It sucks when it’s 8 p.m. and you have no clue what you’re having for dinner. No one’s going to make it for you, and you’re on the verge of going to the drive-thru or ordering take-out again.

Save the money and the calories by stocking these five magical ingredients. With them, you can whip up a quick and delicious dinner any night of the week.

1. Cooking wine. Though not really the kind of thing you want to drink straight-up, cooking wine is great for making amazing sauces, putting in some casseroles, or adding major flavor to meat dishes.

As with regular wine, white tends to go better with chicken and red with beef. If you like to drink wine, there’s also something to be said about keeping your cellar stocked with good drinking wines that can double as cooking wines.

2. Chicken broth. Every bit as useful as cooking wine, but for slightly different things. Chicken broth can help make a wonderful pasta sauce, is a fantastic base for soups with a lot of flavor, and will make rice and noodles taste a lot better (if you boil them in the broth instead of water). Read More »

If you’re like me; college student, broke, hungry, AND seriously craving warm COOKED meals, that aren’t boxed, canned, frozen, or wrapped, I will suggest this: THE FOOD NETWORK IS YOUR SAVIOR. I’ve eaten enough rice cakes to insulate an entire house and COOKED food….is so much better.

This is not your momma’s daytime television, oh no, this is for Us. Us meaning women who need to experiment in the kitchen a little bit before hosting a dinner party that doesn’t have Domino’s Pizza as a guest. We all need guidance sometimes and from experience, though she’s a bit whiney, I completely trust Mrs. Rachael Rays’ cookbook.

If you and your friends split the ingredients and cook together, an evening in the kitchen is even better/more affordable. Plus, the Writers Strike is over now, so we can watch Greys Anatomy with full bellies.

Here are links to some of my VERY FAVORITE recipes that I am CONVINCED have won over many hearts (men and women included) AND have helped me keep cereal as a breafast food. Read More »

It’s a universal truth: Valentine’s Day can suck, even if you’re not alone. Make sure it doesn’t by using one of these five sweet date ideas. Whether you hang out with your GF, BF, or BFF on V-Day, it’s still possible to have a ton of fun with a creative date.

1. A picnic. If you live in the Southwest, a traditional outdoor meal might actually be possible. Those of us who shack up in chillier climates don’t have to abandon the idea of a fun picnic, though. Take your date, make a few sandwiches, then grab a blanket and head to the nearest academic building. Set up shop in one of its more isolated areas, unwrap your food, and—presto!—picnic. Read More »

We all know that girls love sweets.

The last thing any of us probably need is a new idea for a delicious blast of sugar…and something we need even LESS than that is a new idea for a blast of sugar that can be made without cooking.

That’s right…this one is for you dorm ridden girls. (Or just those of you who hate baking). My friends have titled this pie I make PCP=peanut butter cheese pie.

The boys I make it for swear that this treat might as well be a drug, so apparently, it’s aptly named.

I swear to you that this dessert is an automatic cure for depression. It’s simultaneously a cure for everything else out there, too. (IF you love peanut butter).

Here’s what you need: Read More »

Don’t get me wrong; there is absolutely nothing wrong with microwaving a frozen entrée/Hot Pocket for dinner in your dorm room. It is quick, easy and far tastier than the offerings downstairs in the cafeteria. And in terms of “cooking” in a dorm room, that is about as close as you are gonna get.

For those of you who have moved onto bigger and better things – mainly, an apartment or house on campus – a can of Spaghetti-O’s also makes quite a handy dinner. But, let’s be honest, there are only so many nights that you can handle the sound of the noodle/sauce combo loosening its grip on the inside of a Chef Boyardee can and plopping (still shaped like said can, mind you) into your microwave-safe bowl.

Not to mention the awful nutritional information.

Being that you are finally grown up enough to live in the college equivalent to a big girl bed (a house/apartment on your own!) it is time to step away from the microwavable meals of your past and move onto something far superior…without much extra work.

Below is a list of some super easy, super tasty and even super healthy alternatives to the microwavable meal. Step away from the Easy Mac, ladies; it is time to fire up the stove for a dinner your mother would be proud of, without cutting into your bar….er….study time. Just mix and match some of these tasty ideas and you have yourself a real dinner. Read More »

There’s a known hierarchy of important items on Super Bowl Sunday, and it goes something like this:

1. The FOOD!

Chips and dip are a huge crowd-pleaser, but why run out to the store and load up when you can just make your own? Here’s a pair of simple recipes that’s sure to be the hit of your party.

First, put together your guacamole. Slice an avocado lengthwise, remove the pit and skin, then smash the flesh with a fork in a small bowl (sounds like fun, doesn’t it?).

Add about one-third of a large tomato (chopped), one diced garlic clove, and one tablespoon of chopped fresh cilantro.

Mash it all together again. Finally, add salt to taste and a couple of teaspoons of lemon juice. Stir well, stick it in the fridge until kickoff time, and you’re done!

While the guac is chilling, you can make the chips. Preheat the oven to 350, then coat a large baking sheet or two with tinfoil.

Slice two soft tortillas or wraps of any flavor (I like to use whole-wheat or spinach-garlic) into triangular, chip-shaped wedges. Arrange the wedges on the baking sheets, cook 10-12 minutes, and there you have it—tasty, homemade chips and guacamole for four!

Sometimes the thought of eating at the dining hall is just too much, and the prospect of yet another Subway sandwich is just as unappetizing. What, then, is a girl to do?

Answer: small-batch cooking and baking.

Equipment and recipes, though generally designed for a crowd, can be scaled down to serve you and a friend (or even just you). Here are a few retailers and manufacturers that make it easy for those of us flying solo:

A 1-quart baking dish, like this one from Cookware.Com, can do wonders in your kitchen. It holds just enough casserole or salad for two, so you can either dig in with a pal or tuck an extra portion in the fridge to munch on later.

If you’d prefer to divide out your portions, try these casserole pans available from Rachael Ray. They’re perfect for oven-baked dishes, and are high-quality for the price. If you need something cheaper to do in a pinch, though, Hefty offers disposable oven-safe single-serving casserole pans as well. Read More »

My boyfriend is from India.

I say this not to brag about my exotic foreign catch, but rather to expound upon the humor that can come out of dating a non-native English speaker.

For instance, he doesn’t say “development,” he says “devil up mint.” Why this is so funny to me remains elusive to him, yet he insists he’s pronouncing the word correctly.

“One billion Indians can’t be wrong,” he says.

Well, OK, he may have a point. For me, at least, my international relationship is so much more engaging than dating, say, another American.

American guys? BO-RING! First of all, they pronounce every word the same way I do (unless they’re from the South, I guess, but that’s another story entirely). Secondly, they think drinking and video games are the be-all and end-all of existence. And finally, their cooking repertoire consists almost completely of Easy Mac and Hot Pockets. Yeah, that’s appealing. Read More »

Bar food: So fabulously yummy, yet so tragically fattening. I swear, if I even look at a plate of mozzarella sticks or fried zucchini I immediately gain 5 pounds. So imagine my delight when I came across these healthier versions of some of our unhealthiest weaknesses.

It is no secret that Hungrygirl.com is a godsend to those looking to indulge sans guilt. Now, I think I may just have another reason to love them. So whip up these bad boys, grab your gal pals, pull out some light beer and watch some football (Girls Just Want To Have Fun works too…hey, dancing is a sport!)

Mozzarella Fix

Ingredients:

2 light mozzarella sticks (50-60 calories and 2.5g fat per stick)

1/4 cup Fiber One bran cereal (original)

2 tbsp. fat-free liquid egg substitute

salt, pepper & Italian seasonings; to taste

Optional: low-fat marinara sauce (for dipping)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a food processor or blender, grind Fiber One to a breadcrumb-like consistency. Place crumbs in a small plastic container with a lid. Season crumbs with as much salt, pepper and Italian seasonings as you like. Set aside. Cut cheese sticks in half, so that you have 4 sticks. Place sticks in a small bowl, and pour egg substitute over the top of the sticks. Swirl egg substitute around so that it thoroughly coats the sticks. One by one, transfer sticks to the container with the crumbs. Cover container, and give it a shake to coat the sticks in the crumbs. Carefully return sticks to the dish with the egg substitute, and coat them again. Read More »

So usually, I bring you a recipe or two each week that won’t cut into your tv time and will save that cash of yours to be spent on more important things (like Soko lime shots)

But, when the weekend rolls around and we spend our days hung-over and hungry on the couch, let’s be real, the last thing we are going to do is cook.

Enter… my favorite munchies I’ve discovered that are yummy and healthy(ish)

Better N Peanut Butter: This all natural treat is made out of peanuts, but has only 100 calories and 2.5 grams of fat per serving. While it doesn’t taste exactly like its cousin, PB, it’s close enough, and is a great alternative (also great in smoothies, or when cooking to get that PB flavor without the PB fat)

Trader Joe’s Flax Seed Chips. They look like tortilla chips, they taste even better and they come in different flavors. While they are higher in Calorie (140 per serving), they are full of complex carbs, are all natural and hits the salty-craving spot. Read More »