Food Failures and Successes: Its Easier Than You Think

There have been numerous baking failures in my life. I'm getting better. Its a slow process, but its getting there. If you, like me, lack in baking skills, don't give up. (Don't worry the pic above is not my baking disaster)

Baking is pretty cool concept to me. At the simplest, you mix some stuff, whisk it maybe too, pour it in a floured pan and stick it in the oven. As my old computers professor said, "Baking is a chemical reaction. The measurements have to be right for it to end up the way you want". I didn't listen to him, because I figured what could an old information technology professor know about baking. I just want to throw stuff in a pan, and cook it. 

If you are like me, a lazy person who doesn't want to be be bothered by measuring cups and spoons, you have seen so many disasters. I get the flavors 100% of time. However, my lovely chai almond cookies were reduced to something scone-like, probably because I melted the butter in the microwave and didn't measure the baking powder. Learn from my mistakes, if not your own: MEASUREMENTS ARE IMPORTANT.

Here are two things related to baking I didn't know were so easy.

1) Finishing Glazes: The recipe for the simplest glaze.

    1 cup of confectioners sugar 

    1 Tablespoon or two of milk. 

For thickness add more confectioners sugar and to thin it add more milk.  For flavoring, add essence or even rosewater. I put some cardamom for a sweet Indian flavor. 

2) Pie Crust

    2 Cups of crushed graham crackers

    1/2 Cup of Melted Butter

    1/3 Cup of Sugar (You could exclude this - Diet Friendly)

Then bake at 400 degrees for 10 minutes.

The nice things about this, is that graham crackers can be substituted for wonderful thing like oreos and other cookies, chocolate grahams, and crackers. Pie Crusts are easy to make. Don't buy them. If you want to make a really fast pie then just throw in any of those JELLO pudding mixes inside. For every box of the pudding, use one cup of milk to make a filling rather than a pudding. 

Heres a delicious, super easy coconut cream pie recipe I adore:

Toasted Coconut Cream Pie Recipe

Good Luck on your own baking adventures. Will post some traditional recipes soon.

MM