While Artificial Colour is about cooking, I thought I would pass on some info as I read the book In Defense of Food by Michael Pollan. To be quite honest, when I pick up snacks or food, I always look for a health symbol and would base my purchase on that measly symbol. I’ve only read the intro of the book and I’ve already received a huge wake-up call:
If you’re concerned about your health, you should probably avoid products that make health claims. Why? Because a health claim on a food product is a strong indication its not really food, and food is what you want to eat.
I was stunned at how blinded I am by the food industry and how little thought I’ve given into the food I eat. The only thing that crosses my mind is: healthy and unhealthy. Looks like picking up this book was a good choice on my part.
I was feening for cookies and cake today, but decided to make just sugar cookies. I think I’ve learned my lesson for attempting two different recipes at once, especially when I’m just an amateur. As with lasagna, I can also rely on sugar cookies. They are super easy to make and are different noobie-friendly. Successful outcomes make me happy.
I have a jar of Nutella left so I decided to melt it and throw some of my sugar cookie lollipops. I’m the only one that has a sweet tooth sweet teeth in the house so I left some plain for the rest of the family. As much as I love cookies, wolfing down twenty cookies isn’t a good thing… especially when you’re trying to watch what you eat! I should keep that in mind when I bake.
Certified Noobie-Friendly Recipe:
2 cups of all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon of salt
1 cup (226 grams) of unsalted butter at room temperature
1/2 of icing sugar
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
1 egg white
I don’t remember where I got this recipe (I printed it out months ago) but I’m grateful for this super easy recipe!
I added an egg white to the recipe to make it easier to mix and it helped. However, it did get add too much moisture so I sprinkled icing sugar on to the dough.
Overall, easy recipe and yummy cookies.
It was my first time making lasagna last night and I am so happy to add another “successful” session to my list (now a list of two). I needed a rebound from the supposed green tea cheesecake and lasagna was the perfect fit. I know it doesn’t look all that tempting, but if other people in my family eat it, then trust me… that says something because they never eat my things! -=)
I didn’t add any special herb or spice, it was strictly:
- ground beef
- Ravo pasta sauce
- shredded mozzarella cheese
– mixed with 1% cottage cheese
- parmesan cheese
- one onion
- 3 garlic cloves
- lasagna noodles
*For some reason I couldn’t find ricotta cheese in two different grocery stores so I mixed cottage cheese with the mozzarella cheese. Thanks for the tip, Alice!
I think every time I produce a failed meal, I shall make a noobie-friendly meal to make up for it. It makes me feel better and eating the food always cheers me up, haha.
So, I thought I would be a champion and make two things at once: Nutella Macarons and a Green Tea Cheesecake. Note to self: Don’t be a champ when you are clearly a noob. My macarons turned out great but my green tea cheesecake was disastrous.
The recipe I used listed all the ingredients in order of their use. So instead of listing the amount of sugar needed in total, it was divided up per use. I messed this part up and added two cups of sugar instead of two teaspoons with my cookie crust and it was all down hill from there.
1. Cookie crust was not sticking together
2. Ran out of green tea
3. Tasted like I was eating cream cheese from the container
4. Used more sugar than I was supposed to for the crust
Will I try making this again? Definitely, but not anytime soon. I think I’m going to stick with cookies and cake for a while before I move onto cheesecakes and other desserts.
I’ve always wanted to but never had the chance to try a macaron.
All thanks to Baking Bites and her Nutella Macarons Recipe, I can finally try a macaron for myself.
The recipe was easy to follow (noobie-friendly check mark) and very straight forward. I used almond meal instead of hazelnut meal simply because Bulk Barn didn’t sell it. I didn’t let the piped macaron dough sit for twenty minutes and it’s probably why they don’t look smooth and authentic like Baking Bites’. Overall, it was a successful baking session and the macarons were delicious.
All italicized writing means it was taken from original poster: Baking Bites.
Ingredients
2 1/4 cups hazelnut meal (180 g) [I used almond meal instead]
2 cups confectioners’ sugar (200g)
1/2 cup cocoa powder (30g)
4 large egg whites, room temperature
1 cup sugar (180g, granulated)
1/4 cup water
approx 1 cup Nutella
1.
Sift together hazelnut[/almond]
meal, confectioners’ sugar and cocoa powder into a large bowl.
2. Add two egg whites [into the bowl above] and stir mixture until it comes together into a very thick dough. This may take a few minutes, but the mixture will eventually all come together.
*I was getting impatient and added in another egg yolk which made the mixture really moist. “Patience is virtue.”
3. In a small saucepan, bring granulated sugar and water to a rolling boil.
4. In another large mixing bowl, beat remaining two egg whites until frothy. When sugar mixture comes to a boil, beat egg whites to soft peaks.
5. With the mixer on medium speed, drizzle the hot sugar mixture into the egg whites very slowly until all of the syrup has been incorporated and you have a thick, fluffy meringue.
6. Take 1/3 of the meringue mixture and mix it into the chocolate paste with the electric mixer. Fold in remaining meringue in two or three additions.
7. Transfer batter to a piping bag (or plastic bag) with an approx 1 cm opening.
8. Pipe dough onto prepared baking sheets to form 1-inch discs (approx 1 1/2 tbsp per disc); batter will spread slightly after piping. Leave about 1-inch between discs on the baking sheet.
9. Once all of the batter has been piped out, let the macarons sit at room temperature for about 20 minutes to form a “skin” that will give them a smooth, shiny top during baking.
10. While the macarons sit, preheat the oven to 350F.
11. Bake macarons for about 11-12 minutes, until the tops are set.
12. Cool on the baking sheet for 2 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
13. Once macarons are cool, sandwich them together with about 1 teaspoon of Nutella.
