Pinterest Challenge #18-21: Things Baked in Ovens/Microwaves

Remember way back before I had three kids how I started writing about my Pinterest challenge? And then I had a baby and I stopped writing about it? But guess what?! I kept doing it! I'm just way way behind on writing about it. So lets work on catching up, shall we?

Tonight, one of my new-ish favorite things: baking.

Let's start off with this promising-looking item...

18. Microwave brownie in a cup from No. 2 Pencil
worth doing again: sadly, no.

Let me break it down for you. I was home alone, it had been a long day, and there was no ice cream left in the house for some reason. I guess someone ate it all on some night(s) when she was home alone while her husband was at work. Or something. So anyway, I needed a chocolate fix, and I used the last egg in the house to make this.

First, mine did not look like hers. So clearly she has perfected something about microwave baking that I have yet to master. (But this was my first time, so...) Second, it was WAY rich. Probably because of the ratio of sugar/butter to flour/cocoa. Thirdly, it was... I don't even know. Probably a million calories. It was more Weight Watchers points than a Krispy Kreme donut by about DOUBLE. (Do not start worrying because I am doing Weight Watchers--I am going slow, losing only to a healthy amount of weight, and trying to learn to eat more fruits/vegetables. It's all good.)

And I am okay with things being a million calories, but only if they are worth it. And this kind of wasn't. Sad.

19. 100 Calorie Double Fudge Banana Muffins from Yammie's Noshery 

worth making again: maybe

I made these today:

photo from Yammie's Noshery

I made them because they were touted to be healthy (applesauce instead of oil, 3 bananas, only 1/4 c of sugar!) and because they were promised to be fudgy, which is my primary requirement in a treat.

Unfortunately I had forgotten that I don't love banana bread, and that I hate the texture of stuff baked with applesauce instead of oil.

Still, even with that, they were pretty good. If you like banana bread, you would probably like them. My kiddos wolfed theirs down and asked for more.

And then we have the sad plight of the pizza dough.

I have been searching for the last couple of months for the perfect pizza dough. I want it to taste wonderful, be fluffy inside and crisp outside like delivery. I want it all. So I've been trying out tons of recipes.

Like

20. My "Best Ever" Breadmaker Pizza Dough from Food.com

and

21. Pizza Dough from With a Grateful Prayer and a Thankful Heart

Both failures.

Not their fault! Totally fine, acceptable pizza crusts which my family ate happily on separate Friday nights (which is movie + pizza night over here!). But not up to my insane standards.

And there were a couple others I tried that I didn't even bother to keep track of.

But! I am happy to say that I'm really working it out with Mark Bittman's recipe from How to Cook Everything, which I actually found in that very book and NOT on Pinterest! We're not totally exclusive yet, but I really feel like if I keep at it, this could be the beginning of something beautiful. I'm thinking just a little longer rise, and maybe only dividing the dough in half instead of in thirds.

In conclusion:
1. Microwave brownies are not as good as the Ghirardelli brownie from a mix that I am about to eat.
2. I don't like applesauce substituting for oil, but I do like it just being applesauce.
3. Mark Bittman is a pretty smart guy.