Short Story: Grace's Cupcake

Grace was just a girl who loved cooking more then anything. She not only loved cooking main dishes but her specialty was cupcakes. She grew up in a family that loved to cook and spent weeks reading cook books and spend her nights watching the food network. Being raised in a family that loved cooking gave Grace a love for the kitchen or as her family refereed to it the hearth of the home. Grace baked any cupcake from plain vanilla to raspberry lemonade. But after making chocolate espresso she felt as though her life would never be the same. It started out a day like any other Grace just want to make cupcakes for her family to enjoy after dinner. She searched through all the cookbooks and on the last cook book she came across the most delicious looking cupcakes she had ever laid eyes on. Grace had loved coffee from the very begging and coming across chocolate espresso cupcakes was a just the icing on her (cup)cake to her perfect day. A side from just being a delicious cupcake the recipe also called for a delicious chocolate cream cheese frosting which  she believed was the greatest thing she had ever herd of. Grace made the cupcakes by hand, even grinding up espresso, she melted delicious semi-sweet chocolate and carefully sifted through the flour. It took hours for her to perfect the recipe but after waiting for what seemed like a life time Grace pulled out the batch of cupcakes from the scorching oven and after waiting until they cooled she placed the chocolate cream cheese frosting. After dinner her family tasted the cupcakes which they deemed the best cupcakes Grace had ever made. In Graces mind these cupcakes completed her life. She was thrilled to have stumbled across such a great recipe and one that everyone in her family enjoyed.

Betty Crocker

Marjorie Husted was the creator of Betty Crocker. She was a home economist and business maker. In the year 1921, whom while under the control of General Mills created Betty Crocker. The first Betty Crocker cookbook was released in 1933, it was chalked full of great recipes from famous chefs, and distinguished cooks. During the war Betty Crocker published a cook book to help support the War efforts and helped with giving recipes to help people cook with the war time rations from 1941 until 1945. Within years Betty Crocker was rising in popularity coming in second to Eleanor Roosevelt in 1945 in fortune magazines most popular American women. Because Crocker wasn't a real women portraits of her were painted with no one women in mind and is actually a combination of 75 real-life women of diverse backgrounds and ages. They never shows characteristics from the shoulders down, while the face is constantly changing.  Throughout the years many Betty Crocker recipe books have been released in two languages or bilingually (Spanish/English) cook books. These recipe books teach people how to cook American-style food. Along with cookbooks Betty Crocker also sells many Betty Crocker products such as hand mixers which support General Mills. In April, 2007 a new online store was released to the inter web and is accessible at BettyCrocker.com. Betty Crocker cook books and recipes have been a part of the American life style since  the 1920's and have aided the country through times thick and thin, even becoming accommodating to the war time rationing in the 1940's. For many years that have passed and many years to come Betty Crocker has given Americans delicious food to cook for dinners, parties, bake sales, and fundraisers. Although not a real person the spirit of Betty Crocker has been woven into American and is a very import part of America.

How To

How the make the best oatmeal chocolate chip cookies. Years and years ago my mother was reading the Star Tribune and came across this recipe. They are beyond amazing and totally delicious. This recipe was originally suppose to be a gift so it gives the option and make it in a jar by layering the dry ingredients and capping it to give to a friend with a note on how to add the wet ingredients to fully complete the recipe.  To make them first separate the dry ingredients and them mix them together. Put them together in a mixing bowl on low slowly add the ingredients one by one. Wait until the it is fully inter mixed before you add the wet ingredients.
1 1/3 cups oatmeal
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup walnuts (optional)
1 cup chocolate chips
1 1/3 cups flour mixed with 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon making powder and 1/4 teaspoon salt

If you deiced to make these cookies as a gift to give someone make sure to add a note and leave it on the cookie jar so they know how to finish making these scrumptious cookies. In a separate bowl mix the wet ingredients and then stir them together with the dry ingredients.
1/2 cup melted butter
1 egg (slightly beaten)
1 teaspoon vanilla
Before adding it to the dry ingredients make sure to stir it well.
Next shape dough into medium sized balls on a greased baking sheet. roughly space them about two inches apart to allow them to expand.
Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes, or until they turn a light brown.
Let them cool then enjoy!
I would also recommend eating them fresh off the tray with a nice tall glass of milk to accompany the cookies. This will enhance the cookies flavor and is a great after school treat!

Stories teach us how to be human

I have learned a lot about Native American boarding schools recently and I knew little to nothing about this previously. I have obviously gained more in site on the topic then I previously had but I think one of the most important thing I have learned is as humans we often mess up, for this reason stories teach us how to be human. I believe Americans were concerned and confused about how to interact with the Native Americans and wanted to do what was best for the country but didn't realize the solution they came up with was not good for the country or the Native Americans. As told in the story Star Quilts and John Thorpe by Brenda Child she states "subject to Lieutenant Pratt's newly devised "civilized program"." This shows Americans were trying to change the ways of the Native Americans, they didn't understand them or their ways and thought this would be the best decision but the outcome was defiantly not what they had wanted. I believe the  main reason that Americans didn't know how to interact with the Natives was because they didn't understand them. In The Rez Road Follies by Jim Northrup he states "We have been called Chippewa, Ojibwa  Indians, Blanket Asses, Bow and Arrows, and "you people"." This quote shows the confusion and ignorance of Americans in understanding the ways and life choices of the Native Americans. I am not by any means saying what the Americans did by putting Natives was acceptable but I think they didn't know what to do and were confused how they were suppose to help the Native Americans. These instances of confusion and mistakes are prime examples of how stories teach us how to be human.