Simple Recipes for College Students
Ranked #370 in Food & Cooking, #6,905 overall | Donates to Donors Choose
A Cookbook for College Students
When my daughter went to college last year, I created a cookbook for her. The cookbook included some of her favorites while growing up. They also included some special family recipes - she doesn't have all the tools to make these recipes yet, but she does have the recipes for the future. I also included some quick, simple and cheap recipes for her and her roommate to make. This lens will give some of the recipes I included in her cookbook and some great tips along the way!
Photo: Patrick Q
Creating A Cookbook for the College Student
Go peek in anybody's kitchen (go ahead - I'll wait!) and you will find cookbooks. Cookbooks for losing weight, kid-friendly, Crockpot, simple and easy, Italian - the list goes on! Why not make your child's first cookbook, one that you create for them. It is simple to do - grab a 3-ring binder and print out your families favorite recipes.Family Favorites: Take their favorite recipes that you make for the family and include them in the book. Even if the recipes are a little more complicated than they can handle, they will get to the point that they will be able to try them! I included the recipe for Spaghetti Pie - one of my daughter's favorites. It includes basics that most college students like - spaghetti. It just makes it a little different than just - "spaghetti".
Family Heritage recipes: My mother has a cinnamon roll recipe that is to die for! (It's really very good!) I put a copy of that recipe in her cookbook. Will she ever use it? Probably not (yeast and kneading is involved!) but she will have it and the memories of when her grandmother made those cinnamon rolls. And if she every feels the urge - she has the recipe to try.
Simple College Friendly recipes: Ramen noodles are a staple in a college students life (admit it they are one of the cheapest things in the store!). I found a couple of recipes online for ramen noodles so that they wouldn't get bored with just - noodles.
Photo: ex libris
Spaghetti Pie Recipe
Simple Enough for College Students
- Serves: 6
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour
Ingredients
- 6 oz. Uncooked spaghetti
- 1 lb. Ground beef
- ¼ c. sliced celery (I leave this out)
- 15 ½ oz. Jar prepared spaghetti sauce
- 4.5 oz. Jar sliced mushrooms - drained (I have left this out most of the time also)
- 2 eggs - slightly beaten
- 1/3 c. grated Parmesan cheese
- ½ t. garlic salt
- Parmesan cheese
Instructions
Heat oven to 350 F. Grease 10-inch pie pan or 9-inch square pan. Cook spaghetti to desired doneness as directed on package; drain. Set aside.
In large skillet, brown ground beef with celery, drain. Stir in prepared spaghetti sauce and mushrooms. Simmer 15 minutes.
Combine cooked spaghetti, eggs, 1/3 c. Parmesan cheese and garlic salt; toss lightly. Place spaghetti mixture in prepared pan. Press evenly in bottom and up sides of pan, forming a crust. Pour meat mixture over spaghetti; cover with foil. Bake at 350 F for 25 to 30 minutes. Remove foil; let stand 5 minutes before serving. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
Staples that Every College Student Needs
Food
There are some basic food/supplies that every college student needs for their kitchen. These will vary by taste of food fut there are some basics that you would find in every dorm across the country.
Ramen Noodles: You can find these for anywhere from .25 to .10 cents each. Very economical. The problem becomes that you can tire very quickly of them - even if you try the different varieties. (My daughter is very loyal to her chicken!)
Popcorn: Ok, so this really can't be called an item as a meal - however, some students will call it a meal, snack, midnight break from studying - whatever - it's there in their cabinets somewhere!
Spices: When they have a kitchen and are attempting to cook some of those wonderful recipes you have put in their cookbook, they are going to need spices. If you are not "picky" about your spices - you can find spices at the dollar-type store or Aldi. Don't let them go to the grocery store and buy them - they could spend $3 - 5 on one spice. Teach them to use their money in better ways. Go through your recipes and help find the spices that they might use first: chili powder (chili) Italian seasoning (chicken), onion or garlic powder.
Veggies: One of the best ways to eat veggies to retain their nutritional value is to steam them. For that they need a stove, a pan and a steamer basket. Luckily, a storage bag company has created "steam bags". You put your vegetables in the bags, pop them in the microwave and you have steamed vegetables. The bags can get costly, but if all they have is a microwave, this can guarantee that they get their veggies!
Fruits: This will require that they go to a grocery store or farmers market on a regular basis. There just isn't anyway to keep fruits fresh for very long. Show them the circulars for the grocery stores or sign them up for the on-line sale notices from the stores. Teach them to shop for their favorite fruit when it is on sale. Also Aldi (if you have one in your town) is a great place to shop for fruits.
Photo: rofltosh
Chili Recipe
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: Slow cooker cooking time: 3-1/2 to 4 hours on high or 7 to 8 hours on low
Ingredients
- 1-1/2 lbs. Ground beef
- 2 or 3 cans (15 oz. Each) pinto beans - drained
- 1 large onion - chopped
- 3 large cloves garlic - minced
- 1 can (15 oz) whole tomatoes cut up (I use tomato sauce)
- 1 can (6 oz) tomato paste
- ½ cup water
- 2 to 3 Tablespoons chili powder
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves - crushed
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
Instructions
1. Crumble ground beef into a slow cooker. Add beans, onion and garlic
2. In a medium bowl, stir tomatoes, tomato paste, water, chili powder, salt, oregano, cumin and pepper until blended. Stir into meat mixture. Scrape down sides of slow cooker.
3. Cover and cook on high for 3 ½ to 4 hours or on low for 7 to 8 hours or until onion is tender.
Serve with shredded Cheddar cheese and saltine crackers.
Crockpot for the College Student
Crock-Pot 5025WG 2.5-Quart Slow Cooker
Amazon Price: $17.77 (as of 02/17/2012)
A Cookbook for Your First Apartment
Help! My Apartment Has a Kitchen Cookbook: 100 + Great Recipes with Foolproof Instructions
Amazon Price: $3.42 (as of 02/17/2012)
Asian Chicken 'n Noodles Recipe
- Serves: 2
- Prep Time: 3
- Total Time: 10 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 ½ c. water
- 1 pkg (3 oz) ramen noodle soup mix
- 1 medium carrot - thinly sliced
- 1 pkg. (6 oz) Oscar Mayer grilled Chicken breast strips
- 2 T green onion slices
Instructions
Bring water to boil in medium saucepan. Add noodles and carrots; cook 3 minutes.
Add chicken breast strips and 1 t. of the seasoning (from ramen soup package); mix well. Discard remaining seasoning. Cook until heated through, stirring occasionally.
Sprinkle with onions.
101 Things to Do with Ramen Noodles
101 Things to Do with Ramen Noodles
Amazon Price: $5.15 (as of 02/17/2012)
Refrigerators for the College Student
Keep Food Close!
Avanti : 309YBT Refrigerator
Amazon Price: (as of 02/17/2012)
15 minutes Parmesan Pasta with Chicken & Broccoli Recipe
- Serves: 4
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
Ingredients
- 8 oz. Pasta - uncooked
- 3 c. fresh broccoli florets or 1 pkg. (16 oz) frozen broccoli florets
- 1 clove garlic - minced or ¼ t. garlic powder
- 1 pkg (6 oz) Oscar Mayer grilled chicken breast strips
- 3 T. butter or margarine or olive oil
- ¼ c Kraft 100% grated Parmesan Cheese
Instructions
Cook pasta as directed on package in large saucepan, adding broccoli during last 5 minutes of cooking time; drain.
Cook and stir garlic and chicken breast strips in butter in same saucepan on medium heat 1 to 2 minutes or until garlic is tender but no brown and chicken is heated through.
Add pasta and broccoli; toss lightly. Sprinkle with cheese; toss to coat. Serve immediately.
Other Lenses that Focus on College Food
Cookbooks for the College Student
Do You Love Simple Recipes? Share the love with this lens!
This module only appears with actual data when viewed on a live lens. The favorite and lensroll options will appear on a live lens if the viewer is a member of Squidoo and logged in.
Parents of College Students - Speak Out!
College Students - Speak Out!
-
Reply
-
KateConn
Jan 31, 2012 @ 9:35 am | delete
- Nice job! I have a page on easy recipes too but I definitely want to try some of yours, especially the spaghetti pie!
-
-
Reply
-
KatMalone Dec 12, 2011 @ 6:52 pm | delete
- Love the recipes and all the details! Good lens!
-
-
Reply
-
KatMalone Dec 12, 2011 @ 6:52 pm | delete
- Love the recipes and all the details! Good lens!
-
-
Reply
-
DesignZeal
Dec 5, 2011 @ 4:56 am | delete
- Cool ideas - simple, easy and appetizing! great lens :)
-
-
Reply
-
Tipi
Nov 23, 2011 @ 11:34 pm | delete
- I'd say these recipes are not just for college students, funny because I usually have your college kitchen basics on hand. Nicely done!
-
-
Reply
-
wplove
Nov 19, 2011 @ 11:05 am | delete
- Cool lens. My brother has a dorm blog and I told him to link to your lens its a great one for his readers.
-
-
Reply
-
lauraklebsch
Nov 13, 2011 @ 7:31 pm | delete
- awesome, I am a mother of many kiddos and ill even use these often, they are so easy
-
-
Reply
-
ddaider
Nov 10, 2011 @ 5:18 pm | delete
- After 3 years of Ramen Noodle and cafeteria food, these recipes sound awesome. Wrote down the Asian Chicken n' Noodle - sounds easy enough to make in the dorm room. Precooked chicken strips taste better than what I can do in a frying pan anyway.
-
-
Reply
-
degreesonline
Oct 20, 2011 @ 3:04 pm | delete
- Great ideas... simple means more likely to happen. Especially in a dorm room :)
-
-
Reply
-
BucketTrucks
Oct 11, 2011 @ 8:28 am | delete
- This is a great lens for students who don't want to gain the freshman 15 when they go off to college because they have no idea how to cook healthy.
-
- Load More
Who is LakeMom?!
Lens of the Day!
What a Great Way to Start 2010!!!
by LakeMom
Hi, My name is Terry and I am a true Gemini - I multi-task & start many projects at the same time (without completing some of them!). I am a Mom (#1 job),... more »
- 78 featured lenses
- Top lens » Girl Scouts - Thinking Day
- This lens »
Won purple star
- This lens » Selected as Lens of the Day
Explore related pages
- Quick Chicken Enchiladas Quick Chicken Enchiladas
- Quick Chicken Rice Casserole Quick Chicken Rice Casserole
- Top 10 Easy Recipes for College Students! Top 10 Easy Recipes for College Students!
- My Easy And Tasty Coronation Chicken Recipe My Easy And Tasty Coronation Chicken Recipe
- Quick Chicken Wine Casserole Quick Chicken Wine Casserole
- Breaded Chicken Bites and Fried Plantains Breaded Chicken Bites and Fried Plantains
Guide to College Life
Fetching RSS feed... please stand byOther Lenses for the College Student
