January 30, 2024

Winter Issue #5

Hello,

Whew. The 49ers did it and now we have two more weeks of frantic football excitement. The buzz from Sunday's victory could be felt in every corner of the school today. All the students know something big is about to happen. Whatever the outcome of the game, these next two weeks are going to be really fun.

I'm feeling exceptionally proud of this week's flyer. My book recommendation is an oldie but one of my favorites of all time. In a world were peer pressure is such an issue for our young adults, it's refreshing to read a story that challenges it and values humanity above all else. If you are a parent worried about what your children will experience and what decisions they will make in life, give them the gift of Wringer and see them fall in love with Nipper, and watch as their humanity unfolds.

The Inquiry Quest is a culinary delight for the whole family. This simple process will take you through the steps for making fresh ricotta cheese. Fun, tasty fun. I've made cheese a few times in the past and it is an awesome experience to watch the different milk parts separate and the solid cheese emerge. Your kids will love it.

Aside from these two epic learning activities the rest of the flyer is stacked with super positive fun. have a glorious week.

Peace,

Mr. McManus

If you know anybody who you think would benefit from the weekly learning activities in this flyer, please share it with them and encourage all your friends to join The McManus Files mailing list by following the links on this page.

Book of the Week

Wringer

by Jerry Spinelli

To purchase a copy of this book recommendation simply click on the cover image and you will be directed to Amazon.com. If you use this link to purchase a book, I'll get a small commission at no extra cost to you which allows me to keep this flyer going.

Make Your Own Ricotta Cheese

Dabble in kitchen science while making this yummy cheese

How Is Ricotta Cheese Made?

While ricotta is a very simple, fresh, curd-based dairy product, the explanation of how it is made can be confusing. Below is a description of the process used in this lesson compared with the traditional, more authentic process used to originally make ricotta.

Simple Method

Ricotta is a fresh cheese that can be made in a home kitchen or classroom by simply curdling and straining milk. Milk curds can be formed by heating and reducing the pH of milk. Common acidic ingredients used to lower the pH include vinegar, lemon juice or buttermilk. When prepared using this method, the ricotta is made primarily from the casein proteins present in milk and the liquid whey is drained off.

Traditional Ricotta

Authentic ricotta was actually produced from the leftover liquid whey that resulted from the production of aged cheese. The word ricotta literally means “re-cooked” in Italian because it undergoes a second process using the byproduct of cheese making. A traditional Italian ricotta therefore contains very little casein and is instead made by coagulating leftover liquid whey proteins. The process involves lowering the pH through fermentation or the addition of acid and then heating at a high temperature until the remaining proteins coagulate (solidify).

Modern Commercial Production of Ricotta

A look at the food labels of today’s commercially produced ricotta sometimes reveals a combination of both fluid milk and added whey.

Why Eat It?

Ricotta cheese is a versatile, delicious and nutrient dense food. A small ¼ cup serving of ricotta provides six grams of high quality protein and is also a good source of bone-strengthening calcium. Ricotta also contributes a variety of additional nutrients, including vitamin A, B vitamins, phosphorus, zinc and selenium.

With its mild flavor and soft consistency, ricotta works well in a variety of dishes. Ricotta is used in dips, spreads, pasta dishes, desserts and as a topping for a variety of foods, ranging from eggs to salads to pizza.

History of Ricotta Cheese

There are references to ricotta in art, literature and medicine dating back to the early thirteenth century. Food historians believe that ricotta cheese is an ancient food that originated in the Italian island province of Sicily and was likely first produced from sheep’s milk rather than cow’s milk. Herds of sheep were more common and accessible to the peasants. It is thought that ricotta began with the peasant class who was concerned about wasting the considerable liquid that drained off when aged cheese was produced.

To avoid wasting the liquid whey resulting from cheese making, the technique of fermentation and heating was used to make a second or “re-cooked” cheese.

Ingredients

2 cups whole milk*

2 tablespoons distilled white vinegar

¼ teaspoon salt

*Do not use ultra pasteurized or UHT milk in this recipe. The high heat treatment used in UHT milk processing effects curd formationsometimes curds do not form.

Equipment Needed

• Equipment
• Microwave oven
• Large colander
• Large bowl (colander should fit completely over the bowl to promote draining)
• 2 food-safe paper towel sheets
• Measuring cups and spoons
• Slotted spoon with small slots
• 1 quart or larger clear microwave-safe bowl
• Pot holders

INSTRUCTIONS

Food Safety:

• Thoroughly clean table or preparation area with soap and warm water before starting this project.

• Thoroughly wash your hands with soap and warm water immediately prior to beginning the food preparation.

• All ingredients should be kept chilled up until the time of preparation and again chilled after the project is complete.

1. Place the colander over the mixing bowl and make sure there is room for liquid to drain into the bowl.

2. Place 2 paper towel sheets inside the colander.

3. Combine milk, salt, vinegar in microwave-safe bowl.

4. Microwave on high power until milk is lightly bubbling around the edges. This generally takes around 3 minutes. DO NOT LEAVE UNATTENDED.

5. Using pot holders, remove bowl from microwave and stir gently for a few seconds. Milk should quickly separate into solid white curds and transparent liquid whey.

6. Using slotted spoon, transfer the curds to the colander and drain for at least 5 minutes.

7. The curd left on top of the paper towels is your ricotta cheese! Carefully spoon the ricotta into a container and proceed to the tasting table. Ricotta keeps in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Yield: 2 cups of whole milk will result in approximately a ½ cup of ricotta cheese Note: The liquid drained from the ricotta contains protein and other nutrients and can be used in soups, mashed potatoes, baked goods or other recipes.

Tasting

Once a group of students completes their ricotta cheese, they can move to a separate table, set with small plates, crostini or crackers and toppings.

1. Spread small toasts (crostini) or crackers with ricotta.

2. Add some or all of the following toppings. If you have a school garden, consider using available herbs or vegetables.

• Fresh herbs such as basil, parsley, cilantro, or chopped chives
• Sliced black olives - Diced fresh tomato
• Thinly sliced fresh vegetables (e.g. zucchini, cucumber, radishes, sweet peppers, carrots, mushrooms, etc.)
• Shelled sunflower seeds
• Black pepper

This image might give you an idea for your story straight away, or you may need some more thinking about. Here are some tips on how to use image prompts to inspire you.

1. Give yourself time to look at each image prompt, maybe around 1 minute to just observe what is actually happening in the image.
2. Spend a further 10 minutes writing everything that comes to mind when you look at the picture.
3. Don’t just look at the image or its appearance – go deeper. Think about how the image makes you feel and imagine if you were in the image what would you be doing?
4. Use the 5 W’s to help you fully describe the image.

• What: What is happening in the image?
• Where: Where is this place or location? Is it on Earth or on a faraway planet?
• Why: Why is this image important?
• When: When do you think these events took place? Think about the history of the image or what will happen in the future.
• Who: Who is in the image? Can you link any characters to the image?

Don’t focus too much on telling a story just yet. First, make as many notes as possible on a piece of paper relating to the image. After a good 10 minutes of note writing, you should have a load of ideas to help you with writing a story.

Three Creative Writing Prompts

These prompts and questions will help jump-start your daily writing. Just as it's important to read for at least 30 minutes each day, you should also write for 30 minutes a day. Don't worry about your organization or spelling, just write!

"Some people are scared of spiders, bats, or the dark. Me? I’m scared of gummi bears..."

"The people in the city were on their way to work when the ground shook and the air was pierced with a loud 'Cock-a-doodle-doo!'"

"I was walking home from school when I heard a soft neighing coming from the woods. I decided to investigate..."

January 30th Writing Prompts

On January 30, 1882, the 32nd President, Franklin D. Roosevelt, was born. He was the only U.S. president to be elected four times, serving from 1933 to 1945. After the ratification of the 22nd Amendment in 1951, all other presidential terms were limited to two terms. Do you think it’s good to have a limit on how long a President can serve? Explain your thinking. 

Play Solitaire 2048 Card Game

Play this difficult card game. Try to reach 2048 before the piles are full

PLAY HERE