It’s been nearly three years since I joined The Daring Bakers and in that time, I’ve been quite diligent about making each month’s challenge and posting it on time. Actually, I’ve had a slip here and there along the way, but recently, I’ve struggled the past several months for a variety of reasons. Suffice it to say I’ve had to reorganize my planning to bake or cook anything that is multi-stepped — something I usually enjoy quite a bit. It’s all been consigned to the weekends and although that isn’t a bad thing on most weekends, there are recipes I’d like to try that sit alongside the monthly challenges and a husband who hopes he can peel me from my kitchen occasionally. When I do decide to spend a day in my kitchen, I indulge myself by making whatever strikes my fancy thereby avoiding the “have-to-get-it-done” feeling I’ve imposed on myself about our Daring Baker challenges. Who knew that someone who writes a food blog could struggle with obsessive-compulsive tendencies? (All food bloggers reading this, please raise your hands!).
Let’s call this my confessional, shall we?
I’ve missed the following challenges:
- December, 2008 — French Yule Log. Go ahead and call me a big chicken for not tackling this one. Or remember (if you’ve been reading my blog for a while) that our house had been under construction for quite a while and I’d agreed to join a nice group of bakers posting 12 cookies in 12 days for the holiday season. Oh, the memories.
- November, 2009 — Cannoli. I bought the cannoli forms. Does that count? To quote Scarlett O’Hara, “Tomorrow is another day.” Of course, there are also more challenges. Oh what a tangled web we weave, when first we practice to deceive. Can you imagine hooking Scarlett up with good ol’ Will Shakespeare?
- December, 2009 — Gingerbread House. My youngest is nearly 18 so the wonder of making something like this has to be in my ability to simply entertain myself. Bear in mind that I do not begin Christmas shopping until my vacation begins, so it all makes for a whirlwind holiday season with very little down time (like everyone else!). I had a great idea that I still haven’t given up on which may become a summertime fad. Or, perhaps not. We’ll see come July. Hold me accountable.
- February, 2010 — Tiramisu. I have no excuse for this one. I’ll blame it on the fact that I couldn’t find (didn’t work very hard to find) cream that isn’t ultra-pasteurized so that I could make the mascarpone which is one of my favorite ingredients. This recipe is definitely on my list even though my resident food samplers don’t especially appreciate the wonders of coffee. A tea version is in the works. It’s beside the fact that I need to learn to make ladyfingers as well. Doesn’t everyone?
You noticed I skipped February, 2010, didn’t you? Wonder of all wonders, I did complete that challenge graciously hosted by Lauren of Celiac Teen. She is Canadian and challenged all of us to make Nanaimo Bars, a Canadian confection. Lauren also compiled and edited the cookbook A Hand for Haiti whose proceeds are all donated to the Red Cross as disaster relief. She’s quite an inspiration, so I had to try my hand at Nanaimo Bars out of sheer respect.
If you’ve not heard of a Nanaimo Bar, it’s a dessert comprised of a chocolate layer containing graham cracker crumbs, nuts, and coconut, a pudding layer, and a final coating of dark chocolate. I’ve created free-form deconstructions instead of the traditional cut bars.
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