easy and fancy college meals
Updated: Mar 25, 2020
i've always liked good food, but i didn't start actually cooking my own until i started college. this time it was all up to me to make what i wanted to eat. with the help of family recipes, failed attempts, and guidance along the way i've learned how to make a couple easy and delicious meals that will definitely impress your incompetent peers! here are some of my favorite easy AND fancy college meals-
Breakfast Cups
Whenever I'm in a rush to get to an early class I need to eat something light but filling. These are my favorite breakfast cups ever and you can totally make them your own...
1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
2. Grease several individual muffin cups in a muffin tin (as many as you want to make).
3. Roll slices of bread out with a rolling pin and cut into diagonal triangles.
4. Press individual bread slices into muffin cup until it looks like a flower shape.
5. Cook bread in tins for 3 minutes.
6. Crack an egg into each bread flower. Season with salt, pepper, and whatever else.
7. Cook for 10-15 minutes depending on how runny you want your egg and enjoy!
For a sweet treat rendition...
Butter both sides of the rolled and sliced bread. Coat with sugar and cinnamon. Pop them in the oven for 5-10 minutes until crisp. Fill with Nutella, chocolate, caramel, or any other sweet treat!
Shakshuka
This easy and delicious meal is perfect to share with your friends at lunchtime. If you have a cast iron skillet then this is the perfect dish for you...
1. Dice an onion and mince some garlic.
2. Sauté both the onion and garlic in your skillet.
3. Add in a can of tomato sauce and cook together.
4. Toss in any veggies you want to cook in the sauce. I like a little cauliflower or brussels.
5. Cover and put on a simmer.
6. Crack in three to four eggs directly into the sauce.
7. Cover and leave for 3-5 minutes and check according to how you like your eggs cooked!
Poached Florentines
Eggs are literally the best college food because you can cook them a million different ways and they all taste good. As a kid my dad made fucking incredible eggs benedict and I became fascinated with the way he poached eggs. I thought poaching would be hard but it's actually so easy and with a couple of ingredients you have an incredible breakfast...
1. Boil water over a stovetop and add a capful or two of apple cider vinegar.
2. Take a bowl and place a fine sieve strainer overtop. One at a time crack your egg on top of the sieve. Roll the egg around very gently so you don't crack the yolk. The reason you need to do this is so that you strain loose egg whites from the rest of the hard egg whites that will ultimately protect your poached yolk. After you've strained it lightly put it in a cup.
3. Using a large spoon create a whirlpool in your pot of water. As the water is still moving in a circular direction lightly drop in your egg from the cup. You should see the yolk engulfed in the egg whites!!
4. Turn down to a simmer and keep the egg moving in a circular motion for about 4 minutes. Be careful to not touch the egg but to keep the circular movement in the pot.
5. Using a wide spoon with slats remove your egg and place on a paper towel to absorb the water.
6. Repeat the process with another egg
7. Sauté some spinach in a small pan with a little bit of olive oil. Add salt and pepper to taste.
8. Cut two pieces of sourdough bread and toast them slightly. Add your spinach on the bread and top with your poached egg!
Cauliflower Masala
I'm a huge fan of Indian food and it's the ONE cuisine my college campus doesn't have at all! While I love chicken tikka masala it's much easier getting ahold of vegetarian ingredients at school so I altered my recipe a little bit. It's spicy, creamy, and amazing over rice...
1. Chop up a half a head of cauliflower. Dice an onion. Mince garlic.
2. Add oil and cook diced onion until translucent. Add in some garlic and cook together.
3. Sauté the cauliflower in the same pan with some butter.
4. Add a mix of spices - garam masala, salt, pepper, turmeric, paprika, chili powder, etc.
5. Pour in one can of coconut milk and top with more masala and spices.
6. Cook on low for a few more minutes and serve over rice!
**you can also add in a bit of tomato sauce along with the coconut milk to give it body**
Broccoli Fritters
I love these fritters because they are so dense, cheesy, and deliciousss especially with some soy sauce on the side. If you love veggie patties then these will be totally up your ally...
1. Wash and cut broccoli florets and put them into a large mixing bowl.
2. Shred cheese into the bowl as well so there is about 1/2 of each with a little bit more broccoli.
3. Put in about 1/4 of flour into the bowl.
4. Mix in spices - salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, chili powder, etc.
5. Add in several eggs so that the batter has a burger-like consistency (can be formed into patties).
6. You're ready to fry! Coat a pan in oil and start frying up your broccoli fritters. Serve with soy sauce!
Good luck & happy cooking
xox
Eva
