~*~*Baking*~*~ (and shameless plugs)

Baking.....

Everyone who reads this blog, will do one of the following....

1) Fall in love with baking so much that you will be calling me begging me to LET you put things in the upcoming bake sales....
2) Have a burning desire to bake everything you can possibly imagine and surprise the bake sale with oh so many homemade goodies
3) Care less about baking and have to endure my shameless plugs on baking things for the bake sales I am going to organize.

I am going to guess #3...but pretend that it is going to be #1 or #2. (*crosses fingers*)


Baking... it is easier than people want it to be. I hear time and time again that it is "hard" to bake, or some people just can't bake.
That is all a self-made LIE!

Let's do an exercise.....

Simply follow these directions....

Stand up.
Walk around your computer chair.
Jump on one foot.
Say your ABC's.
Sit down.

Was that easy??? Could you follow the simple instructions? Okay, well if you could do that, you can bake.
How are those two things related you ask? Well, because all baking is, is following directions.
That is it. No creativity, no "kitchen suave" needed..... just get a recipe and follow the directions. Easy Peasy.

Here are a few projects for you, no real measuring needed for the first one....

Dump Cake. (I was told this is the way to any man's heart....)

1 box of yellow cake mix (any brand)
2 cans of pie filling (any flavor, cherry is really popular with this, but I like apple)
1 stick of butter (in this recipe, butter and margarine can be used, but be careful, sometimes when it says butter it means butter....and sometimes it says unsalted butter, this is where things get tricky!)

Take a regular cake pan (9x13 pan) pour both cans of pie filling in it.
On top of the filling, you will evenly pour the dry cake mix.
Make sure that all the pie filling is covered, and it is even.....
Take the butter, cut it into small pieces (I leave them in squares just slice it thinly)
Put the butter on top of the cake mix. Spread them out all over the cake. The butter will melt and make the cake mix turn into a crust.
Bake in oven at 350* for about 20 or 30 minutes. (You will know when it is done when the butter is completely melted and the top is golden brown)
Let the dump cake cool for at least 15 minutes and serve with ice cream, whipped cream etc.



Did you make this? No.....go do it real quick, then come back and finish the blog.


Okay now that was easy wasn't it? Not so bad. You can make something new now, a little more complex?

Bon Bon Cookies
3/4 cup shortening
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 egg
2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp almond extract
1 3/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 bag Hershey's Chocolate kisses

Preheat oven to 350. Cream together shortening and sugars. Add egg and extracts and mix well. Mix in flour, baking powder and salt. Place 1 unwrapped kiss in the center of small amount of dough and roll into a ball. Place in cookie sheet and bake for 12 minutes. You don't want the dough to be golden brown, just cooked all the way through so watch carefully.

Don't.Be.Scared.

Here are my baking tips for the week:

• Take it one step at a time.
• Measure exactly as the recipe says. Keep a full set of measuring tools handy, they are less than a dollar at Wal-mart.
• Keep a timer handy to keep the goodies baking as long as the recipe says.
• Do not try to substitute any of the ingredients until you get familiar with the items that can be substituted (like butter and margarine).
• Remember the KISS method (Keep It Simple Silly) Do not try to bake creme brulee when you don't know how to bake a frozen pot pie.
• And remember.......it is ok if you burn something, just try it again.....it is only food...

Now that everyone has a new love and confidence for baking....I don't want to see any store bought items at my bake sale....we all can bake....we can...and we will.....and you will do great. I just know you will!! Now chop chop...off to the kitchen you go....bake bake bake.....I will announce tonight at church when the first bake sale is for the kid's camp fundraiser.......I want you to be prepared!!

You still love me right? he he he he

Till next time....or tonight when I bug you to sign up to help...

Layla