One cookie, Six ways

Hey there!

The last few days have been crazy busy, so even thinking about anything but school hasn't been possible. Anyways, a co-worker brought in a cookie recipe she made: ricotta sugar cookies! Sounds weird I know, but they were soooooooo delicious! She said that she had a bunch of ricotta cheese leftover and she wanted to use it before it went bad, so she went to recipezaar.com and put in 'ricotta' and up popped this recipe for sugar cookies. I HATE sugar cookies (a bad experience with sugar cookie dough when I was younger), but these were great - they didn't have the usual cookie texture. They were more like a cross between a scone (a good, dense scone, not a crumbly one) and shortbread. She sprinkled some sugar on top and the added crunch was good as well...definitely going into my cookbook!

Also, on the topic of cookies - I'll be working on a cookie this weekend. I'm trying out peach oatmeal cookies, and I'm making it 6 different ways! I figure I'll just make small batches of each, and I want my friends and co-workers to try them and actually rate which ones they like best. Here are the six "factors" of my experiment:

Test 1: Peach-Oatmeal (with fresh peaches)
Test 2: Peach-Oatmeal (with frozen peaches)
Test 3: Peach-Oatmeal (with canned peaches)

After we decide which one tastes and works best (and is most cost-efficient), then I'll do the following:

Test 4: Peach-Oatmeal with raisins
Test 5: Peach-Oatmeal with white chocolate chips
Test 6: Peach-Oatmeal with raisins AND white chocolate chips

Yummy, I can't wait - I hope it works out, then I have another item for my menu! Don't worry, I'll post pics!

Amateur

Hello all,

After reading many blogs (especially Baristabrat - I love her!) I've decided that now is the time to start my own. I'm in the middle of this whirlwind of discovering my passion for baking and attempting to get started applying for baking schools, begin plans for my own business, etc. and I figured a blog would be the best way to chronicle my successes (and failures of course). I haven't had much experience baking, except all the stuff I would make when I was younger at home and my year at the bakery on campus. I love my job, and that's saying something when I have to wake up at 4:30am to get there on time! Here are some of the cakes I've made so far (don't judge me - I'm a beginner):



This is my second official cake - I made it for my dad's 50th birthday. It's supposed to be three graves (the one in the middle is empty).

This is a camera cake I made for one of my co-workers birthdays. He's really into photography, so I attempted a Nikon...and I successfully made it look like a camera from 1993 lol.



I'm really excited to write about my adventures in baking! My next cake is going to be for my friend/roommate Noelle's 21st birthday...and I'm using fondant FOR THE FIRST TIME! Wish me luck! Also, since I'm broke, for Christmas I'm going to make family and friends a cookbook with all my favorite recipes (except ones I'm using in my bakery). The first recipe is going to be for this yummy mushroom lasagna I made the other night...oh my god it was so good! I love Barefoot Contessa, she makes the yummiest things. Anyways, so that's that - I'll be back!