Kompots: A Refreshing Summer BeverageDo you ever want a cold, refreshing, fruity drink, but don’t want to buy store drinks full of sugar and calories? Here is a simple, easy solution. Kompot is a drink made with just water, fruit, and just a little bit of sugar.
For this drink all you will need is the following:
Boil the water. Once it is boiled, add about a cup sugar for half a gallon of water. This can be changed to fit your taste. Then, add fruits, apricots, peaches, apples, grapes, and cherries are all good options. Let it boil for fifteen more minutes. Don’t forget a lid so the water doesn’t evaporate. You can then drink it with fruit inside the glass, or drink and eat the fruit separately. *Parent supervision recommended.* Mother's Day IdeasPosted: 5/5/16
Finally, May is here, as a sign that more frequent sunshine is on its way (hopefully)! But you know what else that means: Mother’s Day is right around the corner! With that said, now would be a good time to think about how you would like to show your appreciation to the one(s) you love most! Of course, you already know what I’m going to tell you: make her breakfast! It can be a breakfast-in-bed, or just a simple breakfast. But I can’t promise you there’s a way to make it a surprise, since the food smell will be very distinct if you’re cooking something. It is always easier said than done. Since now is the perfect time of year, I thought I would share my yearly family tradition with you. If you are looking for a simple idea, simply toast some bread, and make coffee. It is the thought that counts. However, if you want to make something a little more interesting, and you are allowed, you can make eggs. With my family (excluding my mom, of course), we always cook a main dish, and you can do anything that your mom likes, whether it’s as simple as pancakes (w/ fruit, if preferred), or a family specialty. You can even find a suitable recipe from a food-devoted website, like Kraft, Yummly, or Food Network's websites. Then, we add a side to the creation, like toast and butter, or even something more cultural, like breadfruit (I’m a Caribbean descendant). Finally, we would cut up (or split open) some fruits to decorate the breakfast and make the overall platter seem more presentable (and colorful!). Remember, if you have other people in your family, you don’t have to do this all alone; make this a team effort! You can even top this all off with an heart-touching card or poem. Whether a simple meal, or a more intricate dish, the effort should be appreciated. It doesn’t matter the difficulty, it is the gesture of kindness and gratitude. Trust me, in the end, the hard-earned “well done” from a parent will soothe your soul. Bon appétit, Ajia and Miriam How To Make Tacos!Posted: 4/21/16
Shout-out to Taco and N/A for this delicious recipe suggestion! Here’s an easy, delicious food that you can make for a family (or normal) occasion: Teeny Tiny Tacos! Don’t be disappointed by the name, they’re really good and filling (which is why I got the recipe)! This recipe is taken from the Better Homes Gardens ® Junior Cook Book by Jan E. Miller; it’s in our school library with over 65 easy recipes that kids can make! On the first page of the recipe, the book recommends that you “Make your tacos teeny so you can help yourself to more--but they’re terrific served at any size” (Miller 36). TEENY TINY TACOS Start to Finish: 30 minutes Makes: 6 servings Ingredients: Nonstick cooking spray 1 pound ground beef, ground raw chicken, or ground raw turkey ½ cup bottled salsa ½ teaspoon dried oregano, crushed 4 lettuce leaves 24 mini or 8 regular-size taco shells* ¾ cup finely shredded cheddar cheese (3 ounces) Dairy sour cream, chopped tomato, and salsa, if you like Utensils: Large skillet with lid Wooden spoon Hot pads Colander 2 medium bowls Measuring cups Measuring spoons Spoon Kitchen scissors How To Make It:
Bon appétit! Ajia Morrison Salads Disguised As CakeBy Joel Sanchez
Do you like salad? How about cake? Well then you’re gonna love the new salad’s that are disguised as cakes. The new things were a hit in Nagoya, Japan. The residents now are fooled into thinking they’re eating cake, when they’re actually eating salad. How cool is that! Now you can go on diet, by eating “cake”. This is just another one of Japan’s revolutionary inventions. Just wait and see, the new thing will be “Cake that is actually healthy!” Freddie Prinze Jr a cook? Newly released Cookbook? Is His Acting Career Over?By Joshua Ninan
Wait Freddie Prinze Jr a cook? You're kidding? Actually that’s the truth him and wife (Sarah Michelle Gellar) agreed to do this as a side job until a director signed him to a movie. He is so far successful doing this at the same time he takes care of 2 kids ( Charlotte Grace Prinze and Rocky James Prinze). He was met for his teen films such as She’s All That, Down to You, Head Over Heels and Summer Catch. If I had the chose when I want to be born it would be around 1994 or 1995 because Hollywood and many other things were starting to pick up. If you asked me who would you pick for an actor in Hollywood in the 90’s, it would probably be the Prinze because he was funny guy to me. Also Freddie Prinze Jr I believe is a simple guy he doesn’t do drugs and other garbage like other Hollywood actors. His Cookbook releases in late 2016!!! Healthy Breakfast Ideas!Posted: 1/15/16
Shout out to Ms. Cerullo for this great idea! If you never eat breakfast before going to school, then you, like many kids, are missing out on the most important, and a very delicious, meal of the day. Just because you don’t like breakfast, not saying that goes for everyone, doesn’t mean there’s nothing out there for you! To prove this point, allow me to show you some simple and healthy breakfast ideas. Breakfast Smoothies You heard me right: breakfast smoothies! One major ingredient is kefir. Kefir has probiotics that help your body to keep its good bacteria and bad bacteria in balance (approx. 80:20 ratio). You also need ice and yogurt. Once you have those, you can blend any combination of fruits you want (in a blender, of course)! My mom usually does a mixture of berries and cherries. Fresh or frozen fruits work great! Pancakes with Fruit Toppings Now, this one is a classic. It’s really simple: all you need is a delicious, well-cooked pancake(s) (or waffles, but I prefer pancakes for this) and some fresh fruits! Of course, rinse off your fruits thoroughly, and then slice them to your preference. Once you have prepared your fruits, place them on your pancake (or waffle) however you want. Lastly, drizzle on some syrup and you’re good to go! Cheese Bread I know, when some people hear “cheese bread,” they usually think of some fancy, Italian restaurant thing. That is not what I am talking about. I’m not sure, my mom sort of came up with it this week. We had it for breakfast two days in a row because my brother loved it so much! Okay, then, back to the point: this is a quick and easy recipe that varies in nutritional benefits, depending on what kind of bread and cheese you use. Duck bread is what we used. Sadly, I don’t know much at all about duck bread, such as where you can buy it or how much it costs, and Google couldn’t give me any suitable results. All I know is that it’s supposed to look like a duck (it’ a funky-looking duck, but I’ll cut the bread some slack); it also tastes AMAZING after being rebaked, so I recommend it for this recipe (well, if you know how to get some). Before you bake, spread butter on the bread to prevent the bread from drying. Now, you can use any type of cheese you want (though I’m skeptical about Jamaican), whether it’s Parmesan (my preference), American (it gets stuck on your teeth), or just your personal preference of cheese. Set the oven broil , put the prepared bread in the oven, broil until the cheese and bread are cooked to your liking (usually takes about 5 minutes). If you want to make this even quicker, do those same steps, except instead of baking the bread, toast it! Set the toaster to “5” or “6”, and then pop that cheesy goodness in there! (WARNING: We have only tried this way with Parmesan cheese bread. Cheat at your own risk.) Bon appétit! Ajia Morrison |
Hi, my name is Ajia Morrison, and I’ll be the main writer for The Food Page! First of all, I want to personally introduce this page to all of you readers. I also want to thank everyone who has read our school newspaper in the previous years! On "The Food Page," you’ll be able to view articles about seasonal recipes, restaurant reviews, cooking shows, and more! If you are a foodie or someone into good nutrition and diet, this page is for you! I hope that you will find an interest in this page throughout the 2015-2016 year!
Bon appétit! Ajia Morrison P.S., I'm not French, but I like the phrase anyway! Cupcake WarsBy Sarah Hajjar
Have you ever seen the show Cupcake Wars which is shown on food network? It first aired on December 27, 2009 and concluded on December 28, 2013. It airs on the channel, Food Network. If you have not seen it before, this is how it works. There are four contestants who compete against each other to win 10,000 dollars. In each round, the contestants will bake cupcakes for the judges. A person will be eliminated in each round. In the final round, the two final people will make a display and will have to make 1,000 cupcakes for a special event that they will be featured in. Feast of FictionPosted: 12/15/15
Has there been any food in a TV show or cartoon that you really wanted to try? There is a way to try it. There are a pair of YouTubers called Feast of Fiction, and they make food from TV shows, cartoons and even video games; and they're delicious! They made Jawbreakers from "Ed, Edd n' Eddy," and its just as big as it is in the show! They've also made Together Breakfast from "Steven Universe," Spaghetti Tacos from "iCarly," Rare Candy from "Pokémon," and even Krabby Patties (with crab meat) from "SpongeBob Squarepants" ( don't fret, they do anime's too). They give you a guide on how to make the food, they taste and do a competition sometimes. Their fun to watch and they're both very funny and make all types food that you've always wanted to try! -Lascelles Morrison Happy Hanukkah!Posted: December 1, 2015
Hanukkah is known as the festival of lights (deja vu, am I right?). It lasts for eight days; Hanukkah begins and ends at sundown. On a menorah, a stand for candles, you light candles. On the first night you light the shamash, meaning helper, and one other candle. The shamash is lit first, then the other candles are lit with it, get it? The shamash can be located in the center or at the right edge of the menorah, but is lit first no matter where positioned. You add another candle each night until on the eighth day you have nine candles lit. Candles are put in right to left, like hebrew writing, and lit left to right. This year Hanukkah starts on Sunday, December 6, and ends Monday, December 14. On Hanukkah, it is custom to eat foods fried in oil (i.e., latkes and doughnuts), as well as some others foods. Hallah (Challah) - Hallah is Hebrew for "loaf." It is a long or round braided loaf. Latkes - Latkes are basically potato pancakes. They are fried in oil, and can be served with sour cream and applesauce. Doughnuts - Sufganiyot are considered Hanukkah doughnuts. They are deep fried jelly doughnut. Noodle Kugel - A casserole made out of noodles. It’s a traditional dish which is often served on Hanukkah. Bon appétit! Ajia and Miriam P.S., Miriam actually did all the work! Happy Diwali!CREATED 11/10/15- OUT OF DATE!
“Shubh Deepawali!” That means “Happy Diwali!” in Hindi. (Fun Fact: Although the word is spelled “Diwali,” it is pronounced like “Di-vo-lee.”) Diwali is the most celebrated holiday in India, and it is a festival of lights. It signifies light over darkness, truth over false, good over evil; it is supposed to bring wisdom, truth, prosperity, and peace. No matter what day your own family may celebrate it or for how long, Diwali is this week. By the time you get the newspaper, most families would have already celebrated, but some families celebrate until later on this weekend. Most families draw beautiful, colorful, intricate designs with a special type of “sand,” called Rangoli, to decorate. So, here are some traditional delicacies either eaten or “given to the gods” on this holiday! Desserts: Gulab Jamun- Spongy milk balls soaked in syrup Rasgoola- Ball shaped dumplings soaked in sugar Almond chikki- Brittle candy made from almonds and sesame seeds, melted together with syrup. Main foods: Naan- Oven baked flatbread; comes in many different flavors. Puri- Deep-fried bread served with vegetables Chole- Chickpeas mixed with spicy masala and served with rice or naan Paneer- Deep-fried cheese mixed with spicy masala and served with naan; comes in many different flavors and varieties Bon appétit! Ajia and Sakshi A Jamaican Delicacy: Ackee and Saltfish!Posted: October 20, 2015
Welcome to Jamaica, tropical paradise! Jamaica is an island in the Caribbean, and is full of fruity resource. Some examples are mango, sweetsap, soursap, oh, and ACKEE! Ackee is a popular food in Jamaica (and with me), especially when it is paired with SALTFISH! Ackee and Saltfish (a.k.a. Ackee and Codfish), the dynamic duo, is Jamaica's National Dish! Most common seasonings for this meal would be salt (duh!), black pepper, GOYA Adobo, ketchup and tomato. You can find this homemade deliciousness at any Jamaican restaurant! Want my childhood favorite? Golden Krust, for sure! (Mmmmmm, now I’m getting hungry!) Unfortunately for me, I’m allergic to fish (WHY?!); fortunately for me, my mom always leaves some Ackee aside for me, or my dad makes it with CORNED PORK, also a very good pairing! You could also add ham or Spam (without the corned pork, or that would be a mess!). Let me wrap this up: so you should definitely check out this meal (if you aren’t a vegetarian), ideal for any time of day! Bon appétit! Ajia Morrison Happy Thanksgiving!Posted: November 17, 2015
Thanksgiving, the mark of the holiday season for some, the best time of year to eat food for all! Just kidding, it’s also a good time to spend some quality togetherness with your family… and your food. Okay, assuming that most of you don’t want a long background of Thanksgiving because you just want to get to the part when I tell you about food, I’m just going to skip that and give you my favorite Thanksgiving recipe…*drumroll*... Apple Custard Pie (YAY)! I mean, who doesn’t love pie? I got this recipe from the famous Taste of Home Baking Book (it’s an older edition, though). So, if you want to learn more about Thanksgiving, look it up somewhere else! You’re welcome. APPLE CUSTARD PIE Prep. Time: 15 minutes Baking Time: 45 minutes + chilling Yield: 6-8 servings (You know, slices?) There’s no need to pull out your rolling pin for this sweet treat. It has an easy press-in crust under a mouth-watering apple and custard filling. What You Need: 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour ½ teaspoon salt ½ cup cold butter 3 cups sliced peeled tart apples (about 4 medium) ⅓ cup sugar 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon CUSTARD: 1 cup evaporated milk 1 egg ½ cup sugar What to Do:
Ajia Morrison P.S., there is a picture of Apple Custard Pie at the top of this page (magnified). Enjoy! Mr. McMahon's Culinary AdventureBy Mr. McMahon
Posted: 1/6/16 Recently, I took a trip to Minneapolis, Minnesota and had the best eating experience of my life, and I like to eat! Ajia Morrison, my food editor, has asked me if I would write about my experience at the restaurant Piccolo. Anthony Bourdain recently said Piccolo "served him one of the best and most inspiring meals he'd eaten." This is high praise from one of the world's most famous chefs...but chef Doug Flicker and his restaurant Piccolo lives up to the hype. Upon arrival, the waiter asked us if we wanted to order, or let the chef take care of everything. We let our dinner fates be decided by this exceptional chef. The dinner was a 6 course meal, but the chef let us try everything on the menu. I am a strong believer in splitting your meal at a nice restaurant (to try everything), so the three people in my group tried everything. From the carrots and parsnips to the cod, chicken, and sturgeon, everything was perfect. I advise anyone who loves food to not be afraid of small plates. I learned that the smallest dish can pack the biggest punch of flavor. All 16 things I devoured at Piccolo were world class flavors. My group couldn't talk about anything except the delicious food in front of us! Traveling and great food are essential parts of life. Remember to always try new foods, visit new places, and keep and open mind. If you do these three things, the world will open itself up to you. |
How To Make Baklava!
Shout-out to Naomi Ghanime for this delicious recipe idea! (Sorry this one took so long.)
Baklava is a wonderful layer dessert (from what I’ve heard) that originated in the Middle-Eastern. Here is a wonderful recipe I got from this website. If you don’t like coconut and/or pistachios, there are a lot of other baklava recipes to choose from on the website! When planning to make this recipe, make sure you read all the ingredients and instructions and check that you have everything the recipe calls for. You’ll also need patience, as making Baklava, from what it seems, is a long process and takes up your time.
COCONUT AND PISTACHIO BAKLAVA
YIELD: Makes 24 pieces
What You Need:
One 1-pound box phyllo dough, thawed if frozen
1 1/4 cups (2 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted
Filling
2 1/2 cups shredded unsweetened dried coconut
3/4 cup coarsely chopped unsalted pistachios
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
1 tablespoon orange flower water
Pinch of salt
Syrup
1 3/4 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups water
Large pinch of salt
3 tablespoons orange flower water
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons finely chopped unsalted pistachios
What To Do:
If you want to learn about true and surprising history and origin of Baklava, click the link below:
http://www.gourmetbaklava.com/history.of.baklava.html
Bon appétit!
Ajia Morrison
P.S., for those of you who have sent requests that I haven't answered yet, those will be coming right up!
Baklava is a wonderful layer dessert (from what I’ve heard) that originated in the Middle-Eastern. Here is a wonderful recipe I got from this website. If you don’t like coconut and/or pistachios, there are a lot of other baklava recipes to choose from on the website! When planning to make this recipe, make sure you read all the ingredients and instructions and check that you have everything the recipe calls for. You’ll also need patience, as making Baklava, from what it seems, is a long process and takes up your time.
COCONUT AND PISTACHIO BAKLAVA
YIELD: Makes 24 pieces
What You Need:
One 1-pound box phyllo dough, thawed if frozen
1 1/4 cups (2 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted
Filling
2 1/2 cups shredded unsweetened dried coconut
3/4 cup coarsely chopped unsalted pistachios
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
1 tablespoon orange flower water
Pinch of salt
Syrup
1 3/4 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups water
Large pinch of salt
3 tablespoons orange flower water
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons finely chopped unsalted pistachios
What To Do:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter a 13-by-9-by-2-inch baking pan.
- Unfold the sheets of phyllo dough, lay the stack on a work surface, and cover with wax paper and then a damp kitchen towel to keep it from drying out. Remove 2 pieces of phyllo, place them in the pan, and brush them with 1 tablespoon of the butter. Continue in the same way with the phyllo and butter until you have used 24 sheets of phyllo.
- To make the filling: Stir together the coconut, pistachios, sugar, water, orange flower water, and salt in a medium bowl. Sprinkle half of the filling evenly over the phyllo in the pan. Place 2 sheets of phyllo in the pan and brush them with 1 tablespoon butter. Continue in the same way until you have used 12 sheets of phyllo. Spread the remaining filling on top. Layer and butter the remaining phyllo in the same way. Brush the top layer of pastry generously with butter, and pour any remaining butter over the top. With a sharp knife, cut the baklava lengthwise into 4 strips and then crosswise into 6 strips, taking care not to press down on the phyllo.
- Bake for 30 minutes. Lower the oven temperature to 300°F and bake for 1 hour and 10 to 15 minutes, until golden brown.
- To make the syrup: Bring the sugar, water, and salt to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring until the sugar is dissolved. Reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes, or until slightly thickened. Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in the orange flower water and lime juice.
- Transfer the baklava to a wire rack and let cool for 10 minutes. Sprinkle with the chopped pistachios and pour the syrup evenly over the top. Let cool completely on the rack. (The baklava can be stored at room temperature, tightly covered, for up to 2 days.)
- Cut into pieces with a sharp knife and serve.
If you want to learn about true and surprising history and origin of Baklava, click the link below:
http://www.gourmetbaklava.com/history.of.baklava.html
Bon appétit!
Ajia Morrison
P.S., for those of you who have sent requests that I haven't answered yet, those will be coming right up!
Pioneer Woman on Food Network!
Posted: October 13, 2015
Ree Drummond is a former city-girl and a mother of four. Many of you know her as “The Pioneer Woman” on Food Network. When Ree graduated high school, she attended college in California and got a job there. She is a very bold and independent woman. One day, she decided to take a short visit in her hometown, where she met a rugged cowboy and the love of her life! Now, she lives with her cowboy husband and four children on a ranch in the middle of nowhere, where she stars as “The Pioneer Woman” on Food Network. Ree Drummond is a blogger, writer, photographer, and magnificent cook! On her show, “Pioneer Woman,” she cooks mouth-watering meals for her husband and kids to enjoy when they return from their adventure. To wrap things up, you can always find Ree Drummond having a good time and being herself around her loved ones!
All the information in this article has been taken from The Pioneer Woman’s blog site, thepioneerwoman.com. There, you can read about all of Ree's crazy adventures, and also learn some of her homemade recipes. In addition, go to FoodNetwork.com to keep track of the upcoming episodes of “The Pioneer Woman” (new episodes are on Saturdays 10am/9c) and even look through the photo galleries displaying the action and fun times in Ree’s life. In conclusion, "The Pioneer Woman" is a perfect show to watch with the family and a great way to learn new recipes for yourself!
Bon appétit!
Ajia Morrison
Ree Drummond is a former city-girl and a mother of four. Many of you know her as “The Pioneer Woman” on Food Network. When Ree graduated high school, she attended college in California and got a job there. She is a very bold and independent woman. One day, she decided to take a short visit in her hometown, where she met a rugged cowboy and the love of her life! Now, she lives with her cowboy husband and four children on a ranch in the middle of nowhere, where she stars as “The Pioneer Woman” on Food Network. Ree Drummond is a blogger, writer, photographer, and magnificent cook! On her show, “Pioneer Woman,” she cooks mouth-watering meals for her husband and kids to enjoy when they return from their adventure. To wrap things up, you can always find Ree Drummond having a good time and being herself around her loved ones!
All the information in this article has been taken from The Pioneer Woman’s blog site, thepioneerwoman.com. There, you can read about all of Ree's crazy adventures, and also learn some of her homemade recipes. In addition, go to FoodNetwork.com to keep track of the upcoming episodes of “The Pioneer Woman” (new episodes are on Saturdays 10am/9c) and even look through the photo galleries displaying the action and fun times in Ree’s life. In conclusion, "The Pioneer Woman" is a perfect show to watch with the family and a great way to learn new recipes for yourself!
Bon appétit!
Ajia Morrison