My friend Amanda once blogged about the personalities of cooks vs. bakers. Essentially the theory is those who like to follow recipes tend to be bakers and those who are more into experimenting and being creative with recipes tend to be cooks. This is completely true for me. I like to follow a recipe and don't like to stray from the ingredients or requirements. I am a baker. I love baking yummy treats for me, my family and for others. This time of year, I tend to bake more so that I can wrap up cute tins to give as gifts and I look forward to me annual cookie exchange. In honour of the season of baking and this week's Listicle topic, "Ten Things Food," I give you the top ten things that I love to bake.
1. Chocolate Chip Slab Cookie- This is a Best of Bridge recipe that can be made as a pizza, on a cookie sheet or in mini muffin tins. This is an egg free recipe so it is great for those with egg allergies. You cream the butter and brown sugar for three to five minutes and this cookie melts in your mouth.
2. Sugar Cookies- While a little time consuming because the dough needs to be chilled and then rolled and cut, I love to bake these cookies because of how much fun it is for the kids. Baking and decorating sugar cookies has become a family tradition at our house.
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| Sugar cookies- December 2010 |
3. Chocolate chip cookie pie- If you like chocolate chip cookies and pie, this is a winning combination. Bakerella came up with this little gem.
4. Gingerbread Cookies- Another family tradition and winner with the kids. I am not going to lie, sometimes (like this year), I buy the dough. Thank you Pillsbury.
5. Oreo Cupcakes- Another piece of magic created by Bakerella.
6. Mars Bar Rice Krispie Square- A delicious nut free dessert that is the first to go at any potluck.
7. Homemade Chocolate Cake- This is a family recipe and I have yet to taste a better chocolate cake than this one. It is the most requested cake at family birthdays.
8. Breton Brittle- I make this every year. My old room mate Jane and I renamed it Skor Bark Treat because it reminds us so much of a Skor Bar. You can never stop with just one piece.
9. Rocky Road Fudge- This was another treat that I used to make every year at Christmas. It is a great treat to pack up and give away as a thank you. But the peanuts in this recipe make it a no go for us now.
10. Lemon Bars- This is another Best of Bridge recipe that my friend Michelle shared. I make this recipe with love. Captain Canada is all about lemon treats and this is a favourite for him.
Are you a baker or a cook?
What is your favourite, go-to recipe. Please share.
Love #6, so yummy. I'd say I'm a cook, because I love to tweak recipes and change up the type of flour and use less sugar in the things I bake. But one dessert even I can't fool with are Chocolate Coconut Oatmeal no bake macaroon cookies. Always a favourite.
ReplyDeleteHi Katrina,
ReplyDeleteChocolate coconut oatmeal no bake cookies is total comfort food for me. I think it is because it is one from my childhood.
As I think we've spoken about, I'm definitely a cook. I love to experiment, and a recipe is just a suggestion. Sure this has caused some colossal dinner fails in my time, but I chalk it up to a learning experience. Baking is something that I'm just now forcing myself to do to be kinder to my body (better ingredients) and kinder to the planet (less packaging). I admit that this is a steep learning curve for me. It's actually one of my New Year's Intentions.
ReplyDeleteMy problem with my baking is I have so little self control. So right now most of my baking is for meetings, parties or to give it away.
ReplyDeleteI am a baker! Right now my favourite thing to make is Christmas Crack. You make a carmel sauce and pour it over premium plus crackers, then heat in the oven. After that, you melt chocolate chips on the top and add walnuts. Those simple easy recipes make me most happy! I wish I was more of a cook but I find it so disappointing that it takes such so much time and then is all gone so quickly. When I do cook, I always make enough to have leftovers for the next night.
ReplyDeleteHey Jen, Christmas crack is just like the Breton brittle with different crackers. Isn't that stuff addicting? This year I made it with premium plus crackers for the first time and I love the added salt (how bad is that?). I am also a big fan of leftovers.
ReplyDeleteI'm definitely a baker, although I need my husband's supervision because...well, let's just say I had a toaster debacle a few days ago. My go-to recipe is for Buckeyes, which is like a Reese's Peanut Butter Cup only much, much better! No baking required, but it takes work rolling the peanut butter mixture into balls and then dipping them into the chocolate. So worth it though!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the recipes!
Buckeye's sound amazing. There is no better combination than peanut butter and chocolate.
ReplyDeleteI think I just gained 5 lbs reading your list. Haahaa! What a great idea to use mini-muffin tins for those cookies! Great pics too!
ReplyDeleteYou're killing me with this post! I'm on a terrible diet...
ReplyDeleteCan one be both a baker and a cook? I like both, but it's true that when I cook I like to experiment and when I bake I'm a stickler for details. That chocolate chip cookie pie is totally fab, I love Bakerella!
I'm totally a baker, who will be on the hunt for some of your yummy sounding recipes. Great list!
ReplyDeleteYum yum!
ReplyDeleteOoh, are you going to share the chocolate cake recipe? I'm also the baker in the family. The hubs is the cook.
ReplyDeleteI think I have 4 huge books of baking desserts...that i've never used! i just flip through the pages and drool.... I would love to be a baker though. maybe someday soon, when we get a new house with a bigger kitchen, i can bake as much as i want! :D
ReplyDeleteI can bake, but I would not call myself either a baker; or a cook for that matter. I think I remembering doing more recipes before kids came along, but now trying to cook something eatable AND keep them amused and out of trouble is the most stressful thing I can think of.
ReplyDeleteBut I may just be tempted to give it a go for that Breton Brittle.
Yummy! I'm not a baker. I wish I were, but I'm not. Or I sort of wish I were - if I were, I'd probably make even more unhealthy things :) I can end up with something that tastes okay, but it's never pretty! That being said, I still want to try that chocolate chip cookie pie and the cookie bar. And the rice krispie treats. And everything else on your list :)
ReplyDeleteNow that I have twins... I buy dough alot rather than make it! Great list! Now, I am starving! LOL. My favorite go-to recipe is Cowboy Casserole... which is in my list for today. :-)
ReplyDeleteJulia @ Mom on the Run x2
So am I wrong or is the best part about Chocolate Chip Slab cookies the fact that you can eat a bowl of dough and not fear the evil Salmonella?
ReplyDeleteYour cookie making pictures are adorable.
I am a cook and a baker. I throw dinners together with abandon, but I follow baking recipes like a scientist. :) Ellen
Love this theory. Clearly I will forever remain a baker. Also I want all 10. Now!!
ReplyDelete