Highly Toxic?

I've always stored my cake pans and cookie sheets in the oven. In 10+ years, I've never once forgotten to take them out before preheating the oven... until last night.

This is what happens to plastic cake pan lids, when they are left in an oven that is preheating to 425, for 30 minutes:

Obviously I threw out both lids, and the metal cake pan that the one melted into. I kept the glass Pyrex cake pan that the blue lid went to. My question is, is it safe to use my oven now? There's a part of my brain that is telling me that fumes from melted plastic is highly toxic. Should I be worried? The clear lid melted on to one of the racks in the oven, but I was able to peel it off, after it cooled. Do I need to do anything else?

Thanks in advance, for any suggestions.

Recipe Review - 7 Minute Frosting

"No Cook" 7 Minute Frosting

INGREDIENTS
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup boiling water
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
3 unbeaten egg whites
food coloring (optional)

DIRECTIONS
1. Mix sugar, cream of tartar, vanilla and egg whites.
2. Add boiling water.
3. Beat on high til mixture forms peaks (like meringue) approx 5-7 minutes.

http://www.recipezaar.com/No-Cook-7-Minute-Frosting-107841

I really thought this was going to be the first recipe review that I wouldn't have any complaints about. Unfortunately, that's not exactly the case.

At the last minute on Saturday evening, I decided to make a birthday cake for a family get together - Happy Birthday, Becky & Amy! That morning, I had seen a recipe for a 7 Minute Frosting on America's Test Kitchen. Apparently it's a pretty old recipe, but I'd never heard of it. However, it's a very pretty frosting, and I knew I wanted to try it. The problem is, I've never had a double boiler, and don't even really have the right pots for a makeshift one, and this recipe called for a double boiler.

I searched online, to try to find a recipe that was simpler than the one I'd seen that morning. As luck would have it, I came across this "No Cook" recipe. It was a breeze to make, and really turned out beautifully. If was very white and fluffy looking, and very light tasting.

To make it a little more festive, since it was a birthday cake, I decided to add some yellow gel food coloring. Well, it worked, and the icing took the color really well, but it actually ended up looking like whipped butter. I wish I had gotten a photo of it. It was so funny. It looked like we slathered the cake in Country Crock.

Thankfully, the butter-look didn't phase anyone. Even the frosting-haters of the family, agreed that this frosting was tasty. For the birthday party, I made a Fun-fetti cake and frosted it with the butter-yellow "No Cook" 7 Minute Frosting. And it was delicious.

Late that night, I was still in the baking mood, so I decided to try it again. I made a double batch this time, because I wanted to make a layer cake and use the frosting between the layers. I also mixed it up a little, and used almond extract instead of vanilla. It was a success.

This almond frosting had a very good flavor. I actually preferred it to the vanilla. And let me tell you, this chocolate layer cake turned out to be almost too pretty to eat.

But as you can see, we really didn't have a problem digging right in. It was heavenly. The almond flavoring added such a nice touch to it. And the texture of this frosting is just nearly perfect.

So, all in all, for a cake that's going to be eaten in one day, this recipe it a complete success. I give it an A+ for same day enjoyment.

The problem comes after the cake sits for a while. I made the chocolate cake late at night; I probably finished it around midnight. The next morning, approximately 12 hours later, this is what we were welcomed with when we got down to the kitchen.

As you can see, the layers basically disappeared. I didn't expect the cake to keep it's shape completely, because the frosting was so light, but I never figured something like this would happen. The frosting on the outside was much thicker than the layers, and didn't disappear, but got all foamy. It was so strange. We went ahead and tried a bit, and it still tasted really great. The frosting sort of just absorbed into the cake and made it really moist, and again that almond flavor was really wonderful. But it was still so weird. I can't figure out if it's just this recipe, or if any 7 Minute Frosting will do this. Like I said, this is the first time I'd ever heard of it.

My other idea, is that maybe it's supposed to be refrigerated? I just don't know.

So, in conclusion, this recipe fails in the long run, but only in looks. The flavor is still wonderful, even after the frosting disappears.

Overall, I give it a C, and suggest you consume the frosted cake within 6 hours of preparation.

If any of you make this, or have ever made a traditional 7 Minute Frosting, please let me know if this is the standard, of if I've done something wrong.

As always, if you have any suggestions for recipes you'd like me to review, please leave a comment. Stay tuned!

Picture Pages - Summer Lovin'

In this play, Danny will be played by a watermelon, and Sandy will be played by Jaz.

Summer loving had me a blast

Summer loving happened so fast

I met a girl crazy for me

I met a boy cute as can be

Summer days drifting away, to oh oh the summer nights



She swam by me, she got a cramp

He ran by me, got my suit damp

I saved her life, she nearly drowned

He showed off, splashing around

Summer sun, something's begun, but oh oh the summer nights



Took her bowling in the arcade

We went strolling, drank lemonade

We made out under the dock

We stayed up 'till ten o'clock

Summer fling, don't mean a thing, but oh oh the summer nights



He got friendly, holding my hand

She got friendly down in the sand

He was sweet just turned eighteen

Well she was good you know what I mean

Summer heat, boy and girl meet, but oh oh the summer nights



It turned colder - that's where it ends

So I told her we'd still be friends

Then we made our true love vow

Wonder what she's doing now

Summer dreams ripped at the seams, but oh those summer nights

Random Review - Bricktown Candy Co.

Bricktown Candy Co.
100 E. California Ave.
Oklahoma City, OK
(405) 600-9009

Monday: CLOSED
Tuesday - Saturday: 11am to 10pm
Sunday: 12pm to 6pm

Last weekend, Keith and I took a trip on the motorcycle. We had planned on going to Red Rock Canyon, but only got as far as El Reno. The temperature was in the high 90s that day, and we ran out of steam on the idea pretty quickly. We took a little detour on our way home, and ended up in Bricktown.

Since there is motorcycle parking in Bricktown now, we were able to park and take a walk around to see a few new things the area has to offer. We spent about an hour in the new Coyote Ugly bar, and then ventured back out into the heat. Heading toward California, I noticed a sign advertising a place selling gelato. Keith and I turned the corner, and there it was; The Bricktown Candy Co. was open for business, so we headed inside.

When you walk in, you can tell the place is new. It's only been open since June of this year, so it still seems like a work in progress. However, the lack of decor or general theme, doesn't take away from the fun experience. They sell bulk candy by the ounce. You can find M&Ms and Sixlets in every color, Swedish Fish, Chocolate Covered Peanuts, Spree, and almost anything else you can think of. I also noticed that they have old fashioned candy bars at the counter. They sell Big Hunk, Charleston Chew, and Clark bars, to name a few.

Besides the bulk candy and candy bars, the Bricktown Candy Co. has a couple of other items they specialize in. They boast over 100 flavors of bottled soda pop. You can even mix and match your own six pack. It's not quite as many flavors as Pops on Route 66, but it's enough to keep your attention for while.

In the back room, they keep the best part of the entire store; That's where the gelato bar is. For those who don't know, gelato is basically Italy's version of ice cream. I must say, Italy is definitely doing something right in that respect.

The price of the gelato seemed a little high - $3.50 for the smallest size and $5.00 for a large - but we tried a it anyway. After sampling the White Chocolate and the Banana Caramel Praline, I decided on the latter. It did not disappoint. It was excellent and reminded me of banana pudding with pecans. Keith sampled a few other flavors, but opted for the Tiramisu. It was wonderful and was very true to flavor.

Though we were wary of the price at first, the amount we got was plenty. We both got the small size. The flavors were very rich and satisfying, and I did not feel cheated in any way. I guess you get what you pay for, when it comes to gelato.

In closing, I can't recommend this place enough. I think it was an excellent idea, to put a candy shop in Bricktown. It will be great for tourists, as well as locals. So, go and enjoy it. It's a great little piece of downtown OKC.

Side note: The Bricktown Candy Co. doesn't seem to have a website of their own yet, but I did find this story from the Oklahoman.

Bricktown area gets sweeter for visitors NewsOK.com
Shared via AddThis

Edited to correct gelato price, and add a note from the proprietor: "Bricktown Candy has Sugar Free Candy and Soda. An error in ordering the Gelato has put us in a place of not having a sugar free gelato at this time. Our next order will have sugar free flavors."

Recipe Review - Whole Wheat Biscuits

FLUFFY WHOLE WHEAT BISCUITS

INGREDIENTS
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 tablespoon sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1 cup milk

DIRECTIONS
In a medium bowl, combine flours, baking powder, sugar, and salt; mix well. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in milk just until moistened. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface; knead gently 8 to 10 times. Roll to 3/4-in. thickness; cut with a 2-1/2-in. biscuit cutter and place on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake at 450 degrees F for 10 to 12 minutes or until lightly browned. Serve warm.

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Fluffy-Whole-Wheat-Biscuits/Detail.aspx

These biscuits were not fluffy. They were actually pretty heavy, and didn't really have a biscuit-like texture at all. And as you can see, if you compare my photo to the photo in the link, they didn't look at all like fluffy biscuits either. Instead of eating a biscuit, it was more like chowing down on a big hunk of wheat bread. I'm all for homemade wheat bread, and might actually end up making these again, to have with dinner one night. However, they did not go very well with our breakfast of scrambled eggs and sausage.

Please take into consideration, that it's entirely possible that I did something wrong when making these biscuits. Other than cakes and sweets, I've not done a lot of baking. I don't have a lot of bread making experience, and unfortunately, Keith likes canned biscuits, so I've been lazy about perfecting that particular craft. I'm able to make my Grandma's biscuit recipe turn out a lot better than these though.

The recipe specifies that these biscuits should be baked on an ungreased baking sheet. In my opinion, they might need a little grease to give them the right outer texture - that little bit of a layer of bite that good biscuits need. If I ever were to try them again, I'd brush hot oil on them before baking, and see if that helps.

Also, I baked these biscuits 3 minutes longer than recipe called for. I was trying to get them to "lightly brown" but it didn't seem to help. They didn't brown at all.

As Keith was not at all impressed with these biscuits, I had a lot of leftovers. I decided to bag them up and take them to work with me. They've made for a good breakfast snack, after bring microwaved and slathered in peanut butter. I'll be having the last of them later this morning. Peanut butter makes anything better.

So, in closing, you might want to give them a try if you're a better baker than me. But if you want a sure thing, skip this recipe. If I ever try baking these biscuits again, I'll be sure to update you on the outcome.

Stay tuned for more reviews, and please leave a comment if you have any suggestions for me. Well, actually, you can feel free to leave a comment even if you don't have a suggestion.

Recipe Review - Pot Roast #1

AWESOME SLOW COOKER POT ROAST

INGREDIENTS
2 (10.75 ounce) cans condensed cream of mushroom soup
1 (1 ounce) package dry onion soup mix
1 1/4 cups water
5 1/2 pounds pot roast

DIRECTIONS
In a slow cooker, mix cream of mushroom soup, dry onion soup mix and water. Place pot roast in slow cooker and coat with soup mixture. Cook on High setting for 3 to 4 hours, or on Low setting for 8 to 9 hours.

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Awesome-Slow-Cooker-Pot-Roast/Detail.aspx

I was very disappointed with my first attempt at this recipe. The soup didn't thicken, so it was basically watery juice. It also had an odd flavor, but that may have been from my addition of potatoes and carrots to the dish. Now that I've had time to read the reviews from Allrecipes.com, I plan to try it again, with a few alterations.

I did change just a few things on my first attempt, but I really can't see how the changes I made would have had much effect on the outcome. I didn't have a 5.5lb roast, so I used a 2.5lb roast, and cut the rest of the ingredients in half. I also made the soup mixture up the night before, and marinated the roast in it for about 8 hours in the refrigerator. That way, when I got up the next morning, I was able to dump it directly into the crock-pot and turn it on as I headed out the door. After reading the reviews, I'm thinking my biggest mistake might have been adding carrots and potatoes to the bottom of the crock. It looks like that might be this recipes' downfall. Now I know better.

When I try this recipe again, I know I will do at least 3 things differently:

~ I will try using beef broth instead of water, which I would have done this time, but I was out of beef broth.

~ I will coat the meat with flour and other seasonings, and sear it slightly before cooking.

~ I will not add potatoes or carrots to the crock to cook along with the roast.

I'm hoping that with these adjustments, this will be a good go-to recipe for a quick and easy pot roast.

Using a slow cooker is such a nice thing to do when it's hot outside. I think most people only consider using them for winter cooking, but using them in the summer helps to keep the house cool, and makes meals a snap. When you've just come in from 100 degree weather and don't feel like doing much cooking, less time in the kitchen is a great selling point.

I leave the house before 7:30am most mornings, and get home at around 5:30pm. When I use my crock-pot to make our entrée for dinner, we're usually sitting down to eat by 6:00pm. It works out nicely for us. With Keith eating lunch at 11am most days, he's typically starving by the time I get home.

So, if you don't have a crock-pot/slow cooker, go out and buy yourself one. They are a great investment for your family. Less time in a hot kitchen = More time bonding with the people you've been missing all day long.

I'll be sure to keep you posted on my 2nd outcome of this recipe.

Stay tuned for more recipe reviews, as well as other miscellaneous product reviews. Please feel free to post comments and let me know if you have any products you'd like for me to review.