Looks like muffins
Tastes like brownies
Tastes like brownies
But then she put me to shame today with her own gorgeous brownies which actually look like brownies.
I've been wanting for ages to bake something without being completely anal about it. I've only ever baked two things in my life (how typical I blogged about both), and each time I measured everything to the motherfucking gram. Which is tiring. And not fun. And quite unnecessary I'm sure. This time I scanned a couple of online articles, then consciously forgot them and threw some stuff together. No bain marie for the chocolate and butter - just the microwave. No sifting, just chucking. No measuring, just "does this look okay" and "does this taste okay?" Just a little more of this and a little more of that.
It was liberating! Baking like that is such a joy and no one ever told me. I'm planning a lengthy campaign of baking, and I won't be using any cookbooks. Trial and error only. I am reconnecting with my cavewoman ancestors (just like michelle with her knitting). It makes me feel powerful, my people. Like I can do anything, anything useful that is - like nurturing and loving and feeding and clothing. It makes me finally realise to the full what I thought I understood all along: that my job in the house just now is an all-important one. One that would beat market research's and investment banking's ass any day. (Maybe not gynaecology or social work or nursing. Bygones.) And all because of a bit of baking. (Maybe the eggs were bad or something - I'm obviously tripping.)
Still on my baking high and with the exact same attitude, this evening I also made - no kidding - the best quiche in the whole world ever! It has slices of sausage, diced courgette and emmental cheese. I don't even like quiche but this was great. The children finished their pieces completely.
Who the mama? I the mama.
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Blimey, that quiche looks really good. I like the chucking approach to cooking but mine actually looks like it was chucked! Did you just get lucky?!!!!
ReplyDeleteSounds like the way to go! Ride that high!
ReplyDeleteIn reference to the title, I mistakenly thought anal baking was a euphemism for poop issues.
ReplyDeleteWell, there IS that anal bleaching thing. And I hear flour can be UNbleached so.......
ReplyDeleteI don't know. I just wanted to say anal bleaching. And now I have. Twice.
Bruffins? Or Brownuffins?
The quiche looks amazing. I've never one. I bake quite a lot, and I am the sloppiest, most un-perfect baker. I rarely measure things out exactly, I've never sifted flour (because, why?), and I just put things in as they look right, and things usually turn out good.
ReplyDeleteHere's what I think- if you know your basics, you can go wherever you want. There is some science to cooking but it can be figured out quite easily. And if you just use good ingredients and don't fuck 'em up too much, you'll be happy with the results.
ReplyDeleteBaking gets me through the winter too.
ReplyDeleteI read on Chockylit's beautiful cupcake site that whisking flour is just as good and way less hassle. Woot!
ReplyDeleteI love baking. We should all bake. It makes you fat though. Or at least it does when you eat it all, like me.
Brownie muffins and quiche, NOM NOM! You the mama, yes you is.
You've just made the muffins look like turds...
ReplyDeleteThe quiche looks yummy though, but I still have to get over the juxtaposition of anal and a chocolate muffin photo...
mmm these look amazing! It's so great when you discover that baking isn't the science it's made out to be, some recipes are so over anal about the measuring and technique it's no wonder so many people are put off!
ReplyDeleteI hope you don't mind, I've tagged you http://alicesadventuresintomotherland.blogspot.com/2011/01/7-secrets-ive-been-tagged.html
Yummy on both counts though since I read the comment that said your muffins looked like turds I'm edging more to wanting some of the quiche.
ReplyDeleteMy mum bakes using ratios - doesn't matter how much of one thing you decide to use, as long as the corresponding ratios of the other ingredients are approx. right. Drives my dad mad, he likes precision in his pancakes, etc.
Ahhh, breastfeeding hormones. It's actually fun to watch them play havoc with other people's brains. You bake girl!!
ReplyDeleteWell, who's the domestic goddess then?! These look very delicious - even if concocted with more than a pinch of anal-ity (is that a word?).
ReplyDeleteDidn't Ms Moons brownies look yummy?
ReplyDeleteAs do your baked goods. Now I'm moved to bake a pie. But I'm sure the kids will just complain.
I'll stick with knitting
harumph
xoxoxo
@Kelloggsville - I suppose the shop-bought dough helped. (Shhh, don't tell anyone. I did make the quiche-filling.)
ReplyDelete@Lavender Hearts - I did!
@Steph - :-) I always have poop issues.
@All This Trouble - It's always fun to have an excuse to say anal bleaching. Oh there I go as well.
I called them frownies. Which doesn't make sense, I know. But it came to me.
@Lady Mama - You can be my guru then.
@Ms. Moon - Yeah. Now I just need to learn my basics.
@A Modern Mother - I'm starting to understand that. Never did before.
@Jo - I do believe it makes you fat. I couldn't stop eating those chocolate things. They were gone by the next evening, and I think I had at least three of them.
I love the "yes you is." That's just beautiful.
@cartside - Turds??? Too wonderful! Never saw that myself.
@Alice - Thank you very much for tagging me. And you are absolutely right. Cooking is so much easier than "they" would have you believe.
@fiona - I did rough ratios as well.
I think your dad should make the pancakes then, if he's so peculiar.
@Metropolitan Mum - *blushes*
I think you may be right. Sounds very very right.
@Hot Cross Mum - I suppose they still were. Couldn't operate any other way.
@michelle - They did!
You should just bake a pie if you want. I think that will be my next baking project: an apple pie. Or maybe banana pie. With cream. Mmmm.
Sounds like my kind of baking!!
ReplyDelete