Cooking In At College

kateee · #1 01-15-2013, 12:37 PM

Does anyone have any good recipes that are easy, and cheap? I am getting really tired of eating in the cafeteria and there is an oven/stove in my dorm for student's use. I need things that don't cost too much money to make. I am having a lot of trouble planning a menu because I want to use recipies that use similar ingredients (it's kind of a pain to store an open 5lb bag of flour) so that I can use up ingredients quickly. If you have any cheap/delicious recipies please let me know!!

Tulip86 · #2 01-15-2013, 01:13 PM

Onion, garlic, tomato paste, dried herbs and dried pasta are great staples to keep in your dorm. You can make all kinds of dishes with those as a base (from easy mac n cheese, pasta in red sauce, pasta bake to enchiladas.)

pshsx1 · #3 01-15-2013, 03:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tulip86

Onion, garlic, tomato paste, dried herbs and dried pasta are great staples to keep in your dorm. You can make all kinds of dishes with those as a base (from easy mac n cheese, pasta in red sauce, pasta bake to enchiladas.)

I would add tortillas, cheese, salt & pepper (especially for reheating leftovers), and chicken.

Chicken is super cheap, so it's okay if you mess up a few times. :P

I also like keeping ingredients around for salads, which is especially useful between shopping trips.

AZTheta · #4 01-15-2013, 01:36 PM

Any interest in using a crock pot? I sure get a lot of mileage out of mine. LMK and I will share some easy recipes for you.

I also swear by a pressure cooker BUT I know many people aren't confident/comfortable using one.

kateee · #5 01-15-2013, 01:54 PM

Tulip86 thanks those are great ideas

AzTheta, I would love to have a crock pot. Right now I don't own one, but can ask for one from my mom haha she has three.
I've never used a pressure cooker.

honeychile · #6 01-15-2013, 02:06 PM

You might need to check with your school about crock pots. They weren't allowed in dorms at the college where I was advisor (stupid rule!).

AZTheta · #7 01-15-2013, 02:21 PM

good point, honeychile. I was hoping that, since there was a kitchen facility (kateee said there was an oven/stove for use), there'd be a place to plug in a crockpot. kateee - better check.

DubaiSis · #8 01-15-2013, 03:03 PM

Look at www.kraftrecipes.com and other brand name websites. In my experience, they are tasty, relatively few ingredients and regularly use entire packages in the recipe. And when I've used them (I've used TONS of Campbell's soup recipes), I've found them to be really good. They test kitchen those recipes to death.

As an example, on the Kraft website I clicked on their Taco Soup recipe. It uses nice round numbers so you don't have half a can of whatever left over. One drawback is it serves 12 1 cup servings (probably a 2 cup serving is a more realistic meal), but you can make some friends and share or get some Gladware and freeze them if you have access to a freezer. Don't forget to label the container with what it is and when it was made.

Crockpot.com also has recipes. When you're shopping for one, think SMALL. They are misleading and I can picture you ending up with a huge one because the box doesn't seem that big.

Good luck!

kateee · #9 01-15-2013, 03:13 PM

I am not sure if we are allowed crock pots. I am going to have to ask. I know we got yelled at for deep frying earlier this year but we did set the kitchen on fire and have to call 911 so that was deserved haha. We aren't allowed microwaves in our room unless they are the kind that are directly attatched to the fridge and shut the fridge off when you start the microwave (energy savers). But it says nothing about a crock pot. DubaiSis that site is awesome! Thank you!!

AZTheta · #10 01-15-2013, 04:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kateee

I am not sure if we are allowed crock pots. I am going to have to ask. I know we got yelled at for deep frying earlier this year but we did set the kitchen on fire and have to call 911 so that was deserved haha. We aren't allowed microwaves in our room unless they are the kind that are directly attatched to the fridge and shut the fridge off when you start the microwave (energy savers). But it says nothing about a crock pot. DubaiSis that site is awesome! Thank you!!

Um... kateee... um... are you sure you want to cook?

yeah to pinterest - way to go, Gusteau. You could probably do a White House dinner for 200 with just a can opener, knowing you. Just sayin'...

Gusteau · #11 01-15-2013, 04:08 PM

Are you on Pinterest? It's a great resource for recipes!

You can do a lot out of a college kitchen. When I was a sophomore I catered an anniversary party for my friend's parents and forty guests out of a kitchen with a half sized oven and about three feet of counterspace!

kateee · #12 01-15-2013, 06:58 PM

AzTheta, we learned our lesson quickly about how easy it is to catch stuff on fire when deep frying

haha

Gusteau, you must be really good at cooking. As evidenced above, mine are kind of sub-par right now haha

Gusteau · #13 01-15-2013, 11:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kateee

AzTheta, we learned our lesson quickly about how easy it is to catch stuff on fire when deep frying

haha

Gusteau, you must be really good at cooking. As evidenced above, mine are kind of sub-par right now haha

I'm not as great as my friend and fellow badge nut would lead you to believe

I'm also dating someone who is a strict microwave chef, so I sympathize with your plight!

I love aephialum's suggestion of stir fry, so easy and tasty! Pasta is always a great option; here's a recipe for a super easy marinara sauce:

1 can crushed tomatoes
1 small can of unseasoned tomato sauce
1 clove of garlic
Crushed red pepper flakes
Fresh basil
Olive oil

Coat the bottom of the pan in olive oil and add a few sprinkles (depending on how spicy you like things) of red pepper flakes and a crushed or minced garlic clove (a garlic press is a great tool). Allow garlic to cook until it is fragrant and add both cans of tomatoes, salt (maybe a 1/2 teaspoon? I don't measure) a pinch of sugar, and chopped basil. Bring to a boil and lower to a simmer. Simmer uncovered for twenty minutes, stirring occasionally.

When I make this I add about a 1/4 cup of red wine to the pan before I add the tomatoes and let it cook off. If you're of age and allowed to have alcohol in the dorms it's a great addition to add some depth of flavor to the quick sauce.

honeychile · #14 01-16-2013, 02:32 AM

Also, check out ebay or tag sales for cookbooks. I have several cookbooks that were published by a church/philanthropic/other club group that promise only THREE ingredients (except salt, pepper or sugar) for each dish. You really don't want to be bothered buying lots of spices and such, if you're in this to save money. A plus on these books is that NO WOMAN is going to submit a recipe with her name on it that isn't good!

One example I can think of off the top of my head is Cheater's Beef Stroganoff: beef cubes, mushroom soup, noodles (mushrooms optional).

Also, it's easy to make cookies from a cake mix:

Cake Mix Cookies:

1 box any flavor standard size cake mix
2 eggs
1/2 cup oil (can substitute applesauce)
Chocolate chips, nuts, crushed candies, flavoring (optional - experiment!)

-Add 1/2 cup oil and two eggs to one box of cake mix, mixing well. Add chips, nuts, and flavorings if desired.
-Drop by teaspoonfuls on a cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes.

(Excellent example: chocolate cake mix with crushed Whoppers!)

An online site I use is Just A Pinch Kitchens. They're a bit more advanced, though, but you may get some ideas of what works and what doesn't. Pillsbury, Kraft, and almost any food manufacture has a website, too.

Have fun and keep us posted!

DreamfulSpirit · #15 01-16-2013, 07:56 AM

I love this recipe! It's very easy and it is a one pan meal! I usually put aluminum foil on the baking sheet, which makes for easy clean up!

http://www.skinnytaste.com/2011/10/r...usage-and.html

(it's also a healthy recipe...I'm doing weight watchers and it's only 8 points per serving)