Turning Up the Heat

I have decided to grab my culinary clumsiness by the spatula.  All my life I have been told that practice makes perfect (or at least gets you close), so practice is what I will do.

There are a number of dishes that I have been dying to make, but I just haven't had the confidence to do so.  Now that I've been doing more adult things, like paying bills, vacuuming and knitting, I've come across some sort of kitchen gumption and decided to cook for you all.  Not only that, but I have also decided to let you choose my fate.  Be nice.

The recipes I am most interested in attempting are:

White Chicken Pizza

Baked Mac and Cheese

Barbeque Chicken Rolls

  Bacon, Egg and Toast Cups

Tequila Lime Steak Fajitas

aaaaaand if there's something specific thing you want me to take a whack at, just let me know.  I'm up for anything.  All you have to do is vote (check the right side of the screen) on which one you would have more fun laughing about after I try to make it.  You have about a week to vote, so you better make it count!  Everybody loves a good disaster.  Don't forget to tell your friends -- they'll thank you later.



Photo credits to the following websites: www.mommiecooks.com, www.elephantine.typepad.com, www.canyoustayfordinner.com, www.marthastewart.com, www.ourlifeinthekitchen.com

Butter is Better

Yes, I still exist, and so do my wretched cooking skills.  Life has been hectic, but I want you all to know that the whole time I was not writing about my kitchen misfortunes, I was thinking of my readers.  Cross my heart.

You can all breathe a sigh of relief; not only am I back at blogging, but my wonderful mother bought me a cookbook. Yes, I, Audrey Jeanette, own (and stare longingly at) a cookbook.  I haven't made anything from the book yet (hence the staring) but I plan to!

This fall, I moved off campus into a quaint little apartment, with a real kitchen, which means that I have the ability to use a stove, oven AND microwave, so you can only imagine all of the "food" I will be creating! Whether people will actually want to eat that food... well... we'll find out.

My room mate has this orchid.  This story has a point, I promise.  As of this past spring, this orchid consisted of a single stalk and some dried up leaves.  I felt that all hope was lost as far as caring for and reviving this plant, but the plant's owner (Brooke Wheeler) disagreed.  I bet Brooke a tray of brownies that the plant was dead, and she bet me a tray of brownies that it was not.  This is what that plant looks like now:

Needless to say, I owe Brooke a pan of brownies....

Everything was going smoothly until I read the back of the box.  I had already mixed half the ingredients before I realized that I needed 2/3 cup of vegetable oil.  We didn't have any of that.  I read online that applesauce was sometimes a great alternative to oil in baking, but if we don't have vegetable oil, do you think we're going to have applesauce?

I put my creative mind to work and decided that melting 2/3 cup of butter was just as good.  I mean, it basically does the same thing, but tastes better.  Who doesn't like a nice, solid cup of margarine?

 After melting the butter, I added it to the mix.  It took a while to completely fold into the brownie batter, (did you like my lingo drop?) but I was patient.  I shortened the cooking time by about fifteen minutes because I was told by a very wise baker (my mother) that butter cooks faster than oil.  I'm not going to lie, I was worried about the outcome, but look at these beauties!

The moral of the story is: when in doubt, use butter.

Being A Better Betty Crocker

As I sit here slurping a freshly puréed mixture of blueberries and bananas (a recipe I am most definitely posting), I had the realization that I have been doing quite well with the process of domestication.  Then I had another realization; I've been doing so well because I spend my days knitting and making smoothies.  The only reason I have stepped foot into the kitchen in the past month is so that I can dump a couple of different fruits into a blender and press "on"...


I suddenly feel so defeated.  The thing is, does it look like I have a reason to cook for myself?

 That omelet is filled with mushrooms, prosciutto and cheese curds, for crying out loud.

Most kids gain weight when they're at school, but my problem is when I come home for the summer....

This is what I mean, though.  Both of my parents are chef-like and my older sister could have her own show on The Food Network.  I am determined to become a better cook.  From now on, I will try to do more in the kitchen; less snitching out of the frying pan and more learning.

Cooking is like love. It should be entered into with abandon or not at all.
Harriet Van Horne  

Best Smoothie Yet

1 banana

1 1/2 cups of blueberries

1 vanilla yogurt

1 strawberry yogurt

1 tsp of cinnamon

While this is all in the blender, add a drop of coconut flavoring and another drop of almond flavoring. My blueberries were frozen so I didn't use ice.

Makes two... if you like to share...

Wish me luck.  I know you'll be reading.