A Month In Review

After nearly a month after starting this blog, I decided to take a look back at the recipes that I tried and do a quick assessment of each.

The Brownie Cupcakes: I decided to start off with the recipe because of how easy it was. It seemed like a fun idea, mixing brownie mix and cupcake mix, and the end result wasn't half bad either. The main issue I had with this dessert was just how heavy the brownie part was in relation to the cupcake. Not to mention the fact that it was difficult to pull the cupcake liner off the brownie bottom which more often than not resulted in a separation of brownie and cupcake. Would I make these again? Sure. But would I feature them in my California Bakery (you know, the one I'm going to open when I win the lottery)? Probably not.

The Pineapple Upside Down Cakes: As previous stated, I'm still not 100% sure what the appeal of eating an 'upside down' cake is. It really doesn't taste any better than if you were to eat it right side up. But for some reason, the guinea pig officer that I like to refer to as 'Tall, Dark and Handsome' has a major thing for pineapple upside down cakes, so I tried them. I think my biggest issue with that recipe was that it called for cake flour and I decided that regular flour would be sufficient. That was my bad. The consistency of the batter was difficult to deal with. The guinea pigs officers seemed to enjoy the final outcome, though their main complaint was that the cupcake was too dry. Would I make these again? Yes. But not using the same recipe.

The Chocolate Cheesecake Cupcakes: I hate this recipe. While the idea seemed like a good one, the end result was not what I expected at all. Perhaps part of the problem calls for the refrigeration of the cupcakes after the ganache was applied. I don't know. All I know is that, as stated in the post, I wouldn't make these again unless Michael Weatherly himself fell to his knees in front of me and begged me to make them.

The Chewy Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Cookies: With the extra cream cheese I had left over from the cheesecake cupcake disaster, I decided to give these cookies a shot. The very first time I made them, they were absolutely delicious, though the edges were a bit burnt. These cookies were a favorite of the guinea pigs officers and they're still requesting that I make more. Would I make these again? Uh huh. And I'd even put them in my bakery in California.

The Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Cookies: I have never been as excited to try a recipe as I was to try these bad boys. Fall is my absolute favorite time of year and pumpkin is one of my favorite fall ingredients. The recipe was simple enough and the cookies, for the most part, turned out to be delicious. But I learned something very important: Some people have problems eating things with weird textures and if you're one of those people, these cookies are not for you. They were spongy and not really 'cookie' like. Tall, Dark and Handsome is apparently one of those people with texture problems and according to him, these cookies turned him off of my cooking for a whole day! So while I will continue to enjoy this autumn treat, it's not likely to be something I'd make for anyone else.

The Old Fashioned Chocolate Chip Cookie: This recipe was simple and the taste was pleasant enough, but there wasn't anything special about these cookies (other than the awesome design job I did on them. Haha). They tasted good with a cold glass of milk, but really, that was about it. Completely and utterly unremarkable.

The Fudge Walnut Brownies: I'm fairly sure after trying these brownies that I will never revert back to using boxed mix again. The recipe was easy to use and honestly, it took maybe five minutes longer than the boxed mix would take. The brownies were moist and fudgy and no one had a bad thing to say about them. I definitely plan on making these again and if I ever get my California Bakery, these will be a staple.