Baked with Love

Do you know that feeling of strolling into a bakery to be greeted by the smell of warm, fresh bread, the joy of smelling warm chocolate chip cookies baked by your grandma during the holidays or the happiness of trying one of Ann Huss’ delicious treats during finals? Now, what if I told you, you could recreate those experiences on your own floor with our new ovens? Many of you might have already noticed, but we now have new ovens on every alternate floor in both G and T blocks. Gone are the days of going to G2 to use the only “good” oven; better times have arrived! :D

In my freshman year, I used to hang out in the pantry often and would see my seniors cook and bake all sorts of beautiful things and share them with their friends. I really enjoy cooking and do it often too. Cooking is like therapy for me, but it is also something that brings people together. Most of my friends at Morningside are people I have met at the pantry, eaten with, or cooked for. But as a University student, I often do not have the time to cook an elaborate meal. A younger me would have resorted to every college kid’s best friend, instant noodles. But I realised that the oven can be your best too --if you know how to use it. The number of things you can make with the oven is endless! Apart from treats like cookies, cakes, and brownies, you can use the oven to roast vegetables, make pizza, make sourdough, and so much more. The list goes on. I use it often to roast vegetables for quick meals or to make sweet potato fries because I just feel like having a snack. It is also a great place for the uninitiated to start learning about cooking. With a flick of a switch, a dollop of patience and a dash of love, you can make something genuinely scrumptious!

If you are still a baking rookie, don’t worry -- I got you! Here is an easy, dorm-friendly recipe for all of you to try. Whether you want to impress a special someone, stress bake, or are just craving something sweet in the middle of the night, these 4 ingredient cookies are perfect for every occasion.

Banana Oatmeal Cookies ( Yields: 4- 5 medium-sized cookies)

You’ll need:

1 long (very) ripe banana

1 tbsp peanut butter

1 cup of rolled oats

Chocolate chips/raisins/ nuts

Method:

• Peel the banana and mash it up using a fork.
• Combine oats and peanut butter with the mashed banana.
• Add your desired amount of chocolate chips or raisins, or nuts. Measure with your heart, go wild.
• Lay out your parchment paper on the baking tray. Scoop out 1 tbsp of cookie dough and place them on the tray. Flatten them using slightly wet hands or the back of a spoon.
• Bake them at 150 C for 12-15 mins.
• Take a picture and tag the MCSU @mcsu2122 and me @mydormcookingchronicles if you post on Instagram :D

Other Morningside Cooking Inspiration:

Bell Pepper and Mushroom Pizza

Peach Focaccia by Anna Fuglsang

Oven-baked onion fritters with a cup of warm chai tea

Vanilla Cake with Lemon Curd for a friend’s birthday

Anna’s beautiful sourdough