Creme Brulee

For the entirety of 2006, I was unemployed. During that time, I did two significant things. First, I wrote a book - that's a topic for another blog. Second, I learned how to cook. I'd been "cooking" since I got married, but not well, not without a recipe, and not things that didn't come out of a box. But now I cook all the time - I love it! I love being in the kitchen and I love trying new things.

Some new things that have been successful:

Chocolate chip cookies - Ok, it's not new, but I can honestly say, with the help of Alton Brown, I have perfected the chocolate chip cookie. My sister-in-law had to bake cookies recently for a school function, and she outsourced them to me. I was so flattered.....

Roast chicken - Kudos to the Barefoot Contessa - a whole four-five pound chicken costs about $5 - throw in drinks and some veggies, and you've got a great meal for a family of four for about $2.50 a head. Can't beat that.

Pork Extravaganza - Affectionately named by my brother-in-law. Wrap a brined pork tenderloin in bacon. Don't check your cholesterol for at least a week.

Roast Turkey - Had the in-laws over for Christmas dinner for the first time EVER. Roasted a turkey for the first time EVER (I figured it was just slightly more difficult than the chicken). Perfection the first time out. Couldn't believe my good fortune. (I had frozen pizzas on hand, just in case.)

But in the midst of all this success, I have had some hum-dinger failures:

Lemon Curd - never sets up. NEVER!!!!!! Tastes good, but it's basically lemon soup, and who wants that?

Some chicken in a pan thing that I invented that was so awful, I didn't name it - I almost burned the kitchen down, and it still wasn't done. How is that possible?

Explosive Banana Bread - I bought self-rising flour by accident, and didn't know it until three (THREE!) banana breads literally exploded in the oven.

So what's on deck for 2008?

Peanut Butter Cookies - Mark has asked that I perfect this cookie as well. One of his favorites. I have a recipe that I have tweaked a few times, but it isn't perfect yet.

Standing Rib Roast - so very Old English Christmas Dinnerish. Which means I have all year to get this one right.

Creme Bruleee - Mark and the boys got me a creme brulee kit for Christmas. I think they were entranced by the idea that it actually contained a blow torch. Mark started me off small by buying two mixes to go along with the kit (I think he didn't want be ruining perfectly good milk and eggs until I'd had some basic practice). The first was OK - I haven't gotten the hang of crystallizing the sugar (although Ben, who is ten, does it perfectly - go figure). I made a chocolate variety last night - again with the sugar, but the chocolately part was DELICIOUS. Good enough to make we want to try to make it from scratch. Wish me luck!

I'll be tracking my successes and failures with creme brulee and other burned things as times goes by. Hope you enjoy it along with me!