Almost two years ago, my then nine-year-old daughter asked to bake brownies. By herself. I paused pecking away on the computer to consider the hazards: third-degree burns, fingers caught in the mixer and fire all came to mind. However, I knew Katie was responsible, so I gave her the go-ahead.

And those were some of the best boxed-mix brownies I have ever eaten. Not only did Katie measure the ingredients and make the batter, she preheated the oven, set the timer and pulled them from the oven all without my lifting a finger. Although she knew I was steps away in case she needed me, she never once asked for help.

A couple of months later, a friend gave me Sweet Melissa's Baking Book, which is based on recipes from a bakery in Brooklyn. It looked good, but I didn't have the time to spend hours making homemade cakes. But Katie did. And soon after glancing at the cover photo, she devoured every page of that book, flagging the "best" recipes with post-its.

"I want to make everything I marked in this book," said Katie, eyeing the hundred or so sticky flags. And a baker was born.

She announced that her first adventure from this new cookbook would be the cover recipe: Fallen Chocolate Souffle Cake. Never scared by a challenge, Katie delved into the recipe, insisting that the cake needed frosting. So the beautiful crinkled top was filled with ganache, much to my dismay but the children's delight.

Since that delicious day, Katie has tackled numerous baking delights. There was a lemon blueberry cheesecake with a cornmeal crumble crust, as well as a midnight chocolate cheesecake with a blackberry glaze. These needed to be baked in water baths, which taught my then 10-year-old foodie the difference in baking methods and heat conduction.

"I like making something that you don't see every day," she explained. "I also like when people give me compliments on it because it makes me feel good."

But things don't always turn out perfectly. Baking is a precise art that is part science and part determination. Leave out leavening or salt, and you'll have a problem.

"I've learned that recipes won't turn out right every time, so you need to keep trying," said Katie. "I think perseverance would be the word for what I've learned."

Katie turned 11 and her passion for all things baked still burned, but with sports and homework, the time factor put a serious crimp in our baked goods selection. Instead of weekly baking, it was more like monthly. So with Christmas and New Year's only weeks away, Katie has dusted off her neglected cookie sheets and tied on her apron.

Among her recommendations for crowd-pleasing confections are black bottom brownies, pinwheel cookies, homemade gingerbread muffins, which are actually made with Guinness Stout, and soft molasses sugar cookies. All of these can be made as a family, with measuring and rolling good jobs for younger hands. Katie decorated the gingerbread with a snowflake stencil that her sister cut out and held in place while she sprinkled powdered sugar on it.

Other holiday favorites include Russian Tea Cakes, Oatmeal Lace Cookies and classic Shortbread Cookies.

So when my friends panic at the thought of decorating dozens of Christmas cookies, baking loaves of cranberry bread or rolling swirls of cinnamon rolls, I just smile. I have my own personal baker who makes me proud, and pleases my palate, with every stir of her spatula.

Check back with Brookfield Patch starting this week for the return of our Holiday Eats series, just in time to start planning for your holiday dinner party.