Here is some sweet writing for December too! (Don't forget to comment on BOTH November and December writers - you can find all of them by clicking on the months in the dropdown under "Blog Archive" on the left hand side of the blog...)
Find the shape and tell it!
Monday, December 7, 2015
"How To: Grand Marnier Soufflé "by Zoe W
I
feel like the soufflé is the perfect dessert for a romantic Christmas. It’s warm, very light, and has an ethereal
feeling to it- it’s like you’re eating clouds! Soufflés are often expensive
when they’re sold in restaurants or cafés, and the media makes them seem like a
challenge to make! In reality, it’s fairly easy once you know what you’re up
against. The soufflé is one of my
favorite desserts to eat and make and I’ve made them countless times,
especially around Christmas. Below is an
in-depth recipe that I’ve come up with after trial-and-error.
For 3 8-ounce
ramekins
Ingredients*:
*all measurements are approximate
·
Preparation:
o some room temperature butter
o some white sugar
·
Batter:
o 10 teaspoons melted butter
o 10 teaspoons app-purpose flour
o ½ cup cold milk
o 3 egg yolks
o 2 teaspoon freshly grated orange zest
o 2 tablespoon brandy-based orange liqueur (Grand
Marnier) [may substitute with orange juice]
o Less than 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)
·
Meringue:
o 3 egg whites
o ½ cup white sugar
o 1/8 cream of tartar (optional)
·
Garnish
o Powdered sugar (optional)
Prep:
Normally,
the first thing recipes would tell you to do is to preheat your oven, but we
are going to do this later. The first
thing you should do is to wash and dry 3 8-ounce ramekins. Take a stick of butter (preferably
room-temperature so that it spreads easier) and smear the bottom and the sides
of the ramekins with the butter. Then,
take about a tablespoon of white sugar and put it in one of the ramekins. The mission: cover the sides and bottom of
the ramekin with sugar. To do this,
simply tilt the ramekins to coat it with sugar.
The butter should allow the sugar to stick easily. Dump the excess sugar into the next ramekin
and repeat to all ramekins. The
importance of this step is so ensure that the soufflé rises straight-up and it
also increases its life-span (slightly) before it deflates when taken out of
the oven.
Making the batter:
The soufflé is one of those unique
desserts that are actually cooked twice- kind of- over the stovetop and then in
the oven.
In
a trusty saucepan, melt 4 teaspoons of butter over medium-low heat. Once the butter has melted, stir in the 10
teaspoons of flour. Keep stirring the mixture until it smells fragrant (like
buttery-goodness) and turns a light golden color (this takes about 2-3
minutes). Lower the heat and pour in the
milk slowly (to prevent burning and the revival of the splash zone). Return the heat to normal and resume stirring
the mixture until all combined. It
should look like a smooth, thick paste that begins to lump together (doesn’t
stick to the sides of the pan anymore).
Turn off the heat.
Congratulations, you just made béchamel (fancy word that just means a
white-sauce base) J
Transfer the mixture to a mixing
bowl. Mix in orange zest, orange juice,
vanilla, egg yolks until all smooth. Set
aside.
Meringue (kind-of):
Whenever bakers hear “meringue”, they either have a really
positive response or a really negative one.
Making a meringue should be simple and easy- in theory- but it is
equally easy to screw up badly even before you start.
Some pointer tips:
o Make sure that your bowl is NOT plastic or made
of wood.
o Make sure that your bowl and utensils are free
from any grease/oils. It has to be
sparkly clean!! If you’re not sure or want to be cautious, try rubbing a slice
of lemon over the inside of the bowl (but make sure the bowl isn’t wet when you
use it).
o Your eggs, preferably, should be room-temperature. If they are fresh from the fridge, it’s
harder to whip them up to potential volume.
If your eggs are not room-temp, a quick way to improvise is to submerge
the eggs in a room-temp water bath and leave them there for about 10
minutes.
o Meringues are sensitive to the cold.
o When separating the whites from the yolks, it’s
okay for some whites to be with the yolk, but it is NOT okay for some yolk to
mix with the whites. If there is even a
speck of yolk in the whites, the whites WILL NOT whip for the life of the
unborn soufflé. The only thing you can
do is to discard the whites and start all over.
In
a meringue-friendly bowl, whip the egg whites (normally, I would use a
hand-mixer, but if you have guests or a date over that you want to impress (or maybe
you want a workout?) you can whip the mixture by hand, although it would take
longer). Add in cream of tartar if you
have some. When it starts to become
frothy, gradually add in ½ cup of sugar in portions while mixing. BEWARE not to overmix; stop mixing when the
mixture consistency is like shaving cream.
You do not want soft-peaks or stiff-peaks (terminology used to describe
which of the two commonly used stages in whipping cream or egg whites. At stiff-peak stage, the egg whites would be
considered to be a meringue).
Final Stage:
You may take this moment to preheat
the oven to 400°F.
In
the next steps, the rubber spatula will be your best friend. Take a quarter of the kind-of meringue
mixture and mix it into the batter mixture.
Take another quarter of the meringue and fold it into the batter (mixing
and folding are different! In folding, try not to deflate the meringue’s
volume- in other words, be gentle!!).
The reason for these two steps is to lighten-up the batter so that it
will be easier to mix in the rest of the meringue. FOLD in the remaining meringue. The result should be a very light and
voluminous mixture.
Distribute the batter among the 3
ramekins and stick them into the oven for about 15 minutes (depends on the
oven) or until lightly brown and risen.
Keep a close eye on the soufflés after 12 minutes because you want to
catch them when they’re nicely golden.
Remember, soufflés deflate VERY
quickly after taking it out of the oven even with all precautions. If you plan to garnish it with powdered
sugar, have that ready near the table it will be served. To nicely garnish, take about a tablespoon of
powdered sugar and sift it onto the soufflé.
Have your camera ready when it’s
just out of the oven to catch its moment of maximum fluffiness.
"How to: Make Positivity" by Sarah-monet L.
Positivity is an important trait to have, if you have a positive mindset you have a positive day
which leads to a positive life. Today you will learn how to create positivity: it’s as easy as 1, 2, 3.
Just take your time and relax as you read this. Everyone deserves a great life , and to gain
happiness you must first learn how to make positivity .Doesn’t everyone want have more
happiness, more laughter, more fun, and more joy? What’s the point of living a life you don’t
enjoy? Not only do you enjoy life the people around you enjoy it with you. This guide will give
you step by step instructions to achieve full positivity.
Tools:
∙ An open mind
∙ Positive family and friends
∙ Uplifting Thoughts
∙ Optimism
∙ Hope
∙ Faith
Warning : This is not an easy task to accomplish it takes a lot
of effort, but once you achieve it's amazing .
Procedure:
Step 1:
Start off the day by thinking to yourself how lucky you are to have life, the fact that you woke up
this morning healthy and living. Begin thinking with an open optimistic mind, think about all the
opportunities you may have that other people don’t, think of the blessings you have within your
life. The fact that you have someone you can call a friend or family and you are lucky to have
them in your life. Think to yourself how lucky you are, because not everyone gets another day to
be alive. Life is short, so live it right. This is by far one of the most important step, without this
mindset it is difficult to achieve true positivity.
Step 2:
Not only do you have to start the day off by being optimistic. You need to start the day off with
an open mind, positive and uplifting thoughts. Say to yourself, “today will be a good day “,“I am
strong“, “I got this “. By starting off the day in such a way ,you give yourself hope that the day
will be great and positive , it puts you in a mindset that nothing can get in your way because you
are “stronger” than that and you “got it “. Having positive thoughts make positive actions which
makes a positive life.
Step 3 :
Next you have to have an open mind ready for whatever may come your way. You need to
prepare yourself that the day may not go as plan, but you can get it back on track by staying
positive. With an open mind you don’t think about everything that is going wrong. You think
about the great things that is happening around you. Know that there may be things that bring
you down are just temporary and you can turn it around. It’s always sweeter on the other side.
Step 4:
As you have an open mind filled with hope and uplifting thought you should add the tool faith.
Have faith that no matter what may happen to you during the day there is always another day,
pain is only temporary. Allow yourself to just shake off all the unnecessary negative thoughts
and vibes.
Step 5:
Next you need to surround yourself with a positive environment, and positive people. Allow the
positive energy of others motivate you to keep going. Surround yourself with people who will
uplift you and not tear you down. Speak words of wisdom and not slander, people who are there
to love you unconditionally.
Warning: This step may lead to a loss in negative friends and family, and any
influence that is negative. You may also gain new people who have your best
interest at heart. It’s one of the hardest steps, because it involves such a dynamic
change in your life that may not be the easiest.
Results:
If you followed the instructions step by step you should have made positivity in which you can
apply to your life and others. You should have gained a different outlook on the world and life
around us see it as something totally different. You should see it as life worth living if you have
positivity.
Personal Experience:
The experience of making positivity is life changing and eye opening. It allows me to stay calm,
and enjoy the life I’m living. This step by step guide has taught me how to be a positive happy
person and allow me to pass it on to others. To make just as happy as I am. It’s not the easiest
thing in the world but it is possible. It may take some adjusting and time but once mastered it’s
the best thing to experience.
" How to Make a Tasty Homemade Milkshake" by Justin F.
Do you like milkshakes? Do you like sweet desserts? If so
this step-by-step tutorial will be perfect for you. In this tutorial, I am
going to be telling you guys how to make a tasty, yet easy milkshake. You can
complete this task in less than 10 minutes! Keep reading to find the steps and
tools you will need to complete this task.
Step 1: Tools
The tools you will need for
this process are a blender, a blender lid, and a cup. You will need the blender
to blend up the ingredients. You will need a lid so that all your ingredients
won’t go flying all over the place in your kitchen or wherever you make this.
The cup is needed so that you can drink your completed milkshake.
Step 2: Ingredients
The ingredients you will need
to make the milkshake are ice cream (vanilla is recommended), milk, one banana,
ice, vanilla extract, one egg, and cinnamon. You will need the ice cream so
that you get one of the primary flavors and so that you get the creamy texture.
Milk is needed so that when you blend all of the ingredients, the blending
won’t be so rough. The milk also helps prevent you from making completely thick
malts. Bananas are a preferred ingredient because this creates the basis of the
flavors. Banana is recommended but you can also use strawberries or any fruit
you like. You will need ice so that the milkshake isn’t so watery. If you don’t
use ice then the milkshake will be completely watery. Having a completely
watery milkshake is not a tasty thing to drink. Trust me… I’ve learned the hard
way. So, don’t do what I did and add ice, you’ll be glad you did. The vanilla
extract is actually up to you. Vanilla extract is a liquid substance that has
the flavor of vanilla, hence the name. It just adds a little more vanilla
flavor. So if you like this flavor, it is recommended for you. I use an egg
because ever since I was a kid, my dad used an egg. I never understood why
until I asked. He said it adds protein and it makes the milkshake a tiny bit
healthy. So, I listened and ever since then I have also added that one egg.
Yes, it is a weird ingredient for a milkshake but, you can’t taste it at all
once you drink the shake. Cinnamon is also another flavor factor to add. If you
are allergic or don’t like to this ingredient, it isn’t that important. You
don’t really need this. The milkshake might be a little bit more bland than usual
but that’s okay. These are the ingredients that you need to have in order to
complete this tasty and easy homemade treat.
Step 3: Making the Shake
To make the shake you will
need to throw all the ingredients in the blender. Not literally, but like this.
First put in the ice. All you need is a little more than a handful. Next put
the ice cream. You need 2-3 scoops of ice cream. The next thing you need to add
is the milk. Only pour the milk half to half way up of the blender. Next, you
add the banana. You will need to cut the banana in half then put the pieces in
the blender. Then this is where you add that crazy ingredient, the egg. All you
need to do is crack it over the blender and let it fall in with the other
ingredients. For the vanilla extract, you just need to add one or two drops
into the blender. Lastly is adding the cinnamon. If you don’t like cinnamon,
just add a small pinch or none at all. But if you do like it, add two pinches
or more. You will need to press the ice blending button on your blender on a
level of high power. Then you may use the normal blend button on a medium
speed.
Step 4: Enjoy
The last and easiest step to
this process is to enjoy your outcome! If you followed these steps, you should
have a tasty milkshake in your hand. I know you will enjoy this tutorial
because I have made these all my life. I know that the outcome is extremely
tasty. My dad has also been making this dessert since I was a kid as well. So
go and try this recipe and you will enjoy it very much.
"The Invasion of Earth" by Alex Z.
Last forty years ago, I was trained to be a soldier to protect the people of Earth from the
invasion of aliens. It all started in December 10, 2055. I trained very hard for my past military life
preparing for this day of war. I will not let my guard down at any time because who knows when
the aliens can appear upon us. No one in the military base will not rest until they end this war
between us and these mysterious creatures that live somewhere in space. Who knows what's
up there and how many there are. Ever since I join the army I was curious about aliens and
where they live exactly. All the information was finally put together and we discovered this new
green planet called the Green Monster which was the alien’s home. We finally met their aliens
master named Aggathor. He said “prepare for war”! As he said those words, his alien army
come out of the skies at New York City which was next to our military base. As they approached
Earth, we attacked with all we had. There were millions of them. We weren’t sure if we were
going to win this battle. We battled with all our heart until the end but, they overran us with their
alien army. We fell back as much as possible but then we ran into a dead in. Me and my men
battled for the United States of America, but we couldn't complete our mission. We all died with
pride and honor for this country. We shall all remember this day as The Judgement of the
Marines Day. After we died they killed everyone else. They went from city to city and state to
state killing everyone in America. Me and my men felt like failures that day. Even though we
fought with everything we had they was just to overpowered for us soldiers. The invasion of
Earth from aliens were harsh because of what happened that day and now people still
remember this horrifying day.
"What Lies Under" by Garret J.
Cameron came home
from school one day and his mom started to yell at him because the dishes
weren’t done. He was confused as to why his mom was yelling at him because he
remembered doing the dishes before he left for school. Cameron just ignored it
and went into his room to do his homework. As he was doing homework, he was
looking at videos of him and his friend, Jackson sneaking into an underground
tunnel. Suddenly he saw something on the video that scared him to death.
Cameron saw what seemed to be a figure with red eyes on his back. He re-played
the video and the figure wasn’t there. Scared to death, his mom called him
downstairs for dinner. “How was your day Cam?” asked his dad. “Good,” said
Cameron. He couldn’t say anything about the video because he wasn’t supposed to
be going into the tunnel in the first place, so he just didn’t talk the whole
time. As he went to his room, Cameron figured he wanted to finish the project
he was working on in the basement. He went to the basement, and the project was
on the floor in pieces. Cameron was furious. He went to the kitchen to tell his
mom and they all went downstairs, and the project was perfectly fine. Cameron
was starting to think something was wrong, first the dishes, then the video,
then his project. Someone or something was messing with him. Everything started
to go downhill from there. He had a nightmare that night.
The figure was in the
street waving to him in his dream. That night he woke up and called his friend,
Marissa to go on a walk outside in his neighborhood. As they were walking,
Cameron saw the same figure at the end of the street, slowly waving to him.
Marissa didn’t see anything. Cameron was freaking out. This wasn’t a dream either.
Scared to death, he asked her to stay the night. The next morning, he woke up
realizing it was the weekend. Cameron was so happy he didn’t have to go to
school. He was too scared to go anywhere. He was home alone, so he just stayed
in his room. Today he just planned on trying to work on his project. Marissa
was sleeping in the other room, still. Cameron went downstairs to the basement
to see if the project was there and it was in perfect condition. So he just
ignored everything that happened the past few days and got to work. He was
building a diorama of the ice age for history class. When he was finished, he
went to the kitchen to eat a sandwich. He sat down and turned on the TV to
watch some movies. Cameron was soon disturbed to someone running around upstairs.
He slowly went upstairs to see what Marissa was doing. Her door was still
closed. Cameron went into his room because he got a text. He sat down on the
bed as he heard a loud, squeaky laugh coming from her room. Marissa knocked on
the wall, so Cameron knocked back. Cameron texted Marissa asking if he woke her
up too early. She replied, “I went home two hours ago…” Cameron ran as fast as
he could outside to his neighbor’s house and looked up to his window to see
that same figure he saw in the street the other night…