LBL loves to bake. Pies. Cakes. Cookies. Clay pots. You name it, she will bake it. Along the way, she has noted several rules that are really important for a successful result:
1. Read a recipe first and see what ingredients you still need before starting to bake. This will avoid the following when you are already half way through:
“Oh, I don’t have a cheesecloth/mandoline/rehruckenform” or
“Oh, I am out of sugar/flour/salt.”
2. Make a list of needed items before you go to the store. Note: Your list will be useless you refer to #1 first.
3. Acquire a husband/partner who is either retired or unemployed and who owns a bicycle/scooter/motorcycle who can zip off numerous times to get ingredients that weren’t on your shopping list because you didn’t refer to #1 first.
4. Remember to thank husband/partner when he returns with the needed item instead of yelling “Oh, shit!” as he walks in the door because you see another item you need, because you didn’t refer to #1 first.
5. Items of same color cannot be used for substitutions, just because you didn’t refer to #1 first and because your husband/partner is taking a nap after his fourth trip to the store.
6. Calibrate your oven before starting. This has absolutely nothing to do with #1, but will assist your baking and might provide you with a big laugh over the discrepancy between what your oven thinks it is doing and what it is really doing.
7. Make sure oven door hinges work properly. This will prevent door coming off or opening in a way that prevents it from ever closing again. If this happens, wake up husband/partner and scream “Oh shit! The oven door came off again!” He/she may or may not assist.
8. Thank everyone graciously when they shower you with accolades at the gathering where you have provided truly world-class desserts. If necessary, step on husband/partner’s foot to prevent him from speaking.
Life in the Boomer Lane 
writerwoman61
August 6, 2010
Loved this! I am planning to attempt a “no-fail” piecrust recipe sent by a friend later today…I predict there may be a few utterances of “Oh, shit!”
Wendy
lifeintheboomerlane
August 6, 2010
Good luck! And, if all else fails, Pillsbury refrigerated pie crust (red box) is as close to homemade as it gets. But don’t let my secret out.
Mama Haas
August 6, 2010
I have similar issues with #7 frequently, but with the oven handle breaking off (why is it plastic? ugh!). This leaves all the goodies trapped inside and a mad dash to find a screw driver to wedge into the door to open it.
lifeintheboomerlane
August 6, 2010
Oh, we have done that also! And the Thanksgiving before last, the oven door hinge came loose. The door flopped all the way open and refused to go back. Happy Thanksgiving.
cocohala
August 9, 2010
I love this! I used to have a thing for cooking/baking and since I used to be always in a rush -for reasons that still remain unknown- I’d never get the recipe right.
A few days ago, I was cooking something (not baking, but same thing) and I read the recipe from the beginning to the end and for the first time, I did something that looked like the picture! Except I missed one ingredient cause it was too late to go to the store (it was closed, since it was pretty late) but it didn’t make much of a difference, I should count myself as lucky!
Making food isn’t that hard, you just need patience I guess.
lifeintheboomerlane
August 9, 2010
Ah, you are so right! I do have to force myself to read through the recipe first! Patience, patience. With everything.
sonjey
August 10, 2010
I usually try to substitute…… baking soda for powder and it never really comes out the same. Also, be careful when using oil in place of butter/shortening. I tasted your recent masterpieces and they were delicious. We don’t really have to know how many trips were made to the grocery store… now do we?
lifeintheboomerlane
August 10, 2010
Ah, I LOVE to bake for people like you! And yes, baking soda is, indeed, different from baking powder.