Wait... What's my progress been so far?

Ok. So, let's reflect here. I can't believe that it's nearly HALF of a year since I've started making stuff out of America's Test Kitchen's Gluten-Free Cookbook, which leads me to the big question about this Julie/Julia project with the cookbook.
"Am I starting to feel like Julia Child, with sharpened techniques, a more developed taste palette, and an overall better cook?"

Nope.

No, in the sense of "I can't touch Julia's epic-ness". I'm still a hot mess in the kitchen, but I feel like I've gotten better with my skills. Here are some examples.

Example #1- Chocolate Bricks to Moist Brownies
When I first started baking with this book, I made the recipe; followed all the steps with the ingredients; put it in my batter in the pan.... It looks fabulous. (See below)

That was a solid brick. Solid. I didn't have the right 8x8 pan; I had a 9x13 and thought "This will work." WRONG! With that extra room of the 9x13 pan, it cooked faster, and by the time I pulled it out of the oven, it was DOA.

This may sound ridiculous, but I have to be very conscious in my cooking and (especially) baking. I can't take anything for granted: checking the oven, getting the right proportions for each serving pan, figuring out the butter temp.

Example #2- It's All About the Butter

It's ridiculous how much butter I have on hand. Not as much as above, but not far off. The butter can be pretty finicky. It either has to be ice cold for biscuits or juuuuuuuust melted enough to be liquid. If it's too long, that butter is useless.
It almost doesn't matter what the other ingredients are. If the butter isn't done right, it just ruins the recipe. (Does it RUIN it? No, but I've got some high expectations.)

Example #3- Recipe Sharing
I've learned that I won't get sued. So, I'll start sharing the recipes.
BTW...
Fudgy Brownies
3/4 cup plus 2 T gluten-free flour
1/2 t salt
1/2 t xathan gum
7 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped coarse
8 T unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces
3 T unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/4 cups sugar
3 eggs
2 t vanilla extract

**This recipe is for an 8x8 pan. Adjust accordingly**

Spray the pan with vegetable oil.
Whisk flour, salt, and xathan gum together in bowl.
Microwave chocolate, butter, and cocoa at 50% power for 1-3 minutes until melted and smooth
Whisk sugar, eggs, and vanilla, then the cooled chocolate mix, and then dry ingredients.
Pour into prepared pan, cover with plastic wrap, and let it rest for 30 minutes
Heat oven to 350 degrees, remove plastic, leave in for 45-55 minutes.
Let the brownies cool completely in pan. (It says for 2 hours, but who wants to wait THAT long?)

Enjoy!