Graduation is right around the corner, and what better way to start off your grad day than with a delicious brunch? After all that hard work and those countless hours spent cramming in the library to get your degree, you definitely deserve to treat yourself. Nothing’s sweeter than surprising your favorite seniors with a send-off meal to congratulate all the effort they’ve put into their undergraduate years. So help them get ready for their big day, or be prepared for your own, with these quick but delicious dishes you can whip up to give them that one last blue and gold reppin’ pride! Congrats Class of 2018! It’s off to the real world now!

Tiffany Velazquez / Daily Nexus

Frozen Tropical Blue Lemonade

Ingredients:

  • ½ cup of frozen lemonade
  • ½ cup of frozen pineapple juice
  • 4 tbsps of Berry Blue Typhoon Hawaiian Punch flavor powder

Instructions:

  1. Empty the frozen lemonade and pineapple juice into a blender. Let soften slightly before adding in the Hawaiian Punch flavor packets over the top of your liquids.
  2. Blend the ingredients together until the flavor powder has been evenly mixed in. Feel free to blend the mixture in intervals and further incorporate the powder in with a spoon.
  3. Once fully blended, pour your drink into a glass and garnish with a wedge of lemon for that pop of gold.

Rachel Lee / Daily Nexus

Gaucho Dip

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup of milk
  • 4 tsps of all purpose flour
  • 1 ½ oz shredded cheese (of your choice)
  • ¼ tsp black pepper
  • Bag of blue tortilla chips

Instructions:

  1. Mix ¼ of the milk with the flour into a pot over medium heat, stirring until all the flour has been incorporated.
  2. Add the remaining amount of milk. Bring the mixture to a boil, frequently mixing so it doesn’t burn. Once it boils, lower the temperature to a low-medium heat and let it simmer for about two minutes, still mixing from time to time.
  3. Remove the pot from heat and mix in the cheese and pepper. Keep mixing until everything has melted together and the cheese dip has a smooth, melted consistency. For this recipe, I used a mixture of cheddar and mozzarella but you can use whatever depending on your liking! Try not to use pre-shredded cheese because it tends to be coated in starch and won’t melt as easily.
  4. Plate and enjoy with your favorite brand of blue tortilla chips!

Winnie Lam / Daily Nexus

Blueberry Banana Pancakes

Ingredients:

  • 1 ½ cups of all-purpose flour
  • ¼ cup of sugar
  • 2 tsps of baking powder
  • ½ tsp of salt
  • ½ cup of milk
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • ½ cup of unsalted butter, melted
  • 2 ripe bananas, mashed
  • 1 ½ cups of blueberries
  • 1 tsp of vanilla extract

Directions:

  1. Mix all your dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, sugar and salt) together in a large bowl.
  2. Add the wet ingredients (milk, butter, egg and vanilla extract) and stir gently.
  3. Add in the mashed bananas and mix until the batter is creamy, but some lumps are still visible. This will ensure that you get fluffy pancakes.
  4. Coat a large heated pan with cooking spray or butter and spoon pancake batter in your desired size and shape.
  5. Add blueberries on top of the pancakes and cook on low heat until bubbles form on top, then flip them.
  6. Cook until both sides are golden brown.
  7. Serve with powdered sugar, maple syrup and fresh bananas and blueberries to your liking.
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