Note to self, a word of culinary advice, and the #1 Pinterest baking rule:
Do NOT try a brand new pinned recipe for a party that starts in 2 hours.
We just moved into this neighborhood back in June 2013. It is a small enclave of about 12 homes, so everyone gets to know each other. We're a friendly little bunch. For our neighborhood block party, I wanted to be all "Pinterest fabulous" to meet these people for the first time. I hate cooking but love baking, so I signed up to bring a dessert.
I made two desserts, actually, Hershey Kiss Pies and Jell-O Cookies.
Don't they look lovely and unique? In my kitchen, they turned out to be a royal fail.
The Jell-O cookies were colorful and the kids went straight for them. But they also took one bite, two if I was lucky, and ran off to play. The adults made comments like, "oh... interesting." The Hershey Kiss pies were not bad, and I happen to love pie crust. But pie crust is not sweet like a cookie, and once again the kids tasted and basically said, "meh." The adults hardly touched them, probably because I did not get close to that adorable pouch shape you see in the pin! I had to give up on the shape and just mold the dough around the kiss - they ended up looking like bumpy elf hats. Pie crust color, bumpy elf hats. Not exactly the dessert eye candy for which I had been hoping.
I took a lot of Jell-O cookies and kiss pies home that evening! I failed that Pinterest and new neighbor test. Luckily, they decided not to kick us out of the neighborhood!
I have had a couple Pinterest successes, though. My favorite thus far? The simple, calorie-heavy, oh-so-scrumptious Ooey Gooey Butter Cake. You can't go wrong with a dessert that doesn't need a fancy shape or color. Nor one that includes two sticks of butter and a whole package of cream cheese!
I will keep on pinning. I will continue to collect ideas that I will never make. But when baking for a gathering? I will not choose a beautiful Pinterest recipe without testing it at least one day in advance.
