A New Way to Make Cookies

Great idea, right? Baking cookies in a waffle iron! I have already decided that this is going to be my new favorite thing... I'll be trying to cook everything in the waffle iron. But I'm definitely going to need some practice, because in a whole batch of cookie dough only four of my cookies looked like the ones in that picture. The rest totally spread out in the waffle iron and got all crunchy. Maybe it was too hot or I left them in too long. Not sure, but I'm definitely willing to try again, because hey... even if they were crunchy and shaped funny they still tasted delicious!

Cupcakes!

Step 1: make chocolate chip cookie dough.
Step 2: roll dough into balls and place on wax paper lined cookie sheet.
Step 3: freeze.
Step 4: prepare and pour a box of chocolate cake mix into cupcake liners.
Step 5: place a frozen ball of cookie dough into each cupcake.
Step 6: bake.
Step 7: cool.
Step 8: frost.
Step 9: share and enjoy.

When Worlds Collide

"How Not to Measure" and "Call Me 'Yo Miss'" are vastly different -- one is full of adventures in the kitchen that just get thrown together and the other analyzes aspects of the world of education. But... somehow... they combined forces last night.

For my Human Growth & Development I, and my classmate Abby, presented to our class about the importance of nutrition. We actually had to fight other groups to be able to present on this topic, so we knew we had to make it good... Which was easy, because it's something we're both very interested in.

Only last month, the USDA passed new regulations for school lunches -- including the first financial increase in 30 years!! (An extra 6 cents per lunch.) But in the next 3 years school lunches will begin to include more fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and decrease the amounts of sodium, trans fat, and sugar. All great changes. During our presentation, our main point was that students need to be educated about nutrition in order for changes to be really effective. They need to know what to choose and why they should choose it.

And, of course, we had to bring some treats in for the class! We both chose to make desserts using healthier ingredients just to prove that small changes can be made and they're not drastic or gross! Abby made delicious, fudgy, dense, chocolatey brownies using black beans instead of flour. (Once I get the recipe from her, I'll definitely post it.) And my treat was just regular chocolate chip cookies -- the same recipe from the back of the bag of semi-sweet chocolate chips. The only difference was all whole wheat flour instead of white flour and brown sugar instead of white sugar. (Oh, and my secret ingredient: a big drizzle of honey during the last few stirs.)

So yes to nutrition education and yes to healthy changes!

This should tide you over...

Since I'm still AWOL, I've added a new site on the side, under More Food: Food Gawker. Everything on here looks amazing, especially this...

Red Velvet Cheesecake Ball

An Adventure in Baked Pasta

I found this post, created last March! I don't know why it was still a draft, but since I've been so lazy about posting new stuff I'll just post old stuff:

Last night for dinner I decided to make the Baked Pasta with Spinach, Lemon & Cheese recipe I found in my Cooking Light magazine. I have to say that, overall, I was disappointed. (Although both my mom and boyfriend ate enough to show no disappointment at all.)

I really didn't stray from the recipe... I mean, I "eyeballed" everything -- there were no measuring cups involved. This is the first dish I've tried from the magazine and I felt like it was really lacking something -- the "oomf" factor, if you will. It looked delicious, but it ended up being kind of bland. If I were to do it again, I would definitely add more black pepper and salt. (I probably didn't use enough anyway because my pepper grinder frustrates me too much.)

Changes for Next Time:

• More black pepper.
• Maybe sun-dried tomatoes mixed right in.
• Definitely more cheese, or an extra type would be nice too. Asiago would probably be great mixed in with the parmesan.
• Basil. Lemon & basil, right? (I did add some fresh chopped basil on top after it was all cooked.)
• More spinach -- at least a bag and a half, not just one. 
• Replacing the wine with chicken broth would probably be a good idea too. 
• Maybe whole wheat pasta, to give some more depth.

I think with some of those changes, or at least more cheese, this dish would be much better. I served it with thin chicken breasts breaded with panko bread crumbs (mixed with a little salt, garlic powder & grated cheese) and baked in the oven. They were good, but grilled chicken would have been even better... but... it is still winter and I don't have a grill.

Regretfully Neglected

Dear Cooking Blog,

First of all, I would like to say this: I've missed you. It's important for you to know how often I've thought about you and wanted to visit you. But, alas... life has become complicated.

Last time we were together we were in Astoria and I was hopping around Manhattan working, drinking, cooking and photographing. Those days have passed; it feels like years.

The past few months I found myself in the tiny, smelly state of Rhode Island. (Literally smelly. The Johnston Landfill--oh, I'm sorry, the Rhode Island Resource Recovery Park--is often vomit-inducing during the summer months.) Living with Dad in the Ocean State pushed any need for my cooking aside. Nan lives right next door and brought dinner over for me and Dad every night. Every. Night. No matter how often anyone would say "No, please. The refrigerator is overflowing and besides, I don't even like potato salad!" Chicken cutlets. Salad. Pasta fagioli (with Boston baked beans). Ravioli. Chicken pot pie. Sausage and peppers. Pork chops. Rice. Peas. Cranberry sauce. With all of the leftovers forever in the fridge, do you really think there were ingredients to cook with? Maybe just some pasta and peanut butter. (Not together. Ew.) Besides, WHY would I cook with all of that around?? I'm not crazy. (Well...)

SO. NOW. How Not to Measure, I am returning to you. I'm in Connecticut this time around -- living alone and going to UNH. I intern at a high school during the day, go to graduate classes at night and live off student loans. (Which I have yet to receive, actually. Awesome, right?) We may not have as much time together as we could both hope for, but... I'm back.

See you soon,
Your Creator