Adventures in Baking

I enjoy baking, and it makes me feel good when I can give someone the gift of goodies from scratch.  It's been a priority of mine to make Sara's birthday treats rather than buy them, to make cookies that don't start in the frozen foods section, and - whenever time, materials, and abilities allow - to try something I haven't tried before.  I think my mom instilled this in me (and in my sister, too).  Especially in giving, when you can't give a lot, baking allows you to give with meaning.

Recently I have had the opportunity to bake a few new items.  Last week for our volunteer luncheon, I made an apple spice cake (recipe courtesy of What's Cooking in Eden Prairie?; volume two will be available in time for the holidays).  The cake was good, but a little dry.  I thought it could have used some sort of icing or frosting (and I'm not really even a frosting person).  But something light on top might have been just the touch it needed.

For Easter, I made an angel food cake.  I dyed it pink for fun, and we ate it with fresh strawberries.  I also made bread using this recipe.  The whole process was very simple, the ingredients are inexpensive and easy to keep readily available in the pantry, and the bread was delicious.  In past posts, Heather has suggested using the dough to make pretzels, and Merry used it to make cinnamon rolls.  I plan to make both items with a new batch of dough this weekend when our friend, Isaac, comes to visit from Iowa.  I usually make him chocolate chip cookies, but I'm going to go out on a limb this time and try something new.  I don't think he'll mind.

Sometimes I think, You can't have it all: you can't work and cook and bake and clip coupons and clean and exercise and spend time with your family and sleep and be sane.  I know there is some truth to that.  But I'm getting lots of inspiration from some friends who juggle quite a bit and feed their family delicious food (and baked goodies) on a budget and without going completely, totally crazy.  Plus for me, cooking - especially baking - can be really therapeutic.  Those of you who write recipe blogs (or even those of you who just share the occasional recipe), keep at it ... I'm out to borrow your ideas.  Which reminds me: if you haven't read Like Water for Chocolate and you are someone who gives, receives, and/or tells stories through baking, this is a must-read.  I love that something as basic and necessary as food can transform and connect us in so many ways.

Who's hungry?