Moving off to college brings many changes with it. While meal plans offer great options for students away from home (perhaps for the first time), there are times when hunger strikes and it's not possible to get to the cafeteria. Many moms (and a few dads too!) have gotten the phone call asking for the ingredients to a favorite snack or how to make that pasta dish their student likes so well.
Since most students take at least a refrigerator and have access to a microwave, Fort Dodge Today offers a few tested recipes which require minimal ingredients, are quick and easy to make and taste great too. Most of them are easy on the budget tooa winning combination for most college co-eds!
Mexican Chicken
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Peanut Sauce Ramen
This simple five ingredient chicken main dish recipe cooks to perfection in your microwave oven.
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 tsp. taco seasoning mix
1/2 cup chunky salsa
1 cup shredded Pepper Jack cheese
2 Tbsp. sour cream
Sprinkle chicken with the taco seasoning mix, making sure to coat both sides of each piece. Place chicken in a square microwave safe dish and pour salsa over.
Cover and microwave on HIGH for 5-8 minutes, turning dish once halfway through cooking time. Make sure chicken is thoroughly cooked. Juices should run clear when pricked with a fork. Sprinkle chicken with cheese and return to microwave. Cook for 45 seconds until cheese is melted. Top with sour cream to serve. 2 servings
Flavorful Couscous
Great as a side dish or a meal on its own.
1 can vegetable soup (whatever flavor you like best)
8 oz. unflavored couscous
seasoning of choice
In a microwave-safe bowl, heat a can of your favorite vegetable soup according to directions until it has just started to boil. Immediately toss in eight ounces of unflavored couscous. Cover the bowl and let the couscous absorb the liquid, approximately five minutes. At this point, you can shake in some garlic salt, cayenne pepper, and lemon pepper seasoningor the seasoning of your choice. For a little zing of sweetness, throw in a sprinkle of cinnamon. Remember, the seasonings are all to taste.
Peanut Sauce Ramen
College students and ramen noodles may be cliche, but, cliche or not, you cannot deny the fact that they are inexpensive and fast. This is a way to dress up those noodles.
1 or 2 bags any flavor ramen noodles. (Seasoning packets will not be used.)
1/3 c. peanut butter
1/3 c. water
2 T. soy sauce
2 T. lemon juice
1 t. sugar
dash of cayenne pepper
dash garlic powder
optional: chopped peanuts
In a microwave-safe bowl, mix together peanut butter, water, soy sauce, lemon juice, sugar, cayenne pepper and garlic powder. Microwave this mixture for thirty seconds and toss with one or two bags of cooked and unseasoned ramen noodles. Can toss on some chopped peanuts to add crunch if you like.
Quick Mini-Pizza
1 English muffin
pizza or spaghetti sauce
cheese
optional: pepperoni, olives, mushrooms, peppers, or other pizza toppings
Slice and toast the English muffin if you like a crispier crust. Top the English muffin halves with pizza or spaghetti sauce. Add shredded cheese (mozarella, parmesan, or any you have on hand). Top with any other ingredients such as 3 or 4 pepperoni slices, olives, etc. Microwave until cheese melts.
Dessert Apples
1 apple per serving (tart apples like Granny Smith work well for this)
1 T. butter
1 T. brown sugar
1/4 to t. cinnamon
Carefully core the apple, removing the seeds but leaving the whole apple in tact. Place the apple on a microwave-safe plate so that it stands up. Mix together the butter, sugar and cinnamon. Fill the hole you just made with the butter mixture. Heat for one and a half minutes on high in your microwave.
English Trifle
1 box Sarah Lee pound cake
Instant vanilla pudding, already made (if you are making individual trifles, pudding cups are perfect)
Raspberry jam
Whipped cream
Fresh raspberries for garnish
1 big bowl, or individual bowls, depending on how you want to serve it.
Start by slicing the pound cake into 1/4th inch thick slices. Then, make little jam sandwiches out of the slices with the raspberry jam. Place one layer of jam sandwiches on the bottom of the bowl, then spoon the vanilla pudding over the pound cake until completely covered. Repeat: layer of jam sandwiches, layer of vanilla pudding. Keep in the refrigerator overnight for best flavor, or at least let chill for an hour. When you are ready to serve, top the trifle with whipped cream and fresh raspberries.