Cookieventure # 5: Christmas Giveaways: Chocolate Chip Cookies and Chocolate Cupcakes with Buttercream Frosting

Every year, we give small gifts to our friends, and colleagues like planners, pens, notepads, etc. But this year, we've decided to give out something more personal - home-made cookies and cupcakes.

Earlier this week, we dropped by my favorite store, Limcon, to buy a few ingredients and materials. We were able to buy, a pack of mini cups, plastic pouches, cupcake boxes, mini cupcake tray, confectioner's sugar, and other ingredients used in the previous post for only Php 747.50.

The cupcakes that we made are the same ones as did before (found here: http://mycookietasticdiary.blogspot.com/2013/10/cookieventure-2-chocolate-cupcakes-with.html), except that we used smaller cups to achieve a bite size version. We also used yellow coloring to give color to our frosting, and added sprinkles for color (it is after all the colorful holidays).

Happy Holidays!

So sorry for being MIA in the past month, but I hope to be back and baking in the coming year. I am an accountant by profession, so do expect for my absence in the coming month as year-end usually takes more effort than usual, but don't fret as I will be back soon! :)

For now, I just want to greet all of you a Happy Holidays and a Happy New Year ahead! Hope 2014 will bring more happiness and love to us all.

PS: I will be sharing to you some of the yummy treats we made this holiday.

Cookieventure # 4: Christmas Feast: Cheesecake, Cookies and Cupcakes

Since it's the holidays, and the most wonderful time of the year, the kitchen calls yet again. So for today's blog, I will share with you what I made for the family and our guests this festive season.

To start off, I will share with you what I made for the family. They requested the usual favorite, Blueberry Cheesecake, and then I decided to add a few more treats for the guests which are Cookies and Cupcakes. But, lower down your expectations a bit as these cookies and cupcakes are store-bought (Cheat day). Hahaha!

For the Blueberry Cheesecake, we'll need the usual ingredients and make the same as previously shared in the previous blog: http://mycookietasticdiary.blogspot.com/2013/10/cookieventure-3-blueberry-cheesecake.html.

Give A Hand: Let Us All Help

Just last month, Bohol was greatly affected by a 7.2 magnitude earthquake destroying historical churches, and also roads and livelihood for some of our countrymen.

But when you think we had enough, before last week ended, our country faced another disaster. We were hit by one of the strongest typhoons mankind had ever seen - Haiyan (Yolanda as locally known). Haiyan was said to have hit a Category 5 level, simply because it is already the worst Category level that could be given to a typhoon. Roads are impassable, electricity are down, and worst part is that hundreds of our fellow Filipinos in the Visayas region had passed or is greatly injured.

They are in NEED OF OUR HELP, and I know we can ALL help one way or another. So let us do our fair share, and reach out.

Read: Baking as a Happy Pill

Just moments ago, I came across this article in Yahoo! talking about how baking helps people who are going through a rough time, and I just could  not resist myself from sharing. This is just a good simple read.

The Independent in the UK reports that baking could emerge "as a form of pill-less Prozac," at least according to John Whaite, last year's winner of the hit UK television series "The Great British Bake Off." In a report issued Monday for Real Bread Campaign, a nonprofit organization promoting artisan baking, Whaite calls for more people "suffering from mental health issues, or who are simply going through a tough time, to get the chance to try their hand at baking real bread to see how it could help them." - an excerpt from the article "Can Baking Make You Happy".

Source: http://ph.she.yahoo.com/baking-happy-122920401.html

Cookieventure # 3: Blueberry Cheesecake

Sunday's best is what is in store for today. :)

Due to my husband's request some weeks ago, I finally gave in and made my mom's all time favorite Blueberry Cheesecake - to which I am now guessing will be one of my husband's favorites too.

The recipe I used to follow was the one I found inside a store-bought butter's packaging. But I always end up adding my own flavour to it.

Now, let's get it on.

Cookieventure # 2: Chocolate Cupcakes with Buttercream Frosting

As previously mentioned, this weekend is all about requests. Thus, we're keeping the Cookie Book in the shelf for now and make use of another cookbook gift from my brother (which inspired this diary, actually). I know! He loves me too much that he buys these cool books for me. Or he maybe he just loves to eat, and wants me to make them for him. Haha. Whichever it is, I'm just grateful for it.

The Cupcake Diaries
by Katherine Kallinis and Sophie LaMontage

Friday Night Shopping: Cupcake Wars

Yes, it is Friday yet again, and is time for me to do a bit of shopping.

For this weekend's Cookieventures, it will all be about my loved ones' special requests. So below are some of the things I need to make them all - Yes, "all" means there is more than 1 Cookieventure for the week. Wohoo! :)

As our previous shopping led us to buying some blueberries, tonight I just need a few things for the other request. So we headed to Limcon after work. After 30 minutes inside the shop, we were able to buy the following items at Php 621.25:

• A kilo of first class all-purpose flour
• A kilo of Dutche cocoa powder
• Confectioner's Sugar
• Edible letters
• Cupcake mold tray
• Cupcake cups
• Cupcake boxes

Cookieventure # 1: Scottish Shortbread

Today, I started the challenge to bake all the recipes in the 500 Cookies book as mentioned in my previous post. And to make the choosing a little simpler, I chose the first recipe found in the book - Scottish Shortbread.

I chose this because, since it was the first recipe, I'm guessing it would be the simplest cookie to make. I may have made a cake before, but hey, I need to go back to my basics.

Cookieventure Intro: Julie & Julia

If you have watched the movie Julie & Julia, you may already guess what I'm up to, but for those who haven't seen the film I'll give you some insights.

Julie Powell idolized Julia Child so much that she challenged herself to make all the recipes in Julia Child's first cook book, Mastering the Art of French Cooking, with the hopes of making herself a published author.

Ever since I have seen the movie, I have always wanted to do the same: not to make myself an author, but to challenge myself to make the most of the cook books I have by making each recipe. But due to budget constrains, and other plans during weekends and even holidays, this was always set aside.

Friday Night Shopping: Found My Golden Pot

Hello peeps, look who's back in the action! :)

After weeks of grueling work schedule to meet report deadlines, and some volleyball time in between, I am now able to slow down and get back in this little adventure I love to call baking.

Okay, so to start off this adventure, I am happy to report that I was able to finally drop by this little store that is full of baking stuff and goodies - the store's name is Limcon which is located at Tejero, Gen. Trias, Cavite. 

Finds # 1: Chewy Junior

We first came across Chewy Junior about a year ago after having a buffet lunch with my then boyfriend, now husband, and his sister and her husband. Sissy was craving for something sweet and so she bought a box of mini cream puffs from this store. With my love for pastry, I went on and tasted it immediately - no "shy-type" gesture was present. :P

I liked that each bite was really chewy - a testament to its name, and the vanilla filling was just right - not too sweet, not too salty, and not too bland. To top that, the flavours were simple and straight to the point - if it says chocolate, you'll definitely taste chocolate with every bite. And puff, before you know it, you have chowed down a puff already!

Past Adventures

Even back in my child hood years, I seem to have developed a liking to making sweets, and had my fair share  - there are the pastillas, polvoron, and yema - all of which are Filipino milk-based candies or sweets. But just like other people, I stopped making them and focused on what I needed to - school and studying.

For some reason, after finishing college, I came across a recipe for a chocolate chip cookie at the back of a store-bought flour and immediately had the inkling to make them. And voila. I made the first batch of cookies without burning our house to the ground.

Feeling all proud of my accomplishment, I gave it another try. This time, adjusting the ingredients to suit my own taste buds. I was really anxious making adjustments to the recipe simply because (1) I was only able to make one good batch yet, and (2) I never had any formal training whatsoever to baking for me to be confident at all.

But!

Oh yes my dear! I was able to make them my own, and even had another batch that was suited for my lola who was diabetic. One thing I regret - I never wrote them down! Booo! Hahaha.

So this little blog, will help me remember, AND TAKE NOTES, of any "revisions" I will have with what ever recipe I will find and try on my own. :)

For now, feast your eyes on the few sweets I have made in the past...

Chocolate Chip Cookies

M&M's Cookies & Chocolate Chip Cookies

Chocolate Cupcakes with Chocolate Frosting and Nuts

This was my very first try on a cake, and was my then boyfriend's (now my husband) Birthday Cake
Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Frosting and Nuts

My Best-seller:
Blueberry Cheesecake

Super Nutty Fudge Brownies

Happy Birthday Cupcakes for my Mom
Vanilla Cupcakes with Milk Chocolate Frosting and M&M topping

My Mom's New Year Dessert Request
Crema de Fruta

This is it! :)

Okay. I'm no professional writer, nor am I a professional baker... BUT, I do love cookies, and I enjoy making them.

So. Follow me (or not), as I go through my different adventures in making, discovering, and of course... eating cookies, brownies, cakes, or simply just about anything I can make, and discover! :)