Vanilla Yogurt Pancakes

I've developed a major craving for pancakes lately. They're comforting and remind me of Saturday mornings at home.  I wake up and *poof* a plate of hot pancakes magically appears as I saunter into the kitchen. Oh wait, that's not magic, that's my Mom!

On second thought, she might be magical. Her ability to burst out in song at the mention of any word in the english language is uncanny. I mean it. Any word. She's probably humming a tune just by reading this.

While my Mom's buttermilk pancakes are nothing short of spectacular, I wanted to venture outside the standard. I've been seeing some recipes using yogurt, as opposed to milk and flour, as the main ingredient. The result? Fan-flippin'-tastic. I've never eaten such a perfectly delicate, fluffy, and moist pancake. I might have to try and convince my Mom to try these out on a Saturday morning.

Not trying to cramp your style or anything, but Ma, you've got to give these a shot.

So, if you're jonesin' for a comforting meal after finishing a grueling exam or essay, try out these pancakes for any meal of the day. I made them for lunch because I don't believe in the categorization of breakfast foods, man. Also, cereal is easier to pour in the morning. Enjoy!

Vanilla Yogurt Pancakes     Serves: 1
3.5 T. all-purpose flour
1/2 T. sugar
1/2 t. baking soda
1/4 t. salt
1/2 cup plain or greek yogurt
1 egg
1/4 t. vanilla extract
Cooking spray
Butter
Syrup
1.) Stir together flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt in a medium-sized bowl. Add yogurt and stir gently to combine.
2.) Whisk egg and vanilla in a separate bowl, then stir into the flour mixture. The batter will be slightly lumpy.
3.) In a large skillet (sprayed with cooking spray) over medium-low heat, pour batter by 1/4 cupfuls. After one side is brown (2-3 minutes), carefully flip to the other side and cook until golden. Serve with butter and syrup.

Crispy Squash Gnocchi

Yes, another squash dish. What? You thought my obsession subsided as the seasons changed? Oh no, good people of the internet. Pumpkin and I are ToGeThA 4 EvA.

Gnocchi is a fabulous alternative to pasta. No matter what you call pasta-- fettuccine, linguine, cavatappi, it all boils down to (ha!) the same flavor. But gnocchi acts as an equally sturdy, pillowy base for sauces and toppings.

Gnocchi pillows: The stuff dreams are made of. Topped with sauteed spinach and parmesan cheese--now that's what a dream's dream is made of.

You can simply boil these little morsels of goodness and eat them right away. Or, if you can resist eating them for a bit longer, letting them brown in a skillet is delicious. The crispy outside and soft, pillowy inside is a great twist to the traditional gnocchi preparation. This dish is also cheap since you only need two main ingredients: canned pumpkin (or other squash of choice) and flour.
Score- college student: 1, money-grubbing grocery store chain: 0.

Crispy Squash Gnocchi      Serves: 2
For the gnocchi:
3/4 cup canned pumpkin
1 cup all-purpose OR whole-wheat flour (I like whole wheat 'cause I'm so healthy.)
1 t. dried Italian Seasoning
For the sauteed spinach:
3 cups spinach
1/4 cup sliced onion
Olive oil
Salt
Pepper
Parmesan Cheese
1.) Combine pumpkin, flour, and italian seasoning in a food processor. Pulse until the mixture becomes a dough. If you can't touch the mixture without it sticking to your hands, add flour a little bit at a time until it becomes easy to work with. If the dough is too crumbly/ dry, add a bit of water.
2.) Break dough into smaller sections. On a lightly floured surface, roll out each section into a log. (The thickness and size of gnocchi is up to you. I like smaller ones.) Slice equally sized pieces off the log.
3.) Place gnocchi in a pot of boiling, salted water. When gnocchi rise to the surface (2-3 minutes), remove with a slotted spoon. Set aside.
4.) Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook until translucent. Add spinach and cook until just wilted.
5.) Remove spinach mixture from skillet and add 1/2 T. olive oil. Raise heat to medium and add gnocchi in a single layer. Let cook for about 3 minutes, then flip to let the other side get brown. Toss with spinach, salt, pepper, and parmesan cheese.

Greek Pizza

Kalamata olives, feta cheese, and spinach are a heavenly combination fit for the gods. Or, more appropriately, the Greek gods.

Pizza is the ultimate stereotypical college grub, but who wants to eat those greasy, "freshman 15" inducing slices all the time? The mediterranean flavors are a refreshing change of pace. I like to think this pizza was Zeus' pie of choice during his collegiate years. After studying for hours on the proper ways to hurl lightning bolts, smite those who disrespect him, and reign over Mount Olympus, I'm sure he worked up an appetite. But he knew pizza delivered from Little Caesar's wasn't gonna cut it.

Puh-leeze. Caesar was Roman. And he didn't want his divine fab abs to turn into flab abs.

This recipe only requires a few ingredients, but the end result tastes amazing. The salty feta and olives combine nicely with the sweeter tomato sauce.  It comes together just as quickly as it does to pick up the phone and order out, so save some money and enjoy a delicious pizza you made. Zeus will be proud.

Greek Pizza     serves: 1
1 white or whole-wheat pita round
1/4 to 1/3 cup of your favorite jarred tomato sauce
1 cup spinach
4 kalamata olives, chopped
1/4 cup feta cheese
olive oil
1.) Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2.) Meanwhile, pour a drizzle of olive oil in a skillet over medium-low heat. Add spinach and cook until just wilted.
3.) Spread a layer of tomato sauce on the pita bread. Add the spinach, chopped olives, and feta cheese. Transfer to a pizza pan or baking sheet. Place in the oven for 10-15 minutes, or until the pita bread is crispy and cheese has melted.

Falafel

Falafel: funny name, amazing taste. It's essentially a bean burger infused with middle eastern flavors. Because chickpeas are the main ingredient, falafel is loaded with tummy filling protein. They should call it falafull!
*knee slap*
Beans are a protein that's easy on the wallet, too. A can of chickpeas cost me an entire 88 cents. And if you've got time to soak dried beans, you could probably buy an entire bag with random change scrounged up from around campus.

Hey, man. When you're in college, a quarter's a quarter!

The only drawback to falafel is that it's traditionally fried. Since I don't want my apartment smelling like Mickey D's for weeks, I've altered the recipe for cooking in a skillet with a drizzle (rather than 2 inches) of oil. It may not be the regular preparation, but it is still pretty dang good.

ps- The recipe also calls for a clove of garlic. I left it out because garlic and I get along as well as Rosie O'Donnell and Donald Trump do. So, if you love garlic, or are preparing for the next Vampire uprising, go ahead and toss it in the mix.

Falafel     serves: 2-3
1 15 oz. can chickpeas
1/4 of a small onion
1/2 T. cumin
1/8 t. mild chili powder
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/4 t. salt
Few grinds of fresh black pepper
1/4 t. baking soda
1/2 T. lemon juice
Olive oil
Optional ingredients:
Pita bread
Chopped tomatoes
Spinach
Greek or plain yogurt (stir in some dill and lemon juice--yum!)
1.) Add all ingredients (except the oil) to a food processor. Pulse until minced (not pureed), scraping down the sides of the bowl if necessary. Taste and adjust seasonings to how you like it.
2.) In a medium-sized skillet, heat a drizzle of olive oil over medium high heat. Shape processed mixture into patties and fry for 3-5 minutes per side, or until browned and crispy. Be gentle when flipping the patties--they're extremely delicate.
3.) Remove patties and keep warm. In the same skillet, lightly toast the pita bread. Stuff bread with the falafel, spinach, tomatoes, and greek yogurt, if desired.

Shrimp and Green Chile Cheese Grits

I've just recently been introduced to grits, which is a creamy, delicious mixture made from the hominy of corn. Our meeting went a little something like this:

Me: Hey, you look interesting.

Grits: Oh, very interesting. And cheap, too! I'm a big southern staple. 

Me: You mean like Paula Deen?

Grits: You bet. She's a big fan. She likes to put a lot of cheese and butter in, of course. So, I'm pretty much a big, corny deal. 

Me: Cheese? Paula Deen? Cheap? I'm in, grits. 

And so our relationship blossomed. Grits are awesome on their own, but if you're undisciplined like me, cheese is a wonderful addition. You can really get creative with grits and add in what you have on hand. I put in cheddar cheese and spicy green chiles 'cause I'm a spicy, collegiate badass (or so I like to think), but you can leave out the chiles if you're a bit wimpy.  

Shrimp and Green Chile Cheese Grits     serves: 1

1/4 cup instant grits

1 cup chicken stock

1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1-2 T. canned chopped green chiles

Handful of cooked, cleaned shrimp

1 t. butter

1 stalk green onion, chopped

2 T. chopped fresh cilantro OR parsley (if cilantro tastes like soap to you)

Salt

Pepper

1.) Bring chicken stock to a boil in medium sized saucepan. Add grits and stir until thickened, about 5 minutes.

2.) Meanwhile, melt butter in a small skillet. Over med-low heat, add green onion, shrimp, and a sprinkling of salt and pepper. Keep warm.

3.) Once grits have thickened, stir in cheese and green chiles. Pour into a serving bowl and add in the shrimp mixture for the skillet. Top with parsley and salt and pepper, to taste. 

 

Simple, Perfect Bread Pudding

Bread pudding.  My first encounter with this dessert convinced me it would also be my last. The cafeteria ladies at my high school decided to make a free treat for the students--bread pudding. It looked so vile that many of us got the dry heaves. I didn't even attempt to taste it since it looked like mushed brains slicked with a thick layer of mucous.

No wonder there's such a raucous about school lunches these days. I survived on canned fruit and "smothered steak" Mondays. Yeesh.

So, I was naturally a bit nervous when my roommate requested bread pudding as a dessert. It doesn't even sound appetizing. My mind's eye kept picturing opening a dehydrated packet of bread chunks, mixing it with milk, and tada! Mushed brains. After tasting it, I had two questions:

1.) Did I make enough for seconds?
2.) WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN ALL OF MY LIFE?!

This recipe is an extremely basic outline for bread pudding. You can add chopped nuts, fruit, etc...but I personally liked the simplicity. The taste is similar to that of french toast. Make sure you use good quality, slightly stale bread to maintain texture. If not, you'll end up with a big, brainy mess.

Simple, Perfect Bread Pudding     serves: 3-4 
1.5 cups milk (I used skim)
2 T. butter
3/4 t. cinnamon
1/4 cup + 1T. sugar
pinch of salt
4 slices good, hearty bread (slightly stale)
1 egg

1.) Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a small saucepan, warm the butter, milk, sugar, 1/2 t. cinnamon, and salt over low heat until the butter melts.
2.) Meanwhile, grease a loaf pan and tear bread into bite-sized pieces to place in the pan.
3.) Pour hot milk mixture over bread. Let sit for a few minutes, submerging bread that floats to the top. Beat egg and stir into the bread mixture. Mix remaining sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle over the top.
4.) Set the baking dish into a larger baking pan. Pour hot water in the pan to around an inch of the top of the dish.
5.) Bake for 40-50 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.

Bacon-Cabbage Rice with a Poached Egg

Purple cabbage is Mother Nature's way of making fiber look fun. Kind of like the seemingly magnetic attraction between kids and fluorescent blue Icees. The cabbage's vibrant hue attracts the eye, and works exceptionally well at keeping you, um, regular. 

You don't like cabbage, you say? Let's remedy that by sauteeing it with bacon--oh yes, now we're talkin'. The cabbage gets tender but still has a good bite to it, and gets coated in the smoky bacon renderings (read: fat). If you want to go really crazy with this digestion-friendly dish, add a poached egg. The runny yolk acts like a sauce and ties the flavors together.

Fiber supplements, like the granola bars, powder mixes, and other enriched products, often cost a pretty penny. Since college kids need those pretty pennies for things like, oh, books, cabbage is a cheaper way to keep your intestines happy. 

Bacon-Cabbage Rice with a Poached Egg    serves: 1

1 cup cooked white rice

3/4 cup shredded purple cabbage

2 slices raw bacon

1 stalk green onion, chopped

Fresh parsley, chopped

Salt

Pepper

1 egg 

1.) Place raw bacon in a medium-sized skillet and fry until brown and crispy. Remove bacon and drain on paper towels. Chop into bite-sized pieces when cool enough to handle. 

2.) Keep bacon grease in the skillet (or take a little out if there's too much). Add cabbage and sautee over medium heat until crisp-tender. Add in the green onion when cabbage is almost done. Place chopped bacon back into the cabbage mixture. Remove from heat and add the bacon-cabbage mix to the cooked white rice. Keep warm.

For the poached egg:

3.) In a small saucepan, heat 1 inch of water to boiling. Once boiling, turn heat down until it's barely simmering. Crack egg into a small dish, stir the simmering water in a clockwise motion, and gently pour the egg into the water.

4.) Let cook for 3-5 minutes, or until the white is set but the yolk is still runny.

5.) Top bacon-cabbage rice with the poached egg, add parsley, and salt and pepper to taste. 

Roasted Vegetable Baked Pasta

Let us behold the power of baked pasta. The bubbly, cheesy top layer complements practically any ingredients you choose to include underneath. But, really, what food doesn't taste good with a smattering of melted cheese on top?

Baked pasta is kind of like the MTV show "Pimp My Ride." You can "pimp out" and customize the inside any way you want. Remember the host, Xhibit? Let's try to steal his lingo for the remainder of this post. Nah, I'm jus' playin' wit you, dawg. You just been PIMPED!

I tricked out my pasta with roasted broccoli and carrots. Roasting adds a much deeper, nuttier flavor that works well in baked pasta. Just make sure to watch the oven because "deep" flavor can turn to "burnt" very quickly!

Also, if you're a cooking-for-oner like me, invest in a personal sized casserole dish. "Invest" is a misleading term, though, because I paid about six dollars at TJ Maxx for a Le Creuset. It's great because you can scale down large recipes, like lasagne or baked pasta, to serve just yourself.

Roasted Vegetable Baked Pasta

For Veggies:

1/4 to 1/3 cup raw vegetables

Olive oil

Salt

Pepper

For Pasta:

1 cup cooked, short pasta (like rigatoni or ziti)

1/2 cup of your favorite tomato sauce

1/3 cup freshly grated mozzarella cheese

1 T. parmesan cheese

Chopped fresh parsley, for garnish

1.) Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spread veggies on a baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Roast for 5-8 minutes, shaking the pan occasionally, until starting to turn brown.

2.) Spoon a small amount of tomato sauce at the bottom of baking dish. Add in cooked pasta and veggies. Pour in tomato sauce. Sprinkle the top with both cheeses.

3.) Lower oven heat to 350 degrees. Place dish in oven and bake for around 15 minutes, or until cheese is melted and bubbly.

4.) Sprinkle on parsley for garnish. Eat the crusty edges first, 'cause that's one of the best simple pleasures in life.

Herbed Shrimp and Feta Pasta

Have you ever experienced a garden exploding in your mouth? No? Well, it's a good thing, my friends. A very good thing, indeed.

I got the basic recipe from Ina Garten, then altered it for my college student budget. (aka: frozen, pre-cooked shrimp that were on sale). Fortunately, being a busy student, the meal cooks quickly. On the other hand, it was so good sadness struck me upon reaching the last bite of shrimp.  No surprise the dish was loaded with some serious botanic pow since she has a fantastic garden two steps out her back door.

Garten's garden. Do you think she's ever heard that one before?

The recipe looks like it calls for an excessive amount of greenery. Trust me on this one, go heavy on the herbs, man. I know I'm in college, but no, not those kinds of herbs. Gross. The result tastes so fresh you could practically brush your teeth with the sauce. (Note: 10/10 dentists do not approve of this method.) Make sure to serve with some crusty bread to sop up every drop of greatness.

Herbed Shrimp and Feta Pasta      serves: 1
1 cup cooked pasta of your choice
1 T. lemon juice
1 T. pasta water
1 t. olive oil
1/4 T. salt
Pepper
------
For the shrimp:
10-12 cooked and cleaned shrimp (I used frozen and thawed under cold running water)
2 stalks scallions, minced
1 t. dried dill
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
1 shallot, chopped
Olive oil
Feta cheese
1.) Add lemon juice, pasta water, salt, and pepper to cooked pasta and stir. Set aside.
2.) Pour a bit of olive oil in a skillet and heat shrimp over med-low heat. Add in shallot, scallions, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Stir around until softened a bit (just to take the sharp onion flavor off). Stir in dill. Heat through.
3.) Add shrimp mixture to the pasta. Sprinkle on the parsley and desired amount of feta cheese. Add salt and pepper, if needed.

Bechamel Sauce

I don't like leftovers. Food that tasted great on the first go-round loses "yum" factor upon reheating for the umpteenth time. Scaling back recipes helps, but still usually results in the need to whip out Glad Ware. Turkey apple patties still make me a little gaggy. 

Sorry, Mom.

Bechamel sauce is an easy, creamy sauce that can be paired with a lot of foods. It's especially good for all you cooking-for-one-ers because you can easily change flavors. Therefore, you're not eating the same sauce each time you use it. Hallelujah! 

I scooped around 1/2 cup of the sauce into a liquid measuring cup, then added two tablespoons parmesan cheese and a dash of italian seasoning for pasta "alfredo." 

The next day, I reheated it with a bit of dijon mustard as a sauce for some chicken. Put on your creative collegiate cap and try out fresh herbs, cheeses, soy sauce, tomato sauce, etc... 'cause variety is the spice of life, baby!

Bechamel Sauce    makes about: 1 cup

2 T. butter 

2 T. all-purpose flour

1 cup milk

Salt

Pepper

1.) Put butter in small saucepan over medium-low heat. When melted, whisk in flour. Turn heat to low, whisk constantly, and cook until mixture turns golden brown. (around 3-4 minutes)

2.) Stir in milk while whisking constantly. Cook over low heat until mixture thickens again. This will take about 10 minutes.

3.) Sprinkle with desired amount of salt and pepper. Salt is a key ingredient for the sauce, just make sure to keep tasting so it's not overly salty. Add in other seasonings, if desired.

adapted from: Mark Bittman

Egg Fried Rice

The egg is truly a wonderful thing. Incredible and very edible, just like the jingly advertisement for them says. But I don't need no stinkin' commercial telling me eggs rock. Rather, it seems like a trait that should be inherent to humans. With approximately a bazillion ways to prepare and nutrients out the wazoo, eggs are a very practical option for mealtimes. Not to mention they're a much cheaper protein source compared to meat. You might as well steal them.

No. Don't do that. It would be bad for both of us. Respect the chicken that birthed your eggs.

This recipe is very adaptable to any changes you want to make. Feel free to change the veggies used, adjust seasonings, and/ or add more proteins if you like. It cooks quickly. so make sure all your ingredients are ready to go before beginning. Also, make sure you use leftover rice. Fresh rice will turn into a mushy, eggy-ricey-grody blob.

PS- random egg fact: Eggs do not stand on end during the vernal equinox. It's an astronomical myth. Oh, the lies I heard in elementary school!

Egg Fried Rice    serves: 1
1 cup refrigerated, leftover cooked rice
Handful of desired veggies-- I used chopped broccoli, snow peas, and carrots (about 1/3 cup)
1 egg
1 T. oil, divided
1/2 T. soy sauce, or to taste
Salt
Freshly ground pepper
Hot pepper flakes (optional, if you're sorta wimpy)
Roasted peanuts, chopped (for garnish)
1.) Heat 1/2 T. oil in skillet over medium heat. Add veggies and cook until softened, or about 4-5 minutes.
2.) Add rice and stir. Turn heat to med-low. Once well mixed, make a well in the center of the skillet. Add remaining 1/2 T. oil and crack egg into the well. Gently scramble the egg into the rice mixture until cooked.
3.) Add soy sauce, salt, pepper, and hot pepper flakes, if using. Taste and adjust seasonings. Top with roasted peanuts.

Chicken with Lemon Sauce

Winter break has officially ended and I'm hittin' the (expensive!) books again. This indicates two things:
1.) Quick meals will inevitably be necessary.
2.) I can no longer mooch from my Mom's food stash, leading me to exercise my best cheapass skillz.

Many college students are probably in this same mind frame around the beginning of a new semester. (Except, maybe most don't end wordz with "z's".) After receiving syllabi from professors and seeing you have to read the entirety of Aristotle's Politics by next Wednesday, that roasted leg of lamb with saffron and olive salsa is out of the question.

This recipe is warm, hearty, and cooks quickly. I used chicken breasts because they were on sale, but any kind of cutlets can be used. Chicken thighs are my personal favorite.

Try having that conversation with people around you in the grocery store:
"Breasts aren't my favorite. I'm more of a thigh lady." 


Enjoy!

Chicken with Lemon Sauce   Serves: 2
2 T. butter
2 shallots (or small onions), diced
1/4 cup white wine or water
1/4 cup chicken stock
Pinch of dried thyme
2 chicken cutlets (1/2 lb.), cut into 1 in. chunks
1 T. lemon juice
Salt
Pepper
Parmesan cheese (for garnish)
1.) Put half the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add onions and cook until softened. Add wine, stock, and thyme. Bring to a boil for a minute or so.
2.) Add chicken chunks, turn heat down to medium-low, and cover. Simmer for about 5 minutes. Remove chicken with slotted spoon and keep warm.
3.) Turn heat back to high and let sauce reduce a bit. Lower heat to med-low again, add lemon juice, then add remaining butter. Sprinkle with salt and freshly cracked black pepper.
4.) Return chicken to sauce and heat through. Serve over rice or with bread to soak up the sauce. Sprinkle with cheese.

Tortellini Sausage Soup

Tortellini Sausage soup is one of the best soups I've ever eaten. Straight up. For real. No joke. But be warned: Consumption of this soup may temporarily turn you into a Valley Girl. Phrases such as, "OMG this is, like, totally the best soup, evaaarrr!" may escape your voicebox involuntarily. 

I'm crediting this recipe to my Aunt Paula, who is quite the cook herself. She first emailed it to my mom. Then, praise the heavens, my mom gave it to me. The combination of ingredients tastes like something no human could create. I think fairy dust and/or magic came somewhere into play here. 

Chunky veggies + sweet italian sausage + tortellini= BeStFrIeNdS 4 LyFe.


The recipe makes enough to feed a small army, like that family on TLC that keeps popping out kids. So feel free to halve it. 
19 kids...and counting? Seriously? My lady parts hurt. 


Tortellini Sausage Soup
1 lb. Sweet Italian Sausage
1 cup chopped onion
5 cups beef broth
1/2 cup red wine
1/2 cup water
1 1/2 cups sliced zucchini
3 T. fresh parsley (or 3 tsp. dry)
1 8 oz. package dried tortellini
1 cup sliced carrots
1/2 tsp. basil
1/2 tsp. oregano
1 8 oz. can tomato sauce
1 lg. can chopped tomatoes
Parmesan cheese (for garnish)


Remove sausage from casings and brown in a large pot. Add onion, parsley, basil, and oregano. Add liquids. Bring to a boil and add carrots and zucchini. Let cook for about 30 minutes. Add chopped tomatoes and tortellini. Cook until tortellini are done, being careful so they do not fall apart. Spoon into bowls and top with a sprinkling of parmesan cheese.