(Credit: Evan Barber/WSPN)

Food can be broken up into categories based on flavors, textures, origins and spices. My personal favorite category of food cannot be determined by any of those things, it is based purely on personal preference: comfort food.

Every once in a while, we are all entitled to indulge in recipes that will leave us feeling warm and comforted, especially in these winter months. I use the word “indulge” because comfort foods tend not to be so figure-friendly, but sometimes they’re just necessary.

I was browsing my recipe books this week, flipping through pages of beautifully iced cookies, tarts and pies, when I realized that the recipe I needed was sitting right in my cabinet, printed on the back of a package of milk chocolate chips.

The first recipe I ever made without the help of my mom was Nestle Toll House chocolate chip cookies. As a little kid, I remember standing on a stool, trying my best to stir in the flour without the help of my mom. My arm would get so tired as the batter continued to get thicker and thicker, but I was determined to do it all by myself. I hadn’t made this recipe in years because I always look for something new or fancy when I want to make a dessert, but I soon realized this recipe was just what I needed.

While I started combining the dry ingredients, the memories of making cookies as a child began to surface: the excitement of cracking an egg without leaving behind any shells, the soothing sound the chocolate chips make when they’re folded into the batter, and the excitement that comes from stealing a lick of dough off the spoon.

It is so easy to forget about the recipes that we grow up with, but there is nothing more satisfying and comforting than making the recipes that remind us of being younger and cheer us up on a bad day. I hope this inspires you to make a batch or homemade chocolate chip cookies, or your own comfort food recipe. Enjoy.

Original Nestle Toll House Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients:
2 ¼ cups all purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
¾ cup granulated sugar
¾ cup packed brown sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 large eggs
2 cups (12-oz pkg.) Nestle Toll House Chocolate Chip Morsels

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Combine flour, baking soda, and salt in small bowl. Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract in large mixer bowl until creamy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in morsels. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake for 9-11 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool on wire racks.

(Credit: Evan Barber/WSPN)

Last weekend, I finally exhaled as the stressful days of mid-terms ended. The weekend provided a nice homework-free break, so I decided to try out a new recipe. Instead of searching through old cookbooks, I found myself Google-ing different types of cookies that would satisfy my sweet tooth.

After scrolling through countless ways to make the classic chocolate chip or oatmeal cookie, I found a more interesting recipe for Mississippi Mud cookies.

These cookies definitely satisfied my chocolate craving. The chocolate based cookies mixed with chocolate chips make them extremely rich. Gooey marshmallows top them off, giving them an extra burst of sweetness.

The recipe was simple and the only problem I had while making them was figuring out how long to bake them. Although it said to keep them in for 10-12 minutes, it took around 15 minutes for them to cook all the way through.

Enjoy!

(Credit: Evan Barber/WSPN)

Midterms are over, and I’m officially in senior spring, awesome. Like the school year, the winter season is past the half way mark, and for some teams it’s already the postseason.

Boys and girls swimming ended their regular season on Friday with both teams picking up the W. Next up for both teams is the DCL Championship meet this week.

Boys basketball had a minor slip up in their quest of defending the DCL Small title. They fell to CC this week at home 56-53.

Girls basketball is still searching for a win. They fell to CC as well this week. Having played against the girls in our IBL scrimmages, I think a win is in their near future.

Boys hockey had their way with Pope John Paul II yesterday, winning 11-1. Hopefully the boys can keep this momentum for their playoff push.

Girls hockey has found themselves in a little bit of slump right now, losing their last four games. Like the boys, they too are looking for a strong postseason push as the season winds down.

The sports section is working on another In-Depth Report, and this time it is about the Wayland-Weston rivalry. I thought it would be interesting to explore the possibility of the two high schools combining. I mean heck, we play against Acton-Boxborough and Lincoln-Sudbury, who are in the DCL Large, and Concord-Carlise, who is in the DCL Small (still to this day I don’t get how they managed that one, but that’s another story). I figure if we have to play against two-town schools, why can’t we just combine Wayland and Weston?

We already do it in crew and girls hockey. The crew team is one of the best public school teams in the state, and the girls hockey team, although it had some struggles, is 7-5 this year, including a victory over LS.

The merger would certainly bump us up into the DCL Large, and most likely Division I in every sport, but I’m not so sure that’s a bad thing. Every single sport would get better, and we already compete with the AB’s and the LS’ of high school sports.

What we would lose is the underdog feel. We would no longer be the little guy and could no longer shrug off loses to the large opponents like they don’t matter, but I’m not so sure we’d do a lot of losing. OK, so the combination of the schools would be a difficult process, I understand, but this is just a hypothetical thought.

The glaring negative I think would be the lack of available spots for players. Teams could still only take the same number of kids, yet have another entire school of athletes to choose from. This is how and why the teams would be better, but I feel like some teams at the high school right now aren’t all about success. I’m not sure that same philosophy would be accepted in a Wayland-Weston athletic program.

So since I keep saying how good we’d be in sports, I’ll use my best example to back that up: the swim team. As you know, Wayland’s swim team, both boys and girls, have created a dynasty the last few years. However, before Wayland’s dynasty, Weston had one of their own.

In 2010, when both the Wayland boys and girls team won state titles, Weston came in second in both genders. Adding the two schools together would surely create a state title even if it was in Division I. Last year, both teams finished in the top five in both genders, proving that Wayland-Weston swimming would be an elite team in the state.

Now this a just a hypothetical idea, like I’ve said, but it’s an interesting one. I’m not saying I do or don’t want this to happen, but I think the impact it would have on our sports would be immediate and would introduce us into a whole new world of high school sports: Division I.

As always check Warrior Scores for the latest. Is spring around the corner or will the real winter please stand up?

10. The food. It’s like a ski lodge cafeteria. For a high school, that’s impressive.

9. The stairs. Yeah, they take some getting used to, but I think everyone will have damn nice legs after a few weeks. Tip: don’t break your foot, it makes the stairs the worst part of the day.

8. The Eno boards. For the teachers that can use them, they totally rock. For the teachers that can’t… At least they double as whiteboards.

7. THE THEATER! It’s amazing! It’s huge, high-tech and the seats are so comfortable. Looks like the “little” theater grew up.

6. The bathrooms. Automatic toilets, sinks… Not soap. And not towels. Actually, the paper towel dispenser is a little finicky. Still an upgrade. Locks on all the doors means I’m in heaven!

5. The armchairs in the academic center. They have desks! I could never decide if I wanted to study or just relax, but now I can do both.

4. The courtyard. Come spring, it’ll be the place to eat lunch. For now, though, I’m just trying to get through it as fast as I can.

3. The Student Learning Centers. Seriously, how many times have you had to promise a teacher you’d print your homework during lunch and turn it in ASAP? On second thought, maybe the SLCs aren’t ideal…

2. The Language Lab. Rolling chairs, a full computer at everyone’s desk and we can’t record orals (yet)?!

1. The colors. Honestly, I think they’re fun. It took a little getting used to, but the Care-Bear-vomit look is growing on me. Much better than the uniform gray and blue colors in the old school.

(Credit: Evan Barber/WSPN)

I start this week by offering my deepest regrets to the Griffin family. On my right wrist is a purple bracelet that says, “Strength – JG.” I plan to wear this bracelet during the rest of my track meets and games in which I play.

The winter season is halfway over for some, and for others it’s almost done. Here is a quick recap of how teams are doing so far.

Girls basketball is still searching for the elusive first win, but having played against them, I’m confident it’s only a matter of time before they get it.

Boys hockey made some line changes and was able to recover after a 3-0 loss to Lincoln-Sudbury with a 7-2 victory against Dracut.

Girls hockey saw their seven-game win streak come to an end against Waltham on Saturday, losing 3-1.

The boys swim team fell to Westford Academy, but the girls were able to prevail and are 8-0 this season.

There is a reason I ended with the swimming teams; I’m using it for a transition to this week’s topic – team. I can honestly say that I had not been a part of a true team until this past fall while on soccer. It was a collaborative effort from the top down that made me love every teammate. It gave me extra incentive to perform; not only was I out there for myself, but I was representing and playing for my team.

You are not a team just because you’re all on the same roster, all wear the same uniform and all have the same coach. There are plenty of things that need to be put aside, like egos, disputes or whether or not you and your teammates are friends. If all that gets worked out, it can create an unbreakable bond and help performance.

The team factor is more profoundly seen in the more grueling sports. Defining a grueling sport will probably spark its own argument, but swimming is one example. Swimming has been called a cult because of how much time they spend at the pool and how much time they spend together out of the water. But all that time spent together has created a strong team bond.

It’s like the corny part in any sports movie when the team comes together, then the music starts playing and they win a bunch of games. I think the bond created does actually contribute to success, and one thing you cannot question about the swim team is their success. However, just because teams are or aren’t successful doesn’t mean that they do or don’t get along. There is more to sports than that, but in high school sports, I think really loving your teammates can win you some games.

I hope the players who read this will do their best to become better teammates and commit to creating a team atmosphere.

As always, check Warrior Scores for the latest.  And it actually feels like winter; now all we need is snow that sticks.

(Credit: Evan Barber/WSPN)

There are many ingredients that we overlook in cooking, and I’ve noticed that many of them are vegetables.

I think we do this because we don’t always see the full flavor potential in vegetables. One vegetable that I think often gets overlooked, and happens to be one of my favorite foods, is the potato. We often see it mashed, baked, or even roasted or scalloped, but I find that people don’t always treat it in a way that will bring it to its full flavor potential.

One of the reasons I love potatoes so much is because they act like sponges and will soak up any flavor you add to them. I love mashed potatoes because they are so versatile in terms of the different ingredients, flavors and textures you can add to them.

I have a recipe for mashed potatoes that uses baby red bliss potatoes. I leave the skin on the potato to add texture and nutrition. When I’m in the mood for something a little more elegant, I make mashed potatoes with russet potatoes. I peel them and use a hand mixer to make them smooth and velvety. I also add lots of milk, butter and salt. This version of mashed potatoes is perfect for a meal that has a sauce because the potatoes will act as a bed and soak up the flavor from the sauce.

One tip I want to share with you, no matter what kind of potato dish you’re making, is to salt the potatoes before you cook them. Always add a generous handful of salt to your water if you’re boiling potatoes, or toss the potatoes with salt if you’re roasting them, etc. I usually add a pinch of salt at the end as well. If you don’t salt your potatoes before you cook them, it will be difficult to season them when they’re done cooking.

The day before Christmas Eve my mom and I were going over what kind of potato dish to serve for Christmas Eve dinner. We tossed around the usual; mashed potatoes, scalloped potatoes, etc, but we decided that we wanted to do something different. My mom told me that my aunt used to make Delmonico Potatoes. I had never had them and was ecstatic to learn that one of my favorite ingredients had even more to offer. I searched the internet and old cookbooks for a recipe because I didn’t have my Aunt’s.

The recipe is really simple, so after learning the basics I decided to make up my own. If you’ve never heard of Delmonico potatoes, it is simply parboiled diced potatoes that you combine and bake with a béchamel or white sauce and top with cheese and breadcrumbs. I’ve posted my recipe below. Please try it, and enjoy!

Delmonico Potatoes

Ingredients:
4 cups peeled and diced russet potatoes
1 stick plus 2 tablespoons butter
½ cup flour
4 cups milk
Handful of salt plus more to taste
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
¾ cup toasted plain bread crumbs
1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder (optional)
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)

Preheat oven to 425.

Add potatoes to a pot of cold water. Add salt and bring to boil. Cook for 15-20 minutes or until fork tender. Cooking time will vary depending on size of diced potatoes.

While the potatoes are cooking, melt the stick of butter over medium-low heat. Whisk in flour and cook for 3 minutes until slightly golden. Gradually whisk in milk and cook for 8-10 minutes, until thickened and creamy. Add salt to taste.

Drain the potatoes and combine with the sauce. Pour into shallow, greased baking dish. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in small pan, and add bread crumbs. Toast for several minutes and sprinkle over potatoes with the cheddar cheese. Bake in 425 degree oven for about 20 minutes or until cheese and bread crumbs are bubbly and golden brown.

(Credit: Evan Barber/WSPN)

Another week of the winter season has gone by, and even though there hasn’t been any snow, the season is almost halfway over. This week was a pretty average week for all teams, but the team that continues to steal the spotlight is the Wayland-Weston girls hockey team.

They beat LS 1-0 and Mansfield 9-0, improving their record to 5-1 overall. During their five game win streak the girls have outscored their opponents 28-3. It took two years for this team to get a win, and now they’re the hottest team in school.

The swimming teams had an impressive week; both teams beat CC, a meet that was huge for the boys squad. Senior captain Mark Crisafulli qualified for states for the first time after missing the qualification time by just seconds last year.

Boys hockey split their two games this week, beating Newton South 5-1 and losing to Bedford 3-2. The young team has found their stride, getting points in their four games before the Bedford match. Let’s hope that game was only a minor setback.

The girls and boys basketball teams only played one game this week; both teams fell to DCL Large member Westford Academy.

The first season of IBL is winding down, and with only one game left in the regular season, the standings look like this:

Green 4-0
Black 4-0
Red 3-1
White 2-2
Purple 2-2
Blue 1-3
Orange 0-4
Gray 0-4

It doesn’t look like anyone can challenge Green or Black. The star of Green, AJ Huggins, tied an IBL record with 41 points before break, but Black looks to be the team to beat. Their team chemistry from playing football together, not to mention their physical play that doesn’t get called (then again what does?), makes me think Black will win the championship, but there is still basketball left to play.

My last blog was about the importance of fans, and it seems that not a lot of people understood what I meant, so I’ll make it simple for you. The attendance and effort at the boys basketball home opener was disgraceful. Here’s a checklist for fans:

1. Go to games.
2. Actually watch the game. You can talk to people, but why would you go to a game and not watch it?
3. Cheer, and do it loudly. It’s simple; you can’t yell at school, you can’t yell at home, but at games, yelling is encouraged, so do it! If you need an example, you can look at me, Chris D’Amico, Oliver Levin, Doug Curtain or Jimmy Carmichael, just to name a few.
4. Have fun and be creative! Who knows, maybe the noise you make in the fan section could seal the deal for Wayland. I didn’t say home team because you can go to away games too.

Bottom line: fans are a part of the game, and as fans we should do our best to be the best. It is an enormous help to the team if they have a rowdy fan section, not just one that is there.

So hopefully you’re able to get out and go to some games this season. If you need a game schedule, check Warrior Scores. Don’t forget be a fan!

(Credit: Evan Barber/WSPN)

I know I haven’t written anything in a while. With the new year and the new school, I’ve decided I’m going to write something new. However, due to my lack of creativity, it takes a while for me to come up with something new.

My first few posts were hardly worth publishing, and I was on the verge of giving up hope when someone told me to simply “write about myself.” At first I was skeptical; I thought, ‘Who wants to know about me?’ but then again, who cares? This is my blog.

I decided to find something relatively topical to write about that has to do with me. One day, while Christmas shopping at the mall, I found it.

I don’t usually have much of a reason to go into the new section of the Natick mall, but that day I needed to make a trip to the Apple store. On my way, I passed Rugby. I’d never really been inside Rugby or even given it much thought as I walked by on previous occasions. But, I decided I’d look inside on this trip; I mean, it’s a Ralph Lauren brand, what’s the worst that could happen? What I found was nothing but contrivance.

I understand that I’m not the authority on all things preppy. I attend a public school, and I’ve never been to Nantucket, but I know what it means to be preppy. From a very early age, my mother, a University of Virginia graduate, instilled in my sister and me the value of dressing well and proper etiquette. In a very roundabout sort of way, she taught us to be preppy. This, in my opinion, is the only way one can become a “prep.”

One does not decide to become preppy. You can’t just buy preppy clothing because the way we dress is not a fashion statement. It’s a statement about the way we live life. We dress in a manner that’s best described as “practiced casual.” We wear what we wear because it’s effortless. Sportswear, like chinos and boat shoes, are staples of the preppy wardrobe not because they’re fashionable but because it’s just as easy to wear them to the docks as it is to wear them to the country club. Every style that is considered “preppy,” from rolled cuffs to popped collars, has some background in practicality. We are a very utilitarian people.

And that trait brings me back to my original point about Rugby. Nothing, and I mean nothing, in that store could be looked at as practical. They sell distressed jeans. No self-respecting prep would ever purchase a pair of distressed jeans. It just doesn’t make sense. Why would you pay extra to have something that looks old? We’ll buy things that are vintage, sure. But if it’s ripped, then it’s just old. Even their blue cotton blazer, the hallmark of all preppy style, is a crass, trendy imitation of what a blazer should be. Could someone wear that to a summer party without being freely judged? I think not.

In short, it takes more than rugby stripes and a collared shirt to be preppy. If you want true prep style, grow up and shop at Brooks Brothers and L.L. Bean. Until then, enjoy your spot at the kids’ table.

(Credit: Evan Barber/WSPN)

New year, new school, same blog. I hope everyone had a splendid and relaxing break, but now it’s time to get back to work.

Wayland teams enjoyed a lot of success as they closed out 2011.

The girls swim team put together their best performance of the year and beat Weston 97-89 over vacation. The boys weren’t as fortunate and they fell 87-94, but they recovered in their next meet, beating Waltham 99-76.

On Christmas Eve, the wrestlers managed to salvage a tie against Weston 33-33 thanks to a pin by senior John Monahan in the heavyweight match.

Girls basketball is still searching for its first win of the season after losing to Winthrop 57-51 in triple overtime.

The girls hockey team continued their winning ways and sit at 3-1 with an upcoming game against LS on Tuesday.

Tournaments were friendly to the Warriors over break as both the boys hockey and basketball teams were crowned champions.

Boys hockey won the Grafton tournament for the third consecutive year, beating Worcester 4-1.

Boys basketball beat Ashland 64-63 to claim their tournament championship. Although I was only able to attend the basketball game, I’ll use this to segue into my topic, the element of the game that often goes overlooked: fans.

The fan’s role

In the winter season, fans play more of a role in games than other seasons. I think it has to do with the fact that some winter sports such as basketball and hockey are indoors, which allows fans to be easily heard. It’s hard for even professionals, let alone high school athletes, to deal with the crowd’s chatter. Some deal with it better than others, but that’s not what I want to focus on.

I want to focus on what’s said by the fans. Usually it’s students who do the bantering, but we all know there are some parents as well. Anyways, most of the heckling is creative, thoughtful and for the most part, harmless. It almost creates a second game: the game on the court or ice and then the game in the stands. I’ve experienced it both ways, in the stands and in the game, the positives and the negatives.

When we went on our run in the tournament with the soccer team, and the number of fans increased, it was extra motivation every game. It was also an unbelievable feeling celebrating overtime winners with them; it felt like they were on our team too.

However, there were occasional jeers from the opposing fans during the games, but there always are. That is a part of the game, like it or not, but there is certainly a fine line of things to say and not to say, ways to act or not to act. I love sports and love cheering and heckling but just be careful of what you say.

The best thing fans can do is cheer for their team and give them the energy to perform. Being a fan is awesome, so don’t do anything dumb and be prepared to back anything you say. One last thing: if you go to a game, watch it. Don’t spend the whole time socializing in the stands. Watch the game!

I hope everyone enjoys watching and participating in the winter season. Check Warrior Scoresfor the latest scores.

Schnecken has been in the Barber family for 50 years. (Credit: Ellen Barber/WSPN)

Happy New Year! I can’t believe how quickly 2011 passed and that it’s already 2012.

Usually, I’m constantly looking ahead, planning out my weekends and thinking about assignments, but as this year came to a close, I realized I was going against my norm and was looking back more than I was looking forward.

In that spirit, I thought it fitting to write about a family recipe that has been going strong for 51 years.

Last year, for Christmas, my uncle sent my mom and her siblings an issue of Life magazine from December 8th, 1961, two typed out recipes for Schnecken, one written with a type writer and one with a computer, and a letter about the tradition.

Both the recipes look like they have been edited by the Half-Blood Prince with the amount of notes written at the bottom of each.

The magazine issue doesn’t have any breaking stories inside of it, none that would make it important enough for anyone to save. But within the last few pages, there is a recipe that my grandpa decided to bake one Christmas after my grandma had surgery, which makes the magazine important enough for a member of my mom’s family to save. Ever since then, Schnecken has been made at every Christmas in all four of my mom’s siblings’ houses.

Making the Schnecken definitely takes work, but the end product is so worth it, and the recipe makes enough so that it should last for two weeks in a normal household (but usually only one in ours). It is best served warm, so after a day, put them in the microwave for ten seconds before you eat one. I also highly suggest you eat Schnecken with milk or coffee.

Schnecken takes almost every baking skill to make: rolling, kneading, mixing and patience. The process isn’t hard, but there are lots of steps to follow. After a week of hard swim practices, the ten minutes I spent kneading were the hardest.

The recipe has been changed over the years after learning from mistakes and reworking the amount of ingredients to perfection. In the parentheses are tips we have learned over the many years of making Schnecken.

First, make the dough:

Ingredients:
2 ounces fresh yeast or 4 packages of dry yeast (If you use dry yeast include ½ a teaspoon of sugar with the dry ingredients when you dissolve it in the water.)
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup of lukewarm milk (Don’t use the milk if you use 1 cup of water to dissolve the yeast.)
7 egg yolks OR 3 whole eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon grated lemon rind
4-5 cups flour (It usually takes a little more than 5 cups of flour.)
½ cup of butter, softened

Cream fresh yeast with salt and sugar until a syrup forms, and add milk. (If dry yeast is used, dissolve it in one cup of lukewarm water and add sugar and salt.) Stir in eggs, vanilla and lemon rind. Add enough flour to make a soft dough. Work in butter. Add more flour if needed.

Knead dough on floured surface for 10 minutes or until shiny and elastic. Place in a floured bowl. Dust the top lightly with flour. Cover bowl with a towel. Place in a draft-free area to rise for 30 minutes (we’ve found it takes more than thirty minutes, usually an hour) or until dough doubles in bulk. (We put ours in the oven with the door closed).

The dough has risen enough if it does not spring back when poked in the center. Punch the dough down. Knead it briefly. Dough will keep up to four days in a covered container in the refrigerator. At first it may need punching down every hour or two, so don’t make the dough at night. Once thoroughly cold, the dough must be punched down once a day. (The dough doesn’t need refrigeration if you’re using it right away).

Schnecken

½ cup soft butter
1 ½ cups light brown sugar
1 tablespoon white corn syrup
(If you want your rolls to be more sugary, increase the ingredients to 1 cup butter, 2 cups light brown sugar and 2 tablespoons white corn syrup.)
48 pecan halves (Optional)
2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
1 cup currants
1 cup of finely ground pecans (Optional)

Cream butter with ½ cup (or one cup if your making them more sugary) of the brown sugar. Beat in corn syrup. Grease cups of two 24-muffin tins with the mixture. Place pecan halves in muffin cups (if you aren’t a fan of pecans like our family, you can skip this and not put them in) Set oven at 375 degrees Fahrenheit.

Roll dough into a long rectangle that is ¼ inch thick. Mix the remaining cup of brown sugar with the cinnamon, ground pecans and currants (again, you don’t have to use the pecans). Spread this dry mixture onto the rectangle of dough. Roll up dough tightly, pressing seam closed to make a long roll about the diameter of the muffin cups (we found it easier to cut the roll in half and then into another half making four pieces and cutting each piece into 12 slices to ensure that we don’t run out of dough). Place slices in cups and press down firmly. Cover and let rise only until dough looks puffy.

Bake for 10 minutes or until brown. Turn pans upside down on cake rack immediately to remove Schnecken from cups and allow sugar syrup to run over sides. Leave muffin tins over Schnecken for 10-15 minutes to let the syrup drip off the tins. Makes four dozen.

Enjoy!

(Credit: Carolyn Jones/WSPN)

It’s the holiday season, which means I now have an excuse to do two of my favorite things: shop and bake.

I love making and sharing holiday recipes; the only difficulty I had was deciding which recipe to share with you. I wasn’t able to choose just one, so I’m going to give you a bunch to choose from.

I tried a new recipe for sugar cookies this week because I was ready for a change. They turned out well (see the photo above) and the recipe (Chewy Sugar Cookies) is posted for you below. The cookies I usually make aren’t quite as sweet as the ones I made this week.

Don’t get me wrong, I love sweet desserts, but the recipe I usually make has a fresher taste in my opinion, and it includes a light icing that I absolutely love.

I found my old recipe, called Cut-Out Cookies, years ago…on The Food Network of course. It’s great if you feel like taking out your holiday cookie cutters to make these cookies not only delicious but festive. Just remember to give yourself enough time because they need to refrigerate before you cut them. If you end up trying both recipes, let me know which you prefer.

A third recipe I want to share with you is my great grandmother’s recipe called Peanut Butter Middies. You’ve probably seen something like them before; they’re usually a peanut butter cookie with a HERSHEY’S KISS  in the middle.

My grandmother’s recipe is slightly different, consisting of a chocolate cookie with a peanut butter filling. Don’t worry! The HERSHEY’S KISS is still there. There are many variations of this recipe because you really can’t go wrong with peanut butter and chocolate, but if you’ve never made them, or if you want to try out a new recipe for them, please try this one.

All of these recipes are great to bring to holiday parties or to share with friends and family; just remember to save a few for yourself. Enjoy!

Chewy Sugar Cookies

Cut-Out Cookies

Peanut Butter Middies

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

Ingredients:
1 ½ cup flour
½ cup unsweetened cocoa
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ cup granulated sugar
½ cup brown sugar
½ cup (1 stick) room temperature butter
1 cup peanut butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg
¾ cup confectioner’s sugar
1 bag unwrapped HERSHEY’S KISSES chocolates

Recipe:
Combine flour, cocoa and baking soda in small bowl.

In a large bowl, cream together granulated sugar, brown sugar, butter and ¼ cup peanut butter. Beat the egg in a separate bowl and add along with vanilla. Gradually add the dry ingredients until combined. Set aside.

In small bowl combine remaining ¾ cup peanut butter and confectioner’s sugar. Shape into 30 1-inch balls. Cover each ball with one tablespoon of the chocolate dough and place on ungreased cookie sheet roughly 2 inches apart. Slightly flatten cookies using the bottom of a glass and sprinkle lightly with sugar. Bake 7-9 minutes. Place one Hershey kiss on each cookie directly after they come out of the oven.

Let cookies cool and enjoy!

(Credit: Evan Barber/WSPN)

Every winter team at the high school has now had their first meet or game (except for ski team, for obvious reasons).

Let’s start with the best story of the week in Wayland sports: the Wayland-Weston girls hockey team won on Saturday, 1-0. It was their first win in two years. Freshman Katherine Goguen of Weston scored with 14 seconds left. Congratulations ladies!

This coming week is a major one for both boys and girls wrestling and swimming as they have their annual meets against Weston over the holiday vacation. Both swim teams have taken care of business so far and are sitting at 3-0, with the true test against Weston looming.

The wrestling team wrapped up their holiday tournament this weekend with a 7th place finish. Junior Kevin Kelley was champion of the 182 weight class, while seniors John Grumbach and John Monahan, junior Nick Coffin and Freshman Cole Elias all finished in fourth place in their weight classes.

The boys basketball team took down another DCL small foe on the road. This time it was Concord-Carslile, 53-42.

The girls basketball team watched a 17-point lead slip away, and they fell by one to Concord-Carslile, 39-38.

Like the girls basketball team, the boys hockey team watched a 3-0 lead evaporate, tying Ashland 3-3.

The boys and girls track teams got off to a solid start; both beat Boston Latin, and they too will battle Weston this week.

The first week of IBL is over and here is a quick look at the standings:
Black: 2-0
Green: 2-0
Red: 2-0
Blue: 1-1
Purple: 1-1
Gray: 0-2
Orange: 0-2
White: 0-2

My first impressions are that black (AKA the football team) goes hard on the glass, a key to success in IBL. Right now I would say they are the team to beat. Player of the Week is Aaron Huggins. He was a steal for Green, and, having to cover him myself, I know he has the quickest cross-over in the league. He also knows how to draw fouls in IBL, which is something I thought wasn’t possible.

Enjoy break, and good luck to all the teams this week — especially those against Weston. Check Warrior Scores to see the latest scores over break.

We have three days left in the old school. Two little things I’m going to miss are the door to the language building that always gets stuck and the water fountain in the history building that somehow shoots water out of the fountain. The new school will bring new joys, and maybe even some changes to my blog….

(Credit: Matthew Gutschenritter/WSPN)

There has been a growing movement to do away with the Electoral College, the political system the United States has used to elect its presidents for decades. While people argue that it would make the country more democratic, it would create just as many problems as it would solve.

While the popular vote is always tallied during presidential elections, it does not directly affect the outcome of the presidency due to the Electoral College system. Each state is given a certain number of electors, based off of the number of Senators and Representatives the state has.

Electors are generally elected by popular vote in each state. Those electors give their vote for the President and Vice President. Depending on the state, electors are required to vote with their party. For example, in Massachusetts, our electors are required to vote for their party’s nominees.

In the 2000 presidential election, Al Gore won the popular vote, while George W. Bush won the Electoral College and therefore the election. There was a conflict over the effectiveness of the Electoral College, and it went to the courts twice.

Recently, there has been a movement to adapt or completely do away with the Electoral College. The most vocal group is the “National Popular Vote.” This group has been attempting to change the way states have citizens vote for their electors. Under the Constitution, every state has the right to change the way electors vote. The National Popular Vote’s goal is to have “every vote count” in the presidential elections. They want to require the electors to vote with the popular vote in their state. It would essentially turn the election into a popular vote.

Those in opposition to and in support of the Electoral College have focused on the basic principle that our country is a democracy, and the people’s voice should be heard. Those that are pro-popular vote believe that the votes are not equal, and each person does not get their own voice. They assert that if the electoral college is abandoned, voter turnout will increase because their votes will directly affect who becomes president.

Khil Amar, a Yale University professor in favor of a popular vote system, explained that states would start to compete to get more people to vote. He mentioned that people might even get paid to vote.

We all recognize the importance of people’s voices being heard. The United States prides itself on the ability to fully support everyone’s opinions. Despite this, we don’t live in a direct democracy. We live in a republic, with multiple checks and balances. The federal government, state government and the people are all supposed to have an impact on the way our country is run. However, it simply isn’t feasible to have the popular vote take the place of the Electoral College.

Our country will run into huge issues if Congress attempts to eliminate the Electoral College. There is a frightening possibility of a recount in all 50 states if the margin of victory were small. The serious possibility of having a recount in more than one state would have serious implications for the United States. In the event that the President is not elected by Inauguration day, the Speaker of the House becomes the acting President.

Supporters of the popular vote argue that the Electoral College only favors “swing states.” These states often get candidates to focus on those areas. Swing states are states where there has not been a distinct trend in the party it supports. Certain states, like Nebraska, have voted for Republicans for the last 10 elections. Other states, like Florida and Pennsylvania, usually have elections decided by a narrow margin. Candidates are more willing to spend time in “swing states,” and appeal to those population’s needs because they can “swing” the election in their favor.

This phenomena of certain regions getting candidates attention won’t fade with the ending of the Electoral College. Popular vote will also encourage campaigns to be focused in areas with heavier population densities, like cities.

By attempting to change the electoral college and encourage the popular vote, candidates will simply learn to devote their time elsewhere. There would be no reason for Candidates to go to states in the middle of the country with less population. This would limit the impact of smaller, rural areas in the country.

While doing away with the Electoral College in favor of a popular vote may seem more democratic, it would actually create a whole new set problems for our countries political system.

(Credit: Evan Barber/WSPN)

The winter season is off and running. Six teams had their first game last week, but it is still early in the season. To get a feel for what this winter looks like for Warrior athletics, check out the sports section’s latest in-depth report on the upcoming winter season.

First, here’s a quick note on the games.

The boys basketball team put together a impressive opening act for the 2011-12 season with a win at Bedford, 69-45. The girls team had some off the court distractions this week and weren’t able to recover; they fell to Bedford, 59-32. The youthful boys hockey team lost to Blue Hills, 3-2, but there seems to be a bright upside to this team, and they will only get better as the season goes on. Wrestling opened up its season with a quad meet against Lexington, Holliston and Hudson, gearing up for this weekend’s holiday tournament. Both the boys and girls swim teams took care of business Friday, beating Newton South.

Now it’s time to talk about one of my favorite parts of winter: IBL.

The Intramural Basketball League (IBL) will get underway this Tuesday. The two-day combine was held last Tuesday and Thursday, and the draft was worthy of being live streamed on WSPN on Thursday night. The eight captains, me included, went into the team room and made use of the two flat screen TVs (I wish).

Anyway, the draft commenced, and I got the last pick. It wasn’t too bad, though, because I would get the last pick in one round followed by the first pick in the next, so I would always have back to back picks. I went into the draft with a single draft strategy; I wanted to have a team of friends.

I’m pleased to say that I was successful, and the draft couldn’t have gone any better. Since my counterparts were going for “wins,” my friends fell perfectly to me in every round. Now even though my “friends team” doesn’t really have a lot of basketball skill, we do have an upper hand in team chemistry because most of us played soccer together this fall.

So while other teams will be struggling to remember each others’ names, we will be playing perfect help defense, as long as we play basketball defense the same as soccer defense. I won’t trash talk too much just yet, but I think my “friends team” could be a sleeper in the league. I mean, we did have practice this weekend.

Now I will give some preseason awards voted on by me, myself and I.

Preseason All-IBL
Jerry Lerman (Green)
Jeremy Brofsky (Orange)
Mackland Steele (White)
Chris D’Amico (Red)
And finally myself (purple); yeah, I’m being that guy, but I think I belong here, and this is my blog.

Second Team
Ricky Levitt (Blue)
Brett Thomas (Black)
Oliver Levin (Green)
David Smith (Grey)
I’m going out on a limb here, but he put together a very impressive combine: George Liu (Gray)

Obviously these are subject to change because not a single game has been played, but it’ll be interesting to see if I’m at all close. After the first week of games, I’ll make my championship pick, but I need to see how teams look first. I’m a little biased right now, but Purple, my team, might actually have a chance. The league seems to be wide open this year.

By the end of the week all teams, including IBL, will have started their seasons. Check Warrior Scores for the latest scores from the winter teams.

(Credit: Carolyn Jones/WSPN)

My favorite thing about cooking is that you can make it your own. You can do this with baking too, but baking tends to be more precise because the ingredients need to work together to make a chemical reaction. With cooking you have a little more room to be creative and adjust meals to make them fit your palate.

One meal that I recreate all the time is risotto. Risotto simply means cooked rice. Arborio rice is the traditional rice used in risotto, and I find that it works perfectly. Don’t be discouraged by the fact that risotto is simply a rice dish. The arborio rice makes the final product much creamier than a typical side of rice, and its versatility makes it a complete meal.

So how is it made? Risotto is made by gradually adding liquid or broth. It should be cooked slowly and stirred constantly. Risotto can seem a bit time-consuming, but I find the process very relaxing. I also love that it gives you space to be creative. I usually make risotto with chicken broth, but you can make it with the flavors that are appealing to you. You could use vegetable broth if you’re a vegetarian, or wine if you want something more elegant. I love risotto because you can make it twice and end up with two completely different meals.

On that note, I hope you take the time to make risotto, especially if you haven’t before. It’s very simple, and will leave you with a comforting dish for the winter months. Be creative and find flavors that are appealing to you. There are endless possibilities of vegetables, meat, or seafood that can be added to create a wonderful meal. Below is one of my favorite versions of risotto. It is a good base to start with if you haven’t made it before, but feel free to branch away from this and try something new! I hope you enjoy! Let me know what you think!

Standard Risotto

Ingredients:
1 cup arborio rice
3 cups chicken broth
1/2 small onion diced
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup frozen peas (optional)

Directions:
Heat up chicken broth in small pot.
Heat a medium saucepan over medium-low heat.
Melt butter and olive oil together. Add onion and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, or until it is translucent.
Add rice and toast 1 to 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add 1 ladel full of broth to rice mixture while continuously stirring.
Continue to stir until rice has absorbed most of the liquid. Continue this process until all the liquid is absorbed and rice is tender (about 20-25 minutes.)
If you want to add frozen peas, do this now and allow them to heat up for 1 minute. Serve and enjoy!

*1 cup of uncooked rice will yield roughly 3 cups of cooked rice.

If you want to make your dish with asparagus instead of peas, omit the peas and follow the recipe for roasted asparagus below.

Roasted Asparagus

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Ingredients:
1/4-1/2 pound asparagus (depending on how much you want to make)
1-2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons salt (I like Kosher salt for this recipe, but any kind will do)
1/2 teaspoon pepper

Directions:
Toss asparagus, olive oil, salt, and pepper on a sheet pan. (If you put aluminum foil down, clean up will be a lot easier.) Roast in preheated oven for 10-15 minutes, or until it is as tender as you like.

*Measurements for this recipe do not need to be exact, and asparagus will shrink slightly in oven.

9. Watching the Pats win and debating why Ochocinco thinks eight five is the same as eighty-five.

8. Baking, cooking and eventually eating! (Best done with friends and several movies.)

7. Reading the book for English that you secretly love, and then pretending you haven’t read ahead so you can read it all over again.

6.. Taking the T into Boston to walk around Quincy Market, watching the street performers and getting one of those Boston-themed flattened pennies.

5. Doing homework in front of the TV because you have all day and you swear you can do calculus a little distracted.

4. Browsing websites like uncommongoods.com and dailygrommet.com for holiday present inspiration.

3. Walking your dog around and around the block, enjoying the amount of layers you’re wearing because the cold means that snow can’t be far off!

2. Going to the mall, if only to hang out with your friends at the Lovesac store or play with Siri at the Apple store.

1. Not changing out of your pajamas, drinking copious amounts of hot chocolate and snuggling into your favorite blanket with a new movie on your iPod.

(Credit: Evan Barber/WSPN)

The first full week of winter season has come and gone. Teams are finishing up tryouts and final rosters are being made. I think the best thing about winter sports is the variety that it offers. You can swim, ski, skate or just stick to the usual two feet approach, but that’s what makes this season unique. On top of it just being different from fall and spring, the winter sports season also offers the widest variety of playing surfaces. I’m not saying winter is the best, but it is just nice that it presents multiple playing fields.

Now personally, my preference in the winter is on two feet, and whether it was basketball or now track, I do not take advantage of the numerous options. In fact, I can barely stay up on two skates, can’t ski and I can keep afloat in water but can’t really swim. I plan to work on these skills by skiing this winter and playing in the Backyard Hockey League (BYHL) but I’m not sure I really want to give swimming a try.

Two years ago, we had a tryout series about the different aspects of winter sports. Daniel James came up with the idea, and he participated in the various sports with little previous experience in each of them. I loved filming him and laughing while he attempted to pick up the sports in one practice. To his credit, he did extremely well, if you haven’t seen them, you should check them out.

So now that I gave my opinion on winter sports, and there are no Wayland teams to talk about, I’ll move onto professional or in this case college sports.

Yup, it’s that time of year again and the BCS (Bowl Championship Season) is an absolute mess. The two top ranked teams, LSU and Alabama have already played this year. LSU won 9-6. Because of the loss, Alabama wasn’t able to play for the conference title, but LSU did and won.

I mean, I know the SEC has dominated college football, winning the last five BCS title games and what looks to be a guaranteed sixth, but should a team who doesn’t win their conference deserve to play for a national title? I go back and forth especially because #3 Oklahoma State lost to Iowa State instead of Bama’s one loss to LSU. Anyways, I think this whole thing should be a playoff, an eight team playoff.

This playoff would be very similar to how the BCS works right now. Certain conference champions would earn automatic bids and the rest of them would get at-large bids. The teams can also keep the bowl names if they would like them.

They would rotate like they do now as well. This way, the sponsors can still make the money they want, and I think the ratings for college football would go up as well. Instead of teams taking all of December off, they can have a week off  and then start the playoffs, so they could finish up around the same time. The BCS is an okay system, but imagine a March Madness in the winter. Besides, it should be decided who plays in the championship by their performance on the field and not the computers.

The winter season will be in full swing by the end of this week. Enjoy the variety, and check Warrior Scores for the latest updates!

(Credit: Evan Barber/WSPN)

I’ve been 16 for three months now, which means that, like most kids my age, I’m undergoing that lovely process known as Driver’s Ed. For those of you who don’t know (or don’t remember), this means 30 hours of classroom time, 40 hours of personal driving time, 12 hours of professional driving time, and 6 hours of observation. (As if it’s not enough for your driving to just endanger some driving instructor’s life, you have to drag another kid along.) As I’m writing this, I’ve finished my classroom time, driven 30 hours, and taken 9 lessons.

And I’ve noticed a few things about the system.

Let’s start with the classroom time. To put it quite frankly, it’s insane. There is no way you need 30 hours to go over the rules of the road. They’re actually not that hard – otherwise most people wouldn’t be carrying driver’s licenses. My teacher spent nearly ten minutes explaining stopping at a stop sign. What is there to explain? You STOP. The videos they show us aren’t too enlightening either. However educational, no video stuck in the 80’s or 90’s featuring rap with the opposite of rhythm (also known as people just talking) and general bad music about how to pass a truck will teach us how to drive. Let me put it simply-if we gouge our eyes out to save ourselves looking at these videos, we won’t become better drivers. Driver’s Ed is hurting us!

My point is that most driving seems to require common sense. Sure, they taught us how to turn left and right, but until you actually do it, you’re just wasting your time. So why teach us? Leave it to the folks in the driving lessons. That takes me to my next point – driving lessons. At least here I can understand the point – actually teaching driving makes sense. My issue here lies with the teachers.

The last one has actually led to a fun game for me. For my last four or five lessons, I’ve gotten on the highway. If my teacher is the comatose kind, I play my invented “Highway Game”. Normally, on a highway, the speed limit is 65. But in my game, I go faster and faster to see how long it will take my teacher to realize I’m speeding. Even the most brain-dead ones have caught on to my game before the cops have, as I’ve never been pulled over. What does that say about our police force?

As bad as the sleeping teachers are, they’re not as bad as the angry ones. These lovely gentlemen are ready to jump down your throats for stopping a few inches past the stop lines. Shockingly, I’m not too enlightened by their crazed, like the lunatic I was once stuck with who had me drive across the grass in a parking lot, swerve across an opposing lane of traffic, and turn into my lane, cursing the company and his job the whole way (true story.)

I say gentlemen, not to be sexist, but out of an observation. I’ve had eight different teachers, all were male, and seven were pretty old. Why is it that we’re trusting old men as driving teachers? From the looks of some of them, the hospital might be my first step. What do you even say during the lesson? My teachers seem to like to make chitchat, and somehow “remember the ‘60s?” doesn’t cut it. Of course, teaching people to drive isn’t a fun job, so I’m guessing this a dead end, last resort kind of deal. Terrific. I’m thrilled to be stuck with some cranky old man because he doesn’t have anything else to do.

Driving itself is actually pretty fun, but I’ve met very few people who enjoy the hoops they have to jump through to get a license. Looking at all the stupidity we have to put up with, I’m actually amazed there are so many drivers. Maybe that’s why they all seem like they’re in such a bad mood.

(Credit: Matthew Gutschenritter/WSPN)

The United States has always been proud of its freedom-enabling ideals and laws. Of the many rights we are given, we are entitled to freedom of speech, press and assembly. When combined for the purpose of protests, these three liberties have the ability to bring significant awareness to an issue and change our society.

Our country was created after a pretty successful protest: The American Revolution. The colonists in North America were frustrated with the unfair rulings of the British Government, and protested using both words and actions. The American Revolution is just one example of the many protests that have shaped our country. The American Labor Movement, the Women’s Rights Movement and the Civil Rights Movement are all famous protests that have affected our society. The ability of these protests to force change proves the astounding power of our freedoms.

Over the past two months, a new protest has formed and taken strength, both in the United States and around the world. This movement is known as the “Occupy Protest”.

The Occupy Protest has used the rights of speech, press and assembly to rapidly grow into a global movement. Photos of the protestors holding signs have appeared on news stations for weeks. Countless articles and reports on the movement, written both by protestors and observers, have been published both online and in newspapers. The protestors exercise their freedom of assembly by “occupying” a certain place, typically a center of economic power. They set up tents and stay at this site in protest. Many even celebrated Thanksgiving outside with their fellow protestors.

But what exactly are the Occupy Protests protesting? This question leads to confusion, as there have been a range of answers. In general, the “Occupy Protests” want to create more jobs, lower the number of foreclosures, reconstruct portions of our political system (particularly with regards to power distribution) and end the power of big banks and large corporations. They believe that 1% of our population, which “earned 17% of our nation’s income,” has too much power and control over our country.

The reasoning behind the Occupy Protests is justified. Our nation is on the wrong track: unemployment remains high and the economic situation isn’t improving to the extent we hoped. The future is unpredictable and unstable. We have centered our country on gaining power and money instead of on the ideals upon which we were founded. The United States of America was once a land of hope and opportunity, a land for new beginnings. In these respects, we are all disappointed, and hoping for improvements. Protests are a staple of our democratic values, thus, it is not surprising that the Occupy Protests resulted.

While the protestors may have legitimate goals, the movement itself is causing more problems than it is solving.

At the Occupy Protest locations, crime and health concerns have rightfully raised fears. The locations have become sites of violence and sexual assault. Homeless people are also congregating at the locations with the hopes of receiving warmth and food. Many fear that diseases will spread quickly and that safety is a major concern.

There is no clear goal or future to the movement, an important aspect of any protest. Most importantly, they lack reasonable fixes for the issues they are protesting. They have talked about adding new amendments, changing laws and altering political procedures. These actions all involve changes that are not well thought out and are not a long-term solution. The Occupy Protests lack a future direction and legitimate proposed solutions.

While they continue to simply occupy locations, they are costing us millions of dollars. It is reported that the first 2 months of the protest cost $13 million dollars in police overtime and services. Another report claims that in fact this number has exceeded $20 million dollars, including repairs to damaged land and property. This money could have gone towards creating more jobs, or preventing many more foreclosures or supporting another one of the Occupy protestors’ causes.

By merely occupying a location, the protests have little effect. They are raising awareness, but there are many problems with the protests that outweigh the advantages. They protestors need a clear goal and improved execution to bring about the change they desire.

10. #186: A female kangaroo is called a flyer.

9. #102: A one-minutes kiss burns 26 calories.

8. #26: The Hawaiian alphabet only has 12 letters.

7. #42: Frogs cannot swallow with their eyes open.

6. #84: Oysters can change genders back and forth.

5. #47: Giraffes have no vocal chords.

4. #128: Dragonflies have six legs but can’t walk.

3. #9: The average speed of a housefly is 4.5 mph.

2. #302: Ketchup was once sold as medicine.

1. #123: Beavers were once the size of bears.

(Credit: Evan Barber/WSPN)

I’m sure that after Thanksgiving, the last thing on your mind is cooking. Like my family, your fridge is probably crammed with leftover turkey and an assortment of pies. Nevertheless, I have another recipe for you to try. Fortunately for you and your refrigerator, this recipe doesn’t need to be kept cool.

Inspired by the holiday season, I decided to use a recipe from the Spread the Bread cookbook. This cookbook is a collaboration of recipes that Wayland and neighboring towns submitted. The idea of Spread the Bread is to give back, and there is no better way of thanking, welcoming or consoling a person than baking.

The recipe is called Friendship Bread. Not only do you get to enjoy a delicious baked good, but you get to pass it on as well.

You begin by mixing batter in a plastic bag and then split the original batter into three separate bags. Next, you give them to three different people to finish and then continue the chain. My mom received the starter batter from a colleague and we passed along the tradition.

The recipe continues for a span of ten days and each day you either add an ingredient to the bag, or mix the original ingredients. As kids, we would look forward to what we were going to do to the bag next. This was an amazing way for me to learn the impact you can have on a person by doing something so simple. It was the perfect way to let someone know that you were thinking about them and that you care.

I challenge you to start this tradition up with your friends, family, people you work with or anyone you care about. You simply attach the directions to a plastic bag and pass it on.

To begin, make the starter mix below and then follow the directions for the following ten days. After ten days, pass the mix along to the next people, and hope that they too will pass along the recipe.

Starter Mix:
Mix the following in a one-gallon resealable bag. Don’t use spoons or bowls for mixing. Squish to mix.
1 cup flour
1 cup sugar
1 cup milk

Day 1:
You have just made your own starter batter or have received fermented batter in a one-gallon resealable bag from a friend. Do nothing! Just place the bag on your kitchen counter. Do not refrigerate. If air gets in the bag, let it out. It is normal for the batter to thicken, bubble, and ferment.

Days 2-5:
Squeeze the bag several times each day.

Day 6:
Add:
1 cup of flour
1 cup sugar
1 cup milk

Squish to mix.

Days 7-9:
Squeeze bag several times.

Day 10:
In a large plastic bowl, combine the existing batter with 1 cup flour, 1 cup sugar and 1 cup milk. Mix with a wooden or plastic spoon.

Put 1 cup of batter in each of three one-gallon resealable bags (there should be batter remaining). Give these starters away to others with a copy of the following instructions.

Add the following ingredients and mix well together to the remaining batter in the bowl.

1 cup canola or other oil
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups flour
3 large eggs
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
½ cup of milk
½ teaspoon baking soda
2 small boxes of instant pudding (your choice of flavor)
½ teaspoon of salt
½ cup of raisins, nuts, chocolate chips, toffee bits, or coconut (optional)

In a separate bowl, mix 1 teaspoon cinnamon with 3 tablespoons sugar and sprinkle into 2 well-greased loaf pans. Next, pour in the batter.

Bake at 325 F for one hour or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Enjoy!

(Credit: Evan Barber/WSPN)

The football team took care of business on Thanksgiving, winning the Boston Post Road trophy 22-20 over Weston. The game started with skydivers delivering the game ball to midfield.

Yeah that’s right, skydivers.

It was pretty cool. When the game finally got underway, the two teams seemed evenly matched. There were some dry spells during the game, but it was dominated by big plays, including a 59-yard catch and run touchdown from junior Will Gunshenan to fellow junior Mark Bonner. This year’s team finished with a 4-7 record. Next year, there will certainly be higher expectations for a team with such young players.

With the football season at a close, the three-day offseason for all Wayland athletics began. The winter season will start on Monday, November 28th. The start of the next season gives football players little time to rest, but others can’t wait for the winter season to begin. I won’t go into too much detail about the winter season because our sports section is planning to an in-depth report on it. My blog will stay the same, don’t worry, even though the season is changing.

Since it is the offseason I’m not really sure what to talk about, so I’ll bring up the tender topic of the powder-puff game. The game flew by, and I mean flew. It was 44 minutes running time, leaving little time to allow the girls to get their feet under them and for coaches to make adjustments. We lost the game 18-6. However, despite suspect flags from Weston, we played a very solid game. And even in the cold, I had fun. It just would have been nice for my coaching debut to have resulted in a W.

My fantasy playoff push is rolling along, and I think Chris Johnson might be out of the dog house for good, but you never know. Here’s this week’s dog house.

Ray Rice and Frank Gore: Both of these backs put up season worsts in the Harbaugh bowl on Thursday night. I think they both had a little too much Thanksgiving dinner.

Ravens’ Defense: The Ravens’ D is good and made a mockery of the 49ers’ O-line all night. They finished with nine sacks and 16 fantasy points. In other words too much for a defense. Maybe the 49ers’ offense should be in the house as well.

Shane Brady’s team: Shane might have made the bonehead trade of the year. In first place, Shane decided to change it up by trading his top two scorers, Cam Newton and LeSean McCoy, as well as Ahmad Bradshaw for Mike Vick, Wes Welker and Mike Wallace. Now those are some fantasy studs being thrown around, but it left Shane without running backs. Oh yeah, his back up plan; Fred Jackson, was put on IR with a broken leg, so that backfired. Shane, you won’t be in first for long.

The winter season will start tomorrow, new season, new hopes. Warrior Scores will continue to have the latest scores for all Warrior sports. Good luck to all athletes this winter!

(Credit: Evan Barber/WSPN)

My fall sport ended and I was lost. With nothing to do with my newfound free time, I decided to become a powder-puff coach. Technically I can’t be a coach because I don’t play football, but thanks to Mike MaClean and Tyler Mordas, I was able to join.

First, I just want to say that I love it. It is so much fun. I always wanted to be a coach, and it’s fun trying to teach people the absolute basics of such a complex game. But there are certainly numerous obstacles when it comes to describing the rules and how to play.

For those who don’t know, powder-puff is an annual flag football game played between the Wayland senior girls and the Weston senior girls. It is played the day before the Turkey Day Classic. This year, the game is in Wayland. It has been quite some time since the ladies have beaten Weston, but I’m hoping that this year we’ll change that. I would go into depth on how we’re going to do that, but I wouldn’t want to give away our secrets.

Back to the obstacles of teaching people how to play football. I have found that girls are fully capable of learning how to play, it’s just getting them to that point was the tough part. I never quite thought how I learned to play a sport; I’ve just always played it and learned as I played more and grew older. So stripping something down to its absolute basics was tough at first, but I got the hang of it.

First priority on defense is to find and stop the ball. If there is someone in front of you, then get around them, simple as that. Well nothing is as simple as that, so I explained to the cornerbacks that they could have to mark their men (women) first, then get the ball.

After a few plays, it was clear that the defense had a huge advantage on the offense, who had to learn formations and play calls. The defense didn’t have to worry about flags, because we didn’t have any yet. This is where I became picky.

My next test was the teach the linebackers discipline. Luckily for me, the two outside linebackers are my recycling buddies Jess and Jess. Turns out our communication off the field translates on the field. After a few plays, they both had it down, and we moved on to signal calling.

Yup, that’s right, we call our defensive plays with signals, something I’m very proud of. Jess relays the calls from the sidelines onto the field. She has been passing her signal pop quizzes around school, so I’m confident in her ability. In fact, I’m confident in all the girls, and I think we’ll come away with a win in a defensive showdown that’ll look a lot like the Alabama-LSU game. Final score prediction: 12-6.

The Dog House:

It’s back!

Chris Johnson: I missed his one good week, but he’s still in here because he had 12 carries for 13 yards, just over a 1 yard average per carry. Sick. Chris if I could with stand 12 hits from the Atlanta Falcons defense, I think I could get more yards, just with heart. TRY DUDE!

Darren McFadden: Apparently, the get well soon card I sent to him five weeks ago didn’t work. Heal already!

The winter season starts next week, continue training (or not). Happy Thanksgiving. Good luck football, take back what it ours.