This Thanksgiving I'm thankful for:
Thank you for reading.
Have a happy and safe Thanksgiving, and don't forget your eatin' pants!
(P.S. Here's the recipe for that sweet looking pecan pie!)
I made doughnuts.
That's it. My life is forever changed.
And these weren't just ANY doughnuts, my friends. Oh no. These were...are you ready for this?
You sure?
ARE YOU SURE YOU'RE READY FOR THIS?
Okay, okay, sorry. I get a little too dramatic in the mornings.
BAKED. PUMPKIN. CAKE. DOUGHNUTS.
Yes.
I took a trip to Target about a month ago, and was perusing the home section when I came across a Nordic Non-Stick Doughnut Pan for a low, low price. Being one to never pass up a good deal, I threw it in the cart without even the slightest bit of hesitation.
Also, can we just take a moment to talk about the magic that is Target itself? Has anyone honestly ever gone in there thinking, "I'm just going in to get ______, then I'm out of there!"? No. Never. It's impossible. At Target, you have the semi-freedom to shop with abandon...You always learn your lesson when you get to the register of course, but by then it's too late, and you've already figured out a place for your new items in respective rooms in your home. I love it there, and Boston's about to get one a LOT closer to home! And you know where I'll be opening day.
Let's move on!
The recipe itself was amazingly simple. Honestly, all I did was throw a few things in the bowl. And for tools? Bowl, spoon, whisk, measuring cups, doughnut pan. That's it. I'm sure all you bakers out there can agree that sometimes the simpler the recipe, the less cleanup, the happier EVERYONE IS. We all like to dabble in complicated masterpieces, but on occasion, it's just nicer to take it easy in the kitchen. Especially in the summer, especially after all this heat.
I think I spent a total of 30 minutes preparing the mixture, then scooped it into the pan using my handy dandy 1/4 cup ice cream scoop, set the oven to about 17 minutes, and it was done!
Dunkin' Donuts, you eat your heart out. Then, you can come over for doughnuts.
What You'll Need:
Doughnuts:
Coating:
Get the recipe here!
Happy baking!
Sometimes, when you're looking for something to make, you just have to go classic. I found a recipe last week for something called a "monster cookie," which looked just like what we midwesterners would call a "ranger cookie" because of the M&Ms.
Whatever you call them, they're delicious, and I decided that that was my project for last weekend.
What's really great about these cookies is that, no matter what, monster cookies are always GIANT. And the secret to getting such a huge cookie, so big that you have to split it in half just to eat it? AN ICE CREAM SCOOP. Genius! (By the way, it should be noted that not only do I actually use ice cream scoops for cookies, I also use them to distribute cupcake and muffin batter. It makes life a little less hectic.)
These cookies didn't last long at my house, and I can't wait to make them again! They made for a great snack while I stayed up late this past week finishing two papers and four presentations with write-ups. College can be so exciting sometimes! (It was awful.)
Anyway, here was the result:
All in all, it probably took me about an hour and a half to make twelve huge, yummy, chocolaty cookies. (And like, three seconds to shove the whole thing in my mouth like no one was watching.)
What You'll Need:
Get the full recipe here!
HAPPY BAKING!
YOU GUYS!
I just found this recipe on how to make your own vanilla extract from Shrimp Salad Circus. It's perfect for gifts but even more than that: this is one of those recipes that fulfills my desire to home-make everything I use in the kitchen.
HAPPY EXTRACTING!