I love treats. Treats of all kinds. Cakes, cookies, pies, tarts; you name it, I want to eat it! I even include bread in the category of treats. Several years ago, while watching Martha Stewart, I decided that I wanted to make these delicious treats myself. Here’s the thing…I have zero training when it comes to baking. I even switched out of grade 8 home economics after my mom made my apron so I wouldn’t have to do “kitchen things”. I rarely paid attention when my mom was in the kitchen because I didn’t think it was important. I figured I would just buy whatever food I wanted.
Fast forward to Martha. She makes baking look so appealing. I loved the idea of enjoying fresh bread from the oven. Or my own home made cookies with a warm cup of tea. I wasn’t sure where to start so I bought some cook books. The pictures are so beautiful and inspiring. I purchased some beginner supplies and jumped in. Sometimes the results were good and sometimes the results were bad; really bad.
I’ve learned somethings about baking over the last few years but I am no expert by any stretch of the imagination. I still rely completely on recipes and the instructions they provide. But! I’m always up for a challenge to try new things and thankfully my family is mostly willing to try what I attempt.
My plan is to bake the recipes exactly as they are written, with one exception. I have (mostly) learned how my oven likes to bake. I realize that the writers of recipes can’t be expected to know all the quirks of everyone’s ovens so the only adjustment I may make to a recipe is the baking time. I’ll use the written timing as a guideline and keep an eye on the prize to make sure it’s not under done or burnt. I think that’s only fair.
I hope you will join me in this adventure as we test recipes.