Oreo Cookies and Cream Bars

hello!

I've been really bad about updating this blog....I'm sorry!!

So I made these oreo bars today. They're super yummy! I got the recipe off of this website

http://www.stumbleupon.com/su/25D6HN/picky-palate.com/2011/03/17/no-bake-chewy-cookies-and-cream-bars

Summer!

This section of the blog will be all about foods to cook in the summer including

• grilling recipes (yum!)
• food to keep you cool
• fruits
• how to make the best ice cream :D

Friendship

This year, a lot of my friends are studying abroad. It's a great opportunity that I believe everyone should have because people should always learn about other people and different cultures. However, I'm also finding it very hard to be separated from some of my friends for so long.

For example, I had two weeks off from school for winter break. During this time, I usually go over to my friend's house and bake special things. As you can see, baking/cooking is one of the things that is very close to my heart. I associate food with love and happiness because those are the emotions I feel when I'm baking/cooking. I associate baking/cooking with my friends, because I'm always asking them to try something, or to share recipes. Yet, many of them are away, and I'm not able to do those things as often as I would like to.

I think in life, you need to identify the little things that are important to you, instead of dwelling on the negative things. I find that I dwell a lot on negative things, instead of opening up my eyes and realizing what's important. Yes, the distance making things hard (no baking parties until May) but the people who are away are a part of my and always will be. That's never going to change. I love you all.

Writing everything I can think of

Happy Holidays to all!!

Since I'm on winter break, I've been studying for my exams and test that are on the week after break. Hahah that's just a joke, I realized that today, I should really get my homework done, so of course, at the last minute, I'm starting it. It's very strange, why do teachers give us homework the week after break, but tell us not to worry or study during break! How are we not supposed to worry or study if we know they're going to smack us with a billion tests? I also realized that SAT prep will start soon, so I should get started on that too. I mean, if I want to be a chef, I gotta be smart too, right? So in one of my SAT prep books, they told me about the writing section. On my PSAT, I scored a 4 out of 12 on my writing section. Yeah, kinda sucks doesn't it? Ah well I'm not going to let it bother me. The book said that I should open up a blog and write about everything possible. So here I am, writing everything possible! I think I'll mostly write about food (since I love it so much) but there are going to be times where I write about other things (relationship advice, what type of jeans to wear, colors that match with skin tone) the works! Besides, it'll be a good way for me to breathe during my crazy days of school.


Let the random writing begin!

Pumpkin Muffins

Back again!

Phew! I just put the muffins in the oven for the big race tomorrow. I used Libbys canned pumpkin which is great because you can use it for so many other things (waffles, cake, pie etc). The website: http://www.verybestbaking.com/recipes/specialty/libbys-detail-pcb.aspx. Hopefully my camera will work because these things are beautiful.

Ta ta for now!

Veri's Pumpkin Waffles

Hey All!

I've been craving pumpkin waffles all week! My friend Veri (who's in vietnam!) showed this recipe to me last year. They're AMAZING. I won't be able to post pictures but here's the recipe!

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchens/pumpkin-waffles-with-maple-walnut-apples-recipe/index.html

I also found another recipe so you can try both, but I'm pretty sure you can't go wrong with either!!

http://pumpkinwaffles.wordpress.com/ultimate-pumpkin-waffle-recipe/

Blondies!

Hey everyone!

I'm about to go downstairs and bake some brownies! One of my team memebers asked me to make them for his birthday (HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!) so here's the recipe!

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Blonde-Brownies-I/Detail.aspx

Thumbprint Jam Cookies: The Cookies

So I finished my cookies and pictures will be up soon I promise. I used the recipe from here: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/jam-thumbprints-recipe/index.html. Make sure you leave the butter out for a long time so it comes to room temperature; thats the only way to guarentee perfect cookies. I had more jam than batter so I recomend doubling the cookie recipe.

Jam Cookies: Jam

Jam

Ingredients

16oz (2 cups) of dried apricots and frozen strawberries
1 1/3 cups of Orange Juice
2/3 cups of honey
desired amount of whiskey, bristol creme, grand mariner etc (optional)

Directions

1. cut the apricots into little pieces
2. put in a saucer on medium heat with honey, orange juice and desired liquor
3. stir occaisonally and wait until all liquid is boiled out. Turn down the heat to low and let simmer
4. repeat the same steps for the strawberries

Thumbprint Jam Cookies

First Timer: Jam Cookies!

I've made hamentaschen (I'll post the recipe later) so now I'm trying something similar. There's two steps: Making the Jam and then making the cookies.

Team Baking!

Hello everyone!

So I've been really busy with summer and getting back to school but I'm now ready to start baking some more! This is a list of different (big) recipes for my Cross Country Team

Quiche Lorraine

Long time no see!

I've been busy vacationing in beautiful Barbados with most of my family. I was given a daunting task, though: quiche lorraine. It's my cousin's favorite quiche and also mine too.  The recipe I used is here : http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/emeril-lagasse/quiche-lorraine-recipe/index.html. Pictures will be coming soon!

Honey mustard sauce

Hey all,

At my cousins house we decided to cook a ham. We wanted a really sweet and delicious sauce to go with it. We mixed honey, mustard(could be frenchs or grey poupon) and brown sugar. You can also mix a little pineapple juice to give it more flavor

Mayo?

So I was looking at a few different websites about how to get perfectly moist cake, and one website said put in mayo. Really strange to me, but I tried it this morning when making my friend Mixie's cake. Right now it's in the oven so we'll see!

Day 3-Assembling the Cake

Now it's time to complete the cake!

1. Take the first layer of the cake and place it in a plate.



2. using a flat spatula, put one layer of whip cream on the cake



3. with a slotted spoon (a spoon with holes in it, similar to a colinder), drain the strawberries and put ontop of the whip cream.



4. put another layer of whip cream onto of the strawberries



5. add another layer of cake, so it looks like a sandwich. if it looks like there are open spots underneath the cake, put more whip cream



6. put the strawberries on top (either in the center or spread them out)



7. use the left over whip cream to put on the sides of the cake, the same way you would use normal frosting for a cake.



8. if you have piping, you can use it to decorate your cake!



9. when serving your cake, use the left over juices from the strawberries and pour over the cake. This makes it moist and gives it a great flavor

enjoy

Day 2-Strawberry Compote

First, you need to hull the strawberries:

http://localfoods.about.com/od/preparationtips/ss/HullStrawberry.htm

**make sure that you get the end of the stem (a long fleshy part in the center of the strawberry) out of the strawberry.

Ingredients

• 2 containers of strawberries, hulled and quartered (2 pints)


• 1/4 a cup of grand mariner liquer


• 1/2 cup of sugar


• a pinch of salt


• 2 tablespoons of lemon or orange juice(optional)

In a medium sized mixing bowl, pour in strawberries with sugar. por Grand Mariner Liquer in the mixing bowl, and stir. Let it sit for about 25 minutes so that the juices are formed.

Cooked Compote

Most fruit compotes are cooked. In order to cook your compote, first add a little bit of water a pot at low heat. Add in the orange juice, liquer and sugar. Then add in the strawberries until all are evenly coated and the juices start to flow.

Then, follow the recipe for whip cream to make the ceram for the shortcake, but use 2 pints of heavy cream, and add sugar to flavor

Ashley Jack's Barbecue Sauce

Hey all,

If you want a really delicious sauce for burgers, fry the burgers with Jack Daniels Barbecue sauce (or straight Jack Daniels), Peter Luger's Steak Sauce (or your favorite steak sauce) and apple juice. Mix these together in the frying pan with the burgers until the sauce caramelizies. The flavors will infuse into the burgers. After the burgers are a nice brown, cooked color, put them on your buns, and serve with your choice of condiments. You can use the sauce as a condiment for your burgers. Works well with mayo for mayo lovers

Enjoy!



**Credits to one of my best friends, Ashley Jack

Day 1- Shortcake

Alright let's get started!

Ingredients

• 8 eggs separated at room temperature
• 1/2 teaspoon of cream of tartar
• sugar
• 2 cup of all purpose flower
• 1/2 cup salad oil
• 3 teaspoon double acting baking powder
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

1. In a large bowl, beat egg whites and cream of tartar until peaks form, as if you were making meringue. Add in 1/2 a cup of sugar, a little bit at a time.
2. heat oven to 325. grease and flour two 9'' circular pans.
3. while the egg whites are beating, mix yolks, flour, water, oil, baking powder, vanilla and 1 cup of sugar.
4. pour in the egg white mixture into the flour mixture. blend well
5. pour into the pans, and bake for an hour, or until the top of the cake springs back when lightly touched with a finger.
6. while cakes are cooking, clean the kitchen!

Day 1- Father's Day

Father's Day Special

Hey,





So my dad's favorite dessert is Strawberry Shortcake, which I probably mentioned before. I decided that I would mix two different recipes to get the full flavors I wanted. My plan is to make the strawberry shortcake and whip cream today, put and put it in the fridge. Then tomorrow, I'm going to take the strawberries and make it into a strawberry compote for the cake. This is a little bit of a daunting task since my dad is a baker, and I want this to be perfect!

so busy!

Hey everyone,

Sorry I haven't been posting much, I've been kinda busy! I have some new ideas and delicious things coming up so keep on reading!


Thanks

-D