I chose these three recipes because I believe they are fairly easy to make and enjoy all of them. I tried to include recipes that differ from one another so that at least one might appeal to the reader. If i had to pick between the three of these recipes I would say that the salmon is my favorite because it can be easily paired with whatever side vegetable you’re in the mood for that day. 

Chicken and Asparagus Penne*

 

Grilled Salmon*

https://www.buzzfeed.com/clairenolan/keep-it-fresh-on-the-grill-this-weekend-with-this-citrus-sal?bffbtasty&utm_term=.ymY866XB1B#.py1Oppq8X8

 

Chicken Fajita Bowl*

I chose these three recipes because they are just some of my favorite things to eat. Bruschetta is a dish that I lived off of last year when I was going to beauty school in California and working late nights, and my favorite variation came from a small Italian restaurant that would add balsamic vinegar into they’re spread. After spending way too much money eating out all the time,  I decided to find a recipe that involved balsamic, as it is one of my favorite flavors and added this note of savory-sweetness to an already delicious, simple dish.

Although potatoes au gratin may have a complicated name, it is a relatively easy dish that could feed me for over a week. I absolutely love potatoes in nearly every form, so every Thanksgiving and Christmas meal I demand that I get some sort of potato dish. For about the last five years one of those holidays has seen this recipe on the table. Though not for those on a diet, this creamy, cheesy delicious potato dish is one of my top favorite comfort foods that just makes you feel warm inside. (Feel free to also add bacon.)

Finally, vodka cream sauce is another recipe that just brings back memories. I remember the first time I ate this dish I thought I was getting away with something because it had vodka in it, alas 10 year old me did not get drunk off of this sauce, though it did make me feel warm and happy inside. This sauce is a perfect middle ground between a light marinara and a heavy alfredo. For the classic dish, pair with penne pasta.

Bruschetta with Balsamic Glaze

http://www.aheadofthyme.com/2016/09/easy-tomato-bruschetta-with-balsamic-glaze/

Yields: 8-10 Slices

Ingredients:

• 1 cup tomatoes, pitted and diced (about 4 roma tomatoes)
• ¼ cup sweet onion, diced (about ¼ red onion)
• 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
• 5 fresh basil leaves, chopped
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
• ½ cup balsamic vinegar
• ½ loaf of French baguette, sliced into ½ inch slices
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder

Instructions:

Tomato Mixture:

1. In a medium bowl, combine the tomatoes, onion, garlic, basil, olive oil and salt and pepper. Toss to combine and store in the refrigerator for one hour (you don’t have to wait this long, but it is recommended to bring out all the flavours).

Balsamic Glaze:

1. In a small sauce pan, heat the balsamic vinegar over medium heat until it boils. Continue to cook for 4-5 minutes until the sauce is reduced by half.
2. Pour the glaze into a small bowl and set aside. The glaze will continue to thicken when removed from heat.

Make the Bruschetta:

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a small bowl, combine the olive oil and garlic powder.
3. Brush the top side of each baguette slice with the olive oil mixture.
4. Place slices onto a lined baking tray and bake for about 10 minutes, until light golden brown.
5. Top each slice with a spoonful of the tomato mixture.
6. Drizzle the balsamic glaze onto each bruschetta (messy it ok!) and serve.

 

Scalloped Potatoes Au Gratin

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ellie-krieger/scalloped-potatoes-au-gratin-recipe.html

Yields 8 Servings

Ingredients:

Olive oil spray

3 pounds yellow potatoes, like Yukon gold, unpeeled, sliced into 1/4-inch slices

3 cups cold milk (1 percent low-fat)

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 large or 2 small sprigs thyme

1 3/4 cups grated Gruyere cheese (6 ounces)

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 2 quart, shallow baking dish with olive oil spray.
2. Put the potatoes into a large pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce the heat and simmer until the potatoes are just tender, about 8 minutes. Drain and set aside to cool somewhat.
3. Put the milk and flour into a large saucepan and whisk until the flour is dissolved. Add the garlic and thyme and heat over a medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture comes to a boil and is thickened, about 8 minutes. Remove from the heat, discard the thyme sprig, and stir in the salt. Add 1 cup of the cheese and stir until melted.
4. Arrange half of the potatoes in the baking dish. Pour over half of the cheese sauce. Add the remaining potatoes and top with rest of the sauce. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese and bake for 25 minutes, until bubbling. Put under the broiler and broil on high until the top is browned, about 2 minutes. Serve hot.

 

Vodka Cream Sauce

http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2011/12/sauced-vodka-cream-sauce-recipe.html

Yields: About 3 cups

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoon butter
• 1/4 cup finely minced shallots
• 3 medium garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 1 28-oz can whole tomatoes, crushed by hand
• 1/3 cup vodka
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• Kosher salt to taste

Instructions:

1. Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add in shallots and cook until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and tomato paste and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
2. Remove pan from heat and stir in tomatoes and vodka. Return to heat and simmer until alcohol cooks off, about 7 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. For a smooth sauce, transfer sauce to a jar of a blender and puree until smooth. Pour back into saucepan.
4. Add in heavy cream and cook over medium heat until warmed through, about 2 to 3 minutes. Season with salt to taste. Use immediately or store in refrigerator for up to a week or in a freezer for up to 6 months.

Because of the time I spent in Japan and also with the Japanese Association here at UT, I decided to look at Japanese recipes that were also doable as a university student. Karaage is just easy to prepare and easy to eat as it’s just thigh meat that has been battered. Onigiri is just rice with some seasoning, maybe a meat filler, and seaweed which I can obtain relatively easily.

Karaage (Japanese fried chicken):

http://norecipes.com/recipe/karaage-recipe

http://www.japanesecooking101.com/karaage-recipe/

Onigiri (Rice balls):

http://www.justhungry.com/2007/01/onigiri_omusubi_revisited_an_e.html

I chose these three recipes because they are meals that I often get when I go to my favorite restaurants. Another reason that I chose these recipes is because they are out of my cooking comfort zone and I want to be more adventurous and go beyond broccoli and baked chicken. The goal is to be able to spend less money on my favorite meals and be able to get seconds (and thirds).

 

1. Sweet Potato Hash

 

INGREDIENTS

2 tbsp unsalted butter

2 to 3 large yellow onions (about 2 lb), halved, thinly sliced, then halved again

Kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper

3 large sweet potatoes (about 3 lb), skin intact, chopped into 1/4″-1/2″ cubes

1/4 cup olive oil

1 1/2 tsp smoked paprika

2 tbsp (packed) finely minced fresh rosemary or oregano leaves

4 to 6 large eggs

shaved Parmesan, for serving (optional)

 

PREPARATION

– Preheat oven to 450°. Line a large baking sheet with foil or parchment paper.

– Melt butter in a cast-iron or other heavy skillet over medium-high heat. When it foams, add onions and sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper. (Don’t worry if they are crammed into the pan; they will rapidly cook down.) Lower heat slightly and cook, stirring occasionally (reduce heat further if they seem to be burning), until dark brown, about 20-30 minutes.

– Meanwhile, toss sweet potatoes, oil, 1 1/2 tsp salt, smoked paprika, a generous helping of black pepper, and minced rosemary or oregano in a large bowl. Stir in onions.

– Spread sweet potato mixture on prepared baking sheet and roast for 25-40 minutes, stirring every 10-15 minutes, until sweet potatoes are soft and browned.

– Reduce oven temperature to 425°. Spread a relatively thin layer of the cooked sweet potato hash in individual ramekins, a cast-iron skillet, or a 9″ x 13″ baking dish.

– Make small wells in the hash and crack in the eggs. Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper. Bake for 10-20 minutes, or until hash is hot and eggs are baked to your preference. Test the eggs by prodding them with a fork to check the firmness of the white and the runniness of the yolk.

– Serve immediately, with Parmesan, if desired.

Cooks’ notes:

For variations, try folding in smoked turkey, roasted chicken, or cooked breakfast sausage before roasting. Hash can be cooled and stored, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

 

 

 

2. PAD SEE EW (THAI STIR FRIED NOODLES)

 

PREP TIME

10 mins

COOK TIME

5 mins

TOTAL TIME

15 mins

 

Pad See Ew (which means Stir Fried Soy Sauce noodles) is one of the most popular Thai street foods. It’s amazing how fast it comes together – once the ingredients are ready to throw into the wok, it takes less than 5 minutes to cook. Traditionally, this is made with Sen Yai which are wide, thin rice noodles. But these are only sold in Asian stores where I live (and I don’t have one nearby) so I’ve made it with wide rice stick noodles which are readily available in supermarkets and it is a pretty close substitute. I’ve eaten enough Pad See Ew at Thai restaurants to assure you that there is no compromise on flavour!

Author: Nagi | RecipeTin Eats

Recipe type: Noodles, Stir Fry

Cuisine: Thai

Serves: 3

 

INGREDIENTS

Noodles

• 6oz / 180g dried wide rice stick noodles, or 15 oz / 450g fresh wide flat rice noodles (Sen Yai) (Note 1)

Sauce

• 2 tablespoons dark soy sauce (or sub with kecap manis) (see notes for substitutes)
• 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
• 2 teaspoons soy sauce (normal all purpose soy sauce)
• 2 teaspoons white vinegar (plain distilled white vinegar)
• 2 teaspoons sugar (white or brown)
• 2 tbsp water

Stir Fry

• 2 tbsp peanut or vegetable oil
• 2 cloves garlic cloves
• 1 cup / 150g / 5oz chicken thighs (boneless, skinless), cut into bite size pieces
• 1 large egg
• 4 cups (packed) Chinese broccoli, leaves separated from stems (cut stems vertically into thin sticks)

 

INSTRUCTIONS

• Prepare the noodles according to packet instructions. Some just require soaking in boiling water for 5 minutes, others require cooking in a pot of boiling water for a few minutes. For fresh noodles, soak in boiled water in a bowl for a few minutes – do not boil in a pot. Drain when ready.
• Meanwhile, combine sauce ingredients.
• Mince the garlic straight into the wok with the oil. Place wok high heat. As the oil is heating, the garlic will gradually heat too and infuse the oil with flavour.
• When the oil is hot and the garlic is starting to turn golden, add the chicken and Chinese broccoli stems and stir fry for 1 minute.
• Move the chicken and Chinese broccoli to one side and crack in the egg, and scramble it. Don’t worry if some of it sticks to the wok, it will char as you continue cooking – you want that chargrilled flavour!
• Add the noodles, Chinese broccoli leaves and the sauce. Fold gently to combine, for the sauce to coat the noodles evenly and to caramelise, and the leaves to just wilt. They only need to be just wilted because they will continue to cook while you are plating up.
• Serve immediately.

 

 

3. CHICKEN TIKKA MASALA

Makes 6 Servings ACTIVE TIME 1 hour TOTAL TIME5 1/2 hours

INGREDIENTS

• 6 garlic cloves, finely grated
• 4 teaspoons finely grated peeled ginger
• 4 teaspoons ground turmeric
• 2 teaspoons garam masala
• 2 teaspoons ground coriander
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 1/2 cups whole-milk yogurt (not Greek)
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• 2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breasts, halved lengthwise
• 3 tablespoons ghee (clarified butter) or vegetable oil
• 1 small onion, thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup tomato paste
• 6 cardamom pods, crushed
• 2 dried chiles de árbol or 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 28-ounce can whole peeled tomatoes
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 3/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro plus sprigs for garnish
• Steamed basmati rice (for serving)

 

PREPARATION

• Combine garlic, ginger, turmeric, garam masala, coriander, and cumin in a small bowl. Whisk yogurt, salt, and half of spice mixture in a medium bowl; add chicken and turn to coat. Cover and chill 4-6 hours. Cover and chill remaining spice mixture.
• Heat ghee in a large heavy pot over medium heat. Add onion, tomato paste, cardamom, and chiles and cook, stirring often, until tomato paste has darkened and onion is soft, about 5 minutes. Add remaining half of spice mixture and cook, stirring often, until bottom of pot begins to brown, about 4 minutes.
• Add tomatoes with juices, crushing them with your hands as you add them. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer, stirring often and scraping up browned bits from bottom of pot, until sauce thickens, 8-10 minutes.
• Add cream and chopped cilantro. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until sauce thickens, 30-40 minutes.
• Meanwhile, preheat broiler. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and set a wire rack inside sheet. Arrange chicken on rack in a single layer. Broil until chicken starts to blacken in spots (it will not be cooked through), about 10 minutes.
• Cut chicken into bite-size pieces, add to sauce, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until chicken is cooked through, 8-10 minutes. Serve with rice and cilantro sprigs.
• DO AHEAD: Chicken can be made 2 days ahead. Cover; chill. Reheat before serving.

I decided to choose alcoholic drink recipes because my roommates and I have recently taken up drink-mixing as a hobby. While society may (ignorantly) dictate that is emasculating for men to consume beverages of the fruity variety, I myself have no shame in partaking in the occasional marg or hard cider. I dedicate these 3 recipes to all the men in the world who deny themselves the consumption of fruity drinks because of fear of ridicule. Be brave, gentlemen.

Mango Margarita:

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/michael-chiarello/mango-margarita-recipe.html

Pomegranate Mimosas:

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/pomegranate-mimosas-350910

Peach – Raspberry Tequila Sunrise

http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/peach-raspberry-tequila-sunrise?utm_medium=yummly&utm_source=yummly&utm_campaign=yummly

I chose these recipes because they aren’t too hard and don’t require a ton of time to make. I think any kind of pasta is perfect for college students like myself who don’t have a lot of time to cook and need to make something quick. I also like eating desserts and banana bread was one of the first things I made when I tried baking.

Spaghetti:

http://www.readyseteat.com/recipes-Spaghetti-and-Meat-Sauce-3983.html

Cheesecake:

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchens/classic-cheesecake-recipe2.html

Banana Bread:

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/20144/banana-banana-bread/

*Teriyaki Chicken*

Ingredients:

• ¼ cup soy sauce
• ⅓ cup freshly squeezed orange juice (from 1½ medium or 1 large oranges)
• 3 Tbsp honey
• 1 tsp finely grated fresh ginger
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 1½ to 2 lbs (about 6-7 medium) boneless skinless chicken thighs, trimmed of fat
• 1 Tbsp oil (I use light olive oil)
• 1½ Tbsp unsalted butter
• Green onion and sesame seeds for garnish, optional

Instructions:

1. In a large bowl, whisk together all marinade ingredients: ¼ cup soy sauce, ⅓ cup orange juice, 3 Tbsp honey, 1 tsp ginger and 1 tsp sesame oil.
2. Cut chicken into 1-inch pieces and place into marinade. Stir and cover with plastic wrap and marinate on the counter 20 min.
3. Heat a large non-stick pan over medium-high heat. Add 1 Tbsp olive oil. Remove chicken from marinade with a slotted spoon, reserving marinade in the bowl. Add chicken to the hot pan and sauté, stirring occasionally until golden and cooked through (5 min).
4. Remove pan from heat and transfer chicken to a bowl.
5. Pour reserved marinade into the pan, add 1½ Tbsp butter and place back over medium/high heat. Bring to a boil stirring constantly until slightly thickened (1 min) then remove from heat. Add chicken back to the pan and stir to combine. Serve over hot buttery white rice garnished with fresh green onion and a sprinkle of sesame seeds if desired.

*Mozzarella Sticks*

Ingredients: 

• 8 ounces  mozzarella cheese
• 1⁄2cup  all-purpose flour
• 1 large  egg
• 1⁄2cup seasoned dry bread crumb

Instructions:

1. Cut the cheese into 8 3 1/2/x 1/2×1/2″ sticks.
2. Put flour into shallow dish and dredge the mozzarella sticks lightly in flour, shaking off the excess.
3. One by one, dip in the beaten egg, coating completely, and then roll in bread crumbs to coat.
4. Put the sticks on a plate and freeze for 15 minutes.
5. Heat a deep fryer or heavy pot to 365 in 3 inches of oil.
6. Fry the mozzarella sticks in 2 batches until golden brown, about 1 minute.
7. Drain on paper towels and serve with hot marinara sauce.

*Chocolate Milkshake*

Ingredients: 

• 1/4 cup chocolate-flavored syrup
• 3/4 cup milk
• 3 scoops (1/2 cup each) vanilla ice cream

Instructions:

    1. In blender, place milk and syrup. Cover and blend on high speed 2 seconds.

    2. Add ice cream. Cover and blend on low speed about 5 seconds or until smooth. Pour into glasses. Serve immediately.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/paula-deen/southern-tea-cakes-recipe2.html

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/strawberry-shortcake-recipe3.html

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/19900/mississippi-mud-brownies/

 

I am a huge dessert person! I picked these three recipes because they are some of my favorite desserts that I have tried over the years. I love brownies with personality, they tend to all be the same; however these stand out. Tea cakes and strawberry shortcake are childhood favorites.

I chose these three recipes because they all require minimal effort and are perfect for someone who isn’t necessarily a pro in the kitchen. I am a dessert fanatic and slutty brownies are something that I have baked since I was young. The Doritos nachos is just a simple, fun snack that my friends from high school randomly put together one day and it is something that I have been making ever since.

• Slutty Brownie
  • Ingredients
    • 1 pound chocolate chip cookie dough
    • 16 oreo cookies
    • 1 box brownie mix
  • Directions
    • Preheat oven to 350℉. Grease a 9×9-inch pan with cooking spray.
    • Spread cookie dough in an even layer on the bottom. Top with Oreos in an even layer.
    • Mix brownie batter according to package instructions; spread on top.
    • Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
    • Let it cool in the pan for 15 minutes before cutting into 16 even squares.

• Spaghetti Squash with Parmesan Cheese
  • Ingredients
    • 1 medium spaghetti squash
    • 1/2 grated parmesan
    • 1/2 stick butter
    • salt and pepper
  • Directions
    • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F
    • Use a paring knife to prick squash all over
    • Place in a baking dish and bake 1 hour or until soft
    • Cut squash in half
    • Scoop out and discard seeds
    • Using a fork, scrape flesh in strings into a serving bowl
    • Toss with Parmesan and butter and season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Doritos Nachos
  • Ingredients
    • One bag of Nacho Cheese Doritos
    • Shredded cheddar cheese
    • Tabasco
    • Sour cream
  • Directions
    • Spread out chips evenly on a large plate
    • Cover the chips in the cheese (the more the better)
    • Cook in the microwave until the cheese is sufficiently melted
    • Lastly, cover the nachos with tabasco depending on how spicy you look your food

 

 

I chose these recipes because they are all easy to make and delicious. I always make banana bread at home when we have brown bananas and the other two are also fun to make, although I don’t have as much experience with them.

Banana Bread

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour

1-teaspoon baking soda

¼ teaspoon salt

½ cup butter

¾ cup brown sugar

2 eggs, beaten

2 large brown bananas

Directions:

1. Preheat over to 250 degrees F. Lightly grease a 9×5 inch loaf plan.
2. In a large bowl, combine flour, baking soda, and salt. In a separate bowl, cream together butter and brown sugar. Stir in eggs, mashed bananas until well blended. Stir banana mixture into flour mixture; stir just to moisten. Pour batter into prepared loaf pan.
3. Bake in preheated oven for 60 to 65 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into center of the loaf comes out clean. Let bread cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn onto a wire rack.

Puppy Chow

Ingredients:

9 cups crispy rice cereal squares

½ cup peanut butter

1-cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

1½ cups confectioner’s sugar

Directions:

1. In a saucepan over low heat, melt the chocolate; add peanut butter and mix until smooth.
2. Remove from heat, add cereal, and stir until coated.
3. Pour powdered sugar into large plastic bag, add coated cereal, and shake until well coated. Store in airtight container.

Banana Pudding

Ingredients:

1 (5 ounce) package instant vanilla pudding mix

2 cups cold milk

1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk

1-tablespoon vanilla extract

1 (12 ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed

1 (16 ounce) package vanilla wafers

14 bananas, sliced

Directions:

1. In a large mixing bowl, beat pudding mix and milk for 2 minutes.
2. Blend in condensed milk until smooth.
3. Stir in vanilla and fold in whipped topping.
4. Layer wafers, bananas, and pudding mixture in a glass-serving bowl.
5. Chill until served.