After Covid kept so many of us from our families last year, it’s time to make this holiday season count. - Ayo Thomas, 11th grade
One of my fondest memories is baking on the weekends with my Nana. We used to talk and laugh while she showed me how to crack eggs. I would always get shells in the bowl and we had to pick them out with a fork. I was so nervous to break the eggs at first but once I got going I would break them too much. My Nana would always let me lick the spoon at the end because she knew that the frosting was my favorite part. Even though she bakes less now, I still get to lick the spoon sometimes, even though I might be too old for it. A lot has changed for me since the beginning of this year, including a death in the family.
A few months ago my great grandmother, who I called Granny, passed away. She was very old and had been getting sick for a while. It wasn’t a surprise, but it was still difficult for us all to handle. It hit my Nana the hardest because it was her mother who passed away. She’s been different now. She seems sad and doesn’t do all the things she used to. She had been the one taking care of Granny for the last few years. My Nana used to be the one who planned a lot of family gatherings but as my Granny got older and weaker it was harder for her to plan for the holidays.
A couple of years ago, about a week from Thanksgiving I was told that there wouldn’t be a family dinner that year. My exact words were, “But Thanksgiving is the only time we spend with our family?” Since no one else was planning anything I took on the responsibility of making dinner that year and inviting the entire family. A year or two after that, Covid 19 became a serious problem for the entire world.
After Covid kept so many of us from our families last year, it’s time to make this holiday season count. For me that means cooking and baking a big feast for my whole family. So in honor of the month of October I decided to practice by making a couple of fall desserts. Since Covid is still affecting everyone I made small individual desserts to share with everyone. From a list of over forty recipes, I narrowed it down to two of the easiest ones. A recipe for cookies and a recipe for carrot cake cupcakes.
That being said, my favorite to make (because it was the easiest) was the cookies, which were fancy cinnamon spritz cookie sandwiches with a dulce de leche center. The recipe called for a cookie press (I don’t even know what that is) but I didn’t have one so I just put little balls of batter on the pan. It worked out pretty well but they did come out a little lumpier than I wanted. Despite not being perfect they still got glowing reviews from my family to the point where they all forgoed the dulce de leche and started eating the cookies by the handful. Suffice to say, they were a fan favorite and I’ll definitely have to make them again sometime.
The cupcakes, on the other hand, required six grated carrots. I had to take a break in the middle of grating them because my hand got sore. But despite my grating troubles, the cupcakes were enjoyed by everyone, especially my Nana. So matter how tiring baking and cooking might be, the joy around me on the faces of my loved ones always makes up for it. So when you feel like giving up, be it with baking or any other part of life, remember who you’re doing it for and it will be just a little easier.
Citations:
44 Easy Fall Dessert Recipes to Make This Season, Katie, November 17, 2020
Cinnamon Spritz Cookies with Dulce de Leche Filling
Mini Carrot Cake Cupcakes
A few months ago my great grandmother, who I called Granny, passed away. She was very old and had been getting sick for a while. It wasn’t a surprise, but it was still difficult for us all to handle. It hit my Nana the hardest because it was her mother who passed away. She’s been different now. She seems sad and doesn’t do all the things she used to. She had been the one taking care of Granny for the last few years. My Nana used to be the one who planned a lot of family gatherings but as my Granny got older and weaker it was harder for her to plan for the holidays.
A couple of years ago, about a week from Thanksgiving I was told that there wouldn’t be a family dinner that year. My exact words were, “But Thanksgiving is the only time we spend with our family?” Since no one else was planning anything I took on the responsibility of making dinner that year and inviting the entire family. A year or two after that, Covid 19 became a serious problem for the entire world.
After Covid kept so many of us from our families last year, it’s time to make this holiday season count. For me that means cooking and baking a big feast for my whole family. So in honor of the month of October I decided to practice by making a couple of fall desserts. Since Covid is still affecting everyone I made small individual desserts to share with everyone. From a list of over forty recipes, I narrowed it down to two of the easiest ones. A recipe for cookies and a recipe for carrot cake cupcakes.
That being said, my favorite to make (because it was the easiest) was the cookies, which were fancy cinnamon spritz cookie sandwiches with a dulce de leche center. The recipe called for a cookie press (I don’t even know what that is) but I didn’t have one so I just put little balls of batter on the pan. It worked out pretty well but they did come out a little lumpier than I wanted. Despite not being perfect they still got glowing reviews from my family to the point where they all forgoed the dulce de leche and started eating the cookies by the handful. Suffice to say, they were a fan favorite and I’ll definitely have to make them again sometime.
The cupcakes, on the other hand, required six grated carrots. I had to take a break in the middle of grating them because my hand got sore. But despite my grating troubles, the cupcakes were enjoyed by everyone, especially my Nana. So matter how tiring baking and cooking might be, the joy around me on the faces of my loved ones always makes up for it. So when you feel like giving up, be it with baking or any other part of life, remember who you’re doing it for and it will be just a little easier.
Citations:
44 Easy Fall Dessert Recipes to Make This Season, Katie, November 17, 2020
Cinnamon Spritz Cookies with Dulce de Leche Filling
Mini Carrot Cake Cupcakes