My mom texted me a few weeks ago recommending I check out a new show on CBS called “The American Baking Competition.”  Being the good little daughter that I am (and a true baking-showaholic), I set it to record on my DVR.  It took several days to find time when Daisy was not having a spaz attack and when I could sit down and fully soak it in, but I got around to it that weekend.

Hey mama, I brought you a mini tree!

Five minutes in and I was hooked.  I love this show.  It’s about people just like me, only much more talented, and experienced, and knowledgable.  Amateur bakers who have normal jobs by day, and extraordinary baking skills by night!  They are everything from a firefighter, to an attorney, to a photographer, and a homemaker.  I missed the first episode (pies and tarts), but plan to go online and watch it (or check and see if it is On Demand) – I am too in love to miss an episode.  I highly recommend checking it out if you love baking as much as I do.

This show is awesome and I want to be on it someday…someday very far from now…someday when I actually might have a chance…if there ever comes a day like that…  *A girl can dream!*

Each episode, they have to bake three recipes:

• “Signature bake” – A tried and true recipe of their choosing in the given category
• “Technical bake” – They are given a recipe and some of the directions and have to use their baking intuition to get them through the rest.
• “Showstopper bake” – Given a challenging item to bake and must create the most impressive/delicious version.

Anyway, this week, the category was bread.  This is awesome.  The only bread I have ever really made is holiday-like loaves (pumpkin, banana, apple spice, etc.).  While all delicious, these are not the most technically challenging breads.  On the show, their signature bake had to be a “free-form” bread, meaning you have to make dough and knead it, then let it rise (to double its size, and no more, I learned) and all that good stuff I have not done before.  So, this weekend, my challenge will be bread.  Darlene made a pesto bread on this week’s episode, and I love pesto, so that may be what happens…But no promises.  Stay tuned to find out…