Cookies!!

I have been in the kitchen a lot more frequently since my fiance' returned to Baseball season and I've litterally got nothing to do on the weekends. So I decided this year for all of my neices and nephews birthdays I am going to make them some sort of sweet treat. But, I always seem to have trouble with this oven in my apartment. It seems like when I'm consciously checking whatever I'm baking it takes 17 extra minutes to bake whatever it is. However, if I just set the timer and wait for it to buzz and then maybe wait an extra minute or two (till a commercial break,) everything burns! I swear - it has a conspiracy against me. Especially whenever I try to cook for someone else.

So I was reading in my Martha Stewart Living Cookbook that one of the necessities for every kitchen is some sort of baking mat. I had no idea what this was so I googled it and every image showed me this little baby:

I swear I will never bake without it! You're cookies WILL NOT burn. Neither will you're pizza, biscuits, whatever it is - it's not going to burn. I am so impressed. Ok but this isn't a commercial for Silpat. I made my neice some cookies.

I cannot for the life of me get this picture to turn.

Spring Bugs!

I had a lot of fun making them and I hope she enjoyed them just as much. I did get some feedback from her mom and she loved the decorations, but she said, "Mommy, these cookies are a little crunchy." Oh I love 5 year olds. I'll definately be working on that sugar cookie recipe. I swear I am good at baking!

Till next time!

Coffee Makers - Consumer Review

Recently the fiance' convinced me to purchase a new coffee maker that will make a single cup of whatever warm drink your heart desires. He had seen a video from Bed Bath and Beyond's website and we both thought it looked pretty unbelievable. Behold the Tassimo Suprema Single Serve Hot Beverage Maker :

The Pros: It makes a single cup of coffee... really fast. The coffee is the perfect temperature (especially after I add it to my french vanilla creamer and sugar). The water is filtered just like Brita. The disks are completely used up. It foams the cappucino perfectly - not that I drink cappucino.

The Cons: You can't find the "disks" anywhere! I got them at Macy's once, but they are ten dollars for a box of coffee. Maybe sometimes they go on sale for 9$, but that doesn't thrill me at all. The only other option is going to Bed Bath and Beyond and paying their outrageous prices or to order them online. What am I going to do wait 5-10 days for my coffee to come in the mail? I don't think so.

Behold the better product (in my opinion). The Keurig® Platinum B70 Single Serve Brewer/Coffee Maker.

Looks the same, taste the same, but sooo much better!

In my opinion convenience is everything! So I told my fiance' everytime I go to any grocery store I see all the different flavors and choices that this coffee maker has. Plus! they have a little ring holder that keeps all the little coffee/tea/hot chocolate choices oraginzed if guests come over. So this is what we have registered for. The Keurig coffee maker. I am crossing my fingers and I can't wait. Oh and I forgot to mention the best part. Since I am a coupon freak on Saturdays and Sundays before I go shopping, when I found there was a 2$ off coupon on the coffee for this machine I knew we were a match made in heaven.

Cooking for One - Part One

While living alone has it's advantages (no one borrowing your clothes, freedom to wear whatever you want ;-), watching what you want on TV ALL THE TIME, and leaving your apartment as messy as you want ...to name a few) there are definately some set backs. Cooking is such a challenge for me because I don't have anyone to share my food with. Thankfully, no one has to eat some of the stuff I try to make. Lately, I've been a little discouraged. I tried to do a nice thing for my brother and his wife by bringing a home cooked meal over. Let me just show you how that went...

Specatcle #1 : Dr. Pepper Can Chicken (Injected w Hot Sauce)

Which later I renamed " Blackened Chicken w/ Some Pop " and then threw it into the trash.

Spectacle #2 - "Rosemary Maple Pork Tenderloin and Lemon Butter Potatoes:

Don't let the looks fool you! The recipe (from Publix Aprons) called for 1/2 cup of Maple syrup for the pork and a large lemon for the potatoes. Everything was so sweet it felt more like dessert. Then I threw that recipe out. Unfortunately I made this one for my fiance' and kindly he told me he didn't like it...at all.

Lets not forget the "Crunchy Chicken Strips" from my Better Homes and Garden (Pink Edition) Cook Book. I had all the ingredients in my kitchen and it was only supposed to take 20 minutes! How exciting! I should have known from the ingredients (Cheez-Its, Ranch, Chicken) that it was going to be gross, but I trusted the recipe. Unforunately, I didn't even take a picture. It smelled so bad I had to take it straight to the dumpster. And then I made a big black X over the recipe.

This is what it's supposed to look like. Maybe a kid would enjoy it - I don't know. I think the smell of ranch baking in the oven is probably worse then smelling garlic bread bake in the oven, except it doesn't taste good when it comes out.

So I keep thinking. Is it me? I followed the recipe to the "T." Why does everything taste so unbearable?  Am I ever going to be a good cook? And  is my fiance', who is already picky enough, going to starve?!! (Or go to Burger King every night??).

 So I had a chat w/ my mom and my sister-in-law. Where should I start? What am I doing wrong? Should i enroll myself in cooking school? My mom got me the "Mastering the Art of French Cooking" book for Christmas. I can't even read some of those recipes yet! My sister in law gave me some great advice (I know you're reading this ;-) ;-) ) She told me to start back at the basics - how boring! So tonight that's just what I did!

I present to you..Spectacle # 3 - Mac N Cheese

Which I left with it's great name. I also added some steamed broccilli and cubed up some ham steaks (like my mom always did, except she used leftover ham - so crafty.) This is probably my favorite meal in a long long time.

So now that I've exposed my cooking talent, next I will share with you the new "tools" I have acquired from the Macy's Home Sale Event to help me in my journey of becoming a decent cook.

Happy Belated 5th Birthday to my gorgeous and sweet neice!

She is going to be my flower girl! I can't wait to show you the birthday present I am putting together for her!

Good night! Early training at 6am!