Summer's Cooking Corner

LIFE UPDATE Not all of my posts will be about cooking or baking, though that is the main reason for this blog. But I also wanted to do a blog where I can share about life. This is just a life update, and this post will tell you what I've been doing, how I'm doing, and whatever else is going on.  JUNE and JULY  I thought my summer was going to be fun, but for me, it's been nothing but dog-sitting. You might think that dog sitting isn't so bad, and I'm overreacting, which I probably am, but you'll understand if you've ever had to dog-sit little demons like I had to.  So most of my June was dog sitting and it was easy and I earned money, so...   this June has been alright.  In between my dog sitting, I went to a church picnic for God and Country Day, which is a thing my church does the Sunday before the Fourth of July, on June 30.  Then, after the picnic, I returned to the house to do more dog sitting. I had to stay at the dog's owner's house, so me and...

 If you love Mexican food, you'll definitely like this recipe! My favorite part is when you taste the cheese with the roasted cherry tomatoes together and you get the perfect blend of flavors.  I usually make dinner for my family every night and my Mom usually asks what I want to make. I told her I wanted to make this tostada recipe. I've made it a few other times and me and my Mom absolutely love it! This is one of my favorite meals of all time. I got this Roasted Corn and Tomato Tostada recipe from the cookbook The Complete Cookbook for Young Chefs by America's Test Kitchen.   Special tools or ingredients: queso fresco or feta and refried beans  INGREDIENTS 21/2 cups cherry tomatoes  1/2 cup frozen corn 1 tbs. plus 1 tsp. veggie oil, measured separately 1/2 tsp. chili powder (optional) I usually put a bit more when using 1/4 tsp. salt (I put more) 1/2 cup refried beans, or just 1 8-oz. can 4 small tostadas 1/2 cup queso fresco or feta cheese  1/4 cup fr...

Anything with chocolate is wonderful and scrumptious, but these truffles are an easy and delicious chocolate recipe. I actually got the name from an episode from Just Add Magic: Mystery City , but theirs was "Cheer'em'up Mac and Cheese."  One of the times I made this was when my Nana was visiting. I made the mixture and let it chill. Then I made them for us when we were playing a board game. She and my sisters liked it, and I think that anybody who has a sweet tooth will love it! I got this Chocolate Truffle recipe from the American Girl Baking cookbook written by Nicole Hill Gerulat. Special tools or ingredients: heavy cream INGREDIENTS 1/4 cup heavy cream 4 tbsp. or 1/2 cup unsalted butter 8-oz. semisweet chocolate 1/4 tsp. vanilla extract 1/4 cup powdered sugar or unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted TOOLS Saucepan Rubber Spatula Shallow bowl Plastic wrap Melon baller or ice cream scoop Plate Sifter STEPS What are you waiting for? Let's start bakin'! 1. Unlike...

 This Fabulous Feta Pasta recipe is one that my family loves and I'm sure that you'll love it too.  I first discovered this recipe when I was watching a chef on YouTube (Rosanna Pansino) making different pasta recipes and I saw her making this feta pasta. After watching the episode over and over for some time, I asked my Mom if I could make it. I had already had the recipe lasered into my mind, so I just told her the ingredients and she got them. I made them one night for dinner and my whole family loved it. Even my sister, Sierra, and she hates tomatoes. Ever since then, I've made it for dinner when my family wanted it.  I've never really followed a recipe because I had watched the episode over and over so I never needed a recipe, so this is my version of it.   Special tools or ingredients: feta cheese  INGREDIENTS 2 pints cherry tomatoes 1/2 cup olive oil, plus more to drizzle (I usually don't measure it, so just enough to fill the bottom) 1 8-oz. block f...

 Chocolate chip cookies are one of the most classic desserts you can make. When they come out of the oven warm and chewy with the melted chips, you'll fall in love.   The first time I followed this recipe was when it was the night before my Mom's birthday and I hadn't made a dessert for her yet. I flipped through my cookbook and was frantically trying to find something easy and delicious. I stumbled upon this recipe and decided to make it. I baked them and stored them for the next day. In the morning, after I had made my Mom a birthday breakfast, I set a cookie out and put a candle on it.  This recipe is easy and scrumptious and I guarantee you'll have most or all of the ingredients.`I'm excited to have this recipe for my very first blog post!  I got this Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe from the cookbook The Complete Cookbook for Young Chefs , written by America's Test Kitchen.   Special tools or ingredients: none INGREDIENTS 1 cup plus 2 tbsp. all-purp...