Lab Report #2: Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Truffles Methods I know this is going back to my baking roots (technically), but candy-making is somewhat new territory to me, even if cookie dough is not. I found this recipe on Pinterest and decided to make it for my boyfriend’s birthday. He is a cookie dough enthusiast and I wanted to make something a little different than normal cookie dough.  Data & Results I loved the use of mini chocolate chips in this recipe. I think if you’re going to eat cookie dough, you need chocolate in every bite. This ensures that. Mini chocolate chips also have a great texture.  Overall, this recipe was pretty successful. The one difference is that my candy coating that I used did not leave a lovely sheen like the one in the original post. I think this mainly happened because of the temperature of the cookie dough balls. In the future, I would let the balls chill for more than 30 minutes and take out four-five balls at a time rather than a whole sheet. As you dip the balls, the others defrost and make it harder to get a nice even coating, so it’s easier to do them in small batches.  I added the candy pearls for an extra, fancy touch, and I like how they turned out. Garnishes are great because you can make virtually any dessert fit any occasion.  Conclusion Rating: 8.5/10

Lab Report #2: Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Truffles

Methods

I know this is going back to my baking roots (technically), but candy-making is somewhat new territory to me, even if cookie dough is not. I found this recipe on Pinterest and decided to make it for my boyfriend’s birthday. He is a cookie dough enthusiast and I wanted to make something a little different than normal cookie dough. 

Data & Results

I loved the use of mini chocolate chips in this recipe. I think if you’re going to eat cookie dough, you need chocolate in every bite. This ensures that. Mini chocolate chips also have a great texture. 

Overall, this recipe was pretty successful. The one difference is that my candy coating that I used did not leave a lovely sheen like the one in the original post. I think this mainly happened because of the temperature of the cookie dough balls. In the future, I would let the balls chill for more than 30 minutes and take out four-five balls at a time rather than a whole sheet. As you dip the balls, the others defrost and make it harder to get a nice even coating, so it’s easier to do them in small batches. 

I added the candy pearls for an extra, fancy touch, and I like how they turned out. Garnishes are great because you can make virtually any dessert fit any occasion. 

Conclusion

Rating: 8.5/10

High-res Notes: 2 11/27/11 — 2:07pm Short URL: http://tmblr.co/Z5vAUwCVMhJw Filed under: #chocolate chip cookie dough  #truffles  #candy  #cookie dough  #delicious  #food 
Lab Report #1: Lemon Pepper Shrimp Scampi Methods This was one of my first recipes that I tried on my own. I’d just moved to D.C. and was getting used to cooking smaller meals - and healthier - meals for two. I tried my best to follow the recipe, but, of course, made mistakes. The orzo, as you can see, didn’t turn out very well. Unlike most orzo which is delicious and textured, this orzo came out in one large glop - stuck together in some places and still hard in others. My mistake was to put ALL of the orzo in one box in a very small saucepan, without realizing that the orzo would expand exponentially.  Data & Results I did manage to scrape together some acceptable orzo for the final dish, and was pretty happy with the overall recipe. The shrimp has a full, delicious flavor. The parsley orzo, on the other hand, needs some work. I don’t like parsley in general, and that was pretty much all you could taste. In the future, I would forgo the parsley altogether and add seasoning to the orzo. Conclusion 7.5/10 (both for my performance and the tastiness of the dish)

Lab Report #1: Lemon Pepper Shrimp Scampi

Methods

This was one of my first recipes that I tried on my own. I’d just moved to D.C. and was getting used to cooking smaller meals - and healthier - meals for two. I tried my best to follow the recipe, but, of course, made mistakes. The orzo, as you can see, didn’t turn out very well. Unlike most orzo which is delicious and textured, this orzo came out in one large glop - stuck together in some places and still hard in others. My mistake was to put ALL of the orzo in one box in a very small saucepan, without realizing that the orzo would expand exponentially. 

Data & Results

I did manage to scrape together some acceptable orzo for the final dish, and was pretty happy with the overall recipe. The shrimp has a full, delicious flavor. The parsley orzo, on the other hand, needs some work. I don’t like parsley in general, and that was pretty much all you could taste. In the future, I would forgo the parsley altogether and add seasoning to the orzo.

Conclusion

7.5/10 (both for my performance and the tastiness of the dish)

High-res Notes: 17 11/27/11 — 12:15am Short URL: http://tmblr.co/Z5vAUwCTtmW7 Filed under: #healthy recipes  #dinner  #shrimp