What’s That?
Mystery Item A
One of my most stress-free classes at the moment is Digital Photography. Okay, I’ll admit it. As much as I love photography, I haven’t taken this class very seriously. Sometimes I take my journal photos (which we’re supposed to document our lives with throughout the week) at lunch before 6th period. And sometimes I’ll just take completely uninspired photos that fit the requirement (example: the bus stop sign for a photo of the color yellow.)
This assignment, though, I really had fun with. Our macro assignment. We were supposed to pick a theme… flowers, shoes, etc. I picked kitchen supplies and equipment. These are all close ups of things from my kitchen. Most of them are pretty obvious, some aren’t… Can you guess what they are?
Mystery Item B
More mystery items and the answers after the jump.
Mother’s Day Lemon Chiffon Cake
Generally, every baked good I make goes through the same life cycle. I make it because baking is my ultimate form of escape. I focus so hard when I’m baking that all my stresses just melt into the background, and as the pan goes into the oven and I wash the dishes by myself, I just think. And it’s utterly relaxing.
I don’t give too much thought to what happens after I’ve finished. So I’ve got an entire cake, or five dozen cookies. Now what?
Usually my mom and I eat a little of what I make. She doesn’t have a huge sweet tooth, so she’ll try a small slice or one cookie. I’ll try it too, and if I like it, I might keep some and eat it throughout the week.
More than half of what I make, however, is always shared instead of kept at home. My mom sends plates of pretty stacked cookies over to our neighbors, who never bake themselves. I carry treats to school in my plastic cake carrier, stored in my locker until lunch time. And sometimes my mom brings it to work, so that whenever I’m in her office I inevitably get the question, “When are you baking again?”
But this cake. Oh, this innocent looking cake is a completely different story.
The first time I made it, my mother was actually shocked to like it. I had only just gotten into baking, and most everything was too rich or too sweet for her taste. But this chiffon cake, light as air and served without frosting, did it for her. Granted, it’s a small cake, but the two of us ate it all by ourselves.
I’ve made the cake countless times since, for her birthday and other special occasions. Once, over the course of 5 hours, my mom, dad, and I finished the entire thing. We started by cutting equal slices and carefully plating them, passing around forks. By the end, we tore off pieces of cake and brought them directly to our mouths. No utensils required.
April Showers bring May Migraines – and Cold War Brownies
Oh, my gosh. What makes these Cold War brownies?
Maybe it’s like this. There’s cream cheese, yeah? It’s tangy and dominant. It likes to ripple through everything. Cause hey. Cream cheese will make it taste better. Cream cheese is good for you. Cream cheese demands to get its way. (It’s the US, okay?)
Then there’s the chili powder. You don’t really notice how much ammunition it’s got until you take the first bite. Then you feel it, in the back of your mouth. It’s got a bit of heat, and it wants to be there. (Clearly the USSR!)
And the nutella. You’re not entirely sure what it’s doing there. It’s a bit of a surprise, a shock. You don’t want to underestimate it, and yet, you can’t help wonder what business nutella has in your brownie. (Obviously Cuba.)
And it’s like… They’re all together, on the playing field. (Brownie = earth.) They’re marbled together, but can’t possibly mix. In your mouth, you can’t decide which flavor wins. It’s too much wonderfulness to handle.
Alternatively, maybe it’s because, as my friend G- put it, they’re bomb. !!! I know. Not funny. Sorry.
…Orrrrrrr, maybe they’re Cold War Brownies because I (sort of) studied and baked at the same time. You decide.
No matter what, they’ll make a pack of exhausted, brain dead juniors smile again.
Under the Wing of Erin Cooks – plus Triple Berry Frozen Yogurt
Do you know Erin, the beautiful blogger behind Erin Cooks? Yeah, silly question.
It seems as if April is my luckiest month ever. There was my 17th birthday, and my first Daring Bakers challenge. And, most unexpectedly, a slew of kind comments that leave me smiling the whole day. Only last month I blogged about how I knew no one would read 17 and Baking, and that was fine with me. What a birthday gift!
I was matched with Erin for the Adopt-a-Blogger #3 event hosted by Kristen of Dine & Dish, where new bloggers get an experienced blogger as a mentor. “Experienced” is quite the understatement… Erin’s been blogging for 10 years. Her beautiful photography and pleasant, accessible writing style have won her quite a large following.
Erin’s Heart Shaped Peppermint Patties
Her recipes, too, look amazing… Raised doughnuts, Peanut Butter Ice Cream with homemade white chocolate peanut butter cups, and her favorite Thick, Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies. But it’s not all sweet. Erin also cooks dinner, breakfast, and appetizers; she cooks healthy, she travels, she reviews.
Despite all this, though, she’s down to earth. She emailed me right away, full of helpful tips and kind encouragement without a trace of superiority. (She even blogs about her disasters, a fact that I love!) I strongly encourage you to check her out. She is a fabulous mentor and an excellent cook. Erin, thanks for all your help!
Now… what do you do with a giant bag of frozen berries?
Triple Berry Frozen Yogurt!
17 and Baking 