Two instances of semi-disastrous baking come to mind.
Did I tell you about my snickerdoodle cookies? Jenna asked me to make cookies for Soren's baptism lunch (months ago now). I agreed - cookies are simple right? Well the odds were against me from the get go. First of all I chose snickerdoodles - one of my favorite cookies. Second I couldn't for the life of me find both beaters for my mixer. Third, I was starting the project at 10pm. I mixed up the batter best I could with an amputee mixer. I formed and baked the cookies. The timer went off and upon opening the oven I laughed right out loud. They were the most haphazard cookies I'd ever seen. Some lumpy. Others half flat half round. Some looking exactly like when I put them in. A few looked just right. Lance had a good laugh when I presented the pan to him. Now let me tell you, they tasted great. That's part of the problem. As someone who cannot eat sugar I do very well if sugary treats aren't in the house. Some things I'm not tempted by, but my favorite cookies fresh from the oven??? My will power melts instantly. Once I have a bite there's really no turning back. So I ate too many cookies - trying to just eat the oddest ones. I did bring them to the lunch, laughing as I showed them to Jenna (who, if you aren't aware is both an excellent cook and a fabulous baker).
Then last night I tried to make a yogurt cake that mom had recently made and brought by. It is the kind of cake that can have many alterations and still turn out great. And so I altered it, quite a bit. But this is not where the problem was. I got the recipe off a blog and there were 150 comments in response, and would you believe I read every one? Yes I did and by the time I finished reading them I felt I was on pretty intimate terms with the recipe. One comment that kept coming up was that everyone who made it had to bake the cake WAY longer than expected. So I mixed the batter up, greatly anticipating my raspberry orange version of the cake, and popped her in the oven. Checked it at the listed baking time, laughed right out loud at the sight of my cake - I used a different pan size/shape than the original recipe called for - though this size/shape was mentioned in the list of possible changes. Anyways the cake was practically spilling over the pan. Also, as I suspected, it wasn't near being fully baked. Back into the oven.... for TOO LONG. Oh dear. I pulled out a very very browned cake, verging on burnt. Shoot. But, under that crunchy layer of brown there lay a delicious cake. Now if I knew myself a bit better I would have known that I actually don't like orange flavor that much and should've just left it out. The recipe was meant to be lemon/berry, but having no lemons or lemon juice, I figured that orange would also be lovely. If you like orange that is. Oh well. We ate the cake (some last night and some today). And I will try it again - this time with lemon, and baked under my more watchful eye. Here's the link to the recipe My alterations were as follows: whole wheat flour, 1% yogurt since that's what we had, raspberries instead of blueberries, orange zest instead of lemon, no sugar, 1/8 cup of splenda, half the oil called for, and I didn't do the glaze (but imagine it would be incredible). Mom's version of the cake was delicious (she did blueberry lemon) and I think I'll do that next time too.
I added a couple new links for you (and me) to explore. One new section "Eating" has a link for toddler foods, I'm wanting a few more ideas for meals and snacks for the kids. I like that healthy yet fun and delicious ideas I've seen there so far. Also moved Mennonite Girls Can Cook to that section. Added "Study in Brown" to the great reads. Tonia is a friend of Ann's (of Holy Experience) and they've co-written books together. Check out her blog and also her links there is some neat stuff there. And if you check out her sons photo blog I'm sure you'll be impressed - it's in her links section "Speed45" I think. He's 15ish and takes incredible photos and knows way more about photography than I'll probably ever know.
That's it for now. Think I better check on the overly chatty supposed to be nearing sleep kids.
Hope you are well.
Aimee
5 comments:
aw yes i suppose if i were able ever to bake something it would in fact be a shamble. i can't even remember the last time i baked something. In fact, I've NEVER baked a cake!
So you're doing great!
p.s. I've just baked cookies...I remember baking those, maybe 3 years ago now. I think Jeff's words were-they taste too healthy. (he doesn't eat my cooking because of that fact.) and why bake for one, right?
oh hooray, links to toddler food ideas! i get so bored with making the same things for tristan's lunch and i know he does too. also, i try NEVER to bake because 9 times out of 10 i mess it up somehow. even if i follow the recipe to the letter, it still never tastes quite right. betty crocker boxed caked are my friends :)
Wow Aimee... you are so bold and courageous! I would never EVER alter a recipe. I'm lucky if it turns out if I follow it STEP by painful STEP. Good for you - even if it wasn't perfect on the first try. You'll master it the second time around.
that MGCC recipe blog keeps calling to me but it doesnt look good for my shrinking waistline. I love reading it though, I want to lick my screen.
The toddler link is great. I've been doing Bento Boxes with the kids and having way too much fun. Way too much fun.
Another friend told me about the mennonite girls blog the other day. I guess that I really have to check it out now that it has been mentioned twice in one week!
I am a bake-a-holic, and also love to alter things here and there. Usualy I am cutting out fat (egg yolks, oils for fruit sauces/purees) but am trying to learn more about cutting down/out sugars. I am always interested in reading how you do that, so thanks again for crazy recipe posts!
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