Cooking in College

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If you are any kind of expert chef, get out of here. I would instead recommend the amazing, beautiful and delicious cooking blog of my dear friend Emilie Bell. She has some great recipes posted and the pictures she takes will make your mouth water. However, if you are more on my level you should definitely give this pasta a try. Sure, macaroni and cheese is easy and delicious. But cooking in college is more than the easiest option. There is actually a lot more to consider; minimal and versatile ingredients, quick turn-around, potential for left-overs, fewest dirty dishes and taste .

Minimal and Versatile Ingredients

Earlier in the semester, I ventured to try one of Emilie's blog recipes. The tomato soup was spectacular, but it required 40,000 different ingredients. One being tomato paste, from which I extracted a single teaspoon and left in refrigerator...where it remains today...untouched. For those of us who are cheap, this recipe requires a few simple ingredients that store well, make multiple servings and could be used for a variety of other recipes.
- frozen chicken ($5.00)

- noodles ($2.00)

- vegetable oil ($1.00?)

- pasta sauce – either white or vodka (varies on selections) ($2.00)

- peppers, tomatoes, onions, etc.

At about $10.00, that's a STEAL. 

Quick Turn-Around

If you set out the chicken to thaw an hour in advance, the actual cooking takes probably 30 minutes. And you can even type a blog while the noodles cook. Actually, I finished and I’m eating my food now. #WINNING

1 hour before – Soak chicken in hot water to thaw.

TIP: I always put the pieces of chicken into separate baggies as soon as I get home from the grocery. It is a pain to try and thaw them all at once just so you can use one piece.

30 minutes – Start boiling water.
20 minutes – Start cooking chicken and veggies.
10 minutes – Put in noodles. Start heating sauce.
5 minutes – Add chicken to sauce.

0 minutes – EAT. Nom nom nom.

Potential for Left-Overs

I always make two servings at once so I have something to take to work later. Also, I usually just eye-ball the measurements, but I’ll try and break it down for you.
For One Serving:

2 cups of noodles

TIP: You could also measure the noodles into the bowl you intend to use. That way you know exactly how much you need. Genius.

1 pc. of diced chicken

half a tomato and onion

about a third of a pepper

¾ - 1 cup of sauce

1 tablespoon of vegetable oil

Fewest Dirty Dishes

You never noticed how annoying those dishes are until you’re washing them yourself...or just putting them in the dishwasher. Assuming you don’t use measuring cups, all you’ll need for this little recipe is a bowl, a pot, a small skillet, a strainer, a knife, a fork and a large mixing spoon. And I’m not counting the strainer...because who washes those anyway?

Bowl – measure noodles, hold chicken temporarily, eat meal from

Pot – boil noodles

Small Skillet – cook chicken and veggies, heat sauce

Strainer – strain noodles

Knife – dice chicken and veggies

Fork – eat with

Large Spoon – flip chicken, stir sauce, stir noodles, mix sauce and noodles

You may also use Tupperware to store left-overs.

Taste

You may not know (because I sure didn’t) that chicken goes with white and vodka sauces, while beef goes with red sauces. I think the same applies to wine actually. So keep this in mind when purchasing the meat and sauce. I would recommend Bertolli vodka sauce. Trever and I randomly chose this to take on our Michigan trip and I just liked it so much that it’s all I ever use. 

 Alright, enough yammering. Here is the recipe:

1. Fill your pot to about 1 ½ inches from the rim and let it cook on high.
2. Start another burner around medium and pour the vegetable oil into the skillet.

3. Dice yo’ chicken and veggies.
4. Let the chicken cook on one side. Turn them as necessary to make sure they cook throughout.

5. Once the chicken is done, add the veggies.

6. When the water starts boiling add the noodles and set the timer for 12 minutes. 

7. Put the sauce over the chicken and veggies in the skillet. Turn the burner to low.

8. Stir both of these occasionally. If the sauce starts to boil, turn it lower.

8. Once the timer is finished, strain the noodles.
9. Add the sauce to the noodles.

DONE. Nom nom nom.

If you made multiple servings for later, store it in Tupperware in the refrigerator

I make this like twice a week, so I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!