Baking (Post #5)

        My favorite hobby of all time has to be baking.  I love hunting for new recipes and testing to see if they are worth keeping.  The process of baking is calming to me.  I love picking my recipe, gathering the necessary ingredients and equipment, and following each step.  While the act of baking is my favorite part of the hobby, sharing the treats I have made with friends and family is a close second.  Nothing beats the shared joy of delivering something special you know will make people smile.  One of my favorite things to bake is cookies, especially chocolate chip cookies.  I could not even count the number of times I have made them!  Sometimes, to shake things up, I like to change aspects of the recipe like adding dried fruit, nuts, or different extracts.

        Most recently I baked a cake for my mother's birthday.  I wanted to make something special for her so I baked a two-layer cake and decorated it with orange buttercream, toasted coconut, and sliced strawberries.  However, not all bakes need to be complicated.  If you are new to baking the most important thing is to have fun and relax.  I included a picture of the finished cake I made for my mother below.  What do you think?  What is your favorite thing to bake or baked good to eat?



Vocabulary:

1.  Hunt (verb)- To search determinedly for someone or something.
2.  Recipe (noun)- A set of instructions for preparing a particular dish, including a list of the ingredients required.
3.  Necessary (adjective)- Something that is needed or essential.
4.  Special (adjective)- Something that is better, greater, or otherwise different from what is usual.
5.  Equipment (noun)- The necessary items for a particular purpose.
6.  Extract (noun)- A solution containing a concentrated form of a certain ingredient.
7.  Complicated (adjective)- Something involving many different and confusing aspects.

Vocabulary Exercise: Complete the crossword puzzle below by filling in the correct vocabulary word for each clue.  You may need to fill in the blank using one of the vocabulary words or match the vocabulary word to its definition.




Grammar Point: Adjectives

Adjectives are a great way to create a clear picture for your readers.  Alternatively, as a reader, adjectives can aid in understanding the authors' point of view, the mood of the scene, or the big picture.  Adjectives inform us of the color, size, shape, material, quantity, of a person, place, or thing as well as many other qualities.  Without adjectives, writing can seem boring and bland.  However, it is important not to overuse adjectives.  For example, the sentence "the man slowly walked into the grey room, with its drab, tattered furniture his wife had previously purchased from an estate sale in the Berkshires for a great discount, turned and walked back out to the equally grey kitchen." has too many adjectives and the point of the sentence is confusing because of it.

Grammar Excercise:  Re-write each sentence on the line next to it adding an adjective to create a more descriptive version.  Think about how adding an adjective changes the original sentence.

1.  Polly sat on the couch.                    _______________________
2.  Jim ate his sandwich.                      _______________________
3.  She missed the bus.                         _______________________
4.  I like cheese.                                   _______________________
5.  We need groceries.                          _______________________
6.  Our neighbors are here.                  _______________________
7.  They have a dog.                            _______________________

Link to Additional Resources:


Comments

  1. Teacher: JackieApril 21, 2021 at 5:55 PM

    The cake looks great and tasted delicious, I bet. I also find baking relaxing, and o love to bring my cakes and cookies into work or to a friend's house to share with everybody. I sometimes use King Arthur's flour too.

    ReplyDelete

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