Tuesday, November 26, 2013

Holiday Recipes

Holiday Recipes 
by Morgan Lawson

Turkey: Preheat the oven to 325 degrees fahrenheit. Pull the peck and giblets out of the cavity. Save the giblets (but not the liver) for gravy. Dry the turkey with paper towels, then add salt and pepper to the outside. Stuff the turkey with things like chopped onions, carrots, apples, and herbs. Place the turkey breast side up in a roasting pan. Brush the turkey with melted butter. Cover with foil and roast for two hours. (for 10-12 pound turkeys, add 15 minutes per pound.) After it’s done, remove the foil, and baste it with more melted butter. (and herbs if you’d like.) Turn the oven up to 435 degrees and roast for another hour until the meat registers of 165 degrees.

Rolls:  Stir one tablespoon active-dry yeast, and ½ cup warm water into a mixing bowl, and let sit until dissolved. In a separate bowl, whisk together ½ cup milk, 1 large egg, 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, 2 tablespoons sugar, and 1 teaspoon salt into a large mixing bowl. Add 3 cups flour and stir until it forms a shaggy dough. Knead the dough at a low speed, or by hand against the counter for 8-10 minutes, until smooth but slightly tacky. It should spring back when poked. Cover the mixing bowl and let the dough rise until it’s doubled in bulk in a warm spot. Dust your work surface with a little flour and turn the risen dough out on top. Divide the dough into 12 pieces. To shape into rolls, tuck the edges underneath to form a plump little package, then roll the dough against the counter or between your palms until round.  Line a 9x13 pan with parchment and spray with nonstick coating. Arrange the rolls inside the pan spaced a little apart. Let the rolls rise until they look pillowy and fill the pan roughly 30-40 minutes. While the rolls are rising, pre-heat the oven to 375°F. Melt 1 tablespoon butter and brush it over the risen dinner rolls. This helps the tops to brown and keeps the crust soft.  Bake 15-18 minutes. Lift the rolls from the pan using the parchment and let the rolls cool on a wire rack until cool enough to handle. They are best if eaten within a day or two, but will keep in an airtight container on the counter for up to a week. Rolls can also be frozen for up to 3 months and reheated in a warm oven.

Macaroni and Cheese: Boil 8 ounces of macaroni shells until tender. Drain. Add ¼ cup butter, ½ teaspoon salt, black pepper, 2 cups milk, and two cups shredded cheddar (or melting cheese like velveeta.) Mix until cheese is melted and stirred in.

Mashed Potatoes: Warm 1 cup heavy cream with 4 tablespoons butter in a small saucepan over medium heat until the butter melts, and set it aside. Put the 3 large potatoes in a medium saucepan with cold water. Boil them and add one teaspoon of salt. Reduce the heat to a simmer for 15-20 minutes. Potatoes should be very tender. Drain. Either use a food processor, or a potato masher to mash the potatoes.  Stir the warm cream and butter mixture into the potatoes until the cream is absorbed and the potatoes are smooth. Season with salt, pepper, and ¼ cup olive oil.

Broccoli: Buy a pre-packaged bag of broccoli and boil about ten minutes until tender, then add salt and pepper.

Pumpkin Pie: Mix ¾ cups sugar, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon ground ginger, and ¼ teaspoon ground cloves in a small bowl. Beat 2 large eggs into a large bowl. Stir in 1 can pure pumpkin and the sugar-spice mixture. Stir in evaporated milk. Pour into an unbaked 9 inch pie shell. Bake in a preheated oven at 425 degrees for fifteen minutes. Reduce temperature to 350 degrees and bake for 40-50 minutes. Let cool. Refrigerate for two hours and add whipped cream to serve.

Glazed Ham: Preheat oven to 275 degrees and put the ham in a pan, then pour four cups of water until it’s about an inch high. Cover with a tight-fitting lid. Bake for 6-8 hours. Take it out of the oven, adn drain the drippings (to keep.) Debone the ham, removing excess fat, and put it back in the pan. Skim the fat from the drippings, and throw it away. In a small bowl, mix one cup of the drippings with ½ cup brown sugar, ½ cup honey, 2 tablespoons liquid smoke flavoring, 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce, and 1 pinch ground cloves. Pour it on the ham and bake for 30-40 minutes.  Let it cool about ten minutes before serving.

Deviled Eggs: Hard boil a dozen eggs. Crack and peel the shells off and discard the shells. Slice each egg in half lengthwise. Remove the yolk halves and place in a mixing bowl. Arrange the white halves on a serving platter. Mash up the yolks, add 2 teaspoons dijon mustard, ⅓ cup mayonnaise, 1 tablespoon minced onion,  1/4 teaspoon tabasco, salt, and pepper. Spoon the yolk mixture into the white halves. Dust lightly with paprika.

Egg Noodles: In a large bowl, stir 2 ½ cups flour, 1 pinch salt, and add a beaten egg, ½ cup milk, and 1 tablespoon butter. Knead dough about five minutes, then let it rest in a covered bowl for ten minutes. Flour a surface, then roll out dough to about ¼ inch thickness, and cut into strips. Let them air dry. Cook in a pot with boiling water and salt until tender.

Eclair Cake: Blend  2 instant pudding mixes in a medium bowl along with 1 container whipped topping, and 3 cups milk. Arrange a layer of graham cracker squares into a baking pan. Spread half the pudding mixture on the graham crackers. Add another layer of graham crackers, then add the other half of the pudding mixture. Spread prepared chocolate frosting over the whole cake to the edge of the pan. Cover and chill 4 hours before serving.

Justine Christian’s Christmas Sugar Cookies: Take regular sugar cookie batter, divide into two sections, and add red or green food coloring to one side. Roll them out on top of each other and swirl them together. Cut into ½ inch pieces. Bake on whatever temperature the recipe for the sugar cookies says for the amount of time specified. Decorate as you like.

Justine Christian’s Hot Chocolate: Take your choice of hot chocolate mix, and add vanilla almond milk, and then put a few chocolate chips in. Put a candy cane on the side of the cup, hanging inside. Microwave for about two minutes.

* Most vegetables including corn, green beans, peas, broccoli, and carrots only require opening a can and cooking on a stove-top oven on medium heat for 7-10 minutes, possibly adding butter, salt, pepper, and desired seasonings.

Thanksgiving Crafts: 5 or Less Easy Steps

Thanksgiving Crafts: 5 or Less Easy Steps
by Whitney Smither
String of Leaves
Supplies needed:
- Construction paper (orange, red, yellow, brown, or other earth tones)
- Crayons or Markers
- Scissors
-Glue, Tape, or Staples
- Long piece of green or brown yarn of string
Steps:
1) Draw a leaf on a piece of construction paper. Make sure to draw a thick stem in the top. If necessary, use a leaf template.
2) Cut out the leaf. Draw the leaf veins if you wish.
3) Fold the leaves stem in half.
4) Attach the leaf to a long string using tape, glue, or staples. Make more leaves and attach them to the string.
5) Hang the string of leaves across the room for a wonderful Thanksgiving decoration.

Magic Leaf Drawing
Supplies needed: Real leaf, piece of paper, and crayon(s)

Steps:
1) Find a leaf.
2) Put the leaf on a flat surface.
3) Cover the leaf with a piece of paper.
4) Crayon on the paper over the leaf.
5) Magically, a leaf will appear.

Photo Napkin Rings
Supplies needed: Digital images of old photos, scissors, glue, scrapbook paper, tape

Steps:
1) Gather digital images or scan old photos. Print each photo and trim into a square, then glue it to scrapbook paper and trim the paper to leave a ¼- inch border on all sides.

2) Cut a paper strip, fold it into four equal parts to make a squared off ring, insert a rolled napkin and tape the ring ends together. Use tape to attach the mounted photo to the ring.

Friday, November 22, 2013

Robotics Club


Robotics Club will be meeting on Thursdays at 2:40 p.m. in Room D101. It’s a deathbot, enough said.

Upcoming Blood Drive

  The Indiana Blood Center is coming to MHS on December 5 from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. If you aren’t afraid of needles and like helping people in need, you should participate! You have to be 16 years old or older and weigh at least 110 pounds. There is a permission form that has to be filled out and returned to Mrs. Goddard before 7:30 a.m. on Wednesday, December 4.
  The forms are with Mrs. Goddard in the Library.

Candy Grams

Candy Grams are back! You can buy Candy Cane Candy Grams during your lunch period. The prices are, one for a dollar or eight for five dollars.
  They will be on sale from December 3 to December 13.

Thursday, November 21, 2013

Yearbook Sale

  The Yearbook staff are having a sale on the 2013-2014 yearbook. They are 45 dollars until the last day of November. On December 1 the price will go up to 55 dollars.
  To order a yearbook, you have to go online to www.yearbookordercenter.com and put the order number in. Mooresville High School’s yearbook order number is 40256.
  Order your yearbook today!

Monday, November 18, 2013

Donut Dash Update

The top five teachers in the Holiday Donut Dash have been released!
  • Mrs. Gobel
  • Mr. Burgess
  • Mrs. Eickhoff
  • Mr. Allen
  • Mr. DiLisio
  There is still time to donate. Bring your extra change and give it to your first period teacher. Remember, the class with the most money on November 22 will win donuts for their class.

Friday, November 8, 2013

Donut Dash: NHS Fundraiser

  The National Honor Society is conducting a fundraiser for St. Jude to raise money to buy Christmas presents for kids in the hospital. The NHS is also “adopting” a family in Mooresville to buy Christmas presents for them.
  The fundraiser will continue until November 22. Bring in your extra change to your first period teacher. The class with the most money at the end of November 22 will win donuts for their class.

  There will be a list of the top classes posted next week on the Pulse website.

Wednesday, November 6, 2013

CONSTRUCTION UPDATE

Photos by Morgan Lawson and Baron Medsker

Big changes are happening at MHS. Check out the Pulse's photos of recent construction endeavors. 























































































Monday, November 4, 2013

PSAT Day

 




  Photos by Morgan Lawson
Wednesday, October 30, 2013, Mooresville High School sophomores took the PSAT’s, and upperclassmen took  a college/career day. The remaining students watched the movie Radio, and got a small treat of popcorn and water for good behavior. Afterwards, they were split into two groups and played games until A lunch.

Ghost Stories

Everyone has a story to tell, but not everyone has a ghost, or scary, story to tell.
During the month of October, the Pulse team conducted a survey and gave students and staff the opportunity to publish their own ghost or scary stories. The following students and staff had their stories chosen by the Pulse team to publish:

  • Shane Hart
  • Nickolas Young
  • Amy Taylor
  • Cassy Clark
  • Karena Noragon
  • Casey Deverage
  • Mrs. Diane Evans
  • Mrs. Dawn Staggs

    I was sitting shotgun in the car with my mom when I was 7 or 8, and as we drove past a cemetery I saw kids playing baseball in the cemetery. I asked my mom why kids were playing in the cemetery, and she said there wasn't anyone there. I told her what I saw. She thought it was really weird, because that was the children's section of the cemetery.
    by Shane Hart

    Halloween was always a fun holiday to spend with my father. It has been about 6 years since I have been able to be with my father, but whenever I walk around with my brother I feel that my dad is always there with me as we would go trick-or-treating. Last year was the first year that I actually took my little brother trick-or-treating alone. As we were walking I would feel a hand on my shoulder but there  was nothing there. I recognized that hand as my father’s. He was walking with me and my brother. That is my true story about my Halloween walks around the town with my brother.

    by Nickolas Young

    My grandma has had a ghost team come out and set up cameras and microphones to capture footage and voice recordings of her house. She kept a cd full of the footage. All of the noises, videos, and voices in her house were on that cd. Her house caught on fire a few years ago during the ice storm. After the firemen left, we went upstairs to make sure everything was alright. There was a voice we kept hearing. It said, "I’m right here. I’m not burnt". We followed the noise. It was a toy. The toy had no batteries and wouldn’t say anything when we were holding it. When we put batteries in it, it said something else.
    by Amy Taylor

    I almost died in Jamaica. My church group was downtown in Jamaica eating some ice cream. A drunk man with a machete and knife was chasing after me and my mission trip group because he said, “white people were stupid and shouldn't be allowed in his country”. My pastor stepped in between the man and all of us and a worker at the ice cream shop kept telling the man to leave. Our van ironically would not start right away and he followed us to the van. But eventually it started and we got away.
    by Cassy Clark

    My great-grandma actually passed away during an exorcism which was performed on her. I've never gotten over the fact that the last time I saw her, she wasn't really the sweet grandmother I knew when I was little..
    by Karena Noragon

    I was walking one night in the woods. I heard trees and leaves breaking. I stopped and it kept going. I looked around and didn't see anything. I remembered somebody had been killed in those woods. I looked around. I saw nothing. I turned my flashlight on and still didn't see anything. Then I heard a girl scream. I looked everywhere and still saw nothing! I started walking again and I heard another scream, but this time it was closer than before. Then I saw it. A transparent figure running through the woods. After that, I bolted towards home. I never went back to those woods.
    by Casey Deverage

      The first home we bought was modest, a bit run down, and in the country.  We loved the back porch and its view, though, so we decided to renovate.  Besides, the price was unbelievably cheap!
      All progressed well with the remodeling and we soon settled into a comfortable rhythm of life.  One day I remarked about a recurring weird dream I was having about the kitchen cupboards opening and slamming shut.  Not that I saw it happen, just heard it.
     "No way!" my husband exclaimed.  
      He said he was hearing the cupboards slamming shut but didn't want to say anything because it was kind of nuts.  Now, if I was not dreaming about them but actually hearing them as I was coming out of sleep, we were both hearing something impossible.  We wondered about this phenomenon but could never catch it happening.  We became accustomed to the sound and began sleeping through it, or it stopped.....until we acquired pets.
     Our daughter is an animal lover and our early pets included a cat and dog.  We noticed they always avoided one corner of the dining room but never paid much attention to it.  It was also about this time that our daughter started complaining about bad feelings in the hallway.  
      Things came to a head one November evening, during a storm, of course.  The wind was howling and a tree's branches were slapping the side of the house.  I jumped out of bed to yell at the dog when she started barking, worried she would wake my daughter.  As I ran out the bedroom I stepped on the floor board that always creaked when weight is put on it, just adding to my irritation.  I arrived in the dining room and the dog was running back and forth across the avoided corner, barking and baying.  The cat was there, too, back arched and hissing at thin air.  At that moment I was wishing my husband was home to witness this experience, but he was working the late shift.  I did finally calm the pets and settled myself in bed.
      Sleep was slow to come and when it did it was short lasted.  I woke to two sounds: the dog's low growling and the floor board squeaking and creaking just at the bedroom's door.  I first thought my husband was joking around but realized the dog would never growl at him.  I went from laying down to standing next to the bed in one move, heart pounding loud enough to be heard in the next county, surely.  The moonlight let my unblinking eyes see there was noone there to continue the discordant floorboard tune!
      "Stop it!" I yelled.
      "I dont' have time for this!"
      I jumped back in bed, grabbed the dog tight, and pulled the covers over my head.  The squeaking stopped, never to be heard again while we lived there.
    by Mrs. Diane Evans

    When my children were in about 2nd and 3rd grade (1994 or 95). We were coming home from Martinsville on the back roads. It was very warm about 79 or 80. We didn't have air conditioning, so we had the windows down. We were almost to Brooklyn by the graveyard we heard a voice say, "lock your doors". My husband (at the time) and I looked at each other and, without saying a word, both rolled up our windows and locked the doors. Soon after, a cold breeze came through the car. Both the children said they felt cold. When we got home I asked if he had heard anything and he said yes. That winter we noticed foot prints across our porch. We have seen things and had strange things happen in and around our house. We have moved twice since then and strange things are still happening.
    by Mrs. Dawn Staggs