Month: April 2020

Driftwood #5: Cooking at Home

April 14-28, 2020

In the Kitchen with Breanne

Food IconHey everybody! Now that we are all stuck inside, why not learn how to cook something better than Eggo Waffles? Even better, try recipes that clear out your cupboard full of canned goods that nobody touches!

Here are a few easy recipes that everyone might find appetizing:

Pineapple Pretzel Fluff (Total time: 25 minutes)

Ingredients:

  •  1 cup coarsely crushed pretzels
  •  ½ cup butter, melted
  •  1 cup sugar, divided
  •  1 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened
  •  1 can (20 ounces) unsweetened crushed pineapple, drained
  •  1 carton (12 ounces) whipped topping

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Mix pretzels, melted butter, and ½ cup sugar. Press into a 13 x 9-inch pan.
2. Bake for 7 minutes and then let cool.
3. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, beat cream cheese and remaining sugar until creamy. Fold in pineapple and whipped topping; refrigerate covered until serving.
4. To serve, break pretzel mixture into small pieces. Stir into pineapple mixture.
5. Enjoy!

Cherry Grunt (Total time: 45 minutes)

Ingredients:

  • 1 can (16 ounces) pitted red cherries
  • 1 ½ cup water
  • ¾ cup sugar, divided
  • ¼ cup butter, divided
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 and a ½ teaspoons baking powder
  • Pinch of salt
  • 1/3 cup whole milk
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

  1. Place cherries and can juice in a straight-sided skillet or Dutch oven along with water, ½ cup sugar, and 2 tablespoons butter. Simmer for 5 minutes.
  2. Meanwhile, sift together flour, baking powder, salt and remaining sugar; place in a bowl. Cut in remaining butter with a pastry blender. Add the milk and vanilla.
  3. Drop by teaspoonfuls over cherry mixture; cover and simmer until dumplings are cooked through, 20 minutes.
  4. Enjoy!

Cocoa Pumpkin Brownies (Total time: 30 minutes)

Ingredients:

  • 1 2/3 cups granulated sugar
  • 6 tablespoons butter, melted
  • 6 tablespoons pure pumpkin
  • 2 tablespoons water
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
  • ¾ cup baking cocoa
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon salt

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 13 x 9-inch baking pan.
  2. Combine granulated sugar, butter, pumpkin, and water in large bowl. Stir in eggs and vanilla extract. Combine flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt in medium bowl; stir into sugar mixture. Spread into prepared baking pan.
  3. Bake for 16-18 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out slightly sticky. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Cut into bars.
  4. Enjoy!

Ambrosia Salad (Total time: 10 minutes prep. + chilling)

Ingredients:

  • 1 can (15 ounces) mandarin oranges, drained
  • 1 can (15 ounces) pineapple tidbits, drained
  • 1 cup mini marshmallows
  • 1 cup sweetened shredded coconut
  • 1 cup sour cream

Directions:

  1. In a large bowl, combine oranges, pineapple, marshmallows, and coconut. Add sour cream and toss to mix.
  2. Cover and refrigerate for several hours.
  3. Enjoy!

—Breanne Bedgood, Food Editor

The Driftwood Issue #5: Self-Care Corner

April 14-28, 2020

Wonky Brains: Coping with Loneliness

Self-Care IconOne of the weirdest things about this situation is not interacting with my friends or other students. Full disclosure: I was lonely when this whole thing started. Then, I started doing nightly Discord calls with my friends. We chat, we cackle, we play Fortnite (again, stop looking at me like that) and try to keep each other’s spirits up during this uncertain time. Now more than ever is the time to reach out to people that you love, and it’s time to try something new. Whether that be trying an exercise routine, starting a Twitch stream, or sitting by a window in silence for a few minutes, use this time to see what you’re capable of doing. I’m willing to bet you’re going to surprise yourself.
Of course, doing the above does not guarantee that you will never be lonely again. Distracting yourself only works for so long, and video calls are a pale imitation of in-person communion with friends. Hence, this suggestion: make time to mourn. Schedule a certain amount of time for grieving the loss of your normal life, whatever it might have been. After that time is up, continue with your day. You are the person who’s going to get you through this, so make sure you find and keep a balance between work, play, distraction, and grief. Reach out to your professors and counselors when you need them. They’re thinking of you, and they want you to succeed. You are not alone, and even though we are far apart, we are in this together.

—Indigo Ramirez, Self-Care Editor