By: Sophie Johnson

Over spring break, I stayed in three different hotels in Europe. The first one I stayed in was in Massa, Italy, called the Illy Hotel. This hotel had a very homey feel and I really enjoyed staying there. Not only was it just a block away from a beautiful beach, but it also had plenty of shops and attractions within walking distance including gift stores and gelato.

The rooms were equipped with two twin beds and a twin bunk bed fitting a total of four people. The views out the window were unreal with towering mountains, intricate buildings and delicious lemon trees outside. The meals at this hotel were good for the most part ranging from seafood salad to spaghetti. Overall, this hotel was a 9/10.

The next hotel I stayed in was called Hôtel Cannes MontFleury in France. This hotel was definitely bigger than the first one, but was not as enjoyable as the other two I stayed in.

The first night I was there, we were looking around for the pool. Not only was the pool empty, which was disappointing, but we found rats running around in the kitchen. Other than that, their breakfast bar had good food and I had two nights of relaxing sleep.

The group I was with didn’t get as much time to explore this neighborhood as we did at the other hotels, but there was a really good pizza place a few minutes away. I rate this hotel a 7/10.

The last place we stayed at was the Guitart Hotel just outside of Barcelona, Spain. I loved staying here so much. Once again, the beach was about a 10 minute walk away. I got to go swimming for the first time at this beach which was super fun too. They also had a nice pool and a game room which was cool.

Their all you can eat buffet was some of the best food I had on the whole vacation. For breakfast there were churros, eggs, sausage, fruit, everything you can imagine. For dinner, there were options of pasta, ribs, and so much more. They also had desserts including tiramisu, jello, ice cream, and pudding. The rooms were very comfortable at this hotel and they even had a walkout balcony. I rate this hotel was a 10/10.

By: Mushtaq Yonis

Sambusa is a fried snack that is eaten across the world. From India to Somalia you can find different versions of this delicious snack depending on the country. Sambusa is typically a stuffed triangular pastry that’s especially popular during Ramadan.

You can fill the sambusa however you like but I’m showing you one of the ways I like to make sambusas.

Making sambusas for a large number of people is quite time consuming so make sure you have these ingredients ready.

For the filing:

• 1 pound ground beef or lamb
• 2 tablespoons of oil
• 1 onion
• 1 green onion
• 1 green chili

Spices:

• 2 teaspoon cumin powder
• 2 teaspoon cardamom powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon pepper

You would also need a paste to hold the shape of the sambusa and for the filling to not fall out.

Paste:

• 1⁄4 cup flour
• 1⁄4 cup water

For the wrapper:
You can use tortillas if you’re in a rush or you can buy sambusa wrappers.

But if you would like to make your own, you need:

• 3 cups of all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoon of oil
• 1 cup of water
• Salt

Now that you have your ingredients, it’s time to assemble your sambusa!

1. Cook the meat on medium heat with oil
2. Add the onions and the green chilis
3. Add spices
4. Set the filling ingredients aside

5. Mix the paste ingredients
6. Take one sambusa wrapper and fold it into a cone and seal it with the paste (make sure to leave 1 side open)
7. Fill the cone with the filling
8. Seal the rest of the sambusa with the paste

5. Add oil to your pan and fry the sambusas until a golden brown color
6. Take the sambusa and set it down on a paper towel or plate
7. Repeat the process!

And that is how you make Sambusas.
It’s best when it’s warm so make sure you eat it before it turns cold!

By: Mae Skold

Siren, Wisconsin is a small town in northern Wisconsin, perfect for cabin stays and outdoor activities. The small town has a small population of 800 where everybody knows everybody. The town full of friendly Wisconsinites should not be overlooked for its size and they would love for you to stop by. Here’s what you should do!

Wisconsin is known for its lakes, so stopping by Siren’s Crooked Lake is a must. The lake has a fun park with live music, a nice beach, a playground, and good people. Children can safely swim and enjoy the water while adults can relax at the nice shoreline. There are lively fish that are a joy to feed and fish for. In the summer, Crooked Lake is a great place to visit.

If you’re more of an in-door person, Siren has many great stores and restaurants to stop into. One town favorite is the candy store Chipmunks Cheeks. The cute candy store has great ice cream, boba, and of course candy. Not only do they have sweet treats, but they also have fun toys and a kitchen supply store on the other side of the building. Another great place to visit is the coffee shop Chattering Squirrel. Chattering Squirrel and Chipmunks Cheeks are owned by the same family so you can be guaranteed great service every time. The coffee shop is perfect for a refreshing drink or a lunch in a cool, new renovated setting.

One of the busiest days of the year in Siren is the 4th of July. This day is a must for when you are planning when to visit the town. The town hosts a fun parade in the morning with floats, bands, and candy for the kids. After the parade, the lakes are bustling with boaters and families enjoying the water. If you are deciding when to visit, the 4th of July won’t disappoint.

This summer, I hope you consider keeping Siren on your list for a day trip or cabin vacation spot. When you decide to visit Siren we’ll be there to welcome you!

By: Makenzie Malek

Chocolate chip cookies, my favorite, and it comes to no surprise that according to CBS news, it’s technically the U.S’s favorite cookie too.

There have become many variations of this one particular cookie, such as: adding oats and dried fruits, or filling the middle with brownie, and even adding fun candies like m&ms to the dough. Although those are fun and something different, today I’m going to share with you the best classic chocolate chip cookie recipe.

This recipe comes from: https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/10813/best-chocolate-chip-cookies/

Total time: 30 mins

Servings: 48

Ingredients:

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 teaspoons hot water
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 3-cups all purpose flour
• 2 cups semi sweet chocolate chips

Step 1: preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Step 2: beat softened butter, white sugar and brown sugar in an electric mixer in a large bowl until smooth.

Step 3: beat in eggs one at a time, then add vanilla and beat until combined.

Step 4: dissolve baking soda in hot water. Add to batter along with salt.

Step 5: stir in flour and chocolate chips.

Step 6: drop spoonfuls of dough on ungreased baking sheets.

Step 7: bake in the oven for about 10 minutes or until the edges are nicely browned.

Step 8: cool for at least 2 mins and enjoy!

These are great to share with friends and family, and you can freeze the dough and the baked cookies for up to two months.

Like I said earlier, people often add different ingredients to the cookie, feel free to add a twist to this classic recipe to make it your own. Some mix-ins that I have added in my cookies that I recommend are m&m’s, white chocolate chips, and if you like your cookies more sweet, add dried cranberries. Some I haven’t tried but I have seen are things like mini marshmallows, and more uniquely, people have added bacon or crushed up potato chips.

This simple yet delicious recipe will have you wishing you made more than the serving size, and I hope you decide to try this if you haven’t already.

By: Ajmal Abdirahman

Canjeero is a breakfast staple in Somalia. Both my mom and dad would eat it almost every morning when they lived in Somalia. It’s one of my favorites from Somali food. I grew up eating it almost everyday just like my parents. My mom would get up very early in the morning and make a big batch of Canjeero and alongside she would also make her signature Somali shaax!

Canjeero can be eaten in many different ways. Like with shaax (which is Somali tea), with sugar and sesame oil, with goat or camel liver (which is called “beer” in Somali), with oodkaac (which is a Somali dish of preserved jerky style beef cubes), or my favorite way, with honey!

Somali tea (Shaax), was first introduced to Somalia through ancient trade with the Indians and Arabs. It’s typical for Somalis to drink this throughout the day but mostly at breakfast or late at night. Tea is widely preferred in Somalia over coffee. If you add milk to your tea then it is called Shaax Bigaysi.

I asked my mother for her recipes; here they are!

Canjeero Recipe:

Ingredients:

• 2 cups of all purpose flour
• 1 cup of self rising flour
• 1 cup of corn flour
• Pinch of salt
• 3-4 cups of water
• 1 teaspoon of yeast
• 1 tablespoon of sugar

Instructions on how to make Canjeero:

1. First combine all the flours in one large bowl along with the salt, sugar, and yeast and whisk well
2. Add the water slowly until you get the right consistency (thick and smooth)
3. Then let the batter sit for an hour or overnight
4. Enjoy!

Shaax Recipe:

Ingredients:

• Cold water (amount is how much tea you want to make)
• 1⁄2 cup of sugar
• Cardamom (add desired amount)
• Cinnamon sticks (add desired amount)
• Cloves (add desired amount)
• Ginger (you can use powdered ginger but fresh is best, also add desired amount)
• Black tea bags or black tea leaves (add desired amount)

Instructions on how to make Shaax:

1. First grab a kettle and pour your cold water into it
2. Either boil the water first or boil when all ingredients are added
3. Add your sugar
4. Then add all your spices, cardamom, cinnamon sticks, cloves, and ginger, then let that all boil together
5. When that all boils together nicely add your tea bags or tea leaves
6. Boil for a couple of minutes until it gets to a dark brown color
7. Strain the tea and pour it into your thermos or tea pot
8. Enjoy!

For more information, please visit:

• “Take a Somali-Style Afternoon Break for Tea and Sweets” http://www.inquirer.com/food/recipes/somali-beignet-recipes-20211201.html
• “Just My Cup of Tea – Somali Shaah Redolent with Spices” somalikitchen.typepad.com/my-blog/2014/04/just-my-cup-of-tea-somali-shaah-redolent-with-spic es.html
• “Tea Culture – Teapedia” teapedia.org/en/Tea_culture#Western_Europe
• “Traditional Somali Canjeero/ Laxoox | Canjeero Masago” http://www.youtube.com, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2YAdBjWxAao
• “A Survey of Laxoox/Canjeero, a Traditional Somali Flatbread: Production Styles” https://doi.org/10.1186/s42779-022-00138-3

By: Jessica Garcia Saligan

CanCan Wonderland

This attraction is an amusement built in a historical building.
CanCan Wonderland has many attractions for all ages. Kids and adults can play an 18 hole mini golf course made by 18 different artists. All 18 holes are different and provide different skills. CanCan also has a ping ball arcade and many other retro arcade games. They provide many necessities to have an amazing evening.

Here is a link to find CanCan Wonderland: https://goo.gl/maps/FMmT32SeT7U2

Mall Of America

The Mall Of America has many attractions to choose from! They have an escape room with 12 different room choices from prison escape to a mansion escape. This attraction involves a lot of critical thinking so if you’re good at, that I suggest that you try it out!

The mall also has an indoor theme park with many coasters for all ages from thrill rides like the rock bottom plunge, to zip lining and many kid coasters for the little ones. I recommend the park to younger kids because the thrill rides aren’t as thrilling compared to other places, but overall, it’s a great place to spend an evening out.

If you ever get hungry while shopping, the 3rd and 4th floor have so many restaurants and fast food places and so many varieties of food you can choose from.

One thing that MOA is known for, is the biggest Sea Life in Minnesota; it has more than 10,000 underwater creatures plus the 11 breathtaking exhibits that are filled with 1.3 million gallons of water.

The Mall of America is located at: 60 E Broadway, Bloomington, MN 55425

WhirlyBall

WhirlyBall is a fun place to go out with family and friends! There are so many activities to do such as WhirlyBall, a lot of people don’t know what it is or never heard of it. WhirlyBall is a team sport that is up to 2-4 people per team. You have a bumper car and a scoop with a ball. What you have to do is make sure the ball doesn’t hit the floor and score on the opposite team’s goal.

Some other activities they have are laser tag, arcades, bowling, escape rooms, and if you really enjoy WhirlyBall you can join a Whirly League. You get a lot of benefits if you’re on the team such as exclusive food and drinks, 50% off walk-in Whirly anytime all season. It’s $5 per person for 3 games per night, which will be $75 per week. You need to have 5 players on each team and must be 18 years old to play. They are also known for how many good food options they have.

You can find WhirlyBall at: 2405 East Old Shakopee  Road,
Bloomington MN 55425

By: Mushtaq Yonis

Malawax is a Somali traditional dish that’s regularly eaten for breakfast across the country and its diaspora. Malawax is a sweet pancake similar to a crepe. Some eat it with honey and drink shaax with it which is a Somali tea.

Malawax is one of the easiest foods to make in Somali culture, which is why it’s great to make before breakfast if you’re in a rush. Just make sure you have this mixture ready in-hand before you start.

Ingredients:

• 1 cups water
• 3 tablespoons of melted butter
• 1 teaspoon of ground cardamom
• 1 1⁄2 cup plain flour
• 2 egg
• 2 cups milk

If you don’t have time in the morning to make this mixture, make sure you make it by blending the ingredients the night before and refrigerate it so it doesn’t go bad.

Instructions on how to make malawax:

1. Brush a nonstick pan with butter or oil over medium heat
2. Pour a little batter into the pan and swirl it around to cover it thinly
3. Cook the malawax till they’re golden underneath, about a minute or two
4. Make sure the malawax doesn’t stick to the pan by spreading a little oil or butter
5. Flip the the malawax over and repeat

Then you are ready to enjoy the malawax! It’s best eaten when warm so make sure you eat it before it gets too cold. You can add honey or butter if you want extra taste!