Comments on: Salsa Verde Carnitas

By: Stephanie

Stephanie — Thu, 14 May 2009 02:35:36 +0000

Hm, all I remember eating in college was really, really good, unhealthy food, courtesy of the BYU creamery! I also remember stocking up on my meal card points, and buying lots of pizza pockets at the end of each month…all very detrimental to someone with a gluten intolerance….Wish i’d had a crock pot in my dorm!!

By: samarahuel

samarahuel — Mon, 11 May 2009 13:16:45 +0000

I didn’t go to college, but some of the first things I cooked as a newlywed were:
-Tacos: Brown ground beef with chopped onion and garlic, cumin, and oregano. Serve on tortillas with any choice of simple toppings like tomato, lettuce, cheese, sour cream, salsa, etc. I make my own tortillas now that are excellent and not hard at all. I use a recipe from Orangette (http://orangette.blogspot.com/2005/07/on-independence-day-and-tyranny-of-bad.html) but replace the shortening with butter and sometimes using whole wheat flour instead of white. One batch makes plenty, and they can be frozen and used for other meals or refrigerated for about a week.
-Spaghetti: Again, just browned ground beef with a jar of store-bought sauce and boiled pasta. I’ve been experimenting with making my own simple and quick tomato sauce, and the latest issue of Cook’s Illustrated has a recipe that just might end my experimenting.
-Salad with Grilled Chicken: I remove the skin and bones from a chicken breast myself (but boneless/skinless might be easier) and cut into strips. I started by just marinating in Italian Dressing before cooking in a skillet, then I learned how to make a simple breading of breadcrumbs/cracker crumbs/crushed croutons, shredded Parmesan, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Pat chicken dry and dip into a beaten egg and then the breading to coat. Or, if you have no eggs just don’t pat the chicken dry and use its moisture to adhere the breading. Cook in a skillet with a little olive oil until cooked through and breading is golden. The chicken for your “Really Good Chicken and Noodles” is another technique I’d like to try for a salad. Leave the chicken in strips or cut into bite-size pieces and add to a salad. Here are some of my favorite combinations: 1)Any salad mix (I usually just use romaine, as I can buy a head and tear some up for salad, use a few leaves for sandwiches, etc.), dried cherries/cranberries, feta or goat cheese, & candied pecans (toast pecans in a dry, hot skillet, add white sugar and stir until sugar melts and caramelizes, coating the nuts. Remove from pan and cool, toss with a bit more white sugar before they cool if desired), raspberry walnut vinaigrette or poppyseed dressing. 2)Romaine, homemade bacon bits (chop bacon with scissors before sauteing, remove excess strips of fat as you chop if you like), chopped tomato or cherry tomatoes, and honey-mustard dressing (mix olive oil, vinegar, honey, Dijon, sugar, salt and pepper to taste). 3) Romaine, chopped apples, blue cheese/Gorgonzola, toasted and/or candied walnuts (same as candied pecans) with poppyseed dressing or a mild vinaigrette. 4) Romaine, homemade croutons (chop any bread–good time to use up stale bread–into cubes, toss with enough melted butter mixed with garlic powder and salt to coat the cubes, spread on cookie sheet and bake until golden brown and crisp, stirring occasionally), grated/shaved Parmesan, Caesar dressing (I recommend Newman’s Own). 5) Romaine or spinach, fresh berries (strawberries, blueberries, raspberries), homemade bacon bits, feta/goat cheese, green onion, and poppyseed dressing.
-French Toast, scrambled eggs, omelets: many breakfast foods are reasonably cheap, easy, and nutritious
-Oven Roasted vegetables: wash & chop, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with Kosher salt and pepper, and roast in a 400 degree oven until they are tender. My favorites are asparagus, cauliflower (can add shredded Parmesan when done cooking), Brussels sprouts (can drizzle with real maple syrup to serve), or a medley of sliced bell peppers, sliced onions, mushrooms, zucchini, and/or cherry tomatoes (keep in mind the tomatoes release a lot of liquid and zucchini can become mushy easily) with or without a minced clove of garlic.
-Soups are a great way to start learning to cook. Endless variety, fairly easy, and lots of nutrients in one pot.

By: Annie Pazoo

Annie Pazoo — Sat, 09 May 2009 13:41:50 +0000

These look so fantastic — and my husband is a fantastic cook so I’m gonna ask HIM to make them for me!. Happy Mother’s Day, HBM!

By: Courtney

Courtney — Sat, 09 May 2009 00:40:14 +0000

That sounds great! I just got some pork for .99 a pound and I was wondering what to do with it. Thanks!

By: Tracy

Tracy — Fri, 08 May 2009 17:26:33 +0000

My latest favorite is to make crock pot salsa chicken. Just place 3-4 boneless skinless breasts in the crockpot with a jar of salsa and let cook all day. I tried to mix it up awhile back and I put in one can of black beans, about 2 cups of frozen corn and 1/3 block of cream cheese with the chicken and salsa. I cook it all day & then serve it over spanish rice (or cheat by buying the boxed cheesy spanish rice!) I think that’s okay considering college students can survive off of Ramen noodles and mac & cheese right????

I then take any leftovers and shred the chicken. Warm flour tortillas and line each with chicken. Top with the salsa, black bean & corn mixture. Add some shredded cheese (I like a LOT of cheese!) Fold each like a burrito and wrap in a paper towel. Then wrap in foil and freeze in a gallon size freezer bag (or you can use the tortilla zipper bag!) Take each one out for lunch or snack, remove foil and heat in microwave for about 3 minutes on 50% power. Serve with sour cream and enjoy!

It sounds like a lot of work as I type this out but it only takes an extra 10 minutes after dinner cleanup!

By: Tracy

Tracy — Fri, 08 May 2009 17:18:18 +0000

I feel like it was just yesterday that I was in my college apartment kitchen learning to cook! Ahhh… it’s definitely been awhile. I have a couple of easy-peasy recipes that are fairly cost effective. The first thing I thought of after reading your recipe was what can she do with the remainder of the cabbage head? It’s always great to stretch your ingredients to get the most of out them right?! Well I make a great veggie soup that a dear friend’s mother passed onto me.

Brown 1 lb. ground beef or ground turkey. Once browned, add one pack of dry onion soup mix. Stir in 1 container of V8 juice (think healthy!), two cans of veg-all veggies, one extra can of each: corn, grean beans, peas & diced potatoes. Once warmed through, add 1/2 head of cabbage diced into bite size pieces. Cook until cabbage softens. I love that I can get 7-8 servings from this recipe alone and I always freeze extras for lunches, etc. Super easy and fairly nutritious. Of course, fresh or frozen veggies would be EVEN better!

I’ll post my second idea in a bit….

By: Traci

Traci — Fri, 08 May 2009 05:26:35 +0000

That sounds really ambitious, my boys are lucky to make just hamburger for tacos LOL What a great time for you too though, keep us up to date as you go.