math is always better with food

Becca, here.

Lately I've had the opportunity to do some practice teaching for school in a first grade classroom.  It only lasted 3 weeks, but there is one thing I've learned: kids understand fractions in terms of food.

One half a pizza.  One-fourth of a cookie.  One-third of a pie. It's enough to make any one hungry, especially if math is before lunch.

Today was our last day in the classroom, so it was time to whip out some food fun.

I recently bought a cupcake pan from Wal-Mart that was on sale for $4! Steal! The molds are set for one 'bottom' and one 'top' of a muffin/cupcake.  I can't wait to play around different kids to make!
Today's are simple.  White cake mix dyed different colors. I'm all out of red dye... 

Each kid got a half of a cupcake and had to find their other half.  Once they partnered up, they got a little icing to seal the deal.  They loved it!

Note to self: Always use food in future math lessons. Or Science, English, History...

cake for you. cake for me.

Ally, here.

The 4th of July just passed. This is a holiday that requires overindulging in copious amounts of food. Preferably meat, cooked outside on the grill. And dessert. Lot's of red, white, and blue dessert. And what's more American than cheesecake?


Okay, there are a ton of more American desserts, but I really wanted to make cheesecake. Unfortunately, I don't have a springform pan. So I decided to make mini cheesecakes in a muffin pan. It took a little bit of creativity, as I was working with a recipe for the real deal. But it worked wonderfully! And I topped them with raspberries, strawberries, and blueberries to make them a bit more patriotic.

Here's what you need:

crust:
-15 crushed graham crackers
-1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
-9 tablespoons butter, melted

filling:
-2 1/2 pounds cream cheese, room temperature
-1 1/2 cups sugar
-5 whole eggs
-2 egg yolks
-1/4 cup sour cream
-1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla


Here's what to do:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2. Line 24 muffin cups with paper liners.

3. Combine crushed graham crackers, sugar, and melted butter.

4. Use a little more than one spoonful of crust in each muffin cup. Press into cup until it forms a thick crust, filling the bottom of the cup.

5. Bake for 6 minutes and cool.

6. Raise oven temperature to 450 degrees F.

7. Mix the cream cheese and sugar with an electric mixer until well-blended. Mix in the eggs, sour cream, and vanilla until creamy. I recommend putting the mixture in a cup with a spout for easy pouring.

8. Pour evenly into muffin cups, filling almost to the top.

9. Bake for 7 minutes. Lower oven temperature to 225 degrees and bake for 35-40 minutes, or until the cakes appear to be set in the middle.

10. Open the oven door and let the cakes sit for 20 minutes. Remove cupcakes from oven and let them sit at room temperature until cooled. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

11. Top with assorted fruits.


It sounds kind of complicated, but trust me, it's worth the time spent changing oven temperatures and moving the cupcakes from place to place. Plus, with individual sized portions, this is the perfect dessert for parties. You're going to love it.