Cook Or Baker?

Most people (at least those who are reasonably handy in a kitchen) are predominantly one or the other, I find.

My mother and brother are cooks.  They both have the gift of being able to survey a fridge and pantry and throw together something delicious from whatever is on hand, without reference to a cookbook.  Creativity and inspiration are their hallmarks.

I, on the other hand, am a cook only by necessity (my family has to eat, after all) but a baker by disposition.  You give me a recipe, I can follow it.  I like order and structure and known proportions.  Given a choice, I'll always bring a dessert to a potluck-style function.  I don't do much baking at home at the request of my husband, whose willpower has been known to desert him when he's faced with treats, but when I get a chance I go all-out!

 Each year our PTA organizes a thank-you luncheon during Teacher Appreciation Week, one part of which is the presentation to each teacher of a home-baked dessert donated by a parent.  This morning, I dropped two of these off at the kids' school.

Coconut-lime cake...yum.

Last year's effort...I can't remember the actual name but it was something like Chocolate Mocha Cake or Death By Chocolate Cake or some such.  I rarely make the same cakes twice...there are so many good ones to choose from!

 
After all, this kind of thing is a LOT more fun than figuring out something else to do with chicken that my kids will actually eat...