Delicious Dishes- Christmas

Posted on December 10, 2017 by Rebekah Drennon

It’s that time of year again. Tis’ the season to go home to family members asking what your major is, how long you have until graduation, and the ultimate favorite… are you dating anyone yet? The good news is, these family recipes I’ve gathered will taste so great that your family will be asking for your cooking secrets instead.

Sparkling Holiday Punch – Rebekah Drennon

32-ounce bottle cranberry juice cocktail, chilled
1 quart orange juice, chilled
1/2 cup lemon juice, chilled
1 cup sugar
1 bottle dry white wine, chilled (optional)
2 bottles champagne, chilled (optional)
Orange slices

Combine juices and sugar until dissolved.

Add wine and pour over ice.

Stir in champagne before serving.

Add orange slices for garnish.

Festive Cranberry Salad – Linda Gordon

2 packages lemon-flavored gelatin
1 cup sugar
1 cup boiling water
4 cups fresh cranberries, ground
1 orange
2 large apples
1/2 cup chopped pecans
Lettuce leaves
Mayo or salad dressing

Dissolve gelatin and sugar in boiling water.

Add next 4 ingredients – stir well.

Pour into bundt pan – chill until set.

Un-mold on lettuce leaves.

Fill center with mayo or dressing.

Garnish with orange slices.

Christmas Roast – Bill Gordon

1 shoulder roast
1/2 cup beef broth
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
2 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. salt
2 sliced onions
5 small red potatoes halved
1/2 cup baby carrots

Brown roast on all sides.

Combine next 6 ingredients.

Add onions and carrots – simmer 2 hours.

Add potatoes – cook 45 min.

Homemade Sugar Cookies – Misty Jones

2 & 3/4 cup all purpose flour
4 tsp. baking soda
1 cup softened butter
1 & 1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees.

In a small bowl, stir together flour and baking soda, set aside.

In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in egg and vanilla. Gradually blend in dry ingredients.

Roll rounded spoonfulls into balls.

Place on un-greased cookie sheet. Cook 8-10 minutes.

Chocolate Mousse – Rachel Drennon

6 ounces semi-sweet chocolate morsels
1 tbsp. sugar
3 eggs, separated
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. cream of tartar
1/4 cup sugar

Combine morsels and 1 tbsp. sugar in top of double boiler until chocolate melts. Let cool.

Combine egg yolks and vanilla. Stir into chocolate mixture.

Beat egg whites and cream of tartar until foamy; gradually add 1/4 cup sugar beating until stiff peaks form.

Fold egg white mixture into chocolate mixture. Stir well.

Cover mousse. Chill for one hour.

Christmas Fruit Squares – Linda Gordon

1/2 cup softened butter
1 & 1/2 cups brown sugar
2 eggs
1 cup self rising flour, divided
2 cups chopped pecans
1/2 pound chopped red candied cherries
1/2 pound chopped candied pineapple
1/2 cup flaked coconut

Cream butter and gradually add sugar while beating with electric mixer. Add eggs one at a time. Add 3/4 cup flour. Stir well.

Combine remaining ingredients. Dredge into 1/4 cup flour.

Stir fruit mixture into batter. Spoon into greased and floured square pan. Bake at 300 degrees for 1 hour 10 min.

Cool on wire rack and chill before cutting.

A Bittersweet Holiday

Posted on December 6, 2017 by Victoria Marshall

During Thanksgiving break, I had to work. This is not new to me because I’ve been working in retail for 6 years and these jobs require you to be available during the holidays. However, this did not stop me from feeling a little sad at the thought of not being able to spend quality time with my family during this special time of year. For the first time in my life, we went to another family member’s house for Thanksgiving. I had always wanted to be around more family for Thanksgiving and usually did not get the chance to because they were too far away or because everyone was spending the holiday differently. It was nice to go to someone else’s house and enjoy being with my family. Unfortunately, I had to leave less than an hour later to go to work.

I am a sentimental person who loves to create memories and be around my loved ones. It is already difficult to spend quality time with family when everyone is on a different schedule and has different responsibilities or lives too far away for you to stop by for a quick visit. It was bitter-sweet to have to leave almost right after I arrived just to be at work until the early hours of the morning. I realized that I took this time of year for granted when I was younger. It was always a given that I would be able to stay at home and even when I did, I went to my room to take a nap after overeating. I would read a book by myself or watch TV.

As the guests poured into the store, holding their maps and picking out Christmas gifts, I watched them with envy. I thought of how nice it must be to not have to work on Thanksgiving and be able to spend time with friends and family on the holidays. It made me think of how I rushed to be an adult when I was a child and did not realize what came with adulthood. I did not fully enjoy those moments that I cherish now and assumed they would always be there. I did not really think about having to sacrifice time with my family to fulfill responsibilities like work and school. This was something I had thought about, but I didn’t really feel it. It is strange to think that I did not have this realization until that moment when the store doors opened and I watched people walk in with smiles on their faces and heard the laughter and cheers around me. It was not until that moment that I felt a pang of sadness.

Thanksgiving is not the only time when I’ve had to work and miss out on time with my family. I constantly miss events on weekends or in the summer when I find out at the last minute or need to work and save money. As much as it really irritated me then, I felt that there would always be other events. Thanksgiving really reminded me that I need to make the most of the moments I have with friends and family and continue working hard toward a future when I can take time off during the holidays.

Random Acts of Kindness

Posted on November 14, 2017 by Misty Jones

The holiday season is upon us. Rather than adding to your wish list, or stressing over the trappings of the season; find your joy by doing random acts of kindness.

Random acts of kindness are selfless acts of kindness directed at complete strangers, with the sole intent of spreading love and kindness. There is no better way to celebrate the joy of the holidays.

Below is a list of easy and fulfilling random acts of kindness. Give them a try and see how they improve your holiday season. You might just want to make them a part of your everyday life.

Buy a stranger’s coffee.
Leave some change in a vending machine, so that someone can get a free drink.
Take some homemade treats to nurses, firefighters, teachers, or cops in your community to thank them for all they do.
Leave a big tip for a waiter or waitress in need.
Make treats and put them in the mailbox for the mailman. Be sure to leave them a note, so they know the treats are for them.
Take pet food, old blankets, and pet toys to your local shelter.
Take flowers to a local hospital and have a nurse give them to a patient who needs to be cheered up.
Donate food, books, toiletries, and warm clothing to the local homeless shelter.
Do chores for a friend or family member.
Adopt a deployed soldier and send him/her some much needed holiday cheer. Here is the website: http://www.adoptaussoldier.org/
Give someone your place in line.
Visit a nursing home. Just talk to the residents, play board games with them, or get some friends together to sing Christmas carols and hand out Holiday cards.
Give a hot drink to a Salvation Army bell ringer.
Give a gift card to a stranger at the grocery store. Any amount shows you care.
Take classroom supplies to a teacher or two. If you have Dr. Morton, then you know he always needs dry erase markers.
Adopt an Angel from an Angel Tree. Most of the time, these children aren’t asking for a lot. I personally have adopted several angels over the years, and each time it cost me around $50.

Above all, this Holiday season and all year round, show kindness, compassion, and love for your fellow man. Restore your faith in humanity by blessing strangers with random acts of kindness.

Holiday Movies

Posted on November 13, 2017 by Rebekah Drennon

Whether it’s at home with family, or snuggled up with hot chocolate and a blanket in your dorm room, there is something special about watching movies that celebrate the holidays. Students around campus were asked to submit their favorite holiday movie they watch every year. From classics to current, these suggestions will leave you without question on what you need to watch this season.

Hocus Pocus- Katie McCorkle