As we all navigate this unprecedented time and do our part to stay home to mitigate the spread of COVID-19, we thought it might be fun to share what FDL staff are doing to pass the time. While most of us are still working from home, we definitely have more time on our hands for reading, creativity, hobbies, and more. So here’s what some of us have been up to this week – we hope you enjoy!

“This week I made Crack Chicken. It was delicious!”

– Becky, Reference Assistant

Ingredients:

• 3-4 frozen chicken breasts
• 8 oz of cream cheese
• 1 pkg of ranch dressing mix

Directions:

• Cook in a crock pot for 5-6 hours on high.
• Brown 6 strips of bacon and chop into pieces.
• Shred the chicken breasts in the crock pot and add the bacon and 1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese.
• Mix and continue to heat for ½ hour.

You can serve this over rice or on buns as a sandwich.

“This week we decided to turn an under-utilized coat closet into a pantry. Now begins the fun of reorganizing all the kitchen cabinets as a result. To entertain myself while shifting everything around, I’ve been re-listening to the the audiobook of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.”

– Melissa, Reference Assistant

“This week I made a (semi) homemade raspberry lemon cake. I tried the “cake mix baking hack” that’s been trending on social media. You can do the cake mix hack with any boxed cake mix and substitute the raspberry preserve for another flavor of preserve to change it up! It turned out super moist and I’ll definitely be making all my cakes this way for now on!”

– Katie, Circulation Assistant

I used 1 box of lemon cake mix and did the following:

• Instead of 1 cup of water, I added a cup of milk.
• I used 5 eggs instead of 3 eggs.
• Instead of 1/3 cup vegetable oil, I used double (2/3) cup melted butter.
• Combine and bake as directions call for on box.

For the raspberry buttercream frosting:

• 2 sticks of unsalted butter
• 1 tbsp heavy whipping cream
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 3 1/2 cups sifted powdered sugar
• 1/3 cup raspberry preserves

Cream the softened butter with a mixer, then add your cream and vanilla extract. Slowing mix in the sifted powdered sugar.
Add the raspberry preserves last and mix until smooth. Frost and enjoy!

“As you might remember, my after-work, after-remote learning quarantine “stress relief” project was to teach myself to crochet. Well, I’ve practiced the basics and have a stack of dishcloths 8 inches high. (I’ve been handing out dishcloths like Oprah handed out Pontiacs.) I’m feeling confident in my very basic stitches, so I’ve been exploring the selection of 250+ crochet eBooks on hoopla and perusing the titles to see which might be the right one to lead me to the next project in my crochet adventure. I’m looking for simple and quick starter projects that allow me to learn and practice a few new stitches. There’s something very satisfying in the “completion” steps, and I don’t know if I’m ready for a lengthy project right now. However, if I keep practicing, maybe I’ll be skilled enough to make these cutesy taxidermies! And if not, at least I’ll be able to keep my dishes clean!”

– Genna, Director

“Recently I bought a band saw and I’ve been making different animal puzzles. Thursday, I made a frog and a brachiosaurus. Sometimes I design my own patterns, but I bought these patterns online. I’ve been woodworking since freshman year of high school. I make all sorts of things, but this bookcase and this shelf are my favorites.” 

– Katelyn, Library Page

“A few weeks ago, I finished reading Weather by Jenny Offill, but I still think of it almost daily. Though the book is short and her phrasing is almost surgically precise and compact, it packs a powerful, poetic, existential punch in the gut. I’ve also been obsessing over Fiona Apple’s long-awaited, brilliant album Fetch the Bolt Cutters (available on all music streaming services), which feels especially relevant during these quarantine times.”

– Beth, Communications Specialist