Stress baking can produce delicious results

I started baking as a means to deal with my stress. I figured it was a productive usage of my time. Since I'm still in college, I'm not exactly mellow all the time. Hence, a lot of baked goods are produced in my kitchen, especially around midterms and project due dates. This week's creations were centered around my Sociology research project's due date and my craving for Chex Mix and my friend's birthday.

Now when I went to the store to buy said Chex for said mixin', I noticed that there are no longer oven directions only...microwave directions ::hiss:: Terrible. Chex Mix should never, EVER, be made in a microwave. So if you're looking for a traditional oven prepared Chex Mix, don't fret:

Chex Mix (compliments of my sister):

3 c. Rice Chex
3 c. Corn Chex
3 c. Wheat Chex
1 c. Pretzels
1 c. Rye chips
2 c. Mixed nuts
6 tsp. butter (melted)
2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
3/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. onion powder
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper

Mix all the dry ingredients in a big bowl. Melt butter over low heat. Add the spices to the butter and mix well. Pour butter mixture over dry ingredients, stirring constantly to coat evenly. Bake in the oven at 250º for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes. Cool on papertowels.

Now if you're interested in something more sweet, here's a recipe for Muddy Buddies:

9 c. Rice Chex or Corn Chex or a combination
1 c. semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 c. peanut butter
1/4 c. butter
1 tsp. vanilla
1 1/2 c. powdered sugar

Measure cereal into a large bowl and set aside. Melt chocolate chips, butter, and peanut butter in a microwave on high for 1 minute, stir. Microwave for another 30 seconds or until mixture is smooth. Then stir in vanilla. Pour over cereal and stir to coat evenly. Pour into a 2 gallon Ziploc bag. Add powdered sugar and shake the bag to cover all the cereal. Spread on wax paper to cool.


My last creation of the week was a birthday cake for my friend Holly, who happens to be allergic to soy. Now one tricky thing about soy is...it's in practically everything! So it requires thoroughly reading the ingredients, a combination of recipies and some serious substitutions to make a delicious cake that meets her dietary needs. I made her cake from a few recipies in Rose Levy Beranbaum's "The Cake Bible." To be more specific, downy yellow butter cake and white and dark chocolate buttercream. This recipe used butter instead of shortening and veggie oil, which makes the cake lighter and softer, but still delicious! And the buttercream is well, butter. Paula Dean would be so proud! And I used Dutch processed cocoa powder instead of bar chocolate (which contains soy) to make the buttercream chocolate. After frosting the cake with the chocolate butter cream, I used the white chocolate buttercream to add some decorative touches. The cake turned out scrumptious looking and I really hope that she likes it!

pastry foray

First and foremost, I love food. Point blank. I will eat practically anything. (Especially if it happens to be lemon flavored) I've always enjoyed food, especially making it with and for people. My friends and I love getting together and cooking big meals together. To me, food has always brought people together. Why do all of our holidays seem to have food as the centerfold? Because food is so damn delicious.

But personally, I enjoy cooking, but I find no greater joy than baking. Nothing puts a smile on your face more than the smell of a loaf of milk and honey bread wafting through the kitchen or the taste of a rich dark chocolate ganache generously poured over a moist cake.

Over the past year I have dabbled in the baking and pastry arts; namely bringing my confectionery treats into work. It makes me happy that people enjoy my food. I find no greater reward than the look on their face when they bite into a checkerboard sable or lick the remaining butter cream from their fingers. One day, one of my coworkers said "you know, you should just go to culinary school!" So I gave it some thought and figured, why not!?! I already love it as a hobby, why not make a living out of it. Of course I'm still 2 years shy of graduation, but my hope is that by that time I will have figured out if this is something that I really want to do. In the meantime, I want to share my pastry concoctions with not just my coworkers but to everyone else who enjoys sweets and savories! So I plan to dedicate this blog to my forays into the pastry arts from my very own kitchen. Please enjoy!