World At Large-Modest Mouse

"You don't know where and you don't know when
But you still got your words and you got your friends
Walk along to another day
Work a little harder, work another way..."

Yummy! The Scent of Baking!

Do You Smell Something Delicious?

Background

I created this blog entry for my online course in the School of Library and Information Science at Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis.

My production plan for Project 2 is to help teach basic baking skills to anyone who is willing to learn. I am targeting the audience of patrons at a public library who are old enough to use a stove and a hand mixer, and who want to learn how to bake.

Within the last 3 years I have started cooking and baking. I was not eating the healthiest and I decided that I needed to make a change. I needed to learn how to create my own meals and to know where most of the food that I was eating came from.

I am not the most graceful in the kitchen. It took some time for me to make some decent cookies and cupcakes. I thought it would be simple, just follow the recipe. However, even following the recipe I still managed to forget ingredients or substitue the wrong ingredients for things.

I think that there is a need for instructional videos like these for patrons of public libraries. Videos can be an excellent resource for those that have a difficult time reading, or those who can not read. It is also helpful for those learners who are visual. Patrons can have access to these videos, so that they can follow along and create these recipes in their own kitchens at home. I wish I would have thought about going on youtube, watching more Food Network shows, going to baking blogs, and websites when I was learning to bake. With these instructional videos, I am hoping to help patrons learn about baking and where they can find some resources.

In the following blog post, you will find a step by step tutorial of the main supplies that you will need to bake Blueberry and White Chocolate Chip Scones, and The Best Chocolate Chip Cookies Ever!


How to make Blueberry and White Chocolate Chip Scones




Here is a video tutorial of me explaining how to make Blueberry White Chocolate Scones. I must apologize that my I did not realize until I recorded this that my laptop makes a high pitched noise.

The Recipe
Blueberry and White Chocolate Chip Scones
Recipe from Bigoven.com posted by ellie36. I have altered the recipe to include white chocolate chips.

Ingredients:
 2 cups Flour
 1/4 cup Sugar
 1 tablespoon baking powder; (I use Rumford aluminum-free)
 1/4 teaspoon salt; (I used a pinch)
 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
 1 tablespoon grated orange or lemon rind; (I used orange)
 1/4 cup Butter
 3/4 cup milk; (I used 2% milk with juice of a 1/2 lemon)
 1 egg
 1 teaspoon vanilla
 1 tsp almond extract
 1 cups blueberries; (I used frozen)
 6-oz white chocolate chips

 Instructions:
 Preheat oven to 400 deg .
 Mix dry ingredients together in a large bowl. Cut the butter into the dry ingredients with a
 pastry blender, until pea size.
 Mix the wet ingredients in another bowl then add to the dry ingredients, stirring with a fork
 until all the mixture has been moistened. (I usually mix half way and then fold in the 
 blueberries so that I don't overwork the dough). Fold in the blueberries. The key is to not
 overwork the dough... just mix until it just comes together. Don't feel the need to press and
 compact the dough...it will get tough!
 Drop by large spoonfuls(I used a 1/4 cup measurement and formed them(lightly...don't
 compact) into balls....be gentle with this kind of dough) onto a parchment paper lined
 cookie sheet.
 Bake at 400 F for 18 minutes.

 Glaze
 Make a glaze by mixing in a small bowl . . .
 3/4 cup icing sugar
 1 tsp of the orange/lemon peel
 3 Tbsp milk .
 I added a tinge of almond extract as well.
 Mix and drizzle over scones while still warm. Enjoy!


Soft and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies




Here is a video tutorial of me explaining how to make Soft and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies. I apologize again that my laptop makes a high pitched noise.


The Recipe
Soft and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies
Recipe from Bigoven.com posted by sgrishka. I have altered the recipe to include white chocolate chips and milk chocolate chips instead of semi-sweet chocolate chips.

Ingredients:
 2 1/4 cups Unbleached all-purpose flour
 1/2 teaspoon Baking soda
 1 teaspoon table salt
 1 cup unsalted butter; (2-sticks) - softened but still firm
 1/2 cup Granulated sugar
 1 cup light brown sugar; - firmly packed
 2 teaspoons Pure vanilla extract
 2 large eggs; - cold, straight from the refrigerator
 6-oz milk chocolate chips
 6-oz white chocolate chips

 Instructions:
 Preheat oven to 350 degrees F with oven rack in center position. Line two baking sheets  
 with parchment paper or silicon baking pads, e.g., Silpad, if desired (*see note); set aside.
 In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda and salt; set aside.
 In bowl of standing mixer fitted with paddle attachment (or an electric mixer, or by hand),   
 beat butter at medium-high speed until creamy, about 1 minute. Add granulated and brown 
 sugars and beat until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes (or 5 to 6 minutes by hand), stopping
 to scrape down bowl as necessary.
 Reduce speed to medium-low and add in eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition 
 until well incorporated. Add vanilla and beat until incorporated. Reduce speed to lowest
 setting (or gently stir by hand); gradually add in dry ingredients, scraping down bowl as 
 necessary, and beating until just incorporated; don't overmix.
 Fold in chocolate chips. (If you find that the dough is very soft, cover and refrigerate until
 firm, about 30 minutes.)
 Using one heaping tablespoon of batter per cookie, drop cookies 2-inches apart on an
 ungreased or prepared baking sheets.
 Place one baking sheet at a time onto center rack of preheated 350 degree F oven.
 Bake until cookies are golden around the edges, still have pale tops, and are soft in the
 center, about 8 to 10 minutes. (Do not overbake! They will firm up more during cooling.) 
 Remove from oven, and let cool on baking sheet for at least two minutes before transferring
 to wire rack to cool completely.
 If you used parchment paper, remove baking sheet from oven and immediately slide
 cookies on parchment directly onto cooling racks.
 Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week. Cookies freeze
 well. Makes about 3 dozen.

Cooking/Baking Websites
These websites contain baking tips, recipes, and lots of ideas that can help you develop your skills of becoming a baker.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/chefs/100-greatest-cooking-tips-of-all-time/index.html

http://www.foodnetwork.com/topics/baking/index.html

http://www.pauladeen.com/

http://www.marthastewart.com/baking-recipes

http://www.hungry-girl.com/

Recipe Websites
This list of websites is a great way to find delicious and sometimes healthy recipes. They can help you practice your baking skills.

http://www.food.com/recipe-finder/all/ty

http://www.bigoven.com/

http://allrecipes.com/


http://www.joyofbaking.com/


http://www.verybestbaking.com/

Baking Blogs
Baking blogs are a nice way to see what other people out there are doing in the world of baking. The more you get involved with the subject, the more information you will have.

http://cakejournal.com/

http://www.wildyeastblog.com/

http://www.realbakingwithrose.com/

http://bake-bake-bake-senora.blogspot.com/

http://52cupcakes.blogspot.com/

Cookbooks
Cookbooks are the go to to learn how to bake. Most cookbooks just have recipes. If you are wanting to improve on your baking skills, consider looking for cookbooks that have cooking techniques or a list of definitions inside.

Baking with Julia: Savor the Joys of Baking with America's Best Bakers by Dorie Greenspan

Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day: The Discovery That Revolutionizes Home Baking by Jeff Hertzberg

Crazy About Cookies: 300 Scrumptious Recipes for Every Occasion & Craving by Krystina Castella

Super Scone Recipes - How to Bake Scones Like A Pro! by Judith Stone

The Complete Baking Cookbook: 350 Recipes from Cookies and Cakes to Muffins and Pies by George Geary

Magazines
Magazines are another way to see what is new in the cooking/baking field. Most magazines have excellent pictures and recipes of new things to try. One such as Cook's Illustrated is more about the cooking techniques. Don't worry, there are recipes and pictures in it as well.

http://www.cooksillustrated.com/

http://www.bonappetit.com/

http://www.foodandwine.com/

http://www.cookinglight.com/

http://modern-baking.com/

Reflection

Creating this blog was an interesting process for me. In the beginning I was going to do a webpage, because I thought that would be the best way to organize all of this information that I needed/wanted to put into this project. I thought about it, and decided that I wanted to do a blog because it seems that I always create websites. I wanted to try something a little different. I also thought maybe after this class, that I should continue with a baking/cooking blog since it is becoming a new hobby of mine. 

I have not created a video prior to this assignement. It was easier than I thought it was going to be. However, I did find it challenging. It was more time consuming than I planned. In my apartment's kitchen, I took pictures of the process of baking scones and cookies with my digital camera. I uploaded the photos to my computer. Then, I used Windows Live Movie Maker to create the videos. I uploaded the pictures and arranged them. Then I recorded myself speaking. I would click on the pictures as I would talk to create a tutorial. I was very nervous while doing this, so I have a lot of "ums" in my video. I did not write a script, so this could be a lesson learned in the future. I then posted the video to youtube and uploaded it to this blog.

I decided to create a video tutorial of pictures and audio because it would have been a long video if I recorded and edited it. On a side note, I am shy in front of the camera, and I would have had to recruit a volunteer to hold the camera for me while I mixed all of the ingredients. ;-) I felt that a video of pictures with audio would be helpful to educate and show patrons the process of creating these recipes. One of the comments that I received in my feed back would be to create the audio as a downloadable MP3 file. This is a good thought for the future, but I did not have enough time to add it to this current post.

To create the videos, I used Dell Webcam Central. I uploaded all of my photos. I was then able to click on the photos and record my narration. I then had to save the video to Windows Live Movie Maker in order to upload them to youtube. There was an issue with the recording having a load noise in the background. I think I am having microphone issues with my computer. If I had access, and time to another computer than I would have recordered other versions. This is another learning experience for the future.

Overall I have learned a lot from this project and possibly created a new hobby. I hope you are able to take something away from it as well.

Thanks!

ACLU Demands Audit Records, Says Efforts to Shut Down TUSD Mexican American Studies Program Amount to Censorship

ACLU Demands Audit Records, Says Efforts to Shut Down TUSD Mexican American Studies Program Amount to Censorship

http://tucsoncitizen.com/three-sonorans/2011/06/16/aclu-demands-audit-records-says-efforts-to-shut-down-tusd-mexican-american-studies-program-amount-to-censorship/

This article speaks about Arizona Superintendent of Public Instruction, John Huppenthal. He is saying that the Mexican American Studies Program in the Tucson Unified School District is violating a state law that went into effect on December 31, 2010. The law explains that it, “Prohibits schools from teaching subjects that promote, “the overthrow of the United States government, promote resentment toward a race or class of people, are designed primarily for pupils of a particular ethnic races.”” (A.R.S. 15-112 & Morales, 2011) The Superintendent feels that this course is violating the state law.

The ACLU (American Civil Liberties Union) wants to see the documentation from the audit that was undertaken by auditors hired by Huppenthal to look into the program. The ALU thinks that the decision to shut down the program is because of Huppentha’s personal opinions. There was another audit done by Cambium Leaning, Inc. and the National Academic Educational Partners that found no evidence that the program was breaking any laws.

Do you think that a course that teaches students about Mexican history would overthrow the US government or promote resentment toward the Mexican race?

I think that Huppenthal is trying to prevent classroom discussion, which is violating the student’s and the teacher’s right to free speech. I think it would be difficult to teach children if they aren’t allowed to discuss the history and the “why” behind how the country began.

Morales, A. (2011, June 16), Aclu demands audit records, says efforts to shut down tusd Mexican American studies program amount to censorship. Retrieved from http://tucsoncitizen.com/three-sonorans/2011/06/16/aclu-demands-audit-records-says-efforts-to-shut-down-tusd-mexican-american-studies-program-amount-to-censorship/

The Digital Divide

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/john-m-eger/economic-survival-in-the-_b_871575.html

This article called "Closing the Digital Divide" discusses how cyber 
education might be the only way to assist under educated countries. It 
also mentions how the world needs to gain the support of global 
corporations and governments in order to help educate the world all at 
once. This will eliminate the divide between countries that lack 
technology and those that do not.

My thoughts on this are that it is a great idea in practice. However, 
once other countries are educated, my concern is that the digital 
divide will never officially go away. There will be more and more new 
technologies out there as long as people keep creating them. The under 
educated countries will always lag behind because they will not be 
able to afford the new technologies. Also it takes time for these 
technologies to filter down. Therefore, I think there will always be a 
digital divide or maybe more of digital gap.

I think that global corporations and organizations should help support the cause to educate the world. This could be a very difficult task. It is one of those things where you must get everyone on the same page working for the same cause. I think it is possible if everyone has the same goal.

Do you think that corporations should be required to participate in helping close the digital divide?

Do you think that the digital divide will ever be closed?

Social Networking, Photos, and Phones

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/04/technology/04photosharing.html   A Stream of Postcards, Shot by Phone.  New York Times: June 3, 2011 by Jenna Wortham

This article is about a free mobile application that allows cellphone users to take snapshots and share them in the social networking environment. Instagram is an iPhone only application that users can put special effects over photos. They can upload the photos to their Instagram feed. It is kind of like a Twitter feed only with pictures. Others can see your pictures, “like” them, and comment on them.

Photographs are becoming a new form of communication. People can post their entire day or an entire event in photos, and others are able to see the course of the event. The author of the article, Jenna Wortham said, “People are more accustomed to constantly documenting moments and sharing throughout the day.” (Wortham, 2011)

The article also mentions Photobucket and Twitter have a partnership. This will introduce photo-sharing features. Also Flickr was one of the earliest photo sharing sites. They are working towards creating mobile applications for photo sharing.

I think it is neat how we have yet another way to communicate and open our lives up to social networking. However, think about how this affects your privacy, as well as other people who are in the photos that are being posted.

Do you use a photo sharing or photo social networking site?

How do you feel about photos of yourself being posted by others?

Internet Filters

The article, All or Nothing: Hardly the Facts, discusses the lawsuit of Sarah Bradburn et al. v. North Central Regional Library District. “The suit alleges that the library violated the plaintiffs' First Amendment rights by refusing to disable Internet filters at the request of adult patrons.”(Oliver, Pinnell-Stephens, Jones, 2011)

This article made me think about my stance on internet filtering. I am somewhat torn about filtered internet. On one hand, I am all about not filtering, because I want people to be able to have access to everything that they want, regardless if I feel it may or may not be a moral topic. I can see the other side of the argument as well when it comes to children. Children under 18 would be able to access explicit sites if filters were not involved. Since 18 is a law in order to have access to most explicit material, then I do agree with internet filters for minors. However, once again I am torn about letting everyone regardless of age have access to everything, because internet filters are not 100% accurate at filtering out just the explicit things. Since this is a law, I am inclined to follow it.

I like having the ability to unblock sites if the filter blocked a certain site that should not have been blocked, or if an adult is requesting a site to be accessible.

What do you think of internet filters? Do you think that they are a good idea and have a place within libraries?

Oliver, K., Pinnell-Stephens, J., & Jones, B. (2011). All or Nothing: Hardly the Facts. Library Journal, 136(1), 42-43. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.

Week 2 Blog: Book Challenges in Canada

The library that I work for subscribes to the Intellectual Freedom Newsletter. It is published by the ALA Intellectual Freedom Committee.

The particular issue that I was looking at this week is from the January 2011 edition. The first article was titled, "Increase Reported in Canadian Library Book Challenge." The article speaks about challenges from 2006-2009 that were reported in public libraries. An annual survey is conducted by the Canadian Library Association Advisory Committee on Intellectual Freedom.  In 2006, there were 31 challenge reports. In 2009, there were 139 challenge reports!

The article mentions that the most challenged author reported in Canadian libraries, in 2009, was Charlaine Harris. The picture book, "And Tango Makes Three" has been on the challenge list every year since 2006. I think it is interesting that a picture book has been on the challenge list for three consecutive years!

The article also mentions the reason that the number of challenged books increased was because entire series of novels were being challenged instead of single books. I think that this is a valid reason for the number of increasing challenged books over the years. One of the series that was mentioned was Cecily von Ziegesar’s “Gossip Girl,” which includes 15 titles.  

I think that 139 reported challenges is a very low number. I think that there are a lot of challenges that are not serious enough to be reported, or they are settled prior to needing to report the challenge.

ALA Intellectual Freedom Committee, Initials. (2011). Increase reported in a Canadian library book challenges. Newsletter on Intellectual Freedom, 1, 1-36.