Recipes to Get You Through Remote Learning

January 18, 2021 Samantha Wang

Nowadays, it feels as though remote learning has dominated all aspects of our lives. The monotony, the stress, the isolation... all feelings of which we attribute to this unideal experience. Yet recently, I found myself picking up the spatula and whisk for the first time in my life. Baking has brought me a sense of escape from these much-needed times - physically and mentally! As students and faculty continue to navigate through this confusing situation, I figured anyone could use a few small treats right about now. Here are some quick and simple treats that could be made from the comforts of your own home -- no pesky trips to the grocery store needed!

2-Ingredient Bagels

It's no wonder that bagels are a favorite among the St. Mark's community - they make a perfect grab-and-go breakfast or a fantastic source of energy before a workout. For those of us in need of bagels, look no further -- you can make your own at home using just 2 ingredients! They won't be nearly as fluffy and decadent as those found in the dining hall, but they’ll be just enough to take you back to the simpler times back on campus. (Recipe from Better Homes & Gardens)

Ingredients:

1 cup self-rising flour (Make your own self-rising flour blend by mixing 1 cup flour plus 1½ tsp. baking powder and ½ tsp. salt)
1 cup Greek yogurt

Optional flavor variations:

Cinnamon raisin bagels (mix in cinnamon + raisins)
Sesame bagels (wash with 1 lightly-beaten egg + top with sesame seeds)

Recipe:

Preheat the oven to 350ºF and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
In a large bowl, stir together the flour and yogurt until combined. It will be sticky and crumbly.
On a lightly floured surface, form the dough into a ball and knead for 3 to 5 minutes until it is no longer sticky, but rather smooth and elastic.
Shape the dough into an even circle, then divide into four equal balls using a sharp knife or a dough scraper.
Roll each ball into a rope that's about 6 inches long, then pinch the ends together to make a bagel shape. Place each bagel on the prepared baking sheet, brushing with the egg and desired toppings.
Bake approximately 25 minutes until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack.

Banana Bread

Banana bread completely dominated social media platforms near the beginning of 2020 quarantine days. Why not revisit this quarantine-classic once again? This time, the recipe is slightly-tweaked for a healthier version of this delicious treat. (Recipe from Cookie and Kate)

Ingredients:

⅓ cup melted coconut oil/extra-virgin olive oil/ high-quality vegetable oil
½ cup honey/maple syrup
2 eggs
1 cup mashed ripe bananas (about 2 ½ medium or 2 large bananas)
¼ cup milk of choice/water
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon (plus more to swirl on top)
1 ¾ cups whole wheat/white whole wheat/all-purpose flour

Optional mix-ins:

½ cup chopped walnuts or pecans
½ cup chocolate chips, raisins, chopped dried fruit, fresh banana slices…

Recipe:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit and grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan.
In a large bowl, beat the oil and honey together with a whisk. Add the eggs and beat well, then whisk in the mashed bananas and milk. (If your coconut oil solidifies on contact with cold ingredients, simply let the bowl rest in a warm place for a few minutes, like on top of your stove, or warm it for about 10 seconds in the microwave.)
Add the baking soda, vanilla, salt and cinnamon, and whisk to blend. Lastly, switch to a big spoon and stir in the flour, just until combined. Some lumps are ok! If you’re adding any additional mix-ins, gently fold them in now.
Pour the batter into your greased loaf pan and sprinkle lightly with cinnamon. If you’d like a pretty swirled effect, run the tip of a knife across the batter in a zig-zag pattern.
Bake for 55 to 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean (typically, if I haven’t added any mix-ins, my bread is done at 55 minutes; if I have added mix-ins, it needs closer to 60 minutes). Let the bread cool in the loaf pan for at least 10 minutes. You may need to run a butter knife around the edges to loosen the bread from the pan. Carefully transfer the loaf to a wire rack to cool before slicing.

Cinnamon Roll Microwave Mug Cake

If you're looking for a quick, single-serve recipe, then try out this cinnamon roll mug cake which could be made in the microwave in just over a minute! This recipe is totally dorm-friendly as well! (Recipe from Kim’s Cravings)

Ingredients:

¼ cup all purpose flour or Kodiak Cakes pancake mix
¼ teaspoon baking powder
2 tablespoons milk of choice (1-2 tablespoons more, as needed)
1 tablespoon maple syrup
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon coconut oil or melted butter
1 tablespoon brown sugar or coconut sugar
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

Recipe:

Spray a microwavable mug with cooking spray
Mix together the flour (or pancake mix), baking powder, milk, maple syrup, vanilla and oil (or melted butter) inside the mug. Add 1-2 tablespoons more of milk, if needed for desired consistency. You want the batter to stay thick, but not dry.
In a small bowl, whisk together brown sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle over the top of the mug mixture. Use the tip of a knife to swirl cinnamon mix into the top of the batter.
Microwave on high for about 1 minute and 25 seconds. Take out of the microwave and if desired transfer muffin to a plate. Enjoy!

Scones

Scones are another St. Mark's classic, and they may remind some St. Markers of those weekend brunches in the dining hall. This recipe requires a bit more work to get around, but it’ll all be worth it to get the scones as close to the real thing! (Recipe from Sally's Baking Addiction)

Ingredients:

2 cups (250g) all-purpose flour (spoon & leveled), plus more for hands and work surface
½ cup (100g) granulated sugar
½ teaspoon salt
2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
½ cup (1 stick; 115g) unsalted butter, frozen
½ cup (120ml) heavy cream or buttermilk (plus 2 Tbsp for brushing)
1 large egg
1½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Optional:

Add-ins: 1–1½ cups chocolate chips, berries, nuts, fruit,...
Toppings: ½ – 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, coarse sugar, vanilla icing, salted caramel, lemon icing, maple icing, brown butter icing, lemon curd, orange icing, raspberry icing, confectioners’ sugar

Recipe:

Whisk flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder together in a large bowl. Grate the frozen butter using a box grater. Add it to the flour mixture and combine with a pastry cutter, two forks, or your fingers until the mixture comes together in pea-sized crumbs. Place in the refrigerator or freezer as you mix the wet ingredients together.
Whisk 1/2 cup heavy cream, the egg, and vanilla extract together in a small bowl. Drizzle over the flour mixture, add the add-ins, then mix together until everything appears moistened.
Pour onto the counter and, with floured hands, work dough into a ball as best you can. Dough will be sticky. If it’s too sticky, add a little more flour. If it seems too dry, add 1-2 more tablespoons of heavy cream. Press into an 8-inch disc and, with a sharp knife or bench scraper, cut into 8 wedges. For smaller scones, press dough into two 5-inch discs and cut each into 8 wedges.
Brush scones with remaining heavy cream and for extra crunch, sprinkle with coarse sugar. (You can do this before or after refrigerating in the next step.)
Place scones on a plate or lined baking sheet and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 400°F (204°C).
Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or silicone baking mat(s). After refrigerating, arrange scones 2-3 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet(s).
Bake for 18-26 minutes or until golden brown around the edges and lightly browned on top. Larger scones take closer to 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool for a few minutes before topping with optional toppings listed in the ingredients.

Cream Cheese Cookies

Alternatively, if you find yourself tired of your cream cheese spread on bagels, make another use for them instead! Cream cheese cookies were a TikTok phenomenon during the early days of quarantine, and they make for a perfect, pantry-staple treat. (Recipe from Preppy Kitchen)

Ingredients:

½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
1 egg, room temperature
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1¾ cup all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt

Recipe:

Whisk together the flour, salt and baking powder in a medium bowl and set aside.
Using a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, or an electric hand mixer, cream the butter and cream cheese together. Add the sugar in and beat until light and fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla in and mix until combined. Scrape the bowl down and miix one more time to combine.
Add the dry mixture into the wet and mix on low until just combined. Use a spatula to scrape the bottom and give the mixture one last mix then cover and chill for at least an hour.
Heat oven to 375F then portion out roughly two tablespoon-sized pieces and roll into a ball. The dough will be sticky so It's best to dampen your hands a bit and just wash them when they get a bit covered. Place about two inches apart on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silpat and bake for 10 minutes or until the edges are set and just turning golden.

Peanut Butter Protein Bars

For St. Marker’s looking to aid their workouts, these peanut butter protein bars made with oats are a perfect pre-exercise snack. They require minimal ingredients and are no-bake! (Recipe from Well Plated)

Ingredients:

¾ cup creamy peanut butter
⅓ cup honey
2 tablespoons coconut oil
2 cups Rolled Oats
½ cup vanilla protein powder about 2 scoops, depending upon your brand
3 tablespoons flaxseed meal
¼teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
⅓ cup mini chocolate chips

Recipe:

Line an 8x8- or 9x9-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving overhang on two sides like handles.
Place the peanut butter, honey, and coconut oil in a medium heatproof bowl. Set the bowl over a saucepan of water and bring the water to a simmer over medium to medium-high heat. (Do not let the water boil, and make sure the water does not touch the bottom of the mixing bowl.) Stir and heat until the mixture is smoothly combined. Remove the bowl from the saucepan and turn off the heat.
To the bowl with the peanut butter mixture, add the oats, protein powder, flaxseed, cinnamon, and salt. Stir to combine. The mixture will seem very dry at first but will come together as you stir. It won’t be sticky but should hold together when pressed (see recipe notes for more details). If the mixture is still fairly warm, pop the bowl into the refrigerator for a few minutes to let it cool, then stir in the chocolate chips. (Cooling the mixture will prevent the chocolate from melting. Don’t worry if they do melt a little—the bars will still be delicious!) Press evenly into the prepared pan and refrigerate for 1 hour or until firm.
Lift the bars from the pan using the parchment handles and transfer to a cutting board. Slice into bars of desired size and enjoy.

Hopefully, these recipes can bring a little joy to your days being stuck in remote learning. Leaving the screen and baking has proved to be a wonderful way for me to cope with the stressful and repetitive nature of quarantine, and I hope that it will do the same for the rest of the St. Mark's community as we navigate these challenging times!

Art over the Summer: Advanced Studio III

November 20, 2020 Samantha Wang

Ingrid Yeung ‘23

Last year, we were able to walk around campus and see the display of student artwork around every corner of St. Mark’s. However, in a challenging situation like this year, much of the art completed over the summer or during the new school year are trapped in houses or archived as pictures in cloud drives. We have lost the opportunity to see many inspiring artworks in real life, but thankfully, we still have the internet to share works of incredible artists at our school.

Over the summer, the Advanced Studio class had compiled some aesthetic and inspiring art projects. Under the remote learning environment, students worked creatively with the resources they had. Mrs. Putnam managed to mail students art supplies and worked closely with the students online. Each student in the Advanced Studio class focused on a specific topic or issue and developed a series of artworks surrounding that topic. While developing a central theme for their portfolio, the students also incorporated various painting styles and drawings and utilized multiple media in creative combinations. Each artwork shows the depth in the students’ thoughts and reveals the uniqueness in the style of all the Studio III Students.

Celine Ma-- A Deeper Look into Animal Rights

“Growing up, my parents wanted to ensure that I’d grow into a kind person. I put this into action by always being kind to the animals around me. By being attentive to animal-related news and topics, I’ve grown into an activist who fights for the rights of abused animals.”

Celine has always been an activist for the rights of abused animals. Since a very young age, she has taken care of animals and helped stray dogs and cats. Though unintentional in the beginning, she realized that she had developed a consistent and central theme about animal rights in her artworks since she was in Studio II. Recognizing the strength and influence of art, she hopes to use it as a tool to make a statement and to raise awareness of animal abuse and issues on animal rights.

This summer, Celine continued to dive deeper into the complex topic of animal rights and animal abuse. In the piece, Tinted, Celine focused on the topic of whale hunting. By depicting the bloody ocean and a harpoon pointing straight at the helpless whale, she visualizes the fear, pain, and horror that the whales experience, bringing the viewer into experiencing the massacre in the first person.

Daniella Pozo -- Communicating Identity

“I spent a lot of time looking at myself, my family, and my home over quarantine. This project was a culmination of all that time I spent back home and hopefully a starting point for projects I’ll do this year.”

During the quarantined summer, Daniella spent much of her time reflecting and communicating her own identity through art. She started with unpacking the duality in her identity, such as being at home vs. being in St. Mark’s and speaking Spanish at home vs. English at school. By thinking and reflecting on her own identity in different ways, she also wanted to express herself in new ways or new forms of art.

By taking a course with SAIC during the summer, which aims to let the student combine cartoons with fine paintings, Daniella spent most of her summer experimenting and trying new things in her artworks. Although she has felt uneasy or out of ideas from time to time, she challenged and pushed herself into testing out unconventional ways of painting.

Katie Mao: Art of Fusion(with birds)

“Throughout the years in China, the traditional alleyways are starting to decrease, it did not stop for architects from building new ones that looked similar, but the history behind the old buildings are lost.”

In this project, Katie worked with traditional Chinese elements in her art and tried to fuse it with the contemporary art style. By adding more colors and strokes, she tweaked traditional Chinese Art and made it more vibrant. Over the summer, she took a course on the Chinese Brush Pen called “Maobi”. Through the course, she learned about the importance of brushstrokes and the long history behind each art process. Now, she is learning to draw nature, scenery, and birds using the Chinese art style. With a particular interest in drawing birds, Katie tries to incorporate elements of birds in most of her drawings as well.

While she is experimenting with a new art style, she wants to convey the permanent loss of traditional Chinese culture in torn-down architecture and the replacement of those by new buildings built in similar ways but without historical meanings. Illustrating the amazing details in her artworks, Katie invites us to see the pure beauty of Chinese culture and history.

Catie Summers: The Ongoing Human Rights Issue in our Society

“It’s not enough to simply believe the right thing. We must all actively work against oppressors and the prevailing issues our society struggles with this very day.”

Catie concentrates the theme of her project on the ongoing human rights issue in our society. She wants to make people more aware of historical societal issues in the world through her artwork. Something that Catie found challenging while developing the series was generating ideas that well reflect the problems at hand emotionally and artistically to provoke thoughts and feelings.

One of Catie’s favorite pieces among her artworks was the boy sitting in the cage. It depicts the protest of immigration and presents the irony of the statement “land of the free”. Through this work, Catie offers a critique of the American immigration system. “Due to unjust racial barriers, millions of immigrants find themselves completely blocked out of the US or stuck in a dreadful state of in-between. Immigrant families are torn apart, and children are forced to live in cages at the border. This is one of the many issues that not only needs to be brought to more attention but also needs people actively working toward a solution.”

Laryssa Barbosa: Sustainability is More than Recycling

“ Many of us think of sustainability just as recycling, when in reality, the saying is reuse, reduce, recycle.”

Laryssa’s consistent theme in her artwork is sustainability. She hopes to raise awareness of what sustainability really is and how people can actively resolve the issue through small acts in everyday life. She has reduced her waste by not purchasing unnecessary things, reusing containers, and even cutting down clothes purchases.

Through her artworks, Laryssa wants to explore the impact of unsustainable lifestyles globally. She tries to use different media in drawing different elements and explore the use of color. More importantly, All of her pieces were created from recycled paper. Just as she said, “why let them go to waste when they could create a masterpiece?”

Nashua Poreda- The Creative Realistic Nature

“The more unknown an idea is, the more interested I become.”

Nashua focused her topic on the creative nature of the outdoors. Through her art, she wanted to capture the always-changing nature and merge the two sides of nature into one. She has become interested in the creative side of her works, but at the same time, she keeps a sense of realism. She hopes to depict outdoor scenes with creative touches without losing the accuracy of pure nature.

Nashua’s artworks are mostly related to the local environment in Massachusetts, and she is still developing more about her topic on nature. Like the other students, Nashua also tried to utilize different media in her work and even print over the summer.

All of the students’ artworks presented are the result of the students’ contemplation of current issues. They have put in a lot of effort into their project, but unfortunately, we cannot see them displayed at school. Luckily, we have the internet and St. Mark’s online media platform to help us showcase these fantastic and well-created artworks online. With unexpected problems arising every day in the world, every one of us at St. Mark is striving to work creatively to accommodate this situations.