Cooking Recipes, Tips, Ideas, and More

When it comes to baking, using the best ingredients is absolutely essential. Be sure to test whether your baking powder is fresh. Baking powder is a leavening agent that contains a combination of baking soda, an acid (such as cream of tartar), and a moisture absorber (such as cornstarch). Baking powder releases carbon dioxide gas bubbles when mixed with liquid, and this is what causes breads and cakes to rise.

Cookies are generally easy to make and one of the first things a beginning baker makes. There are only six major types of cookies, each with their own particular methods. Below, I have listed all six types (plus a seventh) and some characteristics and tips to help you make each one.

Brownies are everyone’s favorite. Frequently, they are one of the first recipes a beginning baker tries. Many of us remember helping our mom bake brownies as a child. Here is a delicious twist on an old favorite.

What You Need:

• 3/4 cup butter
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 3 eggs, well beaten
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 cup crushed pineapple, drained
• 2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, melted
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts

What You Need:

• 2 tablespoons onion, finely chopped
• 1/3 cup long grain rice, uncooked
• 4 tablespoons butter, divided
• 1/2 cup cream of celery soup
• 3/4 cup water
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon chives, dried
• 1 teaspoon parsley flakes
• 1 chicken bouillon cube
• 2 (1-1/4 pound) Cornish hens
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon tarragon, dried