Hi everyone! I am Isabel Rosario from Puerto Rico and a proud team journalist for Today is Her Story. A little bit about me. I've been a Girl Scout for ten years. I am part of my school’s musical, the dance, and forensics teams and the National Honor Society. Last year I started an American Sign Language Club at my school, introducing passion for this language.
Although the online school has been keeping me very busy during this quarantine, I have had time to do things I did not have time for before. Besides catching up on series and movies, I stretch and exercise daily and finally picked up the guitar again. Also been really into cooking and baking! Want to share with you some of the things I have done in the kitchen, especially some tips.
You can make the easiest Chocolate Cake with just Oreos and milk. Put Oreos in a cup, pour in milk to cover halfway, mash up with a fork, microwave for 1 minute and 15 seconds, and enjoy. Yes, it is that easy! You can also make a Nutella Cake with just eggs, flour, and of course Nutella. Simple and delicious.
I’ve made some really good truffles; blending Nutella, Oreo and cream cheese, rolling the mix into balls and refrigerating for a while. Now when it’s time to decorate, you can cover them with melted chocolate, sprinkle some crushed up Oreos, chocolate powder, almonds, or anything else on top. I put some coconut oil. There are so many possibilities. Be creative.
When making any kind of food the key is the mix of textures. That will take it to the next level. I made Strawberry Cupcakes stuffed with Nutella. My brother ended up eating more than five in just one day. Then, a Vanilla Sponge Cake filled with “Dulce de leche”, in a caramel and cinnamon crust. This was actually my parent’s favorite.
What about Lemon Cupcakes stuffed with cheesecake filling and cream cheese frosting? I smashed some lemon white chocolates with almond and sprinkled it on top. They looked and tasted so good that when we sent some photos to my grandparents, they were dying to try them. Following the social distancing precautions, my dad brought them some and they loved them. Also made some Cookies from scratch. Instead of using chocolate chips, I used mini pieces of Milky Ways and Kisses; they turned out amazing. In the kitchen, the best thing you can do is get creative. Do not be afraid to try something new and always think outside the box.
Two popular desserts here in Puerto Rico are the “Majarete” (Rice Pudding) and “Bizcocho Tres Leches” (Three Milks Cake). The “Majarete” is a soft rice pudding that is usually made around Christmas and it brought me back to that holiday spirit. The “Bizcocho Tres Leches” is a pound cake soaked in a mixture of evaporated milk, condensed milk, and regular milk, topped with whip cream and cinnamon. Had to leave it in the fridge overnight, so it absorbs the milks. The anticipation while waiting can be a little tough (you want to eat right away!) but believe me, the waiting, it’s always worth it.
I have also gotten very creative with breakfast; it is my favorite meal of the day.
Started making some simple Crepes from scratch (All-purpose flour, eggs, granulated sugar, milk, salt, vanilla, and butter), which I love because you can literally fill them with anything you like. I love putting Nutella, strawberries, and bananas on mine, with some powdered sugar on top. There are so many things you can put in the crepes, like caramel, jelly, peanut butter, blueberries… Start looking around your kitchen; never know what you might find! Also made a Peanut Butter-Banana Crepe’s mix; it tasted delicious.
What about Crispy French Toasts? Made the normal French Toasts recipe (bread, eggs, vanilla, milk, and cinnamon), but crunched up some cereal and covered the moist bread with it. Then put it in the pan. Once it was cooked, I covered it up with sugar and cinnamon. Actually, found this recipe while scrolling through Instagram. What was great about these French toasts? The mix of textures!
I am the number one fan of Nutella. I love making pancakes but adding Nutella to the mix. Also made a Nutella-Coconut Cornstarch. It tasted amazing! There are so many common recipes that you can alternate by giving it your own personal touch.
I personally loved every dessert and breakfast I have mentioned here. During this quarantine, use your time wisely and try to learn new things. There are so many good recipes online you can take inspiration from. You can do so many things with just the ingredients you have at home. You have the power to create something amazing. And remember; always keep your kitchen clean!
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