Two truths

Two things I have recently found:

1. I am a terrible cook but could compete in many baking competitions.

2. There is an awesome website that I am very much in love with that gives me inspiration to keep on believing that.

Let's go back to the first truth. I grew up in a family in which we ate a lot of good food. It was just that usually my mom or dad made it. But, when they started baking, they invited me to help them, and I learned some of the tricks of the trade at an early age. Some of my earliest memories (before the age of 6) are sitting at the kitchen counter watching my dad roll out

sugar cookies and then getting to place the cookie cutters and make the cookies. Then, we'd get to decorate them and eat them. Yummy! Making cookies is sort of like an art - it looks good and then it tastes good!

Cooking, on the other hand, is more of a chore. We do it because we have to eat. I guess we could just go out to Taco Bell again, for the 2nd time this week, but it is healthier to make something at home..... okay.... what will we have? Do we have to go to the grocery store? Do we have time to cook that?

And that's how the arguments go in my mind...

So, this is the website I've happened across. It completely fuels my argument - baking is way cooler than cooking. For those of you who like being in the kitchen and have a creative bent, this website takes art and mixes it with baking. It is like making decorations or crafts that you can eat. Its sweet! These are two of my favorite posts from this author: here and here.

So, first take a look at the Bakerella. Then see what I did this Christmas:

The first thing I made was cakeballs. That is what Bakerella is known for. Yes, its a ridiculous name, but they are like a little slice of heaven in your mouth.

Basically, a cakeball is cake plus frosting and then dipped into chocolate.

This one I made with red velvet cake plus cream cheese frosting.

The next things I made were sugar cookies. Bakerella does a beautiful job on her website, but I also sneaked a peak at Martha Stewart's for the recipie that I used. I wasn't completely happy with it. The cookies didn't have much flavor and were rather crunchy. (I prefer the soft mushy ones). If you have a good sugar cookie recipe, please share with me!

I rolled out the dough on wax paper and it made it nice and easy to put the cookies on a baking sheet in the oven! No worrying about if they will fall apart or break!

Then, the fun part: decorating them! I may have gone a little crazy..... I had to buy cake decorating supplies at Michaels and Wal-Mart and at Sur La Table.....

but it was worth it

(or at least thats what I tell myself)

But really, in like 10 years when we have lots and lots of kids and they're able to use all the cool cake decorating stuff, they'll thank me. Uh huh!

I went all out. I did the piping around the edge, and then flooded the cookie with color. I did other designs, used sprinkles, everything. Of course Martha Stewart's still look better.... but I'm getting there!

And finally.... the last thing I made this Christmas was chocolate and peanut butter fudge. It was melt-in-your-mouth goodness! Again, thanks to Bakerella who saved the day with this awesome recipe. I will keep it and make it again and again. This fudge is amazing!

Well, hope you enjoyed some of my baking. If you know of any fun cooking sites, let me know!

Spaghetti Squash

One thing that I love about fall is all the squash. I found a recipe last year that I absolutely LOVE and it is so delicious, healthy and very easy to make. First, you need to buy a Spaghetti Squash. They are a creamy light brownish-yellow color. I know Vons and Trader Joe's have them this time of year. You cut it down the middle, scoop out the seeds, put it cut side-down on a pan in the oven for half an hour or so, until its soft.


While its cooking, you put together in a pan one chopped onion and one green pepper. You can add some oil and garlic for flavoring.
After this stuff is tender, you can add some tomatoes and even some meat. When I make this, I often buy chicken sausages at Trader Joe's and chop them up and put them in here to heat them up. They are pre-cooked, so they can be added at the end.

Instead of adding fresh tomatoes like I normally would, I had some (well, 2) cans of Italian-style chopped tomatoes that I had accidentally purchased. I thought it would be a good time to use them. It was perfect using them because the extra liquid in the tomatoes as well as the flavoring made this dish even better!
Anyways, about this time the squash was cooked so after it sits for a minute or two, you take a fork to it and pull the squash apart. Its called Spaghetti Squash because it comes out of the squash looking like spaghetti noodles:

Well, you mix everything together, or you can serve it like spaghetti - the "noodles" on the bottom with the sauce on the top. Add basil and feta cheese to top it off.