FRESH STRAWBERRY PIE

This fresh strawberry pie is a family favorite. It appears on the table for every Easter dinner, (and lunch...and sometimes breakfast. What? It's fruit!) and other special dinners. About eight years ago our dear friend, evangelist Darren Bruce and his wife, Nirmala, brought Dallas Cowboy, Woody Danzler home for dinner. Darren's smile and booming voice filled the house as he raised his hands and announced, "Oh my, my, my!That's smells so good. Let's just thank Jesus now!" We watched in amazement as he and Woody destroyed BBQ ribs, baked beans, Jailhouse rolls, and a huge piece of strawberry pie. Woody raved about the food and backed up his words by demolishing seconds and thirds. I sent him home with a dozen rolls and half a strawberry pie. The next day I received the supreme compliment. Darren told me Woody stopped at Pappas Brothers Steakhouse for a birthday dinner for one of the other players. When harassed for not ordering anything but a glass of water, Woody bragged on the best meal he'd ever eaten. Thanks, Woody.
I received this recipe as a young bride in Beaver, Oklahoma. Our church was having some kind of dinner, probably a Valentine Banquet. Those who volunteered to bring dessert were asked to make this pie. The recipe came from Willie Harvey. Thanks, Willie.

Gather all your ingredients. I usually use butter for the crust but this time I used a
non-dairy buttery spread for my granddaughter who can't eat dairy.
For my gluten -free friends, I use a gluten-free shortbread cookie crust.
It's not easy making everyone happy, but I try.

You can buy a graham cracker crust, but there is nothing better than a
thick fresh crispy homemade crust.
 So easy too. Just combine crumbs, sugar and butter.

Blend together and press into pie pan. I like to bake mine at 375 for 6 min. for a crispy crust.

While the crust is cooking and cooling make your filling. 
Combine the dry ingredients in a 2 qt. saucepan.

Pour boiling water over dry ingredients and stir until smooth.

Cook over medium heat, stirring often.

Cook until thickened.

Set aside the filling and crust to cool.

I have two tools that make slicing large quantities of strawberries a breeze.

The strawberry huller pops the top off with little waste.

The mushroom/egg slicer zips through a quart of strawberries in less than two minutes.

Place your sliced strawberries on top of the cooled pie crust.

Cover the strawberries with cooled filling. I like to toss the strawberries with the filling so they are
covered on top and bottom. Chill until ready to serve. 
Top with whipped cream or non-dairy whipped topping.

FRESH STRAWBERRY PIE

1 C. boiling water

1 C. sugar (I use less, but this is the way the original recipe was written) 

3 T. cornstarch

3 T. pkg. Strawberry Jello (I like the Wild Strawberry, if you can find it). 

          Stir dry ingredients together.  Pour boiling water over dry ingredients.  Cook until thickened.  Cool and pour over 1 pint fresh; cut-up strawberries arranged in a graham cracker pie crust.  Cover with Cool-Whip or serve with whipped cream.  (Double the recipe if you use a quart of strawberries)

Graham Cracker Crust

 Mix:   1 ¼ C graham cracker crumbs

          ¼ C. sugar

          1/3 c. melted butter

Shape:  Using back of large spoon, press crumb mixture firmly on bottom and up sides of an 8 or 9 inch pie plate.

For a crispier texture, bake shaped crust at 375 for 6 – 8 minutes; cool then fill.

You might as well make two. One won't be enough!

Blind Date--A Gift of Grace

In the days before Match.com and eHarmony, blind dates were arranged by friends or family. Mine was envisioned by a recently hired co-worker, Teri. Over lunch our conversation turned to the sad state of the dating pool. I bemoaned the fact that none my last five dates warranted a relationship.  

“I need to date around,” I sighed.

“I could set you up with a couple of guys I worked with before I got laid off. One is real macho and the other is sweet and sensitive,” she proffered.

“I’ve had macho. I’ll take sweet and sensitive.”

“I’ll give him a call. Maybe we can all go to lunch.”

When Sweet and Sensitive called, we chatted with ease. In fact we were so comfortable we decided not to include Teri on our Friday night date.

Friday, October 29, 1982, was a fun day at work. We all dressed in costume. Everyone brought food. We turned the music up and played all afternoon. If Facebook had been around at the time I’m certain some embarrassing photos would have been posted.

 When the clock struck five, I had one hour to turn from a wicked witch into an appealing first date. I raced to retrieve my 2 year-old daughter from the babysitter. Once home, I threw her a cup of apple juice and turned on cartoons. Zipping down the hall I discarded clothes and a long dark wig. I ripped off the false eyelashes and hooked nose as I jumped into a still cold shower. Shampoo flying, I washed my hair, scrubbed green paint off my face, and the remaining spirit gum from my nose. The hairdryer wasn’t the only thing turned on turbo as I dried my hair and quickly reapplied makeup. At exactly 6:00 pm Baby and I were dressed and peeking out the window when Sweet and Sensitive pulled into the driveway.

“He’s cute,” Baby said.

“Yes, he is.” I replied while hauling out my mental checklist: attractive – check; prompt--check; suit (employed) – check; late model car (not a beat-up truck w/empty cans in the flatbed)—check. So far, so good, I thought as I opened the door.

“Come in. I’m Lacene. This is my daughter.”

 He smiled and shook her hand.

 “Thank you for letting me pick you up right after work,” he said. “I work here in Norman, but live in Oklahoma City. I thought it would be more efficient to pick you up before I go home. I'll take a quick shower and we can go on to dinner. I made reservations at a restaurant close to my apartment. I’ll bring you home before you turn into a pumpkin." He finally took a breath.

I had some concerns about a stop at his apartment, but I liked the idea of a restaurant which required reservations. I had a date with one man who thought Furr’s Cafeteria was the perfect place to celebrate a new job. It was also the last date with him.

“That would be fine,” I said. “Would you like to sit and have a drink first?”

“If you don’t mind, why don’t we go on to Oklahoma City. We’ll have a 45-minute drive to visit.”

“Okay, let me grab my purse.”

He opened the car door for me and placed Baby in the back seat. He made sure the tail of my dress wasn’t hanging out before he shut the door. Good manners—check.

Baby screamed, “Oh, Mommy! My fingers!”

I jumped out of the car and grabbed her from the back seat. He was already at my side.

“What happened?” he asked.

He was so distraught I hated to tell him. “You slammed her fingers in the door.”

“Let’s get some ice on them.”

He took the screaming child from me while I dug for my house keys. I opened the door. He raced to the freezer, grabbed an ice cube and placed it on her fingers. She sat in the crook of his arm contemplating him with teary eyes. She had stopped screaming the moment he took her from me.

He knows how to handle children – check.

After a few minutes of ice and soothing words, Baby let us look at her fingers. They were red, but not bruised or broken. Luckily they were caught in the rubber weather-stripping and not the door itself. We breathed a sigh a relief that this date would not take place in the ER. We took her on to the babysitter’s where he insisted on paying.

Whoa, that wasn’t even on my checklist, I thought. I never had a date offer to pay the babysitter, much less insist on it. I may just marry this guy.

As we drove to his apartment I learned he was recently divorced after seven years of marriage. He had a five-year-old son. His visitation on alternate weekends never seemed enough, so he kept his son as much as possible during the week. His business administration degree came from OU. He went on to get his CPA while working for Arthur Young. The hours were long and hard on his marriage. When he and his wife separated he took a job in the private sector. He was now a financial manager at an oil well instrumentation company in Norman. He had been Teri’s boss before she got laid off.

Ahhh, that explains his efficiency and promptness.  I like it.

I gestured with my hands as we talked, and saw a flash of black. I looked down at my hands. To my horror I realized my nails were still painted black. (In 1982 Goth was not a trend, nor was blue, green or black nail polish. It was just weird!)

“Oh my gosh! I am so embarrassed,” I said. “In my rush to get ready, I forgot to take off the black nail polish from my witch costume.”

“It’s okay,” he winked. “I thought you were just kinky.”

I blushed and contemplated crawling under the seat. What kind of checklist is he keeping?

“Don’t worry about it. You look fine. It doesn’t matter," he said and meant it.Our conversation continued until we reached his apartment.

“Come on in,” he said opening my car door. I followed him to his first floor apartment. He unlocked the door and held it for me. I entered tentatively not knowing what to expect. I dated men in the past who decorated their living rooms with weight benches and barbells and smelled of old gym socks.He stripped off his coat and tie. “I promise I won’t be more than 20 minutes. Make yourself comfortable. Here’s the TV remote.”

I took the remote and set down on the couch. From that vantage point, I could see 400 square feet of tastefully decorated space. Ornamental pillows perched atop a crisply-made bed. A scented candle adorned a tidy kitchen counter. A bar set with two place-mats created the dining space. The tiny living room walls were hung with tasteful artwork. I was impressed. Did he do this? Or was the ex-wife still in the picture?

True to his word, he walked out of the bathroom 20 minutes later. Dressed in a starched white shirt, jeans, cowboy boots, and a Houndstooth blazer slung over his shoulder, he was a vision of masculinity. I followed his well-fitting jeans out the front door and tried not to stumble as I enjoyed the view. No well-worn circle from his chewing tobacco--check.

“Do you like Japanese food?” he asked.

“I love all kinds of Asian food. I was raised in the Philippines and Guam.”

“Good, I’ve made reservations at a Japanese restaurant that cooks your food on a Hibachi grill in front of you.”

“Perfect, that will be fun,” I smiled glad that it wasn’t a stuffy formal restaurant.

“We are a little early. Do you want to have a drink in the bar while we wait for our table?”

“I’d love to.” I said eager for a something to calm my nerves.

Over drinks I learned his mother and aunt had decorated his apartment, but the tidiness was all him. I told him: about my nomadic childhood as a preacher’s kid, and a missionary kid; how I married two weeks after my eighteenth birthday to our much older music and youth director; about the dissolution of our nine-year marriage, and the joy I found in my daughter. I shared how I had been laid-off from my well-paying job as a landman with the oil bust of ‘82. Being an unemployed single parent with no health insurance was a scary proposition. I took the first job I could find even though it meant a pay cut. I met Teri when she came to work after being laid off. 

We were deep in conversation when the hostess interrupted to tell us our table was ready. She led us to a long table in front of the grill. He pulled my chair and seated me. After perusing the menus, we placed our order. A few minutes later, I leaned over and whispered, "I think all that liquid has gone straight through me. If you’ll excuse me, I’m going to the ladies’ room.” I stood up and pushed my chair with the back of my legs. The chair stuck. I gave it another little nudge. It fell onto the folding screen behind us. The screen crashed to the floor startling everyone in the restaurant. All eyes were on me as I reached down to pick up my chair.

Sweet and Sensitive leaned over and whispered in my ear,

“If you’re not embarrassed, you ought to be.”

“I am. You horse’s behind!” I said angrily.

As I straightened, I caught his teasing eyes. The embarrassment faded and I laughed with him. After all he did slam Baby's fingers in the door. In a way it felt like we were even. This guy definitely had potential.

Did you see the fingers of God’s grace in my life? I found it much more traumatic to be involuntarily unemployed than to go through a divorce. But if I had not been force to take the administrative assistant job, I wouldn’t have met Teri. If I hadn't met Teri, she wouldn’t have introduced me to what I have called for the last thirty-one years God’s gift of grace to me, my Soul Mate.

Cooking with Amy

     Twenty-three year-old psychology student Amy is getting married in December. She's beautiful, bright, and articulate, but she doesn't know the difference between a tablespoon and a teaspoon. My wedding gift to the groom is to teach her how to cook. We aren't attempting anything complicated, just meals you can throw together after work, but tasty enough to invite another couple over for dinner. Our first Menu:

• Bruschetta with sun-dried tomatoes, mozzarella and fresh basil
• Baked Ravioli with Italian meatballs
• Sauteed zucchini and yellow squash
• Field greens with sliced strawberries, goat cheese and candied pecans, drizzled with Paul Newman's Vinegar & Oil
• Fresh fruit pizza with lemon curd

We gathered all our ingredients.

Layer frozen ravioli in bottom of sprayed 9 x 13" pan.

Place half of the meatballs on top.

Covered with half a jar of pasta sauce.

Top with cheese of your choice, sliced or shredded. I needed
to use up these slices of colby-jack, but any cheese will do.

Repeat the first three layers (leave the cheese off the top).

Cover with foil and bake at 350 for 45 minutes.

While ravioli is baking, saute onions, celery and red peppers.

Slice two yellow squash and two zucchini,

Add squash to pan when onion is translucent. 
Cook for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

For a quick, hot, appetizer, slice
 ciabatta rolls in half lengthwise.

Spread a tablespoon of sun-dried tomato spread on each half.

Top with shredded cheese

I used Sargento's six cheese mix, and 
California sun-dry tomato spread.

Broil for 3-5 minutes until cheese is melted.
Set a timer or stand close by cause time flies when you are broiling.

Our salad was an easy mix of romaine lettuce with sliced
strawberries, crumbled goat cheese and candied pecans.
Use your favorite dressing. I used Paul Newman's
Vinegar and Olive Oil because it has no sugar.

While we were enjoying our appetizer and salad the
timer went off for the ravioli. I took off the foil, topped
it with cheese, and put it back in the oven until we
finished our salads.

After eating squash and ravioli we were too full for dessert.

But I'll share my Fresh Fruit Pizza with Lemon Curd next week. Enjoy!

The Music Saved Her Life

Human Nature

Las Vegas is not my favorite place, but free time with my sweetheart is rare, so when he asked me to accompany him on a business trip, I agreed. My only stipulation was that we see some shows. We picked two, a Motown show and Penn & Teller.

I love Motown music. I love to sing it. I love to dance to it. Sweetheart loves it just as much as I do. We were thrilled to discover our online tickets put us in the front row.
I settled into my seat and began to read about four skinny white boys from Australia named “HumanNature” who sing Motown. Seriously? And Smokey Robinson endorses them? This I’d have to see to believe.

A lovely lady sat in the seat beside me. Her face was radiant with excitement. We exchanged smiles and she asked,

“Hi, I’m Alicia. Have you ever seen this show?”

“I’m, Lace. No, I haven’t, but I love Motown. Have you seen it before?”

“This is my 61^st show,” she beamed. “You are going to love this. It is the best show.”

Alicia

“Really? Sixty-one? As in six one?” I closed my mouth. “Do you live close by?"

“No, I live in Maryland and work in Washington, D.C.,” Her smile broadened as my mouth dropped open again. “I came in early to surprise Andrew. It’s his birthday.”

“Well, did you surprise him?”

“Yes, I did. We had so much fun. I know all the boys and their families. I know all the band members too.”

I couldn’t comprehend anyone being that big a fan so I asked, “What makes you come so often?”

“Oh, it’s a long story,” she shrugged.

“Well, I’ve got time.”

“I spent six weeks in the hospital before I finally got a diagnosis. It was cancer.

When I got home from the hospital I found my husband of seventeen years had packed up and moved out. To this day I have not heard from him.

I have six siblings who are Jehovah’s Witnesses. I stopped going to their meetings. Even when I was in the hospital needing information from them, they would not return my calls.

I went through chemotherapy. I took the medication and made the appearance of trying to get well, but entered into a dark depression that you cannot even imagine.

My children were afraid for me. They said, ‘Mama, get up and go somewhere, anywhere, just do something.’ So I came to Las Vegas. I intended to take a handful of pills and end my life.

I saw an ad for this Motown show. I wanted to hear the songs I grew up with one more time. Human Nature sang the songs just as I remembered them. The whole audience sang and danced. The words spoke to me. Then they pulled me on stage and sang, “My Girl” to me. They held my hands, looked into my eyes and told me I was beautiful.

 After the show I threw out the pills. The doctor took me off chemo and told me to go hear the music. I have been doing that for the last four years. Other than my children, Human Nature is my family.”

“I do understand depression.” I patted her hand. “I struggle with it myself. You gave your family a gift by not committing suicide. My sister took her own life eight years ago. I don’t think my parents will ever get over it, not to mention her children. It was the most horrible thing we have ever lived through.”

“I’m so sorry for your loss,” she said. “But you are right. They,” she nodded toward the stage, “are my angels.”

“Isn’t God good to use the most unexpected things to reach us? You came to say goodbye, but the music and lyrics spoke hope to your spirit.
I'm sorry, I know you didn’t come for a sermon. I don’t mean to preach.”

“No," she assured me. "It is the affirmation I get every time I come.”

The lights dimmed. “You are in for a treat,” she squeezed my hand, “It’s the best show you have ever seen.”

I watched from a different perspective. Not just to be entertained, but as if I were Alicia in the depths of depression at her very first show. 

The lyrics to “Reach Out I’ll Be There” and “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” encouraged and uplifted me. But when they sang Curtis Mayfield’s, “People Get Ready,” we went to church.

“People get ready, there’s a train a-comin’

You don’t need no baggage, you just get on board

All you need is faith to hear the diesels hummin’

Don’t need no ticket, you just thank the Lord.

People get ready, there’s a train to Jordan

Picking up passengers coast to coast

Faith is the key, open the doors and board them

There’s hope for all among those loved the most

There ain’t no room for the hopeless sinner whom would hurt all mankind

Just to save his own

Have pity on those whose chances grow thinner

For there is no hiding place against the kingdoms throne.”

My hands lifted and tears ran down my face. I thanked God for redemption and second chances.

When they sang “My Girl” to a woman from the audience, my Sweetheart sang it to me.

“I don’t need no money, fortune, or fame.

I’ve got all the riches baby one man can claim.

I guess you’d say

What can make me feel this way?

My girl

Talkin’ ‘bout my girl

I’ve got sunshine on a cloudy day

With my girl.

I’ve even got the month of May

With my girl.”

Lace and Human Nature

Alicia was right. It was the best show I’ve ever seen. Human Nature exhibited tight harmonies, crisp dance moves, and a warm, generous spirit to the audience. Most importantly, God used them to reach out and touch a despondent woman through Motown’s music.

Motown music may not be your thing. I get it, but I pray the music you listen to speaks life into your spirit.

Uptown Oreos! Cream-filled Chocolate Wafers

After last week's post, I began to think of special treats I would prepare for Megan's visits from college. She loves dark chocolate, so I made Cream-filled Chocolate Wafers ahead of time and kept them in the freezer. This cookie can be eaten right out of the freezer or served at a high-class tea. It looks complicated, but couldn't be any easier. Only takes twenty minutes to prepare, but allow two hours for them to chill.

Probably the hardest thing about the recipe is finding the chocolate wafers. Strangely, they are kept by the ice cream toppings. In our store they are kept on the top shelf and you will never find them if you don't know where to look. Most stock clerks will take you to the cookie aisle if you ask for chocolate wafers, so take this picture along.
This is the original recipe I found in Southern Living years ago.

Cream-Filled Chocolate Chip Wafers

Southern Living JULY 2006

• Yield: Makes about 3 1/2 dozen
• Prep time:20 Minutes
• Chill time:2 Hours

Ingredients

• 1 (8-oz.) package 1/3-less-fat cream cheese, softened
• 1/3 cup butter, softened
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup powdered sugar

• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 3/4 cup semisweet chocolate mini-morsels
• 3/4 cup finely chopped pecans, toasted
• 2 (9-oz.) boxes chocolate wafers

Preparation

1. Beat first 3 ingredients at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Gradually add sugars, beating until blended. Stir in chocolate morsels and pecans.

2. Spread about 1 Tbsp. cream cheese mixture evenly on 1 side of a chocolate wafer; top with another wafer. Repeat procedure with remaining wafers and cream cheese mixture. Cover cookies, and chill 2 hours. Store in refrigerator.

Note: For testing purposes only, we used Nabisco Famous Chocolate Wafers for chocolate wafers.

Gather your ingredients

Break up your pecans. Place them on a paper towel and
toast in the microwave for about two minutes.

Beat together softened butter, cream cheese, and vanilla.

Beat in brown sugar and powdered sugar.

Cream until smooth.

Stir in chocolate chips and pecans.

Spread a tablespoon of cream mixture between wafers.

This makes enough filling for two boxes of wafers.

I like to package them and give them as gifts to new neighbors. Enjoy!

Stock Your Dorm Pantry and Avoid the Freshman Fifteen!

So you are headed to college in the fall. How exciting. And terrifying. You may be asking yourself: Where are my classes? Where are the buildings my classes are in? What will my professors be like? Will I like my roommate? Will she like me? Will I make friends? Is the Freshman Fifteen real? 
I can't answer the other questions, but I might be able to help you with the last one.  At your high school homecoming you may have observed a returning college student who gives validity to the myth. However, a study conducted at Ohio State University showed that the average college student gains only two to three pounds in their first year. Additionally, it showed that college students did not gain any more weight than non-college students of the same age, and the only factor that did increase weight gain was heavy drinking. * 
My daughter actually lost about fifteen pounds from walking to class and biking everywhere else.
For the first time in your life you are responsible for your meals. This is an important time to create healthy habits. Your parents have probably bought a plan that includes meals in the cafeteria as well as snacks in various campus restaurants and stores. So checkout the cafeteria first. You can make wise choices, but it may be a challenge.

In visiting the school cafeteria with my daughter, I observed vegetables cooked to mush. Evidently the cook thought added fat would make up for the lack of nutrition. The majority of the entrees were either fried or loaded with carbs. On a positively scary note, the cookies and ice cream were good. 

Your best bet is to choose  a grilled entree  and make a trip to the salad bar. Cool it on the mayo-laden salads and grated cheese. Choose fruit for dessert. Stick an extra apple in your backpack for later. Save the cookies and ice cream for an occasional treat. 

Another way to control your calories takes a little preparation and organization. All you need is this shopping list, a mini-refrig, and a microwave to make meals in your room. 

Shopping List

PANTRY SUPPLIES	MINI-REFRIG SUPPLIES
Boxed or Canned Soups	2% Cheese, shredded, sliced & cheese sticks
Whole Wheat Crackers	Low-fat lunch meat
Canned Chicken and Tuna	Whole wheat tortillas
Turkey Chili/no beans	Yogurt
Peanut Butter (Nutella for a special treat)	Baby Carrots
Simply Fruit Jam &/or Honey	Milk
Whole Grain Cereal, instant oatmeal, granola bars	Mustard & Light Mayo
Fresh and/or dried fruit	Eggs
Dry pasta and pasta Sauce	Frozen meals and waffles (if you have a tiny freezer in your frig)
Salsa	Bagged salad
English Muffin, whole grain
Microwave Popcorn, light
Boxes of juice and a case of water

Breakfast:

Your mother always said breakfast is the most important meal of the day. You will learn she is right about that and so many other things. The odds of getting to the cafeteria before class are nil-to-none. (My experience on campus left me wondering how many pajama-clad-students actually brush their teeth before dashing across campus.) You need fuel in much the same way your car does. Try these quick and easy ideas to keep your body running. 

• Monday:    Breakfast Burrito w/scrambled eggs, cheese & salsa on a whole wheat tortilla and a juice box.
• Tuesday:  Dry cereal & dried fruit in a baggie. Juice box.
• Wednesday: Granola Bar, fresh fruit & milk.
• Thursday:  PBJ on English Muffin w/yogurt & juice.
• Friday:   Oatmeal w/honey, a banana and milk.
• Saturday: Frozen waffles with PBJ, milk, fruit
• Sunday: Doughnuts and coffee at church! (What? It's Sunday. Have a treat!)

 Lunch:

         Lunch is probably going to be on campus and between classes.  Pack a sandwich, fruit and a bottle of water. Stock your backpack with  a cheese stick, a granola bar, packaged peanut butter crackers, or cheese crackers for snacks. Stay hydrated and fueled.  Passing out in class is not pretty! Been there! Done that! Don't want the t-shirt!

If pizza is in your budget, choose a thin-crust cheese pizza or one with lots of veggies.  Try to work in a salad made primarily of dark greens and chopped vegetables. Go easy on the cheese, bacon bits, croutons and high fat dressing. It defeats the purpose of eating a salad, but still better than a bucket of fried chicken or a pizza supreme.  

A grilled chicken sandwich is a better choice than a quarter-pounder with cheese.  Try a side of fruit instead of fries. Chic-Fil-A’s carrot raisin salad contains two servings of vegetables and a serving of fruit making it a smart, satisfying choice.  

Snacks and/or Dinner (just add bagged salad or carrot sticks, and fresh fruit to make it dinner):

• Monday: Whole Wheat Tortilla Roll-ups w/low-fat lunch meat or chicken, cheese & salsa.
• Tuesday: Soup w/crackers and cheese.
• Wednesday: Turkey Chili Quesadilla w/baby carrots and fruit.
• Thursday: English Muffins,topped with pasta sauce & cheese.
• Friday: Chicken or tuna salad made w/light mayo on crackers or an English muffins.
• Saturday: Snag a bag of Fritos, and make a Frito Pie w/Turkey chili. 
• Sunday: Go to Mom's!

For my daughter, I put all the pantry items, plus a few leftover containers, plastic baggies, plates, and plastic ware into a Rubbermaid tub. The tub's primary purpose is to keep everything together and out of reach of small woodland creatures (not to mention roommates with questionable boundaries). It can be stored under the bed or used for extra seating. (No doubt it will be used as a step-stool at some point. Keep your health insurance in effect.)

Girls, if your room is this well-stocked you won't have any trouble making friends. FYI--You'll need twice as much if you start feeding boys.

Boys, if your room is this well-stocked your parents will be in awe and offer to increase your allowance. Okay, maybe not, but they sure will be proud.

If you have or know a student going off to college in the fall, put these items together in a tub, stick a bow on it and you'll have a great gift. It wouldn't hurt to attach this post.

With these ingredients you have the makings of many meals. Holler if you need any more ideas.
PS. On the issue of calories from alcohol--YOU ARE UNDERAGE! IT'S NOT AN OPTION!!! Your mother thanks me.
*Kim Palmer (November 1, 2011), "'Freshman 15', weight gain is a myth: study" Rueters.