Confessions of a Mediocre Cook

I've spent more than seven hours in my kitchen today, attempting to throw some things together for Christmas. Many things were going against me. One, I try too many new things. Two, my cooking fantasies far outstrip my actual capabilities. This is never good.

Here's what my kitchen looked like today. And sort of still does. I spared you the photo of the sink piled high with dirty pots, pans, spoons, etc.


The red velvet cupcakes I made for friends turned out nicely, albeit a bit plain-jane looking. The frosting was a first-time recipe, and I was pleased with the results. I wanted a really white frosting, and this fit the bill. But I have to admit, the cupcakes I envisioned were certainly more noteworthy. If not elegant, then at least flashy. But no.

On the flip side, this Tuscan Shortbread is fabulous. I've made it dozens of times, and it's so easy. Fabulous and easy -- what's not to love?

Here's one of the completely new things I tried. I used Wilton Candy Melts and a decorating bag with a writing tip. I drew bow figures with Sharpie on parchment paper, flipped the paper over, and then piped the bows. As you can see, most look like a toddler made them. Note the blobs of white chocolate on and around the bows. But the red sugar was a nice touch, right?

The second tray was much, much better. So I was aghast to note that I'd forgotten to flip the parchment paper before piping. Here's the result. So the prettiest bows are now languishing in my trashcan. Ah, well. Live and learn.

Dh just got home and looked over what I'd done. He had a hard time believing me it took all day. It takes longer when you're not very good at it. By the way, if you want any of the recipes, let me know and I'll post them.