Cooking has never been one of my stronger talents.
It dates to my freshman year in high school when I volunteered to make Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies for my English 101 class. I begged my mom to buy me all of the best ingredients. I wanted these cookies to make a lasting impression. I didn't have her buy the oats because I knew we had some already.
Upon the last step of mixing, I noticed something strange as I poured in the oats. There were tiny little black things in there that were moving. I was afraid to throw the batter away because I knew my mom would be angry at my carelessness.
I came to the conclusion that the bugs were so tiny they couldn't possibly do any harm. So I finished baking the cookies and served them to my class. I watched as everyone oohed and aahed over their chewiness and the large amount of chocolate chips (I put in extra to cover up the bugs). Everyone thought they were absolutely delicious and deemed me a sugar goddess.
It wasn't until my senior year that I actually came clean. While my friends and I were at the school dance, I giggled as I confessed my secret. I expected them to laugh with me, but instead, serious looks came across their faces. I truly believe one of them must have put a curse on me. Since then, my cooking adventures have included everything from soap in the spaghetti noodles to cutting my thumb on a piece of cheese. Not to mention a few other mishaps I don't want to disclose here.
Until my cookie bug curse is lifted, I can offer recipes for success only when it comes to decorating. I may not be the best chef, but when it comes to kitchen accessories, I'm a champ. Bugs and all.
Kitchen-gadget shadow box
Supplies:
1 shallow wooden box
Sanding paper
2 contrasting colors of acrylic paint
Brush
Assorted miniature kitchen gadgets
E6000 glue
Silver thumbtacks, bottle caps or food-related magnets
Saw-toothed picture hanger
Directions: Sand the box to smooth the edges. Base-coat all areas of the box and let dry. Apply second color on entire box. When dry, lightly sand the sides until the first color shows through. Lay the box flat with the open side up. After it is dry, arrange kitchen gadgets in the center. Use glue to affix gadgets. Set aside until glue cures. Attach thumbtacks, bottle caps or other decorative items around border of box. Flip over and attach picture hanger.
Note: Miniature kitchen gadgets can be found at Cost Plus Imports or Fry's Marketplace. Food magnets can be found at fridgedoor.com.

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Labels: collage/paper, inside