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| Note the bottom line, 3 tsp = 1 tbsp |
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| The measurements are all upside-down so that the wearer can read them! |
How to Win Your Own Cheat Sheet Apron
Update: The contest has ended. The random winner is Angie who said, "A real success is one where people ask for the recipe. I have a couple standbys that almost always generate that reaction!"
The folks at The Smart Baker have offered to give away an apron to one lucky Cupcake Project reader. The apron will be personalized for you where mine says "Cupcake Project."
To enter, simply leave a comment on this blog post (not on Facebook, email, or Twitter) with the following:
- Since we are talking about measurements, I'd like to know about a different kind of measurement. Tell me in your comment how you measure the success of your recipes. Is a recipe successful if you love it, if your significant other loves it, if your kids will eat it, if people ask you for the recipe, or something else? What factor is most important to you? (My answer: Success for me is when someone makes my recipe and tells me that it turned out perfect and they were thrilled.)
- If you have any embarrassing baking math stories, please share them as well. It's not required, but it will help me feel less alone.
- A way to contact you if you win.
- All entries must be in by January 31, 11:59 PM CST.
- The prize can only be shipped to a U.S. address.
- If I do not hear back from the winner within one week of contacting him/her, I will draw another winner.
I'm going to host another giveaway for a different product from The Smart Baker on my Facebook page later this week. Be sure to like my Facebook page so that you don't miss it.
My embarrassing story is less about measurements and more a lesson in the difference between salt and sugar. As we all know, a teaspoon of sugar and a cup of salt in blueberry cobbler is not a good combination!
ReplyDeleteI judge whether my recipes are successful by my husband's reactions. He'll try just about anything now (although he still has a few forbidden foods) and is honest with his feedback. E-mail is kerry.kassie@gmail.com
I judge my success in such a horrible way: whether or not it came out how I imagined it. If it doesn't look as good or taste as good as I think it should, then I try again! =)
ReplyDeleteThere are many times where I "measure things" with my eyes and not with spoons and cups...that is always a disaster!
erikamarie82@gmail.com! =)
Luckily i dont have any stories of woe on measurements... i obsess over them.
ReplyDeleteMy judge for success is the Ford family! The 3 of them will give it to me straight and if i can wow the 5 year old then i know i've got a keeper!
Hope to get to bake again soon (electrical issues in my kitchen)
prairiejeweler@hotmail.com
I judge the success of my recipes by whether or not I like the taste/look of it.
ReplyDeletephjones21@yahoo.com
I judge whether my recipe is successful or not by the reactions. I sell cupcakes and cakes for a living. If people comment on my FB page about how good it was, then I KNOW it was to die for!
ReplyDeleteAlso...too much milk makes for cupcake soup...just sayin. :/
thesweetery@cableone.net
I typically measure my success by how quickly my daughter eats it (she can take two hours to eat if we let her) and by my husband's reaction to the dish.
ReplyDeletehmnelson15@frontier.com
I know better than to measure success by the way I feel about it - we're all our own worst critics, you know! I tend to judge by the faces people make when they try things.
ReplyDeletekatieeph@gmail.com
If my very picky child eats it and says "Mama, this is delicious!", then it's a success. Or if a friend insists on me writing down the recipe for her right there and then.
ReplyDeleteSuccess is definitely when someone asks for the recipe! Whether or not my husband likes it is important too, though!
ReplyDeleteMy baking math skills are also embarrassing and this apron is pure genius. If I love something I make, it's a success in my mind, but even more so if my partner loves it or someone tries my recipe and loves it. I'm pretty easy to please.
ReplyDeleteIt is going to sound cheesy but my measurement of success is if people smile after they eat it.
ReplyDeleteNolie13(at)hotmail(dot)com
A recipe is a success in my mind if the kids will eat it or the husbeast obviously really enjoys it or if it turns out just the way I wanted and its delicious! If I had to wait for all of those to happen at once nothing would ever be successful. LOL
ReplyDeleteI'm going to tell a story on my DH here. A few Valetine's back he wanted to make me a nice dinner (it was a chicken sautee something or other). Well he miscalculated when doubling the recipe for the kids dinner and added 1/2 cup of powdered chicken stock instead of 1/2 tablespoon. Needless to say we had pizza that night. LOL
Awesome apron! Thanks for such a generous and fun contest!
nourgihan (at) gmail (dot) com
I definitely use my family as my taste testers to see if a recipe is a success or not. It burns to hear reject comments when something doesn't work out, but baking is trial and error and I'm slowly learning how to deal with that. I aslo judge my success not only on how it tastes, but how it looks because I think food styling is everything. I am horrible with math, so I would definitely put this apron to good use and it would be my frist apron ever!!
ReplyDeleteConfession of a Devoted and Known Cupcake Baker: I very often don't like or eat more than one of the cupcakes I make. I used to not like cake at all as a child and I suppose it's a bit of a carryover from that. My roommate thinks I'm crazy. I just love the calming process and experimentation of all- and I love watching other people eat my cupcakes.
ReplyDeleteA true measurement of an excellent cupcake in my opinion is whether I want to make the recipe over and over for ALL my friends because I like it so much I'd eat them all if given the chance! I have a good shortlist of much loved cupcakes now that I can whip out for any occasion - Christmas, birthdays, you name it.
My embarrassing story is from my childhood, though it doesn't really have to do with measurements - everyone was out of the house except me. It was my mother's birthday and I really really wanted to make her a cake. Halfway through the recipe, I realized I hadn't gotten out the vegetable oil. Being young and stupid, I had no idea that the Crisco in the pantry was vegetable oil. I ended up calling around to all my friends' mothers and asking them for help in coming up with a substitute. I believe one kind soul did identify the Crisco as oil for me. I still cringe a little. The cake came out pretty good in the end, for an eighth grader who had no clue what she was doing!
i measure my recipe success based on how quickly the product disappears aka gets eaten :)
ReplyDeletemy worst baking mistake was i miscalculated a recipe when scaling it down and i put in 2 tablespoon of salt instead of 2 teaspoons.
my email is: ana153@jwu.edu
I judge the success of my recipes by the reaction of my husband. He is very honest about what he likes and does not like, but will also try anything. When he asks me to keep track of the recipe, I know that it was a success.
ReplyDeleteMy embarrassing story about measurements comes from my desire to make enough baked goods to share. I was making pumpkin bread and tripled the recipe so that I could send bread with my husband to work and have two loaves to take to my in-laws for Christmas. Little did I know that the recipe I was using made 3 loaves. So...my 6 quart mixer was overflowing with batter. My husband still won't let me live that one down.
My email is rachael.neibling@gmail.com
My baking successes? Definitely when my guy friends shed their masculine exteriors, steal the Tupperware of baked goods and ask me, "Where are everybody else's [cookies, brownies, insert name of treat here]?" :)
ReplyDeleteI'm still too timid to be adventurous, so I haven't modified any recipes enough to have any major baking blunders. But I will say, knowing how many teaspoons are in a tablespoon is VERY helpful if the only measuring spoon you can find in your college dorm's kitchen is a very battered teaspoon.
Email is bestprtofbelieve@aol.com
The best judge of recipe success is when someone asks me for the recipe. And not in the, "Oh I'm just trying to be nice to you" but the "I will hunt you down until you write down that recipe for" kind of way.
ReplyDeleteLove the apron! Me and math don't mix : )
I am awful at math!! Trying to double a recipe, or even trying to cut one in half kills me! I measure success by my husband. He is so so picky! I love that apron, I want one realllllly bad!
ReplyDeletenikic_21(at)yahoo(dot)com
Most of my embarrassing moments come from trying to halve or double a recipe and not halving or doubling accordingly. One batch of chocolate chip cookies came out as flat and crisp as saucers because I didnt get enough flour in.
ReplyDeleteI usually tell when a recipe is a success by people asking for a recipe or gushing over the food. I'll be forever know to a brother in law of a dear friend merely as "corm casserole" since thats our go to dish for potlucks and parties and the recipe that everyone asks for.
I measure success if I like it. My husband will pretty much eat anything and my kids are the opposite so it is hard to use them as a measure. Quite often I can't actually taste my own food very well until the next day so I try not to judge my success immediately.
ReplyDeleteI judge my success by how much other people like the product. They're easier on me than I am on myself!
ReplyDeleteBaking snaffoo: I make a TON of gingerbread men every year for Christmas and about 4 years ago I was working with a friend (we were goofing off) and accidentally TRIPLED the spices. Funny thing is that we didn't even realize it until days later!
hampton1202(at)gmail(dot)com
If I don't like it, then it doesn't matter what other people say, I have to enjoy it as well to feel it's a success.
ReplyDeleteWhen I bake, my tasting panel consists of my very picky 16 yr old and my even pickier work staff. Success is determined by how quickly things disappear on either front!
ReplyDeleteMy biggest baking blunders are usually when I improvise on a recipe (this batter looks thin...better add 'just a dash' of flour!)...but some of those experiments have yielded awesome results! Key Lime Cakesters, anyone?
Thanks for such a fun contest with such a groovy prize!! :)
I judge a recipe 2 ways, how long it lasts in my house or where ever I took it, and how many people ask me for the recipe!
ReplyDeletelovemyabbie at gmail.com
I consider a recipe a success if I would make it again. My friends are just now starting to use my recipes, so I do not have that barometer yet, but I look forward to that day!
ReplyDeleteempiricalbaker at gmail
Like Stephanie, a real success is one where people ask for the recipe. I have a couple standbys that almost always generate that reaction!
ReplyDeleteangineer at gmail dot come
For me, I'd say success in a recipe is if I want to eat all of it, including all the leftovers! :)
ReplyDeleteRecipe success to me is other people liking it, enough to ask for seconds or leftovers.
ReplyDeleteIf I have to double or half a recipe, I have to print it then scratch out and write in the new measurements. If I don't, I'll inevitably double something I shouldn't or not half something.
ajgauthier @ gmail.com
Success is when all of my coworkers will eat them -- no matter what silly diet they are on at the time. I love when they break diets for my cupcakes... especially when they eat more than one :)
ReplyDeletemegan.noelle@gmail.com
Success is when all of my coworkers will eat them -- no matter what silly diet they are on at the time. I love when they break diets for my cupcakes... especially when they eat more than one :)
ReplyDeletemegan.noelle@gmail.com
i measure my success by two things, how flawlessly the baking process went and how many slices, cupcakes, cookies, or whatever it is i've baked my boyfriend eats in one sitting. it's never good sign if he only eats one!
ReplyDeleteflorsura@muohio.edu
I measure everything by how much fun I have doing it and how well everyone responds to it. I work in a restaurant and I bring in my samples, I usually get an honest response.
ReplyDeleteMandalynn28@gmail.com
For me, a recipe is good if my fiance likes it! He's such a picky eater!
ReplyDeleteredheadrockstarJB (at) gmail (dot) com
I just the success of my recipes by a ratio (sorry about the math aspect) of how much I look forward to making it and the amount of fun I have making it / the outcome of the recipe (whether or not it is something I would make again).
ReplyDeleteA measurement blunder: I started baking with my mom when I was young, every Christmas eve we would bake TONS of goodies. This could get confusing without organization. As I got older, it was my responsibility to gather our recipes & make shopping lists. Cooking multiple items gets confusing when you are shopping for ingredients. There have been MANY years where we have to go to the store multiple times to get items I failed to add correctly. I always got confused on how many ounces are in a cup so this left us lacking in chocolate chip department, as they typically have measurement on the bag in ounces but my recipes had them in cups!
We have been baking together for 26 years now and it still never fails.... I always convert something incorrectly!
canmdean@gmail.com
I judge a recipes success by the comments I get and if it turns out how I thought it would.
ReplyDeleteeverydaymom22@gmail.com
Funny, I just got a comment from a friend about a recipe of mine that she still makes and gets rave reviews on - 15 years later! Made me smile!
ReplyDeletevplus10@earthlink.net
Ohh this is soo cool. I dont have any embarrassing math baking stories since our teacher drilled the conversions into our heads but this would be great for my kitchen assistance :)
ReplyDeleteThis is sooo cool! I'd have to say I measure my kitchen success if people come back for more or saying things like, "this is the best ___ I've ever eaten!" :-)
ReplyDeleteMy husband's not one to voluntarily give me feedback on my cooking and baking so I rely on my co-workers who sample my cupcakes to boost my ego and tell me if a recipe's good.
ReplyDeleteEmbarrassing math story for you: I am the dumb one in my family so growing up I relied on my brothers to do a lot of my thinking for me, mostly when it came to math. When I was about 17 we were all shopping together and I was trying to figure out the sale price on something. To this day they still mock me for having to ask, "What's 10% of 100?" Since then I've made sure to brush up on my "shopping math" skills so I never have to ask questions like that again. A few months ago a woman came up to me in a store and asked me to help her figure out the sale price on something and I was pleased that I was able to help. Although I still suspect my brothers planted her and paid her to quiz me, trying to catch me out again.
I judge my success the day after I try a new recipe. I live with my hubby and 2 teenage sons who always tell me they LOVE what i make.(AKA - we wont have to cook/bake because you're so good at it!)But the day after I may find a plate full of last nights' delicious treats untouched OR an empty plate with crumbs. That's when i decide if it was a success!
ReplyDeletecaroldipirro@yahoo.com
I take every new recipe to work and my coworkers know the stipulation of free cupcakes/cakes/sweets is that they have to offer a review and suggestion for improvement. Usually I am the harshest critic and can always think of a way to improve flavor.
ReplyDeletenikki476(at)hotmail(dot)com
I love the apron, what a clever idea!
ReplyDeleteThe way I measure a recipes success, I have to same it is the same like you. To know someone did it, came out right the first time and love it!
Have a great day :) mariscakes@live.com
I judge my success in different ways. If it doesn't come out of the oven looking perfect then I'm not happy with it. Also, if someone tells me that it was so 'bad' they simply had to get seconds or thirds, I figure it was pretty successful.
ReplyDeleteI measure success if someone asks me for the recipe because I think everything I make stinks!
ReplyDeleteglitterglamgirl (at) gmail (dot) com
My husband is my taste tester and a VERY honest one at that. I can tell by the way he says "that tastes good" if its REALLY good, AMAZINGLY good, or just OK good.
ReplyDeleteI was hoping to surprise some friends with some homemade chocolate cupcakes a while back when I first started baking. Not sure what went wrong but the cupcakes never rose and tasted AWFUL!!! Immediate trip to the trashcan!
I know a recipe is good if my entire family, little siblings included, will eat whatever it is I've made.
ReplyDeleteAnd kitchen measurement disaster: When making a quarter of a recipe for tiny cakes, I forgot to quarter one of the ingredients, and ended up eyeballing the rest of everything--turned out okay though!
email is msh2012@brandeis.edu
I judge whether my recipes are a success based on the reaction of my husband and my picky daughter. My son will eat anything and I don't eat a lot of the stuff I make, so I have to rely on others to tell me if it should be made again.
ReplyDeleteajdoherty1980@gmail.com
I don't really have an embarassing story that I can think of right now. But I measure how much family likes what I bake by them asking for me to make another one on their birthday. Especially the kids!!!!
ReplyDeleteMary N
ladefly@aol.com
Just last weekend I decided to make creamed chicken and biscuits. I make biscuits all the time and they always turn out very well-until last weekend. After I put the biscuits in the oven, I realized they didn't look at all right. They finished baking and they were flat disks. I grabbed my recipe and realized I added 1 tsp of baking powder instead of 1 Tbsp. Needless to say, the birds have been enjoying a little treat all week and I went to the grocery to replenish my flour supply so I could bake another batch. (Which turned out beautifully.)
ReplyDeleteI never had a problem with measurements until I got to the age where I started needed reading glasses. Now what I think says tsp is really tbsp. Sucks to get older....
ReplyDeleteI judge my recipe success by catching my husband sneak back into the kitchen and eating directly from the dessert. Not even taking the time to put it on a plate!!!! When that happens, I know I've hit a home run!!!!
Thanks!
dmbnwb1@earthlink.net
I bake everyday, (part time pastry chef for my son's restaurant)and could really use this apron.
ReplyDeleteI judge the success of a new recipe by timing how quickly it disappears!
psrrn@aol.com
I judge my success based on the reactions of people who try it. I am such an attention whore.
ReplyDeleteI don't have any embarrassing math stories other than the fact that I, too, have to work out every single change to a recipe on paper, despite the fact that I was once a math major--didn't last long.
I'd love that apron!
pennyknapik@gmail.com
When I try a new recipe, all I want to hear is one person say, "This is really good." If that happens, I'm satisfied. I'm overly satisfied if the comment comes from my picky husband.
ReplyDeleteMy embarrassing story will make you feel better: Until *now* I have been operating under the assumption that the 2 tsp measuring spoon on one of my measuring spoon sets is equal to 1 tbsp. I just thought why else would they include a 2 tsp measuring spoon and not a 1 tbsp spoon. Go figure...
Just found your blog and so happy to find one based in St. Louis! Every time my sister comes home from college, she wants to bake cupcakes. I live just across the rive in Illinois and we will consult this website when she visits home from now on!
I judge my success by all the "oh my Gosh this is so good" comments! I'm all about the praise!! I would LOVE this apron. I'm just starting my own little at home cupcake biz and it would be a handy addition...as well as a great cheat sheet!
ReplyDeleteI'm at jenniro926@hotmail.com
I measure the success of my recipes based on the opinions I get from my tasters. But even if everyone else loves it, and I don't, then I don't consider it a total success.
ReplyDeleteI always have to think about (and sometimes look up) butter measurements... for some reason I get it all mixed up in my head.
I measure the success of my cupcake recipes by the reactions of my friends and family. I know that something is real good when they reach for a second or third helping.
ReplyDeleteI measure success if i just enjoyed doing it, if it dosent turn out great you learn if it turns out great you hope you actually remembered to write down what you used (which i never seem to do)
ReplyDeleteI google measurements its quick and no one ever knows
oops my email is kamiree49@aol.com
ReplyDeleteI judge them by how well I enjoy eating them. I guess that isn't giving my husband's palate its due, but if he likes it and I don't, I'm not going to consider it a cooking success.
ReplyDeleteSince it is just the two of us, I often halve recipes. This has caused some big problems sometimes, usually when I forget I'm halving it, and dump in the full amount of one ingredient. I recently learned a trick that helps. I do all of my math ahead of time, and write it on a post-it note. Then, I put the post-it over the actual amounts, so I don’t make a mistake!
I usually measure success by how much the people I feed it to rant and/or rave, and whether or not they ask for more or the recipe. If everyone politely says it's good but they'll pass on more I know I've failed :-D
ReplyDeleteI've DEFINITELY had the math mistakes and I would LOVE LOVE LOVE this apron because I too am constantly having to go back and forth to the computer when I bake.
My most embarrassing story is when I tried to make cappuccino muffins. I didn’t realize that instant coffee granules and coffee grounds were NOT the same thing. I also forgot to add baking soda to the recipe! What came out were black speckled little hard cakes that could seriously hurt someone if they ate them OR got hit with them. I tend to not tell that story very often
For me success is determined by who is eating/judging the recipe. If the person who is tasting my stuffed peppers but they don't really like peppers, i'm not going to go by them. If someone loves stuffed peppers and orders it out all the time I want them to taste mine to see how it measures up to their favorties. Love the apron!
ReplyDeleteIf I like it then it's a success! Since I'm the baker I'm not making stuff that I don't like or is just so-so.
ReplyDeleteI've learned to always wear the "computer-reading" bifocles since the distance-reading ones get me into trouble with measurements!
Email is shortoldlady56(at)yahoo.com
A meal is successful if someone makes a comment after the first bite. If they thought it was so good they just couldn't wait to say so, I feel AWESOME!
ReplyDeleteMy toughest measuring conversion is butter. The recipe calls for a stick and I have the bucket of butter. Or it says grams and I just give up and walk away!
Amelia.fazio@gmail.com
success for me is when my husband really REALLY gets excited about a meal or recipe...because he's not one to typically broadcast his emotion!
ReplyDeletenatalie.mclaury@gmail.com
This apron is custom made for my mother or myself! We are cotton-headed-ninny-muggins when it comes to conversion. I literally google them before I do any new recipe. It's relly much harder for us Canadians when almost everything online is in American measurements:o(
ReplyDeleteI agree with all your definitions of success. The holy grail, of course is hitting all of them! That's as common as a lunar eclipse though;o) So if I please myself I'm tickled pink because I'm my own worst critic.
My mother and I once messed up our measurements while taking a cake course and had to submit a wet droopy cake:o( It was really embarrassing considering the competition. When you beat out by a 9yr old hang your head and cry.
Thanx for the chance:o)
akajohnston@shaw.ca (from Vancouver BC Canada, with a US shipping address)
I love this apron! I too gunk up my laptop trying to figure out measurements, or annoy my BF asking him to do calculations for me while my hands are covered with dough/chocolate/flour/etc.
ReplyDeleteI judge a recipe as successful if I know I will make it again or share it with someone else.
Thanks for the great giveaway!
meganemails AT gmail DOT com
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteCute idea! I'm in pastry school and when challenged on the spot about a measurement question, I always freak out! I think my recipe is considered successful when it seems that the people eating it go back for seconds!
ReplyDeleteSorry, forgot to add my email in the last post!
domobyrnes@gmail.com
It's tie between whether my mom likes it and whether my boyfriend likes it. My mom's an EXTREMELY picky eater and isn't quiet about it, but I cook more for my boyfriend.
ReplyDeleteI measure success by the WOW! factor. The first bite is the best estimation on how well a project turned out.
ReplyDeleteAlso, a chef once taught me this saying "A pint is a pound the world around" If you can remember that, then measurements are a snap.
Sugar Kisses to all!
I judged my success with one of my recipes that won me a hundred dollars..I never made it before, and really didn't get to sample it before it was judged, and when I did it was simply the most delicious cheesecake that I have ever had the delightful pleasure to ingest.
ReplyDeleteThe judges loved it, obviously, and the crowd also.
Thanks for all of you, redraven
ravenspirit51@yahoo.com
Oh my goodess, that apron is awesome! Success for me is when people say "I don't usually like (insert flavor here) but this is really good!"
ReplyDeleteA failure story...I was making White Chocolate Macadamia Nut cookies for my brand new boyfriend but had cut all the measurements in half for a smaller batch. I, however, did NOT cut the baking soda in half and apparently doubled it. They tasted awful and definitely had to be tossed out. It's a good thing he married me regardless ;)
d.dyrda@yahoo.com
If I think it tastes good, my roommates usually agree, which is good enough! If people ask me to make it again next time we have a party, even better.
ReplyDeleteI could really use a bracelet or something that I could wear at the supermarket that has liquid measurements - I always end up unsure how many cups are in a pint or quart, and the cream cartons aren't telling!
Having lived on two sides of the Atlantic ocean, I've cooked in cups and kilograms. My Catalan roommates used to make fun of me, "One cup? What kind of cup? This cup? That cup?" and I know conversions are important, and would love something for when I can't count them out on a butter wrapper!
ReplyDeleteI judge a recipe's success in deliciousness, but also in healthiness. I recently made my first meat pie and mastered the oil pie crust (if I do say so myself) and not only did it disappear within 24 hours, but it also wasn't made with mostly butter, and that is the best kind of victory. Cupcakes, yes, butter. But if it's a real meal and not a special treat, olive oil is the victor! More veggies, less fat, still delicious is usually my goal.
I judge my suscess on how quickly the food gets eaten. My boyfriend can inhale some food, so when it's all gone and he's asking for more, i know it was a good recipe. :)
ReplyDeleteand i totally mixed up the dry meeasurements with the wet when i was making a pound cake... yeah, that was pretty disgusting. lol. My email: ashleyrswann@gmail.com
What young baker doesn't have an embarassing story? Mine is a classic: I was 5 years old and making chocolate chip cookies with my baby-sitter, and she asked me which container held the sugar. Of course, I had no idea, and pointed her to a random container which actually contained... salt. Needless to say, those cookies went right into the garbage!
ReplyDeleteThe success of my recipes is whether I would personally make it again. For most baking recipes the bar changes a little bit - I seem to have a knack for making recipes excellent the first time, but the second, third or fourth times don't always go so well. I'm not sure why; it might be because I become more adventurous after the first successful attempt and play too much with the recipe on subsequent attempts, or it might just be sheer bad luck.
In either case, for me, a new recipe is not successful until my second try turns out edible.
You can reach me by e-mail at lovstrom at gmail dot com.
Cheers!
I am known as the cupcake queen among my friends. I have made cupcakes for their weddings, bridal and baby showers, birthday parties, you name it. So the way I judge my baking success is through the smiles of my friends when they say their cupcake creations (I create custom cupcake wrappers and decorations) and the look on their faces after they take the first bite. I haven't had any awful comments, but I am my worst critic. So I am always looking for ways to improve my products.
ReplyDeleteI measure success of my recipes based on how much I learned from my mistakes, so I can always improve my experience next time!
ReplyDeletemercedesbenz431@optonline.net
If people ask me for the recipe then its definitely a success. On the other hand when I'm told it taste like charcoal I know I should try something else...
ReplyDeleteI have occasionally added too much of one ingredient, usually flour, and then need to increase all of my other measurements to match proportions... doesn't always work out.
aryckman@gmail.com
I measure the success of my baking by the comments I get. I can always tell if something turned out by one of my friends praising it.
ReplyDeleteMy mistakes aren't ussally measurement related as much as time related. I ussually under estimate the time I will need to finish my baking.
hayss04@gmail.com
I measure the success of my baking according to how much I like it coupled with the number of compliments I get on a particular item.
ReplyDeleteLast month I tried to make a persimmon loaf, and I halved the recipe. I halved everything BUT the persimmon puree. The loaf turned out...really really really moist.
rosietulips@hotmail.com
I have a recipe binder and I deem a recipe successful if both hubs and I think it was delicious enough to make it into the binder for future use! :)
ReplyDeleterma910(at)gmail(dot)com
Quite some time ago I was trying to convert a brownie recipe to gluten free. I don't think I added enough flour or something of great importance but I ended up with an ooey, gooey, chocolatey mess! It sure was delicious served with some vanilla ice cream, though! A successful failure!
ReplyDeleteleraustin at gmail dot com
I measure success by my own pleasure. Those you gift treats to will usually appreciate them and the man in my life would eat dry brownie mix out of a box, I swear.
ReplyDeleteIf I am happy with the finished product, I consider it a success.
As for failure, well, my first cake at high altitude came out like a brick. I actually broke the cake plate.
katiemonty@gmail.com
I consider my cooking/baking successful when my mom loves it. She is professionally taught, and she taught me, so when she likes what I've done, I feel like I have accomplished something and made the Maddison name proud!
ReplyDeleteMy most embarrassing and most recent measuring mishap was last month. The hubby and I wanted cookies. Usually I make cookies from scratch with no trouble, this time, since time was in a crunch, I grabbed on of those Betty Crocker bags of cookies to bake. All was well (or so I thought) until the timer went and they were all gooey and spread out. My dear, sweet husband looks at me and says "you only used 1/2 a stick of butter, right?" ...I had used the whole stick. I can bake cookies from scratch, but not from a bag. :(
Also, you can contact me at sandithepirate(at)gmail(dot)com
ReplyDelete:o)
I tend to measure successful recipes on a few factors. However, my primary ones are when my husband devours the food and when people ask me to make the recipe again. I loved a comment from a friend when she said "can you bring those evil cupcakes of yours" to the party!! That meant success for me!!!
ReplyDeleteMaria
I can't count on my kids to like anything, so they are out...and my husband is way to nice, he likes everything....so I would say when my dish is gobbled up at a party it's a success!
ReplyDeleteI usually measure success if I like the recipe. Guys will eat almost anything, so it's hard to judge success by their
ReplyDeletereaction.
I, like most, have suffered from the Tbs v. tsp mistake. And sugar v. salt when cooking in an unfamiliar kitchen. Yuck.
Cecily
nursereyro at yahoo dot com
If people ask for the recipe I definitely consider it a success. I look to cook and bake - would like to have my own shop.
ReplyDeletesuccess is several things to me, depending on the situation. i'm back in school getting my BA in culinary mgmt, and when my instructors enjoy my food, it makes me smile. if my BF gobbles up what i put in front of him or compliments me thats success. and when my friends love the cupcakes i make for their b'days-thats the best. and dont worry you're not alone. i research all my conversions before starting, i even have a yeast math cheat sheet!
ReplyDeletefast it disappears from the office break room table and if someone asks for the recipe that day.
ReplyDeleteI sometimes "eyeball" measurements of ingredients when baking and my husband always is always the first to figure out that I did.
jentam at gmail dot com
If someone asks for the recipe, that is the best compliment. Then you know they were pleased and want to recreate it.
ReplyDeleteDisaster is when you have something in the oven and realize there is an ingredient sitting on the counter that you know you never went into the mixing bowl! Whoops!!
If someone asks for a recipe...success! Or if they simply SWOON, that's acceptable too!
ReplyDeleteKelly
kellmck8@msn.com
I measure the success of a recipe by how much my family loves it. My 3 1/2 year old twins are starting to be a bit picky with certain foods, so if they clean their plates, I KNOW it was good!
ReplyDeleteMy worst measurement mishap is one I don't even know how it happened! I somehow got the recipe mixed up between the flour and the powdered sugar. Needless to say, it was a DISASTER!
My email is thetwinsmama@att.net
I always judge my success on if I am asked to make the recipe again. I figure if they are good enough to be requested, then they must be good!
ReplyDeleteI also do feel I've been a success if I see the look of enjoyment on my husbands face when he tries new recipes.
Success if if no one gets food poisoning.
ReplyDeleteMy worst measurement mishap was when I didn't know the difference between a clove of garlic and a head of garlic. Fortunately, my in-laws love garlic.
Success, to me, is if I'm sad when the last crumb has been eaten. Even worse if I'm not the one who ate it!
ReplyDeletesmalltownoven[at]gmail[dot]com
I know my recipe is a success when my boyfriend agrees to eat it. He *hates* sweets. Even as a child, he never wanted cake at his birthday parties nor cookies for a snack (so says his mom). But if he's willing to taste my baked goods and then nibble a little extra, then I know I've done a pretty darn fantastic job :)
ReplyDeleteAs for an embarrassing story... the first time I successfully made buttercream frosting was just a few months ago... after many previous failed attempts. To make it even more embarrassing, I had been following the recipe on the back of the C&H box... how sad is that? I finally got it right one day after having made several trips to the small corner mini-mart and bought up all of their powdered sugar. Persistence paid off! Now, I am a master :)
I leave baked goods by the copier at work. If my goodies are gone by lunch I know its a recipe to repeat.
ReplyDeleteLindsay
Linds_Steph@yahoo.com
I bake for my friend's birthdays in medical school, and success is if the birthday boy or girl has more than one or two! Once, one of the boys decided he to eat 7 of the guava and cheese kind that is so popular here in Miami!
ReplyDeleteMeasuring problems: when I need to make more or less of a recipe, I tend to have trouble!
anisha.kshetrapal@gmail.com
how cute! my success? fooling my mom. i do a lot of reduced fat baking, whether the recipe was intended that way or not. my mom HATES it. she believes in full fats and whole foods (no margarine or skim milk policies). i agree on the whole foods, but i still make substitutions where i can. if i have her try something and like it (obviously not telling her what i used), i call it a win :)
ReplyDeletemy email: mcschoon at gmail
I measure the success of my recipes based on the distance (in cennimeters) from a consumer's bottom lip to their top lip after dropping their jaw in amazement of how delicious something is. Disclaimer: distance varies based on recipe. If consumer is extremely hungry I take caution in using my measuring tape.
ReplyDeleteContact: bivi0601@gmail.com
We have "Yuck" never make anything like it again, "Okay" needs lots of improvement but will eat if have to, "Good" which means enjoyed please make again and our last rating word is "Very Good" can make for company and in-laws. Each family member has a vote. Then I will write this on the recipe.
ReplyDeleteI wrote a long comment a few days ago and then it appeared not to go through- oh no!
ReplyDeleteConfession: I actually hardly eat more than one of my cupcakes- I used to not like cake as a little girl and I think it's a holdover from that. I love to bake cupcakes because of the calming effect and the experimentation of it all. Plus I love feeding people.
My measure of a good cupcake is when I want to eat it all day and night. :) I have a few go-to recipes that fit that exactly.
E-mail- Rachael.m.dickson@gmail.com
First off, I just came across your site today and I LOVE it! You do an awesome job and the pictures are fab! The cupcake craze has come over me and I'm trying teaching myself this wonderful new hobby. Sites like yours really help!
ReplyDeleteWhenever I used to make a new recipe I would ask my husband if he liked it, to which he would ALWAYS politely say yes (sometimes hoping I wouln't notice he'd only eaten two bites). So I decided to rephrase the question. I now ask, Do you want me to make it again? For some reason he then feels it's okay to say no if he really doesn't like it... silly, I know, but it works for us! If he (or others) say make it again, I deem it a success! Thanks for all the great ideas! Jessica M. junit117@hotmail.com
It's when my bf loves it. If he loves it then i'm golden.
ReplyDeleteI know a recipe is successful when whomever I am cooking for loves it! I have a habit of finding a recipe that looks good, getting all my ingredients together, and then adding my own spin on it! I teach a Culinary Arts class, and I don't always lead by example when it comes to "leading by example". I think it's the best part of cooking when you get to fix it like you like it! I think my math cooking disaster is every time I have a student who catches a measurement mistake on my part! After all, I am supposed to be the "expert", right? I can be reached at nessvannoy(at)hotmail(dotcom) if I am selected! I would love this apron, and I love your blog! :)
ReplyDeleteI've really not had too many measuring disasters. Most recipes I measure to my own personal liking; i.e., if you say a teaspoon of cinnamon, I add a tablespoon. If a recipe calls for vanilla and the end product is chocolate, I would substitute Lady Godiva Chocolate Liqueor in place of the vanilla extract.
ReplyDeleteMost of my creations are a combination of a good base recipe and a liberal dose of my own personal variations. I love bold, vibrant flavors and extravagant ingredients that thrill the taste buds.
I make a sweet treat for the Visitor Center in my church each week. Sometimes cookies, most often cupcakes. There needs to be enough for each of the three services. While a combination of our services runs approximately 700our visitors are obviously much less, perhaps 3-15/weekend.
While I'm often complimented and asked for my recipes, my greatest kudos, as well as obsticle, is the membership and regular attendees who sneak into the Visitor's Center and obliterate whatever I bring - sometimes to the shortcoming of the guests, lol! I used to bake in the church kitchen since they have a commercial sized convection oven (this baker's ultimate desire), however, the smell of baking goodies often left the plate empty long before the services are over.
What greater success could I measure than 700 +/- fans eager to devour my latest endeavor? Only wish I could bake enough for everyone. :)
sherridpadilla@yahoo.com
I didn't start baking until recently, but I've tried so many good cupcakes over the past year -- good enough for me to know what I consider as good and tasty cupcakes. So if it didn't turn out the way I hope and if I'm not in love with it, I wouldn't call it successful. If I'm on the fence, I ask my close ones to try it out and that usually determines if it's a fail or not.
ReplyDeletecarmenshiu07@gmail.com
My measurement of success is when whatever is cooked gets eaten quickly until it is gone, or when people are disaapointed in the teashop to hear there are no more cupcakes left!
ReplyDeleteMy embarrassing story: the salt instead of sugar mistake, at work, the first day.
GREAT apron. I cannot cook without an apron and this one is the best ever! (US address supplied if required). THanks!
lm2820@gmail.com
My cupcakes have to look pretty for me to be satisfied. Then my boyfriend is a good judge - he'll tell me if they're not perfect (which is a good thing!)
ReplyDeleteAnd my baking math is just horrible in general. No stories. Just bad. lol
I judge my success by whether or not I like it. If I don't like it, no one else will be trying it.
ReplyDeleteleestuff1 at gmail dot com
I usually judge my baking success by the reaction of my taste testers, aka my family. If its not good, then the baked goods just sit and sit and sit; if it's good, they are gone within hours!
ReplyDeletems.dmaddox@gmail.com
I judge my success by my own enjoyment of the recipe, and the genuine compliments of others. When people started to tell me that my food was really delicious without any prompting from me, I knew that I was getting to be a really good cook :).
ReplyDeleteneilfsimpkins (at) gmail (dot) com
It has to please me in taste and looks, but an empty plate/pan says it all.
ReplyDeleteI measure the success of my recipes by how quickly the baked treat disappears in the office. I live alone so when I bake I have to bring it into work!
ReplyDeleteI measure something based on if my husband likes it. He knows my past history with cooking (I've actually put salt in sugar cookies instead of sugar), so I value his opinion!
ReplyDeleteI just love that apron!
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI typically feel a recipe has been a success if I am asked for the recipe, but even more so when I am sked to make the recipe again. :-D
ReplyDeletee-mail: Ms_DivaDivine (at) yahoo.com
That apron is adorable!
ReplyDeleteYAHOOOO!! I can leave a comment! I'll email you how I worked around it.
ReplyDeleteTo judge success of my baking is based on two things: 1) How quickly what I have baked disappears and 2) How many people ask "can I get the recipe for that?"
For measurement oops - a recipe I was making as a gift called for 5/8 Cup of flour. What is that? I scoured baking webpages, my mom, my friends... then I went back to the recipe site and on the last review a kind soul, said that "5/8 Cup of flour = 1/2 Cup plus 2 T...in case you had no idea." Thank goodness for people who post comments to help other bakers!
Thanks for your blog! Love, love, love it!