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Finding an easy, delicious recipe to stand by in college is tough when you are surrounded by either fast food or the same old options at your dorm, fraternity, or sorority. So, maybe it's time to think about doing a little cooking yourself, and honestly the investment that you would make isn't that much. It will however, make you enjoy your meals more and quite possibly make you the master chef in your group of friends.
I will admit that in college I did not get that adventurous with cooking. Hamburger Helper, peanut butter & jelly, bagels, and cereal were my lifelines. My husband however, was far more adventurous and that was where he began to learn about how wonderful a grill and a crockpot can be. Now, while most of you probably wouldn't be able to acquire a grill, you will most certainly be able to find a crock pot. Using a crock pot to cook was one of the best things I have ever learned and is a fantastic to use when you either don't want to use or don't have access to, a stove or oven. A crock pot is used when you want or need to slow cook something. Personally, some of my favorite things to cook in a crock pot are: buffalo chicken dip, BBQ chicken, and pulled pork. Just thinking about it makes my mouth water. It also makes me disappointed at how many delicious meals that I missed out on in college. So that's why I'm here to help you. As we turn toward the colder Illinois months, these recipes are guaranteed to keep you warm and your taste buds begging for seconds:
Pineapple BBQ Chicken
1 pound (4 ounces each) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
salt and fresh ground pepper , to taste
1/2 cup honey barbecue sauce (or you can use your favorite low sugar barbecue sauce), divided
1 can (20 ounces) pineapple chunks, drained
1/2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
Macaroni & Cheese
2 cups uncooked elbow macaroni
4 tablespoons butter
2 1⁄2 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese
3 eggs (I omitted the eggs)
1⁄2 cup sour cream
1 (10 3/4 ounce) can condensed cheddar cheese soup
1⁄2 teaspoon salt
1 cup whole milk
1⁄2 teaspoon dry mustard
1⁄2 teaspoon black pepper
White Chicken Chili
1 1/2 to 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, thighs, or a mix
1 large yellow onion, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
2 4-ounce cans diced green chili peppers, preferably "fire-roasted"
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons cumin
1 1/2 to 2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon coriander
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 bay leaf
4 cups low-sodium chicken stock
1 13.5-ounce can cannellini or navy beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup frozen corn
To serve: shredded monterey jack cheese, lime wedges, chopped cilantro, sour cream, hot sauce
Chicken/Beef Burrito Bowl
1 to 1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, chicken thighs, or a mix
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth, divided, plus more if needed
2 teaspoons chili powder
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 cup brown rice
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup frozen corn kernels
Optional toppings: Shredded cheese, chopped cilantro, sour cream, diced avocado, salsa, hot sauce, diced green onions, shredded lettuce
Chicken Fajitas
2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast tenders
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
1 large red bell pepper, cut into thin strips
1 large green bell pepper, cut into thin strips
3/4 cup chunky salsa
2 (1.4 ounce) packages fajita seasoning mix
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
16 (10 inch) flour tortillas
Shredded cheese
Chopped tomatoes
Guacamole
Sour cream
Creamy Tortellini Soup
24 oz jar spaghetti sauce
2 cups water
1/4 cup diced onion
3-4 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup diced carrots
1lb ground beef, browned
4 cups of loosely packed fresh spinach leaves
4 cups beef broth
8 oz cream cheese, cut into 1 inch cubes
8 oz sliced fresh mushrooms
16 oz refrigerated cheese tortellini (you can also use frozen, just add 30 more minutes to cooking time)
The great thing about crock-pots is that you can be creative in what you want to make. Generally, I have found that if you are lacking ideas try to search around on the following cooking websites (or Pinterest), and you're bound to find a great recipe there: FoodNetwork, Allrecipes, Delish, or Yummly.
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