This Baker's Dilemma

I love to bake. I'm sure anyone who's been reading this blog lately has that figured out already. The problem is, there are just three of us living here, and one of us is a baby. Honestly, none of us should be eating baked goods in the quantities I produce, and I don't even bake half as often as I would like. Neither of us have family nearby to whom I can gift things.

So what do I do with all this stuff???

It's funny, because when people find out that you bake they're always like, "OH, send it my way!" Or they'll tell you, "I'll be right over!!!" That is, until you've actually baked something. Then it's always "Oh, I can't, I'm on a diet" or "I had (insert clearly inferior store/chain baked good here) earlier so I shouldn't." Maddening, I tell you!

If I take things to gatherings, it usually barely gets touched. Can I tell you how frustrating it is to hear people tell me that they "really don't like sweets???" ARGH! How do you not like cake, people? I also find myself being told to take the leftovers home, because the host doesn't want them in the house. Well, if I wanted them in MY house, would I have brought them?

Even when I worked, people would complain that no one ever brought stuff in, then when I would bring stuff in, very few people would eat it (again with the "I don't like sweets" crap) and then people would complain about how much crap there was in the office. Make up your mind, folks.

I could gift items to random people I know, but then I'm left with the following dilemmas: What if they don't like what I'm giving them? What if they're allergic to something I used? What if they're busy and I'm bothering them? Am I being a pain in the ass by trying to do something nice?

Then, worst of all, there's the sneaking, nagging voice in the back of my head. You know, that bad one from my crazies - What if I'm not as good of a baker/cook as I think I am, and THAT is why I can't get anyone to take my stuff?

Crap.

So what's a girl to do? How does one go about baking for others? I've been reading Alexis Stewart's (Martha's daughter) blog and this woman bakes like MAD, and gives it all away. She packages it up in cute little boxes and bags and ties it all up with cellophane and ribbons. People are HAPPY when they get packages from her. Granted, she's got more potential eaters than I do, but STILL people.

What's a girl got to do around her in order to get people to let her feed them?

Let's not get me started on my desire to have dinner parties. Why won't anyone come over for dinner? WHY??? Everyone is always too busy or too tired or has other plans. Boo.