Moving out of your home and away from your mother’s cooking is never an easy transition. As college students, it’s so simple to go to the default food groups such as Easy Mac, Potato Chips, Sour Patch Kids, and Dr. Pepper. Anyone can agree that these are tasty options, but you can’t live off these treats for an entire semester (ok, maybe you can, but it’s bad for you!). When your taste buds get bored with your every day dietary routine, don’t be afraid to venture out and try something new! Here are a few recipes to spice up your eating habits:
1. Lemon – Fruit Iced Tea
You will need:
½ cup lemon sweetened iced tea mix
3 cups cold water
2 cups grape juice
2 cups club soda
1 sliced lemon
1 sliced lime
1 sliced orange
1 peach cut into chunks
Instructions:
Combine all ingredients except club soda in large pitcher; refrigerate. Add the club soda promptly before serving.
2. Minestrone Soup
You will need:
2 (14-oz) cans chicken broth
1 C water
2 (15-oz) cans Italian-style stewed tomatoes, undrained
4 oz. whole wheat or wheat blend pasta (¼ of a 1 pound box)
1 (15-oz) can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
8-oz (1/2 of a 16 oz. package) frozen mixed vegetables
Instructions:
1. Combine chicken broth, water and stewed tomatoes in a large saucepan
over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil.
2. Stir in the remaining ingredients (pasta, beans and veggies). Bring to a
boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 9 minutes or until pasta is tender
3. A Simple Salad
You will need:
Lettuce (romaine, red leaf, or spinach)
Instructions:
In a large bowl layer the following . . .
1) 2 cups of your choice of lettuce
Romaine or red leaf lettuce
Spring lettuce mix
Fresh spinach
Shredded white or red cabbage
2) 1 cup of any combination of the following:
Chopped or shredded carrots
Cucumber slices
Diced sweet peppers (green, yellow, orange or red)
Tomato wedges or cherry tomatoes
Broccoli or cauliflower florets
Red onion slices
Chopped apple or pear
3) ½ cup of any of the following:
Diced turkey, chicken or lean roast beef (Optional)
4) Add Croutons!
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4. Baked Spaghetti
You will need:
Noodles
Hamburger Meat
Spaghetti Sauce
Parmesan Cheese
Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 375
2. Get medium sized pot. Wait for water to come to a boil
3. Put noodles in. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes. Stir often!
4. Get a medium sized sauce pan and cook hamburger meat on medium to high until all his brown.
5. Drain Noodles
6. Drain Meat
7. Get your choice of spaghetti sauce and mix it all together
8. Get 8 by 10 inch glass pan and cover the bottom with shredded parmesan cheese
9. Fill pan with your noodles, meat, and sauce
10. Cover top with cheese
11. Bake until the top layer of cheese is melted! Watch closely!
5. Peanut Butter Fudge
Instructions:
1 can vanilla frosting
1 jar peanut butter
Instructions:
Empty entire jar of peanut butter in a mixing bowl.
Heat vanilla frosting in its container (make sure you pull off all the foil lining) in microwave for about 60 seconds or until completely melted.
Pour the melted frosting in the bowl with the peanut butter and mix well.
Quickly pour the mixture into a 9×13 pan, allow fudge to set, cut into small squares, and enjoy!
Never be afraid to brave the kitchen and try new recipes; you may fall in love with what you find! Bon Appetit!