Category: lists

Recipe: Apple Pear Jam

This year I decided to make a jam inspired by fall. I loved this recipe and found it quick and simple. The tanginess and sweetness of the jam works perfectly together. Everything balances the others out, making this the perfect homemade jam.

Ingredients:

  • 3 green apples, any kind
  • 1 pear
  • 2 cups apple juice
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 4 cloves
  • 2 cardamom pods
  • 2 inch cinnamon stick

Directions:

  1. Core and peel the apples and pear
  2. Cut each apple/pear into 8 pieces, each around the same size.
  3. Fill a heavy pot with the juice and place the fruits into the heavy pot.
  4. Bring to a boil on high, then reduce heat to medium
  5. Simmer for 35 minutes, covered. The fruits should soften.
  6. Press the mixture through a sieve, Make sure to get as much of the juice as you can out.
  7. Return the pulp to the pot and add the sugar, lemon, cloves, cardamom, and cinnamon.
  8. Bring to a boil and reduce the heat to low.
  9. Cook on the low heat for 1 hour and 45 minutes, uncovered, while stirring often. The mixture should gain some thickness.
  10. Enjoy!

I really enjoy this recipe, especially spread on bread as breakfast or a snack. What’s your favorite fall recipe?

Top Reads of October

Here are my top books for October!

  1. The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller
    This is such a great book. The Iliad/The Trojan War is my weakest subject in Greek Mythology and I’ve always wanted to learn about it. I found this book so sweet and perfect in the way that it doesn’t focus too much on the war, instead focusing on the love between Patroclus and Achilles. I love the way this book (and Patroclus and Achilles’ friendship) developed and I found the plot perfect. The ending was one of the saddest things I’ve ever read. I love this book so much!
  2. Hazel Bly and the Deep Blue Sea by Ashley Herring Blake
    Hazel is a young girl who has just moved to Rose Harbor in Maine. When her mom (known as Mama) runs into an old friend, Claire, past feelings emerge again. She meets Claire’s daughter who’s obsessed with the legend of the Rose Maid, a 150 year old mermaid. Hazel finds herself getting swept up in the story and starts to open her heart to the magic in life. This is such a great book. I loved the way it talked about trauma and LGBT+ perspectives. None of it felt forced and all of it just molded into one story.
  3. Da Vinci’s Cat by Catherine Gilbert Murdock
    This is a beautiful book about time travel and friendships. Federico is a hostage to the Pope living in the 1500s and Bee is a young girl who has just moved to a new house. The book starts off with Federico following a kitten who leads him to a closet. The kitten goes inside, then emerges as a full grown cat with someone named Herbert Bother. The two become close friends and rely on each other, until Herbert doesn’t come back. Then, a girl named Bee steps out of the closet. She has her own motives and secrets and is trying to understand what to do to get on with her life. This book is such a great read and I love it so much!
  4. King of Scars by Leigh Bardugo
    This is the first book in the duology that focuses on Nikolai, a side character in both Shadow and Bone and Six of Crows. I love this book and the perspectives it is told from. Zoya is a Grisha (someone who can do magic). She’s been working with the king to help him battle his mysterious new ailment and the way it’s been affecting him while grappling with her own past. Nikolai is doing his best as a young king, trying to keep down the beast inside of him and be a good leader. When a cult for the Darkling rises, all of this gets challenged. Nina is trying her best after Matthias’ death. She is on a quest with two other Grisha. As she meets a new friend, she understands how to embrace her new power and how to work smart. I totally recommend this series to you!
  5. Tristan Strong Destroys the World by Kwame Mbalia
    This is the second book in the Tristan Strong series. Tristan is back at his grandparents’ farm, but he’s been hearing whispers asking him to save the speaker. No one else seems to hear them, so he dismisses them until his Nana is kidnapped and the main man behind it, The Shackle Man, comes to the farm. He finds a way back to Alke, the mystical and magical world where African myths are real. He gets the help of his old friends Ayanna and Gum Baby and makes a new ally, Junior. This is such a great book and I can’t wait to read the last book in the trilogy!

Top Books of January: click here
Top Books of February: click here
Top Books of March: click here
Top Books of April: click here
Top Books of May: click here
Top Books of June: click here
Top Books of July: click here
Top Books of August: click here
Top Books of September: click here

Applesauce Cinnamon Muffins

It’s officially fall! Normally during this time of year, I make my delicious pumpkin cinnamon bread. This year, I decided to spice things up by making Applesauce Cinnamon muffins. We had so many cups of applesauce at home that we needed a new recipe to use them. This recipe was perfect for that! The muffins taste spectacular and they’re a perfect snack for school.

INGREDIENTS:

  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/4 cup light brown sugar packed
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 cup unsweetened applesauce
  • 1/4 cup Greek yogurt
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 3/4 cup whole wheat flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 3/4 Tablespoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • a pinch of salt

DIRECTIONS:

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place the cupcake wrappers in their spots to get the muffin tray ready.
  2. In a bowl, whisk together the vegetable oil and both the sugars. Add both eggs, and whisk until smooth. Stir in the applesauce, Greek yogurt, and vanilla extract until just combined.
  3. Stir in the flours, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Make sure not to overstir the batter.
  4. Pour the batter into the prepared muffin tray and tap to get rid of air bubbles.
  5. Bake for 16 minutes.
  6. Remove from oven and let cool.
  7. Enjoy!

What’s your favorite fall recipe?

Top Reads of September

Here are my top reads of September.

  1. The Force of Fire by Sayantani DasGupta
    The Force of Fire is a great book about Pinki, the rakkhoshi previously mentioned in the Kingdom Beyond series. We got the see the adventures of Pinki when she was growing up. I loved the different elements and all of the references to the original series.
  2. Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky by Kwame Mbalia
    This was part of the Rick Riordan Imprints series. Tristan has recently been sent to his grandparents’ farm after losing his closest friend, Eddie. At the farm, he discovers a strange tree which takes him to Alke, a place where fantasy characters are real! I loved learning about South African mythology in this amazing book.
  3. Gathering Blue by Lois Lowry
    This was the second part of the Giver quartet. This book focused on Kira, who’s mother has recently died. She’s an orphan, unsure of her way in this world, until the government takes her in, asking her to sew for them. I loved this book and the way that all of the details worked together. It was such a great read!
  4. A Tale Dark and Grimm by Adam Gidwitz
    This is the first book in the Grimm series. Hansel and Gretel and two siblings, lost and confused in the world. Their parents showed no love to them, so they ran away, experiencing many awful and great things. I loved the way that so many story tales were put in this book and the way that they were all twisted.
  5. Breathing Underwater by Sarah Allen
    This book is about Olivia, who’s sister, Ruth, has been diagnosed with depression. Olivia has a plan to help Ruth, while she struggles with her own feelings. I loved the way that this book flowed and the seriousness of it. It’s such a great read!

Top Books of January: click here
Top Books of February: click here
Top Books of March: click here
Top Books of April: click here
Top Books of May: click here
Top Books of June: click here
Top Books of July: click here
Top Books of August: click here

My Favorite Places in New York

I went to New York last weekend and I enjoyed it a lot. We experienced a lot and had a lot of fun exploring the city. All of the places we went to were amazing, but I had a few favorites. Here are some of the best places I visited in New York.

✨The Metropolitan Museum of Art✨:


I loved all of the art in the Met. We mostly focused on the Greek art, because of my interest in it. I found the pieces there stunning and the plaques were well detailed, so I could get the story clearly. I got some great pictures of the artwork and it was amazing to just wander around and see the work.

The sparkles indicate a Percy Jackson site! This is where it all started. At the Met, we got to see Percy using his powers for the first time. This is also where he killed his first monster (Ms. Dodds).

Broadway (Wicked):

When we went, Broadway had just opened, so we were lucky to get tickets. We went to Wicked, a twisted fairy tale. I loved the story and the way that all the characters were played. Everyone seemed very in character and their singing was perfect. It was all very great and enthralling.

✨Empire State Building✨:

We went up to the 86th floor of the Empire State Building. The views were spectacular and so were the exhibits. One of my favorites was the King Kong exhibit, which was funny and had great photo props. It was nice to see all around the city from one of the tallest buildings there.

The Empire State Building plays a major part in the first series. Olympus is located on the fictional 600th floor and the final battle takes place there.

✨Central Park✨:

Central Park is a very relaxing place and I found so many amazing and beautiful places there. Some of my favorites were the John Lennon memorial and Cleopatra’s Needle. They were all so pretty and the whole atmosphere was peaceful and relaxed.

Percy and Nico visit Orpheus’ Rocks in Central Park to get to the Underworld in the last book. With Grover’s music, they find a way in. In the Kane Chronicles, Zia, Carter, and Sadie create a portal through Cleopatra’s Needle to get to Cairo.

Times Square:

Times Square is such a marvellous and thrilling place. The billboards are always bright and the crowd is always thick. There are some great places to get food and have fun. I enjoyed the hustle and bustle of the city that never sleeps.

Easy Pasta Recipe

I recently made a delicious turkey spaghetti with my Ninja Foodi. It came out really well, so I thought that I’d share it with you!

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 lb ground turkey
  • 1/2 of a chopped onion
  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/8 tsp pepper
  • 3 fresh basil leaves
  • 1 clove of garlic, chopped
  • 4 oz spaghetti noodles (broken into halves or thirds)
  • 7 oz can of diced tomatoes
  • 12 oz jar of marinara sauce
  • 1/2 cup chicken broth
  • 1/2 cup water
  • parmesan cheese (to garnish)

DIRECTIONS:

  1. Turn the Foodi on to the Sauté setting. When it is hot, add the ground turkey, 1 tbsp olive oil, and the onions. Break apart the meat by stirring.
  2. Add the salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, and basil. Cook for a few minutes, while occasionally stirring until the meat is mostly done.
  3. Add the garlic and cook for around a minute.
  4. Scatter in the spaghetti noodles randomly.
  5. Pour the diced tomatoes over the noodles as evenly as possible and don’t stir.
  6. Pour on the spaghetti sauce completely covering all of the noodles (exposed noodles may not cook fully).
  7. Pour in the broth and the water down the side of the Foodi, so the sauce doesn’t wash off of the noodles. Do not stir.
  8. Close the lid and lock it in place. Set the steam release knob to the Seal position and cancel the Saute setting.
  9. Press the Pressure Cook/Manual button and set the time to 7 minutes.
  10. Wait for the pressure to release naturally. Once all the pressure has released, you can open the lid.
  11. Stir the spaghetti well, so that the sauce and the noodles can blend. Garnish with the parmesan cheese.
  12. Enjoy!

First Week as a Seventh Grader

I just started school! This is my first week in person and I was so excited to meet everyone and see everything that I missed out in my virtual year. Here are some of the things that I experienced during my first week as a seventh grader.

  1. Passing Periods
    I have 5 classes each day, most of them being on the second floor (our school has 3 floors), though some are on other floors. We have 5 minutes to get to each class and after that you’re tardy. It can sometimes be a big race to get to your next class before the tardy bell rings, though I have been on time for everything so far.
  2. One Way Hallways/Stairs
    Because of COVID, our school has added one way hallways to the first and second floors. This can be a bit challenging, especially if your class is two doors down, but you have to walk all around the school in the crowd to get to it in only 5 minutes. Luckily, the crowd thins out as you walk around. We also have one way stairs, so you can only go up certain staircases and down certain staircases.
  3. Homework
    There’s a lot more homework than what I was expecting for the first week of school! A lot of it were only forms to sign, but I did have homework in my Science, English, and Social Studies class. Luckily, the homework is pretty easy, though it will most likely get harder as time passes.
  4. Computers
    We are given school computers to use for the tests and projects we do in certain classes. I got mine on Friday and have already used it in the second week quite a lot (for the beginning of year tests). It’s handy to have a second computer specifically for school work, where you can keep all of your assignments.
  5. My Favorite Classes
    My Favorite Classes so far are Theater and Science. I love theater because of all the fun activities we do and all the chances we get to learn what we like and how we do everything. Our teacher’s also very nice. I absolutely love our science teacher and the energy that she gives off. She makes learning much more fun and I’m really glad I’m in her class!

    What’s your favorite part of school?
    Also, due to school starting up, I will now only be publishing blogs on Wednesdays.

Top Reads of August

Here are my top books for August!

  1. The Best Worst Summer by Elizabeth Eulberg
    This is a story about Peyton, who has recently moved. In her backyard, she finds a time capsule from 1989. There seems to be a mystery behind the contents of the box and Peyton decides to find out what it is with the help of her new friend Lucas. The story alternates between modern day (with Peyton and Lucas) and 1989 (with Melissa and Jessica). I really enjoyed this story and all of the little clues along the way.
  2. The Adventure is Now by Jess Redman
    This book tells the story of Milton, a socially awkward boy, with not many friends. The only time when he feels free is when he plays Isle of Wild. That summer, his parents send him to Lone Island to live with his Uncle Evan. At first Milton isn’t happy to be there, but then he discovers the secrets of the island. I loved this book and the themes behind it. All the characters were written really well and I enjoyed every part of the book.
  3. Flight of the Puffin by Ann Braden
    This is a story told by 4 narrators- Libby, Jack, Vincent, and T. It starts with Libby drawing inspiring messages on postcards. These postcards begin to travel, helping the other kids through their hard times. I loved the way that all the kids were linked up and the way that the story flowed. This is such a sweet book.
  4. A Thousand Beginnings and Endings by Ellen Oh and Elsie Chapman
    This was an anthology with a lot of authors that I enjoyed. The stories were retellings of Asian myths and legends. I have always loved retellings and I really enjoyed these stories. They were all so imaginative and I loved them all. Some of my favorites were Still Star-Crossed, Daughter of the Sun, and Girls who Twirl and Other Dangers.
  5. Time Traveling with a Hamster by Ross Welford
    This book is about Al, who gets a mysterious letter from his (dead) dad on his 12th birthday. The letter tells him to travel back in time to save his dad and change the future. I loved the way that the book was written and i think it handled the concepts of alternate universes really well. Al is such a great character and I also enjoyed the way that the other characters were fleshed out as well. This is such a great book!
  6. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
    This is a dystopian trilogy, set in a world where every year, a boy and a girl are chosen from each district to fight in the Hunger Games. It’s a fight to the death and there’s only one victor until the 74th Hunger Games, where Katniss and Peeta (the two main characters) both win. I loved the characters and the plot. I found the theme very interesting and loved the type of dystopia!

Top Books of January: click here
Top Books of February: click here
Top Books of March: click here
Top Books of April: click here
Top Books of May: click here
Top Books of June: click here
Top Books of July: click here

Podalanga Kootu

Kootu is really easy to make, especially in a Ninja Foodi. It is a quintessential Tamil food and I enjoyed learning to make it. I got a snake gourd from my grandmother’s garden in College Station. I had a lot of fun making this recipe and thought I’d share it with you!

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup chopped snake gourd
  • 1/8 cup masoor dal
  • 1/8 cup moong dal
  • 1/8 tsp turmeric powder
  • salt (to taste)
To Roast and Grind
  • 1 1/2 tbsp grated coconut
  • 3/8 tsp cumin seeds
  • 1/8 tsp peppercorns
  • 1/2 tsp urad dal
  • 3/4 tsp chana dal
  • 1/2 a dried chili
  • 6 to 7 curry leaves (fresh from our garden)
  • 1 tsp canola oil
Tadka
  • 1/2 tsp canola oil
  • 1/2 tsp mustard seeds
  • 1/2 tsp urad dal
  • 1 pinch asafoetida

Directions:

  1. Wash the moong and masoor dal and soak them in 1 cup water. Add the turmeric and salt.
  2. Power on the saute mode on medium heat in the Ninja Foodi. Next, add 1 tsp oil and add all the ingredients mentioned under “to roast and grind” and saute until the lentils start turning golden.
  3. Remove from the Foodi and set aside to cool. When cool enough, grind the ingredients with a little water to form a thick paste.
  4. Add 1/2 tsp oil to the pot and add all the ingredients for the tadka. Let the mustard seeds pop. Keep the saute mode on high.
  5. Now add the chopped vegetable, soaked lentils along with water, 1 cup water. Switch off the saute mode.
  6. Add the ground paste to the Ninja Foodi and close the lid. Pressure cook at high for 7 minutes. Wait for the pressure to release.
  7. Enjoy!

This stew tastes best with hot rice and ghee. You can also enjoy it with chapati. Any kind of squash or gourd can be used instead of podalanga.

Blueberry Limeade

Summer is almost over! It feels like those three months with no school have flown so quickly and now, school’s starting soon again. I’ve made a lot of food over summer, but one of my favorites was a blueberry limeade concentrate. It’s tart and sweet, and is such a great drink for summer. I really enjoyed this drink, especially when chilled or frozen.

INGREDIENTS:

  • 2 cups of fresh blueberries
  • 1 1/4 cup of sugar
  • 2 cups of water
  • 3/4 cup of lime juice

DIRECTIONS:

  1. Put the blueberries, sugar and water in a saucepan. Cook them on medium heat.
  2. When it starts to boil, start breaking down the berries with the back of a spoon until the sugar is fully dissolved and the berries are crushed.
  3. Strain the syrup using a sieve, extracting as much juice as possible by pressing down on the berries.
  4. Allow syrup to cool down slightly, then stir in the lime juice. Keep in the fridge
  5. To make a drink, fill 1/3 of the cup with juice and 2/3 of the cup with water.

Serving Suggestion: Make popsicles. You’ll still have to dilute the mixture with water, and it comes out really well!