Chewy Gooey chocolate chip cookies

E walked in on me while I was doing my daily blog reading. I had that guilty look on my face, like I knew I had already spent way too much time doing this. Seriously, I could spend all day going from blog to blog. He interrupted me to say that he wanted cookies. REALLY? E never ever eats any of the sweet treats that I make, take that back, he only eats the cookies I make. Not to say that he doesn't support my baking. Not at all, why he is the one who gave me the BEAUTIFUL KA mixer.

However, when E asks for some sweet bakings I love to make it for him because I know he will savor it, even if it only lasts a couple minutes. I sometimes think that I am selfish for getting off on him enjoying my treats. I guess its like those things that you don't get all the time so when you get it, you appreciate it a lot more than if you were to get it everyday. Get it? No? Me either, I think I confused myself too. Okay.

When I was little I loved going to pool parties, and once I was in, you could not get me out. Candy, sunburn, or even cake- yes cake, would not get me out. I was a wrinkly and happy kid frolicking in the community lagoon. So, of course when my mom started to look at houses to live in, my only condition was that it had to have a pool. i dreamed of playing all day everyday, getting my handstands just right, playing marco polo, and perfecting my cannon ball. Once we moved in, it was not much different than how I imagined. Then, the next week I went out less until not at all. I still loved to go swimming but why did it not have that same charm that irresistibly anymore? It was there! I had it whenever i wanted it and it was no longer special. Thanks mom for ruining my pool days, :) More like thanks for spoiling me! That's why kids appreciate things more when they don't get it all the time.

Well, back to the point, I love it when E wants me to make him something. Chocolate chip cookies were what he asked for of course! But, alas, we were out of eggs! oh no!! What to do? Well experiment of course. What came was a delicious little chewy gooey chocolate chip cookie.

Chewy Gooey Chocolate chip cookie

• 1 c margarine (or butter, I was out)



• 3/4 c brown sugar



• 1/2 c sugar



• 2 tsp vanilla



• 1 1/2 c flour



• 1/2 tsp salt



• 1 tsp baking soda



• 1/4 c boiling water



• 2 cups oats



• 1 1/2 c chocolate chips

Beat butter, the sugars, and the vanilla until fluffy. Add flour and salt and mix well. Dissolve baking soda into the boiling water and add to the mixture. Fold in the oats and chocolate chips.

Drop spoonfuls onto an ungreased cookie sheet and bake at 350F for 11 minutes. Enjoy!

Say What?! A what kind of cake??

So, as the family's creator of all tasty treats, its kind of an unspoken agreement that I will bring baked goods to all family events. Not that I mind this at all. Most days I am just waiting and asking for events or birthdays in which I can attend with a tasty new treat, this is where I get to practice and if it doesn't turn out so well, its only my family, they'll forgive me. :)

It just so happened that this was one of those events. My cousin was graduating High School and I wanted to take advantage. I racked my brain with ideas about what would capture him. He is a kid of the new age - gosh, I sound so old right now! He spreads his time among myspace, shopping for tight jeans and vans, or texting on his sidekick that is always securely in his pocket. So, I wasn't sure what to do, but had come up with a few sketches and decided to talk to Mo' about it.

"So I was thinking I should make something for his graduation" "I GOT IT." I was abruptly interrupted and not even given the chance to show the sketches I had worked so diligently on. Mo's aha moment was bursting at the seems and she could hardly stay quiet long enough for me to allow her to speak. "DRUMS!" she shouted. "Huh?" what does she mean drums? Does she not know that I am a beginner! Would I have to remind her of this. This was not even something that I thought I could do in the slightest. She quickly retorted with all the faith in my work that I was lacking and then some. We jotted a quick doodle and then we were set. I was to make a drum cake for my cousins graduation.

There was no time to dwell on the fact that I have never done any kind of molding or carving of cakes, even a tiered cake for that matter. It didn't matter that there would have to be some "building" of cake supports which I have also never done before. Pretty soon we were on our way to the cake supply store, the hardware store and my personal favorite, Target.

And here is what we came up with....

There are two 8in rounds with 2 layers each. Knowing I had to make one super chocolatey, I decided on a chocolate chocolate chip with chocolate hazelnut (nutella) mousse filling. The other was a white cake filled with the left over Jamaica frosting and they were both frosted in buttercream. The bass drum and the sticks are rice krispy treats.

Overall, I was pleased with my first attempt at this cake. Of course, I would do things a bit differently, but hey, we learn from our crooked and unproportional cakes. :) What made me even happier though, was how happy my cousin was with the cake. He smiled as if to say you like me, you really like me. And that made my heart all warm and fuzzy inside. I made an album cover for his first single in honor of his first set of drums and my first "cool" cake.



What do you think? I'm thinking top 10 single all the way!

Jamaica Cupcakes - Ha-my- ka

After a bit of a baking hiatus, it felt great to get back in the kitchen. Honestly, I don't think there is a better smell then cake when it is almost done along with the sweet scent of frosting. YUM!

The other day I went to lunch with my mom and had some Jamaica or hibiscus juice. I usually love this stuff with my tacos, but this particular one was so strong and potent that I could barely take it. While yummy, it was too concentrated. And suddenly right then and there, in the middle of st Reuben's taco stand, I had a spurt of inspiration and suddenly shot me up. Jamaica cupcakes!

Now, while I didn't know at that moment how I would use it, I knew I wanted to marry my two cultures. Could there really be a Mexican cupcake??

The Mexican cupcake dream didn't exactly turn out, but quite a tasty Jamaica frosting or glaseado, as said in spanish, did.

Jamaica Frosting or Hibiscus Fluffy Glaseado

1 cup Shortening
3 oz cream cheese
1/2 cup Jamaica juice
dash of salt
1 lb powder sugar
2 tblspn raspberry liquor (optional)

Cream Shortening, cream cheese, and Jamaica juice until smooth. Slowly add sifted sugar and mix until smooth. Add dash of salt and raspberry liquor. Mix until light and fluffy in texture.

Chocolate Night!

I thought I should post some of my cakes- pre kitchen-aid.

This is a really yummy chocolate rasberry cake with chocolate ganache and chocolote decor. YUM!