Top Ten of July 2015

What better way to ease myself back into the world of blogging than to write a top ten post! So without further ado, here we go.

Homemade Harry Potter Marauder’s shirt anyone?

Hello, world

Wow, it feels incredibly strange to be sitting here and writing a blog post an ENTIRE year later. I’ve been very busy through the past 12 months and 2 days since my last post (which really was just another apology for the lack of posts).

I hope to keep this blog up-to-date and continue for a few more years to come. So, what to say? I better update my ABOUT section, so make sure to check that out, and hopefully I can add a few more DIYs and posts this month. Please check back later!

Sonya

A quick update

I haven’t been blogging much (at all) lately, but here’s a little collage of my latest dessert adventures!

My favourite Macaron Recipe

I’m a macaron addict.

Oh my

I’ve been insanely busy the past couple weeks! I was asked to play in the pit band (we play live music during the songs and scene changes) for my school’s musical, The Wiz! It was an incredible experience with late nights and a crap ton of practicing.

I promise I’ll be back soon.

 

 

Caramel Apples (w/ caramel wraps)

Tags

apples, caramel, caramel apples, dessert, easy, recipe, treats

Caramel apples are brilliant. I really like caramel. I really like apples. I also really like the dentists office. Whenever I walk by Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory I am engulfed by the wonderful smell of chocolate, fudge, and caramel apples! Now, mine may not be aesthetically perfect, but they sure do taste great! I’ve always wanted to make my own caramel apples, but the process of making my own caramel (or melting pre-made caramel) seemed like a lot of work. So low and behold…caramel apple wraps!       (1 apple = 10/11 slices) You’ll need:

• apple
• caramel wrap
• wooden stick (mine came with the caramel wraps)
• toppings (eg crushed M&Ms, crushed nuts, sprinkles, chocolate chips)

The process is simple enough:

1. Wash and take the stems off of the apples. Dry.
2. Take paper off of caramel and gently stretch caramel without ripping.
3. Wrap around apple completely.
4. Microwave on medium-power for 15-25 seconds until caramel is slightly softened.
5. Push (stab?!) stick into the top of the apple.
6. Roll and press around toppings on plate.
7. Cut up and eat!

 

Fried Fruit Flatbread

Tags

breakfast, easy, flatbread, food, fruit, quick, recipe

I love alliterations.

Now, I know what you’re thinking. Fried fruit? Why would you fry fruit? Well, the answer to that is: it’s delicious. 

 

The concept of this super quick dish rely on 4 ingredients which can be easily swapped.

I used sliced strawberries and pineapple, flatbread, oil, and whipped cream cheese. You could try using bananas and mangoes, but be careful of turning them to mush! Instead of a flatbread you could use a tortilla or naan bread. Whipped cream or yogourt would taste delicious on top as well!

Maybe frying isn’t the correct term for ‘frying the fruit’. But I really wanted to say Fried Fruit Flatbread.

Basically,

1) Heat up the oil and fry the flatbread for a couple minutes on each side until lightly browned.

2) Now fry your fruit on medium-high with oil until softened and some sauce has formed. 

3) Put fried fruit on flatbread.

4) Spread topping. Add any additional ingredients like cinnamon or honey.

 

You can even eat it like a taco!

 

Me? Official macaron baker?

Tags

gluten-free, macaron, treats, wedding, wedding favors, wedding favours

I bake macarons quite often, so when my sister drops by occasionally I’ll give her some fresh macarons to share with her boyfriends family. And so my sister’s boyfriends sister is getting married in July. And she’s asked me to bake macarons for her wedding favours. 150 of them. Hello, I’m only 16! I’ve never baked more than 25 at a time! I’m excited though.

    I have a question and if anyone knows the answer to it, I’d love to know so leave a comment down below! Is it ‘macarons’ or ‘macaroons’? I say ‘macarons’ (as you know) but I see ‘macaroons’ EVERYWHERE and now I’m starting to confuse myself. Macaroons are the coconut treats, are they not?

 

PS: I have a new macaron recipe that I’ll be sharing soon!

BOOK REVIEW “Stolen: A Letter to my Captor by Lucy Christopher”

Tags

book, lucy christopher, review, stolen

I am not a romance girl. No I am not. But this book, well it’s different. And I can’t stop thinking about it. If you’re looking for a fresh, YA read, than I recommend Stolen whole-heartedly. It was terrifying and captivating all at the same time.

Lucy Christopher did a fantastic job in writing Stolen. The storyline was fascinating and it’s characters (although there are only two..) are well-rounded. This may be one of my favourite books that I’ve read so far. Now, this book isn’t for everyone. It’s an unconventional and twisted love story.

[spoilers]

    Stolen by Lucy Christopher is written as a letter from the captive Gemma to the captor Ty. We discover Gemma’s conflicting emotions and true feelings towards Ty. Gemma is a 16 year old girl with work addict parents and a feeling of disbelonging. She is kidnapped from an airport in Bangkok, drugged and taken to a desert in Western Australia. Ty, her kidnapper is a handsome and beautiful twenty-something male with a dark past. He has been watching Gemma, stalking, if you will, for six years. He has taken his chance to take her and keep her close with him in the middle-of-nowhere-desert. He has built a house, hoarded food, and prepared for Gemma’s new life with him. At first, Gemma detests him, and tries to run away multiple times, only to be lost and ‘rescued’ by Ty. Just as Gemma has started to fall for Ty, she is bitten by a poisonous snake and taken to a hospital. He turns himself in, and Gemma is “safe”. She deals with the aftermath with confusion and a longing for Ty as she writes this letter from beginning to end.

I had seen reviews about Stolen before I actually read it. The majority of them said something along the lines of “I felt bad for Ty”. My first thought was “No, that’s crazy. You can’t feel sympathy for a psychotic kidnapper/stalker.” But in the end, I felt sympathy for him. I really did.

I have so many different emotions about this book. Ty did KIDNAP Gemma. That should never be considered okay. But as he slowly gained Gemma’s trust, I started to trust him more and more. I am confused and conflicted.

Overall, I do give this book 5 stars. I really enjoyed it from beginning to end. I could strangely relate to Gemma and Ty, although I have never been kidnapped…or kidnapped anyone. I recommend Stolen by Lucy Christopher, although I don’t kidnapping is a very serious matter and should NEVER be taken as a joke.

 

 

Top Ten of March 2014

Tags

bands, Ellen Page, favourites, Jared Padalecki, Jensen Ackles, lush, Misha Collins, Netflix, supernatural, tv

It’s been waaay too long since I’ve done a Top Ten post! Looking back on previous posts, I’ve never realized how much I’ve changed in the past year. Well, hello puberty! Although the physical part of puberty sadly hasn’t done much for me. Why am I talking about puberty now?

So here goes, my Top Ten of March 2014.

1) Supernatural!  I was sick/spring break for 3 of those weeks, so when you’re in bed with nothing else to do…well, Netflix comes to the rescue! Supernatural is a fantastic show with wonderful characters and a well-written plot. Plus: Jensen Ackles, Jared Padalecki and Misha Collins? Yes please.

2) Buzzfeed! It’s a really great and addicting site with a lot of entertaining aspects. I love doing the quizzes and reading all the lists.

3) Tumblr!  I have a lot of friends who go on tumblr, so in January I decided to start. . It’s a great platform for connecting with people around the world who are interested in the same things as you!

4)  Bastille! They’re a wonderful indie-rock-pop band that has really great vocals and instrumentation. Their acoustic versions are amazing!

5) Watercolours! I’ve recently become super addicted to painting with water colours. I am, by no means an artist. I’m a beginner! I just love how the colours blend together. 

6) Ellen Page! I’ve always loved Ellen Page. Besides being freaking gorgeous, she’s an amazing actress and role model. I hold a lot of respect for her since she came out. (Post about “coming out” to follow)

Source

7) Slow-mo videos! These are pretty great. My friends and I love doing random things and filming it in slow motion. You are guaranteed a laugh!

8) The Killers! Great band. Amazing albums. Enough said.

9) Bates Motel! A prequel TV series to Psycho. Really interesting and intense. The second season started in the beginning of March, so you still have time to catch up!

10) Lush! This beauty/cosmetic store is pretty much the only one that I shop at on a regular basis. I rarely wear makeup, but most of Lush’s products are geared towards skin care, with natural ingredients. (Favourite product post to follow!)