Welcome to Touchdown Kitchen!

Happy November, and welcome to Touchdown Kitchen!

I am so excited to finally start sharing my favorite recipes with y’all. I just love food! I love making it, I love eating it, and I love sharing it – which is why I have decided to chronicle my kitchen adventures.

Since I was a little girl, baking has been my passion. When I was 8 years old, I asked for cake decorating tools for Christmas, after which I managed to convince my mom to take me to Wilton cake decorating classes at our local Michael’s. I have been mesmerized by baking shows and videos since I first saw Ace of Cakes 10 years ago, and every time I discover a new dessert shop, I HAVE to try it.

Needless to say, I prefer baking over cooking. I have a major sweet tooth, and there is just something about a cupcake that makes my heart happy! Side note: I would like to take a moment to thank my parents for good genes. I am by no means skinny, but with as much dessert as I eat I should probably be about 50 pounds heavier. 😉

Baking is also more of a science than cooking is. I am the kind of person who appreciates formulas and instructions. I generally lack creativity, which I believe is a bit more important in cooking. Still, though, we all need to eat real food (sad face), so I will occasionally be posting some of my favorite dinner recipes alongside all of the baked goods.

Since I am not a very inventive person, I find most of my recipes on the internet. I occasionally modify them if I feel the modifications truly improve the recipe, but I am also of the “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” camp. I will, of course, post the sources for all the recipes I make. Side note #2: If you’re ever looking for a new recipe, AllRecipes.com is where it’s at. Even if the recipes you find are not perfect, the reviews are usually incredibly helpful.

I would also like to point out that I am entirely self-taught (and still learning every day). The only culinary training I have received has come from Google, YouTube, and books. While I bake a lot, I have relatively little experience and would not consider myself an expert by any means. You all probably have better ways of doing things, and when that happens, I would love to hear your advice and opinions!

Now, before I post my first recipe next week, I would like to share a few things I consider to be essentials in the kitchen. Read on, friends!

1. KitchenAid mixer

Guys. I LOVE my KitchenAid. It is one of my top 5 best friends for sure.

I cannot put this on the list without acknowledging that it is an investment. These things are not cheap, but if you love baking, they are SO worth it! In order to get a little bit of a price break, I recommend looking for a big sale (like Black Friday) or checking out discount stores like Kohl’s or TJ Maxx. I got the mixer I have now at TJ Maxx for $100 less than the retail price.

I currently have a Professional 600 Series bowl-lift mixer, but I used to use a cheaper classic tilt-head mixer and it worked just as well (and, between you and me, I almost liked that one better). No matter which model you get, a KitchenAid will make your life ten times easier!

2. Kitchen scale

This one may not be completely necessary, but it sure is helpful. Weights provide far more accurate measurements of most dry ingredients than measuring cups do. I will try to provide ingredient weights with the majority of my recipes, along with standard measurements.

Aside from measuring ingredients, a kitchen scale can come in handy on many occasions. When I need to make sure cake batter is divided perfectly evenly or cookies are all the same size, I use my scale. When I want to eat only one serving of cereal, I throw it on the scale. It saves me from dirtying so many measuring cups, and I can be sure of exactly how much of something I am eating.

Bonus tip: If you ever want to purchase a mailing slip for a package online, you usually need to enter the weight of it. Kitchen scale. ‘Nuff said.

(I use this one. As of this post, it only costs $13. So worth it.)

3. Sifter

I don’t hear about sifters very often these days, but my grandma taught me to always sift my dry ingredients, so I do. 😊 Honestly, though, even if a recipe does not instruct you to sift your dry ingredients, it helps ensure there are no clumps and the ingredients are well-mixed.

4. Good measuring cups

Yeah, yeah, this may seem like a given, but the key word here is good. I am the first to go for the cheapest item on the shelf, but I have actually experienced having the handles of multiple measuring cups break off mid-scoop. There is nothing more frustrating. So, save yourself the trouble and spend that extra five bucks to get yourself a sturdy set.

5. Amazon Prime

Whether you are an amateur baker or have been baking for a while, there is a good chance that at some point you will want to make recipes that require tools you do not have. Amazon Prime is a great way to get quality tools quickly at reasonable prices. Be sure to read the reviews before buying!

(This is not an ad, but I wish it was. I use Amazon at least twice a week. I’m an addict.)

Now that you are all prepared, keep your eyes out for my Grandma’s pumpkin bread recipe and my favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe EVER, coming to Touchdown Kitchen over the next two weeks! See you soon!

<3 Meg