Perfect Weekend Desserts

The weekend is here at last and I can’t WAIT to get baking. To say I like desserts would be the understatement of the century; I LOVE desserts. Sugar will always make you feel better at the end of a long week. Always. If you don’t like baking just yet, allow me to bring to your attention some delicious dessert recipes that will leave you yearning for some more…literally.

And best of all, these are the recipes I use and they always turn out great! All the pictures I've included in this blog post are pictures of my own baking using the recipes mentioned.

1. Apple Pie

I cannot resist pies. That is probably why I absolutely had to bake one myself. People prefer to get the Pie Crust from the supermarket and then just do the filling and put it together. But believe me when I say that making an apple pie from scratch is easy peasy. What’s more, the recipe requires ingredients you probably have at home right now. Oh, and have I even mentioned how the short crust pastry is good enough to eat on its own? I’ll say it now, then: IT’S GOOD ENOUGH TO EAT ON ITS OWN.

For the crust you need all-purpose flour, butter, salt and cold water (though I like adding in sugar because hey, a little sugar never hurts anyone). For the filling you just use 3 large, stewed apples. I like my apples stewed in 1 tablespoon of water and 3 of sugar. You rub the butter into the flour and salt until it resembles bread crumbs and you then add in the ice water 1teaspoon at a time until its good enough to roll. I normally divide the dough into two parts, wrap the halves in cling film and refrigerate for half an hour-the dough is easier to work with that way.

Next you’ve got to roll one half of the dough out and then push it in to the aluminium plate, pour in the stewed apples, sprinkle in some cinnamon(if you like), and then cover it with the other half of the dough. Pop it in the oven for 20-30 minutes (I leave mine in longer so that the top browns a little) and let it cool before serving. You can do either a normal top or a lattice top.

Here's the recipe: http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/maryhenrysproperappl_67463

2. Chocolate Fudge Cake

Up until last year, I was in love with the cake mix kind-not that there’s anything wrong with it of course! But then I found this recipe which is amazing. You will never go back to the box stuff. Like the apple pie recipe, it’s a BBC Recipe which you cannot go wrong with. The cake is moist, rich and everything you look for in a chocolate cake.

Isn’t it beautiful?

I always use Cadbury cocoa since I think it tastes best but feel free to use Hershey’s or any other kind that you like. Top it off with some chocolate butter cream and voila! You've got yourself a delicious chocolate cake to devour.

Here's the recipe: http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/easy_chocolate_cake_31070

3. Red Velvet Cupcakes

I never really got red velvet cupcakes. I mean sure, they are pretty and all but I was never that big of a fan. Until my brother asked me to bake them on his Birthday for him. I think baking them myself made me really appreciate the cupcakes. They haven’t got too much vanilla or chocolate…they’re just right. Chocolate will always be my favorite since I’m a total chocoholic but my family prefers red velvet to any other cupcakes that I've baked.

The secret to red velvet cupcakes is the vanilla cream cheese frosting, the buttermilk and vinegar, which are responsible for their unique flavor. Oh and if you’re out of buttermilk, you can always substitute each cup of buttermilk with one tablespoon of vinegar mixed into a cup of whole milk. Leave it for 5 minutes before using it. Get the recipe here: http://www.browneyedbaker.com/2010/11/08/red-velvet-cupcakes-cream-cheese-frosting/

4. Carrot Cake

When I was younger my mum had a friend who used to make amazing carrot cake. She would have all the ingredients mixed and in the cake tin in under 5 minutes. As soon as it was done she’d give me a huge slice with two scoops of vanilla ice cream. Mmmm.

A while back my mum was just saying how much she missed that friend (because she moved away) so I decided to surprise my mum by baking her some carrot cake. I mixed the batter in the blender because that’s what I remembered her friend doing. Then I poured it all into a bowl and stirred in the Carrot before putting it in the oven.

What you really need to know is that the cake rises to more than twice its size so MAKE SURE YOU DON’T OVERFILL THE CAKE TINS. Also, I omitted the nuts and used 3 teaspoons of cinnamon instead of 2. Carrot cake and sprinkles make for a deadly combination. :3

Get the recipe here: http://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/carrot-cake/64acd01e-14ad-4e03-9fe1-b62b03ff4667

5. Fluffy Pancakes

By now you’ve probably guessed that aside from being a chocoholic, I really love cinnamon. If you like cinnamon, you’re going to fall for these pancakes. Hard. For years I’d been trying various pancake recipes trying to find the right one. Just when I was about to give up, I found these babies. So good!!

They taste divine drenched in chocolate syrup…Especially THIS Chocolate Syrup. Don’t forget to quadruple the cinnamon though so that it’s one teaspoon! :Dhttp://allrecipes.com/recipe/chocolate-syrup/ on http://www.food.com/recipe/fluffy-egg-free-or-eggless-pancakes-354622

That’s all for today! Try out the recipes and let us know how they turn out. Follow us and check out our blog on Tuesday! Have a Happy (Sugary) Weekend! :)

-Sam

Hello, everyone! For today, we have a guest post by Riku, a student who is in her final year at Agal! Enjoy and let us know what you think!
-Sam

Five Amazing Anime Series

 When entering a discussion about anime, many people back away immediately, deeming the genre of entertainment as “cartoons” and “for kids”. For many others, the face of anime is DragonBallZ, Naruto, Bleach or One Piece, which often doesn't appeal for most. However I’m here to change your view about it by letting you know about the top five anime series that I believe are entertaining and worth watching.

Number Five: Sword Art Online

Based on a light novel with the same name, Sword Art Online (also known as SAO) consists of twenty five episodes that cover the first two volumes of the novel. The anime is in the process of being dubbed in English. The series takes off with the main character, Kirigaya Kazuto entering a game that takes control of all of your senses and transports you to the virtual world of Sword Art Online. Here, Kirigaya Kazuto (or Kirito as he names himself) begins playing when suddenly, the creator of this virtual reality reveals himself and announces that there is no “Logout” button and players are trapped in the game until it is cleared.

Although SAO appears to be of action centered category, it actually falls under the label of romance with action complementing it. The animation, scenery and overall setting of the series is very enjoyable, particularly season one. On a personal note, I did not find season two as enjoyable, nevertheless, I find it definitely worth suggesting.

Number Four: Angel Beats

A thirteen episode long series, Angel Beats is about letting go of past regrets and finding the strength to move forward into the unfathomable. Taking place in a school like setting, with an apparent monarch controlling the affairs and the working of the institute as well as keeping down rebellion posed by a group of students with a charismatic girl leading them. Oh, by the way, the students have all died and are in the school as a transitory period between lives.

Angel Beats is a short, heart touching anime where the personal stories and regrets of each student is explored, each having a sad or unfair life that they wish they could change somehow. The series is, at the same time, light and humorous with quite a bit of action now and then. To sum up, Angel Beats should definitely been on your bucket list of anime.

Number Three: Durarara

Also based on a light novel, Durarara revolves around the everyday lives of different people living in the city of Ikebukuro, all connected together in various strange ways along with a certain headless horsewoman, known as a Dullahan,  looking for her missing body part. Consisting of twenty five episodes, Durarara covers the first two volumes and is available in English dubbing.

Durarara has a very interesting and memorable cast of characters who can be easily related to, whether it’s the shy country boy Mikado who founded the city’s largest gang online, the outgoing and cheerful Masaomi who is hiding a deep dark secret of his past, or the pretty but anti social and dependent Anri who has a secret of her own to hide. Sorry but I can’t really describe any more without giving away the best parts. Overall, DRRR is a very enjoyable anime that would come under supernatural and somewhat every day life with lots of action-and flying convenience store trashcans!

Number Two: Shingeki No Kyojin

Translated to “Attack on Titan”, Shingeki no Kyojin (SnK) is only available in English subtitles as of now. Lasting twenty five episodes, SnK is about humanity trying its best to counter the relentless Titans, towering human shaped creatures with little or no intelligence and a fixed desire to consume humans. In an attempt to keep themselves alive, the remaining human population resides inside fifty feet tall walls that keeps titans out. But as all good things come to an end, the wall is breached and humanity is reminded of the terror of living under the rule of Titans.

Shingeki no Kyojin is an action packed series with some mildly disturbing violence, but with plenty of strong memorable characters. The series also looks into the terror of fighting a losing war, human limitation and corruption at the heart of civilization. Overall, Shingeki No Kyojin is a MUST WATCH because of the amazing animation and overall quality of production.

Number One: Full Metal Alchemist Brotherhood

Not as short as the other mentioned series, Full Metal Alchemist Brotherhood (FMAB) is made up of sixty four episodes. Set in an alternate world where a major science studied is alchemy, main character Edward Elric (no, he doesn’t sparkle that much) and his brother Alphonse commit the ultimate taboo of alchemy: attempting to resurrect the dead. Paying a hefty price for trying to bring back their mother, the two brothers leave their small village to join the government of Amestris as State Alchemists (also known as the Dogs of the Military). In an effort to regain what has been lost, Edward and Alphonse find themselves mixed up in a deep dark conspiracy that began from before the country was even made!

Packed with action, FMAB may seem a little slow at first but quickly picks up the pace. The plot deals with several ideas like the repercussions of war on the victims and soldiers involved, conspiracies in the government, the struggle to correct these vices and how power is able to corrupt. I placed FMAB at the top of this list because it really makes you sit down and think about several issues since the series is more than relatable to our reality today.

These are the top five anime that I would suggest for you to watch. So waste no time! Watch these short (compared to Naruto and Bleach) animes and find yourself hooked for more!

-Riku

Six of the Greatest Fictional Heroines of All Times

My first thought had been to do a post on six book characters. However, the moment I realized I couldn't include Mulan, there was a change in plans!

I have over fifty fictional Heroines but I somehow managed to narrow this post down to my top six.
The majority of the characters mentioned below are brilliant, kick-*** female protagonists. Nevertheless, you’ll love them all! Do leave us comments below letting us know who YOUR favorites are…and why!

6. Tris Prior from Divergent

I love this chick. Sarcastic, strong-willed and determined, she goes from being regular, boring old Beatrice to brave, confident Tris. She proves herself by training incredibly hard and becoming better than everyone else. She’s a brilliant fighter who can beat up anyone twice her size (Oh and if you haven’t read Divergent yet, pick it up THIS INSTANT. No, seriously. Finish the series before the movie comes out in March-hasn't AK’s review got you hooked to the series yet?!).

What’s more, Tris is a little insecure about herself. She thinks she is “average-looking” and “plump” while in reality she’s pretty stunning. And she isn't full of herself, going around boasting and who knows what else. She cares about her family and friends. A lot. And despite her attempts at leaving behind her previous faction (Abnegation), she can’t help being a little selfless. Hey, she’s a Divergent, after all. ;)

5. Rae Voight from Fingerprints

Rae seems kind of out of place in this post as unlike the majority of them, she’s no hero. At least not in the “sword-flinging” or “arrow-shooting” way. At first glance, Rae seems like your average high school red head with a love for art. Turns out she has a skill for reading fingerprints. Whenever she touches a fingerprint, she hears what the person was thinking when they left it there. Pretty cool, huh? Up until she realizes her mom’s murderer is out to get her, that is. Together with Yana, who is a volunteer at the mental hospital she goes to, and Anthony, who she met at group therapy, she keeps her powers a secret.

I really admire how Rae manages to keep her cool in even the worst of situations-and also how she hides all her troubles from her dad who is still in grief over the loss of her mother. Rae is bold and daring, ready to do anything to find out who killed her mom. Her determination is what keeps her going and more importantly, keeps her alive.

4. Alanna of Trebond from the Song of the Lioness Quartet

At the age of ten when Alanna’s father sends her to the Magicians so that she may be taught how to be a lady and learn to control her magic, she decides otherwise and instead swaps places with her twin brother Thom. She goes to the Palace with her Guard; Coram, as “Alan” of Trebond, where she trains to be a Knight-the first Female Knight in Centuries. She befriends the King of the Thieves and the Prince of the Palace, defeats the Evil Magician who wants to get rid of the Prince and teaches herself how to use her powers. Best of all, she manages to pass the Ordeal and become a Knight. Alanna has taught me that where there’s a will, there’s a way. And she goes out there and does the impossible.

3. Fa Mulan from Disney's Mulan

I don’t think I even need to say anything about her. I mean who doesn’t know Mulan, today? Mulan’s concern for her father (who’s actually pretty old) drives her to take his place in the Imperial Army as “Ping”, Mulan’s imaginary brother. Throughout the movie, she is transformed from a somewhat pretty, outspoken girl who thinks of herself as a disgrace, into a warrior who upholds her family’s honor by saving China. And it was all for the love for her father and the concern for his life. More than anything else, Mulan has brought me to realise that anything is possible just so long as you have faith in yourself!

2. Celeana Sardothien from Throne of Glass

Words do not begin to describe Celaena Sardothien. Honest. Once the Princess of Terrasen, Celaena was found by Arobynn Hamel during the overthrow of the Empire. She trains at the keep and becomes Adarlin’s greatest assassin. She survived after watching her parents being killed at eight, paid off her debt to Arobynn, managed to get out of a lifetime sentence to the Endovier salt mines and is now the King’s Champion. Celaena has it all; the looks, the talent, the sarcasm and the skill. Regardless her constant getting into trouble and being a tad bit too impatient, she has a passion for reading, shopping and fine dining, so you are bound to fall in love with her!

1. Luna Lovegood from The Harry Potter Series

Often lost in a world of her own, Luna is a dreamer with a wide imagination and a love for books and animals (which kind of makes me think of Lucy Pevensie from the Chronicles of Narnia-another favorite of mine). At first glance she may be seen as “weird” or “awkward” but she isn't really! Luna is different. She believes in that which can’t be seen (take the Nargles, for instance), always speaks her mind, and isn’t afraid of standing out from the crowd. She is quite easily amused (as she is known to have once told her father “Daddy, look — one of the gnomes actually bit me!”) and takes no notice of what anyone thinks of her or says behind her back.

Although she makes her first appearance in the Order of the Phoenix, Luna proves to be a loyal friend to Harry and stands by his side whenever she possibly can. She is a member of Dumbledore’s Army and fights by Harry’s side during the Battle at the Department of Mysteries and the Battle of Hogwarts. Along with Ginny and Neville, she helps to reconstitute Dumbledore’s Army in the absence of the Golden Trio.

She is a good listener and is always there for her friends. Her quiet, caring personality can be experienced in many places including how during their imprisonment at the Malfoys, she helps to keep the wand maker Ollivander alive. Moreover, she also expresses her gratitude to Dobby at his funeral and then suggests they close his eyes, “There. Now he could be sleeping.”

Moves me to tears every time :’)

Even JK Rowling herself has a soft spot for Luna as she married her off to Newt Scamander’s grandson Ralf, of whom she was rather fond (See 

http://hollywoodlife.com/2013/09/12/fantastic-beasts-and-where-to-find-them-harry-potter-movies-jk-rowling/

 for details).

Overall, I love Luna and believe she isn’t appreciated nearly as much as she should be-we SO need more Lunas in the world. ;)


Well, that's all for today! But stay tuned for our post on Tuesday and don't forget to leave us some comments!
-Sam

5 Books I fancy

There is no friend as loyal as a book.” ― Ernest Hemingway

Urgh! what a cliché! But, what to do? Clichés are mostly true.

Now I rhyme! Ha!

Okay. Today, I bring you some good reads. I have 5 incredible books to suggest! All from different genres so there is something for everyone.

1. Destiny Disrupted by Tamim Ansary.

An engaging and easy-to-read "history of the world through Islamic eyes", "Destiny Disrupted" is a great introduction to the history of the faith more than a billion humans profess. With friendly, conversational prose and a keen eye for revealing anecdotes, Ansary leads us through nearly 1500 years of Islamic history, from the revelation of the Quran and the early life of the Islamic community, through the Abbasids, the Ottomans, the Mughals, and up to the beginning of the 21st century. "World history", Ansary writes "is not a chronological list of every single thing that ever happened ... it's the arc that counts." "Destiny Disrupted" is a must-read for anyone who wants to learn more about the history of the Islamic world. But the book is more than just a litany of past events. As Ansary writes in his conclusion, "The conflict wracking the modern world is not, I think, best understood as a 'clash of civilizations.' ... It's better understood as the friction generated by two mismatched world histories intersecting." Ahem ahem. Very serious. Very informative.

2. Divergent by Veronica Roth.

Divergent is one of many books about dystopian societies that are appearing on the shelves of bookstores all over the nation. What makes this one unique is the depth that Roth includes in her writing. It is more than just the struggle of living in a dystopia, or more than just the normal teenage girl struggles, of love and acceptance, but of doing what is right and standing up for the things you believe in. I may not be living in the same world as Tris but I found myself able to relate to her, at least a little. Her struggle between staying alive for the sake of those she loves, or sacrificing herself to save the world she knows. Excitingly, its movie is coming out next year. And one more thing….Do not fall in love with ‘Four’. He’s mine!

3. The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho.

      This story, dazzling in its powerful simplicity and inspiring wisdom, is about an Andalusian shepherd boy named Santiago who travels from his homeland to Spain in search of a treasure, buried near the Pyramids. This book talks about destiny. Not Love related destiny, you single track people! It’s about the journey towards a person’s destiny. It can be anything. Your goals, your obsessions, whatever you are searching for. Life will take you there, if you don’t stop.

                                            

4.  Getting More by Stuart Diamond.

It’s a self-improvement book. Oh, come on! It’s not boring it’s awesome! It’s exciting. It’s a good read for students of business studies, accounting and economics and anyone who wants to improve their negotiation skills….cause let’s face it we love to negotiate. We negotiate everywhere-unless we're buying jewelry from Accessorize! Ha. Nevertheless. Negotiation skills come in handy and we all need them in our day to day lives.

5.  Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman.

Whimsy and Mythologically dramatic, Neverwhere is a fun Urban Fantasy refreshingly free of vampires and werewolves. There is real elegance in how this book hooks you in and takes you on a wild ride. The heroes are minimally sketched ciphers and the readers are invited to project themselves into. They take shape mainly from the quests; Richard wants to get back to his boring life, Door wants to avenge the murder of her family, Hunter wants to kill the Great Beast of London. The power structure of this society depends on bartering and favors, so it is impossible to tell who to trust. The most evil and supernaturally powerful characters in this tale, Mr.Vandemar and Mr. Coup, take so much fun in their mayhem, you can't help liking them  ("Cant make an Omelette without killing a few people")

I suggest these five books to you, now hit the stores, get the books OR download their ebook versions and read them on your kindle or smartphones. Either way give me your feedback. I'm sure you'll love them, so much so you won't wanna put them down! I bet you're going to have some quality time in their company. Enjoy!

-AK

Ten Reasons to HATE Shopping

Whenever Eid is right around the corner, everyone goes out to do some last-minute shopping before leaving for their Towns and Villages. I for one have always been a Reading-Shopping-Baking kind of girl. Ha, funny how that changed. The shopping trips I went on before this last Eid have got me convinced that last minute shopping is the worst thing ever. What’s more, I can assure you that you will agree with me by 100% once you've been through this list.

The Top Ten Reasons For You to HATE Shopping:

1.  Your twenty year-old sister will go around all the stores trying on hundreds of dresses, to go back to buy the first dress she tried on-and your family thinks you’re incapable of making decisions.

             

2. You’re the human trolley. Your family knows you hate going to the non-stitched cloth stores, yet you are dragged into every single one of them just for the sake of it. And then just because you aren't feeling how fine or silky the materials are, you are given all of the carrier bags to hold while your family moves from store to store. Ouch.

3.Your Parents neglect you for some relative you don’t even know. Mom takes you to the Centaurus so that you can get your Eid Clothes but she’s so caught up looking for a blanket for your second cousin’s baby that she completely forgets the reason she went there in the first place; YOU!!!
4. Bargaining. What is it with women and bargaining? No, seriously. The shopkeeper gives you a decent discount but your mum and sister are forever nagging at him to reduce the price even more.
5. Your family spends too much time in all the stores. When it’s the DVD stores, your  teenage brother is drooling over the play station games, when it’s the shoe stores, it’s your sister checking out every last pair they have and when it’s the grocery stores, you practically have to drag your four year old brother out of the confectioners aisle. Thank God you already ordered the books you wanted for Eid online!

         

6. You’re tired. Your legs are killing you from all the walking around. The shops are all just so full that there isn’t even anywhere for you to sit!

7. You are the baby-sitter. You decide not to go into the next store because it’s just hot and stuffy inside so your mom goes “Oh good! You can keep your brothers out here so that your sister and I can shop in peace”. And so you are left to keep your siblings from running off to the Toy Stores and the Ice cream men.

8. Everyone calls you picky because your taste in clothes and shoes differs from theirs

9. Because you get hungry and your sister doesn't want you to go get something to eat since she wants your opinion on everything she buys.

10.Because it’s so difficult having to pick out the right presents for everyone. Why can’t everyone just like jewelry? It would save you a lot of time

               

       

The Verdict: While Shopping can be fun, it tends to be more of a burden before Occasions such as Eid, Birthdays or Weddings, which is probably why it’s best to get your Shopping done beforehand. Happy Holidays!

-Sam