Bake it 'til you make it!

Baking is a part of our family - even at a very young age. Back in my grade school days, I'd buy those pre-packed Devil's Food Cake mixes and try to make it at home. Some would succeed, others would look like burnt cakes on the outside but liquid inside. 

The interest came from my Mom who's a good baker. She'd make apple pie and empanadas for merienda when we were kids. And they were spectacular! Ate Lissa is also a good baker, and her specialty back then was macaroons. 

There was a book at home called "Cooking it up with Nora," written by the legendary Nora Daza. It had a section on cakes and baking, and I'd find myself reading the recipes and imagining that I'd make them.

When I was in high school, my interest in baking was still there. And around that time, I was determined to make that interest something real. So, with money saved from my allowance, I bought my first baking cook book.

And that cook book is still with me until now - 35 years after I bought it.

This book helped me become more confident in my skills. Through this book. I made my first Caramel Butter Tarts (which later became my specialty), my first Mud Pie, and my first attempt at making Dark Fruit Cake. 

Opening the pages of this book brought back so many fond and fun memories. More than that, it made me want to try making these recipes again.

One of these days, I'm going to make those Caramel Butter Tarts again.

Baker’s bunch

There was a bunch of overripe bananas on our fruit bowl.

Of course, this happened!

In between work and Zoom meetings, I was able to bake a few batches of Banana muffins! And to add a bit of oomph to the recipe, I added Nutella on top!

After seeing my handiwork, all I can think of is what to bake next.

Goin’ Bananas

When life gives you mushy bananas, this is what you make.

Banana-walnut-chocolate chip muffins!

Ah, the joys of baking!

Baker’s backtracking and box

Seems like I’m determined to go back to my baking roots!

Trivia: I started baking when I was in high school. I’d make cakes, brownies, cookies and tarts. Two books served as my baking guides:

“Let’s Cook with Nora” was Mom’s cookbook. But there was a section on cakes and pastries, and that’s what I would usually concentrate on. So, if you see fingerprints of flour, cocoa and oil, those would be mine.

“The Maya Baking Book.” Was the 2nd book. I bought that from my own allowance, and I remember trying to make silvanas for the first time (it was a failure) and cashew caramel tarts (it was a resounding success!)

I continued baking throughout college, and even when I was already working in Adformatix as a copywriter. In fact, I remember one Christmas when I gifted my bosses with cookies that I baked myself!

Eventually, life as a creative became so hectic that I stopped baking. Then, my culinary interests shifted from Sandwich-making which I enjoyed, especially when I made sandwiches for my students (Panini Palace in the house!) making breakfast for Mark in Tokyo, making Mexican food like Quesadillas and Fajitas (Muchas gracias a mis anfitriones en Mexico por ensenarme,) to making s’mores and waffles for my creative Kaniguans.

Then, a few weeks ago, I started baking again. Starting with brownies, then cookies, then a brownie and cookie hybrid.

And today, I decided to have a dedicated food box for all my baking ingredients! That’s to make the, easier to find, and it’ll make baking easier to do when I feel like doing it again.

Looks like i’m seriously going back to baking.

Make and Bake part 3

And we're on a roll!

Since Ate Bullet was making her signature Baked Macaroni and the oven was already running, I thought of whipping up something fast with stuff that was currently in the kitchen.

The result, these chocolate cookies with chocolate chips and walnuts.

They kinda look like brownies, but are cookies. So, it might fall under those food-hybrids. Brookies, perhaps?

Despite it being an instantaneous and last-minute activity, it turned out really well. Not bad for a last minute make and bake!

Make and Bake part 2

Look who’s working the oven again today.

And this morning’s creation is S’mores cookies!

This recipe is actually Javier’s recipe. He once baked this for school, and he left the recipe posted on our refrigerator door. I’ve been eyeing it for quite sometime now, and i’ve been telling myself that i’ll bake it one of these days,

And today was that day.

It wasn’t bad for a first attempt. But I think I can make it better the s’more I make it.

Make and Bake

Well, I did say I'd make something, right?

And that "something" was Cherry Cheesecake brownies!

Honestly, it's been years since I last baked from scratch, so there was a bit of hesitation. But since the ingredients and baking implements were there, my mind and heart said: "Go for it!"

And my first foray back into baking wasn't that bad.

One down. More baking goodies to go!

This is sheet!

Baby steps. Baby steps.

First, it was getting a new gas oven. Second, it was getting it to actually work! (Those were 2 different things.)

This weekend, I was finally able to go to SM Department Store to buy a couple of baking sheets for cookies! That's the third step!

Looks like I'll be back to baking really soon!

The Fabulous Baker Boy - I mean, Baby

Baking runs in the family.

As kids, we'd watch our Mom work her baking wonders in the kitchen. She'd make chocolate cake from scratch. She'd also make chicken and pork empanada. And of course, one of our all-time favourites - her apple pie.

Growing up, Ate Lissa would also bake, too. She has this signature baked goody - Macaroons! I still remember how we'd go to the grocery to buy desiccated coconut, and she'd whip out those yummy macaroons in batches.

Then, I got into baking, too. Thanks to Mom's old Nora Daza cookbook, and followed by the Maya Kitchen cookbook that I bought with my savings, I started dabbling in it, too. I remember making my first apple pie, my first caramel tarts, my first cake, and my first batch of chocolate chip cookies, too.

While he was in school, our Javi-Davi-Doo got into baking, too. His recipe for S'mores Cookies is still posted on our refrigerator. And I'm going to try and bake that sometime soon.

Now, there's a new baker in our next generation. Our baker baby - Baby Noah!

Ate Lissa posted this shot of him as he was helping make a birthday cake for Javier. And judging by how he's handling those baking tools and that cupcake paper, it looks like he's going to be a great baker, too.

Start them while they're young, that's what I always say.