So, it’s the beginning of a new school year, and you’ve got a hot prospect. How can you woo him (or her, as the case may be) and get those googly eyes to focus only on you?

Easy.

It’s like your mom always said: the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach. Even if you aren’t exactly Julia Child, you can still follow instructions, and that’s all you need to do to bust out a romantic dinner that’ll have him drooling for your food and bolting with you to the bedroom.

Trust me, it’s way better to make food for your dude than take him out. Anyone can whip out a credit card, but it makes you look extra-special if you can whip out a spatula and use it like you’re supposed to. Plus, it’s obviously sweeter to make dinner than to buy it, and it gives you the opportunity to tailor what you make to what your guy really likes. (And it might even inspire him to cook for you . . . swoon!)

Before you get carried away, don’t go all Bridget Jones and try to make super-fancy recipes for multiple courses. Keep it simple, especially if you don’t have a ton of cooking experience. Odds are, your guy loves the classics: what meat-eating man would deny a nicely grilled steak or a plate of spaghetti just like his mom used to make?

So set out that tablecloth, light those candles, put on some tunes, and give these two tried-and-true recipes a whirl. Read More »

Who doesn’t love a little Southern cooking? Fried, greasy goodness? I wouldn’t trust someone who didn’t dream about it once in awhile.  And better yet, who doesn’t love a little Southern dessert? There is nothing. better. on earth. (I love you, Paula Dean!)

This recipe comes from my best friend’s mother, Mrs. D, a Southern mom who doesn’t have time to bake like all those other mommas.  These Oreo Balls are easy, quick and delicious, which is perfect for the college girl with a sweet tooth. You’ll need zero to no cooking experience or talent, so don’t fret if you’re not Betty Crocker. Hell, you don’t even need a full kitchen; you can make these balls of heaven right in your dorm room.

There are a lot of different recipes for Oreo Balls out there, but, again, I’m sticking with Mrs. D on this one. That woman totally knows her shiz. Read More »

Chipotle has become one of those super hip ingredients you find in everything it seems, right up there with pomegranate, and for very good reason: it’s frickin delicious. Smoky and hot, it adds a killer flavor to anything it touches, and this spread is no exception. It’s magical.

I’ve made it for many a backyard/patio/rooftop bbq, and it is always a huuuuge hit. Throw it on a burger, use it as a French fry dippin’ sauce, anywhere you want a really excellent dollop of flavor. It’s so easy you can whip it up in no time, and keep a jar on hand in your fridge for that impromptu summertime grill-fest (like the 4th of July??)

Chipotle Mayonnise

1 16 oz. jar Mayonnaise (makes a lot, but I like to use the whole thing so I can just pour the whole recipe back into the jar for storage, and have it on hand at all times.)
2 chipotles in adobo sauce, plus 2 tsp adobo sauce
1 large clove garlic
Juice of half a lime
Salt to taste (start with about ½ tsp) Read More »

The most elaborate meal most college students cook consists of adding water to some noodles and microwaving on high for 2 minutes. Except maybe the weird stuff we all put together after a long night of drinking (Cheez Wiz and frozen spinach? Mmmmm!).

But it doesn’t have to be that way.

Eli and Max Sussman, two lovely boys who are as talented in the kitchen as they are witty, have recently published, Freshman in the Kitchen.

This cookbook is made for us – college students – and teaches everything we need to know about cooking, including making things that don’t require a flavor packet or a microwave.

Freshman in the Kitchen proves that cooking a real meal can be as easy as Easy Mac, with much better results. The boys will be sharing their expertise and recipes with us, so look out.

And buy their book. Your roommates will thank you.

Oh man, do I love pie. It’s kind of impossible to explain just how much I love it…but I mean, when somebody made me peach and blueberry pie for my birthday last week, I ate it for almost every meal for two days. I did not get sick. It was glorious.

My fellow editor in crime knows how much I love crust and fruit, so she recently sent me this recipe with the words “True story: this pie will make you drool” in the subject line of the email. Even though I’m a pretty stupid cook, I decided to try to make the thing the night I got the email — and you know what? It really wasn’t that hard. The whole presentation wasn’t Martha Stewart pretty or anything, but it tasted like heaven and Martha Stewart has 700 people helping her on a daily basis.

What You Need

9-inch frozen pie crust

3/4 c. plus 5 T. all-purpose flour

2/3 c. firmly packed golden brown sugar

1/3 c. granulated sugar plus 1 T. for the filling

2 t. ground cinnamon

1/8 t. salt

1/2 c. cold unsalted butter, cut into 3/4 in. pieces

5 c. blueberries Read More »