Recipe Fail

So do you ever think something is almost too good to be true?? Like when you see the picture of a finished product and you think to yourself, "yeah, right...." That is exactly what happens to me when I read certain recipes!  There is just something inside of you while reading some recipes that has such an skeptical feel that you know it will not turn out... But you try it anyways... Like I did.
The recipe I found was on a website for "dried apples."  Okay, my family has dried fruit before, and usually it takes hours upon hours... Not minutes.  That should have been my "definite no" button.  So that was my first red flag.  The recipe basically said to slice apples super thin, lay them on a baking sheet; sprinkle cinnamon and sugar on them and then pop them in the oven for about 45 minutes at 245 degrees and they will "dry."  NOPE. As I had predicted they did not turn out at all!! I even let them bake about 20 minutes past the time they called for.
Needless to say, if you read a recipe and have doubts. Follow your instinct! At least this recipe only cost me an apple!

Major Meringue Mess

Well, here it is guys... The first MAJOR FAIL on my cooking blog!  Let me just say this first; I am not a dessert pro by any means; and now I am more convinced that I should just stick with main dishes! Ha.  Sooooo... My original plan was to make a custard with a meringue top drizzled with caramel.  Sounds good right?? I thought so too, HA. Anyways... I have made custard before, and I had never ever had it come out lumpy until today, go figure.  But it came out lumpy... I tried whisking it really fast to get them out, but the custard just kept get more and more chunky lumpy.

Since I already had my egg whites all divided up by this point I decided to go forth with the meringue... BAD choice!  I have never made meringue before but I knew that it may require some skill... Little did I know just how much skill!  I beat the egg whites, sugar and vanilla until stiff just as the recipe said; But when the time came for me to drop spoonfuls of it into the boiling water, they just wouldn't work! GRRR.... Now, I thought  meringue was supposed to be very firm and a tad bit crunchy; let's just say they came out slimy and floppy, like a pancake (minus the slimy part).

So I'm blaming the weather.  Yes, the weather.  I had to blame something or someone, and since I was the only one present, I had to pick something.  So how about that weather today guys? It's not very nice that's for sure!

If any of ya'll have any suggestions or comments about making meringue, I would love to hear from you!  I will attempt it again sometime... I just have to regain my composure first!
I'm going to get a milkshake...