Cheese Cake, Harry Potter Cookies, and Upside Down Apple French Toast with Cranberries!

Phew. So the title basically says it all! I havent posted before, so here's my 3 cooking adventures in a nutshell!

At the beginning of FYS I was determined to cook an entirely Persian meal before class was over; however, I didnt take into account the fact that I had none of the needed ingridents! I just couldnt bring myself to cook a make-shift meal and call it something from home when it would be anything but. Don't worry though! Just because I couldnt fit it into our class time, doesnt mean its not going to happen. Good things are to come.

SO : ).

I've never really cooked anything in my life. My mom's cooking is so incredibly complicated (at least to me) and with both my parents working full time (and then some) I never really learned to cook anything other than the usual: ramen, tv dinners, and anything else from a box or bag.

Terrifyingly, I took on the 'daunting' task of making a cherry cheesecake, something that my mom would always beautifully make. And guess what? It was SO easy! The best part was probably Brady eating the first piece and loving it. I probably woke up whoever lives in the dorm under the kitchen from all my jumping and giddyness (it was around 1AM when we all enjoyed it). Even more suprisingly everyone else loved it too! I loved it because they loved it ^^!
There is such satisfaction in not only cooking, but in providing and then seeing the positive effects it all. I felt like I finally understood first hand what I've been reading about.
I think I've found a new love for baking and cooking!

Later that week, I also made sugar cookies for the first time! Since we are at Southwestern and everyone has their nerdy loves I'm assuming everyone knows and or adores Harry Potter. If you're a big fan, however, you'll know the internet sensation of the Potter Pupper Pals (look it up!). I decided to cut out harry potter shaped heads, used black icing for Harry's messy hair, his scar, and the rim of his glasses. Then I used white icing to fill in his glasses. And of course the white/tan color of the cookie was his skin color. They were so cute : )! I think the cookies turned out pretty well, perhaps a little thin. I made the dough and everything all from scratch ^^.

And finally, my friend Derra and I decided to make Upside Down Apple French Toast with Cranberries and Peacans.

I know O_O.

We came upon a few...er...bumps in the road. Some of them much appreciated. Others...not so much.

First we couldnt find the right bread (challah bread) at the grocery store. BUT, not to worry, because we used Hawaiin bread instead.

I know O_O. Amazing. This was like the best thing that could have ever happened! It was ridiculously delicious as french toast.

We did make a 'minor mistake' though when it came to the butter portion of this dish. We, for some reason, thought that it called for a CUP of butter. That's 2 STICKS of butter. When it reality, it only called for HALF a stick of butter O_O. So we had like a VAT of carmel that we didnt even need! ...but then again, who says thats a bad thing? We worked it out and balanced it with the needed amount of brown sugar.We skipped on the pecans because Derra is deathly allergic, and since cranberries arent really in season, we opted for crasins (who doesnt like crasins!?). We topped the carmel, the apples, the crasins, and AMAZING "french toast hawaiin bread" with a bunch of whip cream and enjoyed it with Derra's friends and roomate late at night in her apartment on campus, and it was WONDERFUL : ). We were so worried that with all our improvising everything was going to be terrible, but WOW I'm definetly going to make this again!

So thats all : ), I can't wait to take on some more cooking and baking!

Oh and P.S.,
I LOVE it when our kitchen is bustling and busy! Everyone running around, borrowing sugar, measuring cups, beating this, rolling that, flour is everywhere and music playing. It's the best.