What I really hate are recipes that give an ingredient that you don’t make, such as a can of something, or package of something, to throw into the mix you are working. The worst offender is a book I bought, I believe, at Costco, where I love looking at the cook book section. It is called “Hungry Girl 200 under 200“, and it sounded like a good idea at the time.
However, once I got it home, don’t know why I didn’t look at it more, I discovered that half the ingredients in her recipes were pre-packages, pre-processed food. For example her lemonade calls for 2 packages of sugar free lemonade powdered drink mix, lemon lime soda, 4 frozen strawberries and 1 package of sweetener.
I never did make any of the recipies in that book. I was so annoyed, that since that purchase, I have tried to make sure that everything in the cookbook I’m buying is to make stuff, not to just put packages together.
So I was surprised when Baby Cakes, a cook book which I love to look at, but haven’t made as much out of as I have Broccoli Forest, had one of those traps. I found a recipe for Macaroons, which I love, so went to look at it. It had four ingredients listed on the side.
- 1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
- 1/4 cu of agave
- 1/2 teaspoon of salt.
- and 1 cup vanilla, chocolate, or red velvet crumb base (see pages 115-116).
OK, I thought, that doesn’t sound so bad, so I went to page 115-116. So, Vanilla Crumb base consists of
- 3 tablespoons coconut oil
- 1/4 cup agave nectar
- 1/2 teaspoon of salt
- and 6 unfrosted vanilla cupcakes (see page 86)
So, I turned to page 86, not having even begun the macaroons. And there I find out how much I have to mix together, just to get to the macarrons.
So, Baby Cakes is telling me I have to make vanilla cupcakes, then with the left overs, make a crumb base, and then make the macroons. Wow. Someone thinks we all have way more time on our hands then we do.
One day, when I have a day or two to spend, i will make that oh so easy-to-make macaroons, and write about it.
