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XI. United States
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Chapter 36: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Gesu School
Teacher: Margaret McCloskey
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Student: Hansan A.
SCRAMBLED EGG
Ingredients
Butter, Milk, Salt and pepper, Eggs
Recipe
Mix milk and eggs till you have a creamy golden mixture. Pour in a frying pan and scramble constantly. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot.
Essay
Eggs are special to me because it is very good. Eggs are special to me because I make them like no other person that I know. I like eggs because they give my family a good feeling. Eggs are the second best breakfast food to me that I have ever eaten in my life. The only time I do not like eggs is if it has no milk or of someone does no cook it correct. Eggs are special to me because they relieve me if I am in pain or feeling sad or mad. Eggs make my mouth watery.
Eggs make my mom get the feeling to go to work. Eggs give me the feeling to go to basketball practice. Eggs are very delicious. Eggs give me the feeling to go to school. Eggs are special to me because my mom gave me the recipe. Eggs are special to me because my mom made them every day on my birthday which is November the twenty-first. I make my eggs on every holiday for my family because they like it very much. I make my eggs the most on Thanksgiving because it is the closest holiday to my birthday. My eggs are the most difficult eggs to make because nobody knows how to make them like I make my eggs. This is why I picked my eggs as my special recipe.
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Student: Tonisha B.
PINEAPPLE UPSIDE DOWN CAKE
Ingredients
3 tablespoons firmly packed light brown sugar
1 tablespoon reduced-fat margarine, melted
7 unsweetened canned pineapple rings, 1/3 cup juice
(reserved, divided)
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/2 cup granulated sugar
3 egg whites, lightly beaten
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Recipe
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. In a 9-inch round cake pan, combine brown sugar and margarine. Stir in 2 teaspoons of pineapple juice until syrupy and evenly distribute in bottom of pan. Arrange pineapple rings in a single layer over brown sugar mixture.
2. In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix well.
3. In a medium bowl, combine applesauce, granulated sugar, egg whites, vanilla, and remaining pineapple juice. Mix well. Using an electric mixer set on medium speed, beat applesauce mixture into flour mixture until smooth.
4. Pour batter over pineapple rings in prepared pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, about 30 to 35 minutes. Cool slightly in pan on a wire rack. Invert cake onto a serving plate. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Essay
Upside down pineapple cake is special to me. The time, when my mother and grandmother are making it, is the only time that they get along. When they make the cake they dont argue or slam doors. Since I dont live with my mother it is a good thing when they make it so I can be with her. I also like it because it has been in my family for a long time. It is also unique and unusual and someday I could pass it on to my children and their childrens children. My grandmother and I have something in common. We both like to make this cake together. She taught me a lot of things but I like this the best out of all of them.
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Student: Desiree G.
BANANA SMOOTHIES
Ingredients
3 bananas (minimum)
1/2 cup of milk
3 ice cubes
2 drops of Vanilla extract
(pure or imitation; pure works best)
2 teaspoons Cinnamon
Recipe
1. Crush ice using a blender.
2. Add peeled bananas, milk, and cinnamon, vanilla. Blend.
3. Pour and enjoy. (Serves 2) (See artwork at chapter end)
Essay
This recipe was introduced to us by a close friend of my mom. After some tiny changes so that it suited our family better it was great! These banana smoothies can be served with our breakfast, lunch, and even as a light snack. When served with my moms fluffy pancakes they make me feel all warm inside.
You dont have to wait until the holidays to prepare these smoothies. Theyre so simply made they can be prepared everyday, that is if you stock up on bananas.
For those who dont care for bananas, you can make these smoothies with the substitution of another fruit. No matter how it is served these smoothies are a treat that my family truly loves.
No expensive ingredients or cooking utensils are needed; just everyday ingredients. These simple snacks can be made by anyone who can operate a blender properly, and there isnt much of a mess.
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Student: Andrea H.
RICE & BEANS
Ingredients
2c rice 2c water
1 can pigeon peas
2 pkgs. Sazon
2 chorizos
(Spanish sausages optional)
2 tbsp. Goya racaito (green)
salt (to taste)
2 tbsp. oil
For Beans:
3 cans kidney beans with liquid
2 cans Goya tomato sauce
1 onion, chopped
2 pkgs. Sazon
1 tbsp. Goya Recaito (green)
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 c chopped ham steak
4 potatoes, cubed
Recipe
Boil water, rice and oil. Sauté sausages. Add all ingredients, reduce heat and cover. Stir occasionally, 20 mins. Put beans in saucepan with liquid. Add tomato sauce, onion, garlic, Sazon. Allow to cook 15 min. Uncovered on low heat. Add ham and potatoes, cook 45 min. Stir. Serve over the rice.
Essay
This recipe is important to my family because it is really good. It is part of my culture, my Mom is from Philadelphia and as she got older she learned how to cook better every day.
My Mom cooks rice and beans every Friday. I look forward to having it because it makes me feel better. Rice and beans is good with recaito, recaito is green with red peppers and is really good.
My aunt Carman cooks it everyday though because people ask her to cook it for them. They pay her for making it since it is so good. Almost everybody on my Moms side of the family cooks it everyday, especially my Grandmom. The only thing with her is that she likes to experiment with it. She puts all different kinds of spices and stuff in it which "I HATE". Except for Grandmom's experiments "I LOVE RICE AND BEANS".
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Student: Brian H.
APPLE DUMPLINGS
Ingredients
3 quarts of cut up cooking apples
2 teaspoonfuls of cinnamon
A teaspoonful nutmeg
1 small bottle vanilla flavoring
A cup of sugar
5 cut in half frozen biscuits
1/3 stick of margarine
Recipe
1. Steam apples until it comes to a boil
2. Add cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla
3. Stir in 1 full cup of water
4. Bring to a boil
5. Stir in sugar
6. Add biscuits and drop them into the pot
7. Add 1/3 stick of margarine
8. Stir to taste
9. Then add margarine as desired
10. Then boil for 30 minutes.
Essay
The reason I chose this family recipe is because it always brings my family together on holidays like the 4th of July, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. My family has many people on my mothers side but, on my fathers side there are fewer relatives. I like it when my Grandmother is making our familys famous apple dumplings. It is the only time when I get to see my cousins as well as get to help my Grandmother. Sometimes my Grandmother wants me to get supplies because she is too old to carry all the supplies that she needs.
The thing I love about my Grandmothers cooking is that she always puts her love, power and strength in it. My Grandmother is a very caring person; she helps the people in her neighborhood. One time my Grandmother took her neighbors kid to the near by field for a day of fun. I will always love my Grandmother and her cooking because she has been in my life since I was one year old.
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Student: Lana J.
FRIED CHICKEN
Ingredients
8 boneless chicken breasts
2 tbs of butter or margarine
A cup honey
Olive oil
A clove of garlic peeled
Recipe
1. Mix melted butter and honey. When mixed, glaze on chicken
2. Let stand for 30 minutes in refrigerator
3. Add a second coat of glaze
4. Bake at 250 f for 10-15 minutes
5. Add the other ingredients and glaze
6. Bake at 350 f for 30-45 minutes
Essay
As a little girl I remember my mom making this favorite dish of mine almost every Sunday. Now being older and able to make this, it reminds me of her cooking and I am blessed to have her inspiration every day of my life. I am glad she continues to help me with the big, little or even the mediocre things in my life.
This recipe also reminds me of my Grandma who teaches me every day to put my heart and soul into my food whether it be a grilled cheese or a spiral ham. She teaches me to always do my best. The fried chicken my Grandmother would make in her home town of Mt. Olive North Carolina is a recipe she passed down to all six of her children. Looking for a healthier but still tasty way of making chicken, my mom heard of baking it with honey.
Cooking it over the years, she perfected it according to her own tastes. I recommend this honey baked chicken recipe because, it is easy to make and only takes about one hour and thirty minutes to prepare and bake. Now my mother passed down HER chicken recipe to me and along with mashed potatoes, rice or stuffing, this is a quick, easy, fun, tasty way for a hearty family meal. Some day I will pass MY chicken recipe to my children.
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Student: Sasha L.
CRANBERRY TARTS
Ingredients
2 cups all purpose flour
_ tsp. salt
1/3 cup shortening
1/3 cup butter
6 to 7tbsp cold water
1/3 cup water
2 tbsp dry red wine
(or orange juice)
21/2 cup cranberries
1 cup granulated sugar
2 tbsp all purpose flour
1tbsp butter, cut up
Recipe
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. In the large bowl stir together the 2 cups flour and the salt. Using a pastry blender, cut in shortening and butter until pieces are the size of small peas. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of the water over part of the mixture; gently toss with the fork. Push moistening dough to one side of bowl. Repeat, using 1 tablespoon water at a time, until all the dough is moistened.
Form dough into a ball. For individual tarts divide dough into 8 portions. Roll each portion into a 5-inch circle. Time a 4-inch tart pan, with removable bottom, with one dough circle. Trim dough even with the rim of tart pan. Repeat with remaining dough circles.
For filling, in the large saucepan combine the 1/3 cup water, the wine or juice, and cranberries. Bring to boiling. Cook, stirring frequently, for 2 to 3 minutes or until berries "pop". In a small bowl stir together granulated sugar and the 2 tablespoons flour. Add the hot cranberry mixture. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Stir in butter until melted.
Spoon about a cup filling into each individual tart. Place tarts on a large baking sheet. Bake until filling is bubbly and edges of the tarts are golden.
Essay
Everyone in my family loves my grandmas cranberry tarts. She bakes it on Thanksgiving and Christmas. The warm feeling of the tarts makes it so good and makes you want more. It is my favorite dessert on the holidays. I ask my grandma especially to make them. Cranberry tarts have been in my family for many years and every year there is a different flavor to the tarts. Flavors like cranberry, strawberry, apple cinnamon and more. My grandma is a grand chef. She has been cooking for years and has been working at a pastry factory where she makes cakes/cookies/dinners. She is the main cook in my family and has always been since I can remember.
I cant wait until Thanksgiving comes so I can eat her delicious food. I cant cook yet but my grandma has been teaching me to cook her favorite recipes. My grandma is always generous. She gives her tarts and other sweets to her friends and family out of the state of Pennsylvania. My grandma is also creative. She always has something new to cook and it always turns out great.
The tarts are the best thing that ever came to my family over the years and everyone cant wait to eat them especially me. My grandma is very nice, kind, caring, and thoughtful. She is always on the run going to her job, going the nursing home and bringing foods to people who are misfortunate and dont have as much as we do.
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Student: Stephanie N.
APPLE PIE
Ingredients
2 Sliced Granny Smith Apples
2 Sliced Roman Apples
2 Sliced Macintosh Apples
1 Cup of Sugar
s1 Tablespoon of Flour
1 Teaspoon of Cinnamon
1 Teaspoon of Nutmeg
Recipe
Mix sugar, flour, cinnamon and nutmeg in large bowl. Add six sliced and pealed apples and mix. Once all apples are covered in mixer place them in store bought pie dough and cover top with other pie dough. Then spread egg white over top and about six thin slits in the top. Place in oven at 400° for about 30 to 40 minutes.
Essay
My Grandmothers apple pie means a lot to my family. Mainly because it taste and smells so good. It is not a traditional African American dish. I am not sure where she learned the recipe but it seems every time she make it tastes just right. She doesnt make it for any special occasion, but when she does it takes a lot of special preparation and heats the whole house.
I feel special when my grandmother makes the apple pie because its my favorite desert and my grandmother and I bond when we make the pie. When we plan to make the pie it is an all day event not because it is difficult but because we are having so much fun. Every time I think about her pie my mouth waters with as excitement as well as my heart.
When I was younger and lived almost 300 miles out of her reach, I would always request a pie of my own. That pie would practically be gone by the time I hit the front door. Now that I am older I can make the pie by myself, but it never tastes the same without her guidance. When we do make the pie my whole family enjoys it because all the ingredients complement each other which make it taste so good.
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Student: Keisha R.
MACARONI & CHEESE
Ingredients
Box of Macaroni Noodles
A block sharp Cheese
A block cheddar Cheese
_ quart Milk
2 Eggs
1 Pan
Recipe
Step 1: Boil macaroni noodles
Step 2: Cut cheddar and sharp cheese
Step 3: Mix eggs, milk, macaroni, and cheese
Step 4: Bake for 1 hour
Essay
This recipe is what my family loves to eat. The melting cheese brings happiness to our mouths. This macaroni will not work with any other cheese; it must be both sharp cheese and cheddar cheese. Macaroni and cheese has been in my family for centuries. We usually eat it on special days like Thanksgiving, Christmas, and other special days when my family gets together. We all get together at my great-grand mothers house. There are a lot of people in my family so when we get together we have many kids running around. Grandma usually makes more than enough. One serving is just not enough. We all usually come back for more.
Usually my Great-grand mother makes it with turkey, candy yams, collard greens, biscuits, stuffing, corn, string beans, corn bread, and a little dessert. My family loves it so much because it is very cheesy. I look forward to keeping this recipe for many more centuries.
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Student: Rasheed R.
FRIED CHICKEN
Ingredients
1/2 cup of flour
1 Pound Chicken
1/4 cup of Vegetable oil
Seasoning- salt
Essay
Fried chicken is a very good dish. Its important to me, because you can eat it with anything. Its not a very hard dish to make. My family makes fried chicken on holidays such as Christmas, Thanksgiving, and other big holidays. Fried chicken has been in my family for quite a long time. Since I have a little Spanish in my genes, my Great-grandmother made it with rice and beans. I dont like rice so this is not in my recipe.
I like fried chicken, because it crunches in my mouth. Fried chicken is special to my family because it helps my family come together each time someone makes it. When one of my family members makes fried chicken everybody has seconds because its so good. A lot of people like fried chicken in my family and in the world because its so good. Other people try to make a different kind of fried chicken, but it can never taste like my family's fried chicken.
To me my family's chicken is way better then anybody elses put together. My fried chicken has soul in it, different from other peoples. My fried chicken can never be copied by anyone other than my family. Its different I can tell, but I dont know what it is. Its something that I cant explain. Something that differentiates it from any others. Maybe it's the cook that makes it and the family that eats it. I don't really know, but I like it.
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Student: Latanya Y.
ROLLS
Ingredients
1 Cup of flour
1 Cup of milk
1 Cup of water
2 teaspoons of butter
1 tablespoon of salt
Some yeast
Recipe
Mix all of the ingredients together. Stir it. When stiring in make sure its nice & thick. Then, by hand, one by one roll it into medium size balls. Put them on a large baking pan. Spread them out an inch from each other. Next put them in the oven on about 350 to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Then after about 45 to 50 minutes take them out.
Essay
This is the special recipe that all started with my grandfather. Ever since he has died this has been a special tradition that has been past down from generation to generation. I say this is a special tradition because this is one of the all time favorites for my family. When I eat these special rolls it just makes me want to have more and more every time.
To me these roll are special because when everybody makes them we have fun. The preparation time is full of laughter, games and jokes. At times we make a mess; we get flour all over each other. To me rolls mean nice, fluffed up, golden brown, and especially delicious. I picked rolls because it makes me feel special. When my family comes together it makes me happy to know that my grandfather was very important and special.
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Student: Latoya Y.
STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE
Ingredients
7 cups of flour
2 cups of sugar
2 cups of milk
A dash of Salt
10 Tbs of baking powder
4 ounces of Crisco
Strawberries
Recipe for DOUGH
First you mix it with your hands until the dough comes right off the bowl. Then take a small ball of dough and put it into a circle until it approximately fits in the palm of your hand. Then place the balls of dough on the cookie sheet and put a teaspoon of margarine on them. After that take another ball of dough (make it flat) and place it on top of the first one. Next put a teaspoon of margarine on top of that. Then cook up to about 350 degrees until golden brown.
Now the Strawberry Part:
First you cap 1 flat of strawberries. (Cap means to cut off the top of the strawberries). Then slice the berries and add sugar for taste. And put the strawberries in refrigerator to get strawberry sauce.
Essay
Everybody in my family likes my Grandmoms short cake because its so good and it makes everybody in my family feel special. I like it because it brings everybody together. Even though my Grandmom is old she stills makes it the same way has she did back then, because she is the only one who can make it just right.
The strawberry short cake my Grandmom makes is not just good, it wonderful, delishous, and more. That's why me and my family love my Grandmom's strawberry short cake. I also like it because my Grandmom makes it.
Everyone likes it because she makes it just right. Even though my Grandmothers strawberry short cake is completely ordinary, it is still special to me and to my family.
And thats another reason why my family likes it. Some people care that the recipe is out of a book but my family doesnt because somebody made it out of love. Even though my Grandmothers strawberry short cake is completely ordinary, it is still special to me and to my family.
And thats another reason why my family likes it. Some people care that the recipe is out of a book but my family doesnt because somebody made it out of love.
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