Pan-Seared Chicken Thighs with Shallot and Carrots

Chicken thighs are my student budget's best friend. The first time I bought them, I did a double-take of the price because I thought it was a misprint.  One pound of thighs were a full seven dollars cheaper than breasts. Either my grocery store is engaged in a full-blown chicken scam, or breasts are highly overrated in our society-- and I'm not just talkin' about chicken here.

But that's a different story for a different time... and quite possibly for a different blog. 

 In addition to being way affordable, chicken thighs are just plain good. If you've always been a breast buyer, well, let me introduce you to the dark side. The dark meat side, that is.  

(Insert Beethoven's 5th Symphony: "Dun, dun, dun, DUUUUN!) 

Dark meat is incredibly juicy and delicious. It's pretty difficult to overcook, much unlike chicken breasts that get stringy and grody, dude. Pan-roasting the thighs gives them a crispy coating and tender inside. This recipe also gets bonus points since you throw the veggies right in the same skillet. There's less dishes to wash, so you can get back to that essay on Constitutional Interpretation you've been dying to finish. Right? Right? 

Pan-Roasted Chicken Thighs with Shallot and Carrots      Serves: 1
1 bone-in, skin-on chicken thigh
Salt
Pepper
1 T. all-purpose flour
1 shallot, halved and thinly sliced
1 small red potato, thinly sliced
2 carrots, thinly sliced
Chopped fresh parsley, for garnish
1.) Season chicken with salt and pepper, then sprinkle both sides with flour.
2.) Heat a medium-sized skillet over medium-low. Place chicken, skin side down, in skillet, and cook (without turning) until skin is browned, 8 to 10 minutes.
3.) Flip chicken over and push to one side of the skillet. Add shallot, potato, and carrots to other side of skillet. Season with salt and pepper. Cook, tossing veggies occasionally, until chicken is opaque throughout and vegetables are tender, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer to a plate and sprinkle with parsley.

adapted from: Everyday Food

Spicy, Smoky Red Pepper Sauce

Pasta is practically lifeblood to many college students. I would even venture to say it rubs elbows (er, strands?) with the number one collegiate necessity: coffee. Pasta is easy to prepare, quick, and dirt cheap. But the same ol' italian-style tomato sauce can get tiring.

I'm constantly on the hunt for interesting sauce recipes. This one really caught my eye because I had a big-ass pepper in my fridge that was begging to be used. That monster could've doubled as a flotation device. Or possibly a canoe, if you dug out the insides. Also, the recipe was an excuse to set food on fire--i.e. roasting peppers on the stovetop.

This red pepper sauce is a delicious change from the norm. Roasting the red peppers gives it a smoky, slightly sweet flavor that can be used on chicken, fish, pasta, gnocchi, etc... The possibilities are endless. One last thing, you don't have to roast the pepper over the flame on a gas stove. You can broil it/ grill it, too. But if you choose the flame route, it's an excellent way to scare the crap out of your roommate who has no idea what you're doing. Just watch that baby carefully so it doesn't burn!

Spicy, Smoky Red Pepper Sauce      Makes about 1 cup
1 large red bell pepper
1/2 medium onion, diced
1/4 t. salt
Pepper
Dash hot pepper flakes
Olive oil
1/4 cup milk OR half and half OR cream (I used milk, but cream would be best)
Fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)
Parmesan cheese, for sprinkling
1.) Roast pepper over stovetop flame until charred on all sides. OR Broil in the oven for 15-20 minutes, until charred. Once blackened, seal the entire pepper in aluminum foil and let it rest for about 15 minutes.
2.) When cool enough to handle, peel off pepper's charred surface. Cut into medium-sized chunks and set aside.
3.) Place saucepan over medium heat. Add a splash of olive oil. When hot, add the onion and cook until softened, 3-4 minutes. Break out either a food processor or blender, and toss in the onion and bell pepper. Puree until smooth.
4.) Add mixture back into the saucepan over medium-low heat. Add salt, pepper, and a dash of hot pepper flakes. Pour in cream and heat through. Toss with pasta and add a sprinkling of parsley and parmesan cheese.

French Onion Soup

"Crap, I need to go to the grocery store" soup would also be a fitting title for this recipe. Thank goodness tasty recipes exist that are cheap and allow the use of ingredients a bit past their prime-- Mmm...stale bread. Those French must have the typical college kid in mind. I paid a solid $2.59 for that loaf of bread, and I want every cent out of it, man. 

I'm not really sure if this would qualify as a true "french" onion soup. I used rye bread (*le gasp!*) and swiss, rather than gruyere cheese, because it's less expensive (*bigger le gasp!*). 

Whatever it is, this soup's good. I can't stand onion soups that are 95% cheese, 4% bread, and 1% soup, so I made this recipe ensuring a good bread to soup ratio (AKA 50/50, baby).  If you like your soup heavy on the cheese, feel free to throw on as much as you like. But if you like pick-up lines heavy on the cheese, well, I don't think I can help you with that one. 

French Onion Soup     Serves: 1

1 small onion OR 1/2 large onion, sliced

1 T. butter, divided

1 T. red wine (optional)

1 cup beef broth

Pinch of dried thyme

Salt

Pepper

1 slice bread, any kind you have on hand

1-2 slices swiss cheese

1.) In a medium-sized saucepan, heat 1/2 T. butter over medium heat. When the butter melts, add in the onion slices. Cook until the onions caramelize (20-25 minutes), stirring frequently to prevent burning. If you notice the onions starting to burn, add in around a tablespoon of water.

2.) Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Add beef broth, red wine, and thyme to the saucepan. Salt and pepper to taste. Let simmer for about 10 minutes to allow the flavors to combine. 

3.) Meanwhile, heat a small skillet over medium heat. Spread remaining 1/2 T. butter on both sides of the bread. Toast in the skillet until golden brown on both sides. Set aside.

4.) Pour soup into serving bowl. Top with toasted bread and swiss cheese. Place in oven for 2-3 minutes. or until cheese is melted. 

Roasted Vegetable Salad with Goat Cheese

My grandma recently bestowed upon me a wealth of old Martha Stewart "Everyday Food" magazines. Bless her heart, especially since I'm too cheap to subscribe. While flipping through and tearing out recipes that struck my fancy, I found a salad worthy of the Vegetable Hall of Fame-- a place of honor where eggplant parmesan and grilled veggie sandwiches reside. 

I realize a "roasted vegetable salad with goat cheese" kind of sounds like a dish for pansies. One of my pet peeves happens to be wimpy salads. I once ordered tasty-sounding "Blackened Grilled Chicken Salad" at a particularly popular establishment. Reality Check: it consisted of four tiny chicken slices drowning in a sea of bagged iceberg lettuce mix.

But, believe me, this is a substantial and filling salad. It's also an excuse to crank up your oven to 450 degrees. Warm salad in the wintertime? Yes, please. Thank goodness Martha was busted out of the slammer, or I would be forced to stereotype all salads as namby-pamby. 

Roasted Vegetable Salad with Goat Cheese    Serves: 1
2 carrots, cut into 2-inch matchsticks
1 medium zucchini, quartered lengthwise and cut into 1-in. chunks
1 small red onion, cut into wedges and layers separated
2 T. olive oil
salt
pepper
1/2 T. balsamic vinegar or sherry
Handful of baby spinach
1/4 cup goat cheese, crumbled
1.) Preheat oven to 450 degrees. On a baking sheet, toss carrots, zucchini, and onion with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.
2.) Roast until vegetables are tender and browned, 18-20 minutes, tossing occasionally.
3.) In serving bowl, whisk vinegar and remaining tablespoon of olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Add spinach and toss. Add roasted vegetables and top with goat cheese.

adapted from: "Everyday Food" by Martha Stewart

Smoked Turkey and Broccoli Slaw Panini

There's a sandwich offered at my campus cafeteria that's incredibly tasty. I no longer have a meal plan, but my punk freshman sister does, and treats me to the occasional cafeteria delicacies. And then I treat her to the Dairy Queen--even in frigid, snowy weather. We're hardcore about our softserve.

I always get the same sandwich-- the smoked turkey reuben. But lately, there's been a new employee working the deli's order station who is exceptionally good at breaking students' spirits. When I forgot to mention I did not want a combo meal, she practically denounced my very existence on this planet. What you are about to read is not an exaggeration:

Me: Hi, can I get the smoked turkey reuben and a diet coke?
Ms. Attitude: What's the magic word? WHAT'S THE MAGIC WORD?
Me: Please? ...Uh, pretty please?
Ms. A: Are you serious right now? Are you SERIOUS? Youz in college and you don't even know how to order a SANDWICH? COMBO or NO combo? Say it with me....COM-BO. 
Me: I only said a sandwich and a drink. That's not a combo.
Ms. A: Girl, that's ALL you had to say. Shoot, I'm so messed UP right now. I can't even think straight.

I don't feel like getting berated over a sandwich again. So, in desperation, I've attempted to recreate that glorious meal. It comes pretty close to the original, if not better. Also, if I want chips with my sandwich, all I have to do is reach into the pantry. The magic word "combo" be damned.

Smoked Turkey and Broccoli Slaw Panini     Serves: 1
2 slices rye bread
3 slices deli smoked turkey
1 slice swiss cheese
1/2 cup prepackaged broccoli slaw mix
2 heaping Tablespoons plain yogurt
1/8 t. curry powder
Salt
Pepper
1.) In a small bowl, mix together the broccoli slaw, yogurt, and curry powder. Salt and pepper to taste.
2.) Pile on the turkey, cheese, and desired amount of slaw on the rye bread.
3.) Preheat your panini maker/ George Foreman grill/ small skillet. Grill until the bread is golden brown and the cheese melts.

Greek-Style Frittata

It's easy to lose track of time when caught up in ancient political philosophy. I mean, what are the underlying values of constitutional government, Hobbes? Whose definition of the "good life" should we follow, Aristotle?  

Oh, this doesn't happen to you? Uh-oh. I'm about two steps away from donning suspenders and a pocket-protector. There's already a mini-Constitution in my purse.

Whatever subject you happen to be engrossed in, hunger pangs are pretty good at throwing off your studying. But luckily for you, frittatas do a slam-bang job at handing out "cease and desist" orders to hunger. They're quick, too, and you can add whatever ingredients that are hanging out in your fridge. Of course, I went the greek route (the flavors: they speak to my soul), but you could go with any flavor profile that speaks to your inner being. 

I believe the freedom to choose frittata ingredients is part of the good life, Aristotle.

Greek-Style Frittata    Serves: 1

1/2 T. olive oil

2 eggs

1/2 small onion, sliced

Handful (1 cup?) baby spinach

2 T. feta cheese, crumbled

Salt

Pepper

Sprinkle of fresh oregano or parsley

Sour cream or Greek yogurt (optional) 

1.) Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2.) Heat olive oil in small skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook until softened, or about 5 minutes. Turn heat to medium-low. Add spinach, salt, and pepper, and cook until just wilted. 

3.) In a separate bowl, beat eggs and add a pinch of salt and pepper. Pour over onion and spinach mixture, using a spoon to distribute the eggs evenly over the veggies.

4.) Cook for 5-8 minutes, or until the edges start to pull away from the skillet and the top is almost set. Sprinkle on feta cheese, salt, and pepper. Place in the oven for  2-3 minutes, or until the top is cooked through. Be careful not to overcook!

5.) Serve with fresh herbs and a dollop of yogurt or sour cream. 

Stuffed Pepper and Onion Sandwich

There's a place (which will remain unnamed) by my apartment that serves killer sandwiches-- the kind that require about 10,365 napkins and a game plan on how to take the first monstrous bite. Definitely not something you'd order on a date. Or your date to order on a date. Very awkward.

The downside to this greasy spoon (er, more like a greasy bucket) is you can leave the restaurant, but the smell doesn't leave you. It clings to your favorite sweater like a cat avoiding water. You must explain to people that, no, you did not take an unfortunate plunge into a deep fryer. You just had a serious hankering for a sandwich. Also, the hygiene is...questionable.

So, to save my clothing from a permeating stench, I've attempted to recreate their addicting veggie sandwich. It's not an exact replica, but hey, I don't have the luxury of a "well-seasoned" flat-top grill in my apartment. Maybe I should give my landlord a call.

Stuffed Pepper and Onion Sandwich     Serves: 1
1/2 medium yellow onion, sliced
1/2 red bell pepper, cut into strips
1 T. chopped fresh herbs (I used flat-leaf parsley)
1 oz. (1/4 cup) mozzarella cheese
1/2 T. olive oil
Salt
Pepper
Pita pocket OR hoagie roll
Sour cream (optional)
1.) Heat olive oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add onion, bell pepper, herbs, and a dash of salt and pepper. Saute until vegetables soften and onions are beginning to caramelize, 10 to 15 minutes.
2.) Remove veggies and add a bit more oil to the skillet. Stuff veggies into pita or roll along with the mozzarella cheese. Cook in the skillet until pita is toasted and cheese melts. Serve with a dollop of sour cream.

Red Pepper Risotto with Goat Cheese

Risotto is a pantry staple that should be in every college student's food arsenal. Why? Well, for one thing, it's affordable and extremely filling. Sounding fancy and cultured is a plus, as well.

That's one of my goals for you collegiate (and other!) readers-- making food that looks fancy, but in reality, you're just being a tightwad college kid.  And that's not an insult. Finding ways to be a cheapass is a good brain exercise, my friends. It involves calculations, budgeting, and all that jazz. Embrace it.

I've adapted this recipe from The Pioneer Woman. If you haven't heard of her before, you should probably check out her website now. Her recipes and stories from the ranch are addicting, so be forewarned. You additionally might develop the urge to live on a cattle ranch, buy boots with spurs, and eat a 40 oz. steak. Oh, and dream rugged cowboys in leather chaps. Yes, please.

The addition of goat cheese really makes this dish great. If you've only experienced good 'ol cow cheese before, please give the goats a chance. It's so creamy and gives the risotto a wonderful flavor no other cheese can.

So, readers, do me a solid and cut the goat's cheese, please.

Red Pepper Risotto with Goat Cheese     Serves: 2
2 cups chicken broth
1/2 T. olive oil
1/4 onion, diced
1/2 red bell pepper, diced
1/2 cup risotto (arborio rice)
2 T. white wine
1 oz. goat cheese
1 T. parmesan cheese
Salt, to taste
1.) Bring broth to a simmer in a small saucepan. Meanwhile, heat olive oil in skillet over medium heat. Add onions and cook for 1-2 minutes, then add peppers and cook 8-10 minutes. Stir in uncooked rice and mix well with other ingredients.
2.) Pour in wine. Add broth 1/3 cup at a time and stir until liquid is absorbed. Once this happens, add another 1/3 cupful and stir. Repeat process until simmering broth is used up and the rice is al dente. Sprinkle in goat and parmesan cheese, and add salt if it needs it.

Pasta with Roasted Tomatoes

Simplicity is not necessarily a synonym for boring. In fact, one of my Mom's favorite sayings is "simple, yet elegant." I feel that phrase is the most accurate description for this recipe. You don't need a billion ingredients to make a spectacular dish.

She's also partial to the phrases, "aren't you going to be cold in that?" or "why don't you put a cami underneath that v-neck sweater?" But we won't get into that at the moment.

This dish is about as simple as cooking gets-- Roast a couple cherry tomatoes in the oven, boil some pasta, toss with olive oil and parmesan cheese. Wham, bam, thank you...oven.

I added in some wilted spinach, but only because I needed to use it up before it went bad. Also, I didn't want to feel the wrath of Popeye the Sailor if he found out I wasted some perfectly good spinach. But next time, I'll only be adding those beautiful roasted tomatoes to truly stick to the "simple, yet elegant" mantra. And maybe I'll throw on a cami, Mom.

Pasta with Roasted Tomatoes     Serves: 1
3 oz. fettuccine
Handful (1/4 cup or so) cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
Salt
Pepper
Olive oil
Chopped fresh parsley
Parmesan cheese
1.) Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Toss tomatoes in a bit of olive oil, salt, and pepper and spread on a baking sheet. Roast for 15-20 minutes, or until the skins are shriveled and slightly charred.
2.) Meanwhile, boil fettuccine to al dente. Reserve about a tablespoon of cooking liquid.
3.) Toss pasta with roasted tomatoes, salt, pepper, and reserved cooking liquid. Drizzle olive oil over the top and sprinkle with parsley and parmesan cheese.

Spiced Meatballs in Creamy Tomato Sauce

I've got nothing against the Italians. They've got some seriously tasty food, sexy cars, and beautiful language.

And, I must admit, I love Jersey Shore. 

Disclaimer: I know the show plays into every ridiculous stereotype of Italian-Americans. I know it's crass and mindless. But as one college professor put it, "Jersey Shore is such a masterpiece of stupidity, it's hard to look away."  See? Even professors watch it, which makes my viewership completely acceptable.  

But if professors begin sporting spray tans, we're gonna have to put this thing to an end.

Anyways, meatballs are to italian cuisine like fist pumps are to the Shore kids-- inseparable. But it's fun to switch up flavors and give these familiar comforts a delicious twist. I was a little  iffy about adding cinnamon to ground beef (my mind kept envisioning a meaty churro), but it works. The spices give a nice, warm flavor that's great for the winter months. Not to mention ground beef is extremely practical for savvy college students. Or for "guidos/ettes" saving money for "GTL"-- gym, tan, laundry. 

Spiced Meatballs in Creamy Tomato Sauce    Serves: 2 (if you freeze half the meatballs)

1 lb. lean ground beef

1 egg

1 slice white bread, torn

2 T. milk

2 T. chopped fresh parsley

3/4 t. cinnamon

1/2 t. allspice

1/2 t. salt

1/4 t. pepper

1 t. olive oil

1/4 cup chopped onion

15-oz can crushed tomatoes

1 T. plain yogurt or sour cream

1/2 t. sugar

1/8 t. salt

1/8 t. pepper
Feta cheese

1.) Put beef, egg, parsley, cinnamon, allspice, 1/2 t. salt,  and 1/4 t. pepper in a bowl. Place milk and bread into a separate bowl and let soak for a few minutes. Squeeze excess milk from bread and throw into the meat mixture.

2.) Mix meat well with hands or wooden spoon. Scoop out by rounded tablespoons and roll into a ball. 

3.) Heat 1 tsp. olive oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add meatballs and cook for about 8 minutes, or until all sides are browned. Repeat until all meatballs are cooked.

4.) At this point I froze half the meatballs for later meals. The recipe now will only serve two.

5.) Add onion to the same skillet and cook until slightly softened. Stir in tomatoes, sugar, 1/8 t. salt, 1/8 t. pepper, and remaining meatballs. Bring to a simmer and let the flavors combine, about 5 minutes. Turn off heat and stir in yogurt. Serve sprinkled with fresh parsley, feta cheese, and pita chips. *fist pump*