Reflection

Overall, my experience in this class has been amazing. I cannot believe how far I have come in such a short amount of time. Working on this project has definitely inspired me to continue learning how to be a better cook and baker. A lot of the research I've looked at and recipes I've consulted have helped me just as much as learning the skills themselves have. I'm really glad I had the opportunity to take this course and finally pursue something that's so necessary for my future. I definitely had some failures, but I had a lot of new successes as well. I'm proud of myself for both my performance on this project and my determination to stick with it. My project definitely ended better than I expected it to, and for that, I couldn't be more happy.

Rutgers Food Science Curriculum

http://foodsci.rutgers.edu/CourseDescription.html
While on my search to find an expert for my project, I stumbled upon the grad school curriculum for Food Science at Rutgers University. It was very interesting to see the types of classes people that majored in food science had to take, such as Food Enzymology, Nutrigenomics, and some courses I have never even heard of before! While I don't currently plan on majoring in food science, I am only sophomore, so who knows what I will decide in a few years! It was really nice to see that the curriculum contained some of my favorite subjects, which are genetics and gene expression. I can't wait to research their connection to food further.

Survey Pre-Made vs. Homemade Cookies

https://spoonuniversity.com/lifestyle/college-kids-store-bought-versus-homemade-cookie-taste-test

In this article, a survey was conducted to test if college students could differentiate between homemade and pre-made chocolate chip cookies. If they could, which one was better? The survey ended with homemade cookies winning the popularity vote, however the margin was only three people. Therefore, it may be hard to conclude which method everyone really prefers. While I still think it's always better to make things from scratch, based on this, if you're in a rush, using pre-made cookie dough wouldn't be the end of the world.   

Homemade Cinnamon Rolls

Homemade Cinnamon Rolls Dough (Before Rising)

Jan 7: Pre-Made Food vs. Homemade Food Part 2 (Cinnamon Rolls)

When I decided to test the differences between pre-made cinnamon rolls and homemade cinnamon rolls, I wasn't sure what the result of the experiment would be at the end. However, I am very happy with how the homemade cinnamon rolls turned out. A lot of my family, including my sister, actually preferred the homemade cinnamon rolls. Using my scale, I would give them a 3 for presentation, 4 for proportions, 4 for accuracy, a 5 for texture, and a 4 for overall taste, which is a total score of 20/25. I am proud that my cinnamon rolls were able to compare to pre-made ones, and I think that would not have been possible before I started the project.  

Family Cinnamon Roll Recipe Part 1

Ingredients

Dough:

1 pkg yeast 

1/4 cups warm water

1 1/4 cups sugar

1/2 cup oleo

4 cups flour

1 tsp. salt

2 eggs, beaten

1 cup milk, scalded

1 tbsp. cinnamon

Icing:

1 cup powdered sugar

1/2 tsp. vanilla

1/4 tsp. salt

1 1/2 tbsp. milk

Family Cinnamon Roll Recipe Part 2

Directions
Dissolve yeast in water. In large bowl, combine flour, salt, and 1/4 cups sugar. Cut oleo in with pastry blender. Combine eggs, lukewarm milk, and yeast; add to flour mixture. Combine lightly and cover. Refrigerate overnight.

Divide dough in half. On floured board, roll each piece into 12x18 inch square. Sprinkle with remaining sugar mixed with one tablespoon cinnamon. Roll up lightly, beginning at the wide end. Cut each roll in 1-inch slices. Place on greased cookie sheet. Flatten with palm of hand. Bake at 400 degrees for 12 minutes. (makes 36 cinnamon rolls)

Pre-Made Cinnamon Rolls

Jan 1: Pre-made Food vs Homemade Food Part 1 (Cinnamon Rolls)

Now that I'm more comfortable with baking, I thought it would be fun to compare pre-made food, such as Pillsbury products, or Toll House cookie dough to homemade counterparts. For this first test, I'm using cinnamon rolls, because I know my Uncle Ray, who's a professional chef, has a recipe I can use, and it was easy to find pre-made versions in the store. I already Pillsbury version over the weekend, and had my family rate them, and I will share these ratings on my comparison post. They were very easy and quick to make, but I won't know if that convenience was really worth it until I compare. I can't wait to see how this test will work out!

Me at the Bake Sale

Birthday Cake Decoration

Birthday Cake