Quick Tip

Have you ever promised to bring a dessert to a friends house, family gathering or event? Did you forget and remember at the last minute...been there, done that. Here is a quick recipe that is sure to make everyone happy.

I always have three things in my cabinet: chocolate chips, yellow cake mix and brownie mix. I know these do not seem like pantry staples, but trust me you should always have these three things on stand by.

So back to the last minute dessert disaster. If you don't want to make it look like you forgot all about bringing something store bought or burnt chocolate chip cookies turn to brownie cookies. They are chocolatey like a brownie and chewy like a cookie.

All you need to do is take your brownie mix, add 1 egg, 2 tablespoons of water, a 1/3 cup of oil and mix. Then place them in the oven at 375 degrees for eight minutes and you have cookies in no time! SHould take no more than 45 minutes from start to finish.

Next time you find yourself in a dessert disaster make these brownie cookies and your disaster will become a masterpiece!

Book club treats

With my recent transfer to Temple and in hopes to save money, I am living at home with my parents. Every few weeks they get together with some friends for a book club. This week they have volunteered to hold the meeting at our house.

Sooooo my mother being the great hostess she is feels the need to have plenty of wine, beer, snacks and baked goods for everyone to enjoy. She is fine with getting the wine, beer and snacks, it is the baked goods that give her trouble. Remember from the last blog when I mentioned how she got skipped in the baking gene pool. Well this is when she comes to me because no one wants that store bought, boxed up faked goods. Also, I refuse to let her serve that garbage.

I wanted to do something different than your typical brownies and chocolate chip cookies. Now don't get me wrong, I LOVE chocolate chip cookie (which I also made for them) and brownies but I wanted to make something different.

So I started to think about the start of a new school year, the first day of autumn coming on Thursday and the holiday season quickly approaching, I thought about fall flavors.

I decided to take the basic sugar cookie mix but jazz it up a little. I added a pumpkin spice mixture which contained cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, ginger, anise and all spice to give it that perfect fall feel. They turned out FANTASTIC!

If you are looking to bake something for friends or family and want to give them that fall warmth...bake up a batch of these and you'll be sure to be a everyones favorite.

It's all in the family

I come from a large extended family. Growing up with four siblings, seven sets of aunts and uncles and fifteen cousins, getting everyone together is always a task. However, there is always one way to get everyone in the same place at the same time. That way, is my maternal grandmother's cooking and baking.

My grandmother learned from her mother at a young age to prepare traditional Slovakian meals and baked goods. My grandmother has tried to keep the family heritage and tradition alive by teaching her children and grandchildren how to cook and bake. Now, my mom never really got into cooking and baking like her mom did, but I came a custom to watching my grandmother over the years and fell in love with baking just as she once did.

This semester I hope to share my love baking with the class. I will share recipes, tips, and how to take traditional recipes and add a twist. Hope I can spread the love of baking to you all and prove that I CAN bake better than yo momma!