, including all my required medical school rotations, residency applications, and licensing exams needed for graduation. 

So last week, at the beginning of my vacation/maternity leave month, I decided to stock the freezer with baked goods see if I could make myself busy enough to kick the baby out of dormancy.

I rifled through my pile of books and recipes to look for some old favorites, some recipes to help me get rid of some ingredients in the freezer and pantry, and I divided the recipes up over two days. 

These are the recipes I ended up making (with links below for your reference):

Browned Butter Banana Muffins

-from Claire Robinson on Food Network

-I used 2 cups all-purpose flour + 1/2 tsp salt + 3 teaspoons baking powder to make my own self-rising flour, mixed well, and measured out the amount needed for the recipe.

Applesauce Oatmeal Blueberry Muffins

-from Joy the Baker's site

Browned Butter Blueberry Muffins

-from Joy the Baker's site

-I omitted the streusel

Sour Cream Molasses Bran Muffins

-from Joy the Baker's site

-I used about 3/4 cup of dried sour cherries for my fruit add-in

-not pictured, but I've made them before

Pumpkin Walnut Cranberry Muffins

-from The Sweeter Side of Amy's Bread

-I made the full recipe into 24 muffins and one small loaf, so if you don't want that many, halve the recipe

Sour Cream Sandwich Bread

-from Dan Lepard. I doubled the recipe.

-We LOVE LOVE LOVE this recipe. Best. Crust. Ever. Will do a full post on it separately at another time...

So two days of baking and fully-stocked freezers later, baby's still sitting pretty tight but I've been feeling progressively more uncomfortable and things definitely feel like they're starting to shift in position. Even if the baking spree didn't do anything concrete to bring the baby out faster, at least I am all set with a trove of grab-and-go portable snacks for post-baby hectic life!