Coolest Cucumbers

I know I have posted a cucumber recipe prior, but sometimes when you find a variation or upgrade you gotta let people know. 

My mom sent me this recipe from my sister-in-law who is a tremendous cook--you may not think much of it, that is, until you taste it and see the price tag: $1.86 total! 3 Servings! $0.65/serving. 

It doesn't get any cheaper than that for college cooking and low-income meals! These are cheap and common ingredients require no skills or equipment, but the flavors will blow your mind! 

Great addition to burgers, grilling and for get togethers. I only made this with 1/3 of the ingredients, but I have posted the original amounts in case there are multiple mouths to feed! 

Check out how this recipe fits into your weekly menu plan, grocery shopping and college budget on the blog this week!

(Recipe adapted from Alison Bandy)

Coolest Cucumber Salad

Equipment:

Large mixing bowl

Small mixing bowl

Whisk

Ingredients:

3 English cucumbers, thinly sliced

1 large Vidalia onion

1 Tbls kosher salt

1 cup sugar

1 cup white wine vinegar

1 tsp celery seed

1/2 tsp dry mustard

1 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)

Instructions:

1. Wash your hands and cucumbers.

2. Thinly slice cucumbers and onions.

3. In a large mixing bowl, sprinkle salt on cucumbers and onion slices. Set aside covered x 60 min. in the fridge.

4. Mix vinegar, sugar, celery seed and mustard with a whisk in a small bowl.

5. After 60 minute chilling, drain excess liquid from cucumber-onion mix. 

6. Pour vinegar dressing over cucumbers.

7. Chill until ready to serve! 

California Turkey-Bacon Wraps

Simple meals for day to day college life on the go must be easy, quick and cheap. That said, there is no reason college cooking and eating should be boring--a sandwich, for example, can be many things: pita, flatbread, tortilla, 2 or 3 slices of bread, naan...or, none of the above!

Wraps are another variation, essentially a tortilla with different flavors; and, they are perfect staple for the college kitchen. Use as a sandwich or a burrito or breakfast burrito or a quesadilla.

Cali Turkey (Bacon) Wrap

Equipment:

Hungry appetite

Skillet, if you are making bacon
Small mixing bowl, if you are making garlic mayo

Ingredients:

Tortilla Low-Carb Veggie Wrap

Oven-Roasted Turkey

Swiss Cheese

Garlic-Mayo Aioli (or plain)

1/4 sliced avocado

Green or red onions, thinly sliced

Sprouts or lettuce or spinach

Leftover bacon, optional

Instructions:

1. Wash your hands. 

2. Prep a 1/2 cup mayo with 1/2 tsp minced garlic.

3. Spread 1-2 tsp onto the wrap…or more!

4. Assemble the layers.

5. Roll the whole concoction together!

6. Add pretzels or chips--that's it!!

Pocket Pancakes 4 College Cooking

This week's post is a great idea in a small packet and perfect for college and off-campus living! With a little time, on a long weekend for example, you can whip up these Pocket Pancakes for carry-out on your way to classes on Monday morning!

College cooking is not always easy with late nights and busy schedules--so, a little prep work goes a long way--especially, if you have a freezer! You can take these pre-made pancakes out of the freezer and re-heat for 2 minutes in the time it takes you to brush your teeth. Ready when you walk out the door. 

This recipe is adapted from Cooking Light September magazine, which uses a novel ingredient, Peanut Butter powder, to create a peanut butter-flavored pancake--sounds perfect; except, I found the whole wheat and PB powder combo quite dry and saw-dusty in flavor as well as unrealistic for most college students!  

Unless you are using whole wheat flour regularly…money, flour and taste will go to waste for sure! Great concept nonetheless for leftover pancake batter or for the college student thinking ahead.

(Certainly try the Cooking Light version if you are looking for a somewhat healthier, fiber-laden, less sweet pancakes…it is posted at the end of this blog post!) 

Instead, I focused on revising this whole concept to a cheaper, quicker, and simpler version with Bisquick box mix--an easy option for college cooking. Plus, Bisquick mix is a great staple ingredient for the college pantry--another high-yield grocery item when cooking on a budget!

Pocket Pancakes 4 College Cooking

Equipment:

Mixing Bowl

Large Non-Stick skillet

Baking sheet

Ingredients:

2 cups Bisquick mix

1 1/3 cup milk

2 tsp of baking powder

1 tsp vanilla

2 Tbls sugar

2 Tbls vegetable oil

2 eggs

pinch of salt

Instructions:

1. Wash your hands and preheat oven to 350F degrees..

2. Combine the Bisquick mix, sugar, baking powder, salt, vanilla and vegetable oil in a bowl with a whisk.

3. Add the milk and eggs and combine well. Batter will seem 'thin', but this is ok.

4. Heat your skillet at MEDIUM heat with 2 tsp of butter per round of making pancakes.

5. Use a 1/4 cup batter for each pancake and wait for bubbles to appear on surface.

6. Once bubbles form, add a dollop of jam, Nutella, honey, or PB to the center of 2 of the pancakes.

7. Flip the "empty" or "plain" pancake on top of the "filled" one.

8. Place pocket pancakes onto baking sheet.

9. Bake @ 350F degrees x 8-10 minutes.

10. Sprinkle with powder sugar and syrup for immediate consumption!

Pocket Pancakes

--Or, if freezing, allow to cool completely. 

--Wrap each pocket individually in Seran wrap and freeze in large freezer bag.
--When ready to eat, remove wrapping, and microwave for 2 minutes prior to eating!

Cooking Light's Multi-Grain Peanut Butter & Jam Stuffed Pancakes

3/4 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 cup peanut butter powder
6 Tbls oats, could use quick-oats (exchanged 3 Tbls cornmeal for 3 Tbls oats)
2 Tbls sugar
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 2/3 cups buttermilk
1 egg

1. Combine dry ingredients.
2. Add buttermilk and egg.
3. Follow same steps as above with batter and filling.
4. Once pancake pockets are made, bake at 350F degrees x 10 minutes.

Rice Pudding 4 College Cooking

Leftovers easily get overlooked after sitting a day or two in the fridge...and then, suddenly...they are growing things you never knew existed, and wind up being ditched--gone! Money gone! Food gone! All valuable assets for the budget-conscious college student maximizing his or her college dollars!

Rice Pudding 4 College Cooking

Simple foods like rice, once prepared, can often be re-purposed for a separate dish; thus, avoiding waste and loss! I call these items 'high-yield' foods. For example, rice is a perfect college pantry staple--cheap, comes in bulk, has a long shelf life, offers versatility, requires little skill to make, and has multi-purpose for college cooking! 

White Rice

Other examples of high-yield, multi-purpose foods for college living and campus cooking include eggs, couscous, chickpeas, bulgher wheat, or oats--if you are on a tight budget...learn to store and use these foods--never mind the nutritional value these items provide!

Rice Pudding 4 College Cooking

Equipment:
Medium 3-quart sauce pan
Spoons

Ingredients:
1 1/2 - 2 cups cooked rice
1 cup milk
1/2 cup half & half
1/2 tsp cinnamon
2-3 Tbls cinnamon sugar (to taste)
Pinch of salt

Instructions:
1. Wash your hands.
2. Combine rice, half-and-half, and milk in the saucepan. Liquid should cover almost cover the rice.

3. Add the cinnamon.
4. Add the cinnamon sugar.
5. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to 'SIMMER' / 'LOW'. Stir occasionally.

6. Adjust cinnamon and sugar components to taste.
7. Once the mixture begins to thicken, remove from heat x 10 minutes.
8. Mixture should be thickened but somewhat runny. Add a little milk if too thick.
9. Serve up with a dollop of whipped cream and a dash of cinnamon.

Deconstructed Falafel

Mediterranean and Middle Eastern foods have to be some of my favorite cuisines (wonder if that will get me deported per Trump's standards) next to Indian dishes! Flavors are rich with depth like no other. 

Best of all are the vegetarian and meatless options--for any college student, or anyone on a budget for that matter, you have to consider going meatless (or stretching your meat budget) for some meals to prevent going broke--might as well taste good and be good for you! This is an easy college recipe for off-campus living. 

Enter falafel...but simplified without the mixing, the fuss, and the deep fryer! Promise! This meal will easily make 6 pita pockets stuffed with veggies, yoghurt sauce, salad and fried spicy chickpeas--completely satisfying and 'good-for-you' sandwich--a great way to skip meat and it is ultra-cheap (check out the cost on a can of chickpeas chocked full of protein and fiber…less than $2). 

Leftovers easily stored or taken for a snack later on! Leftover yoghurt sauce is awesome for baked potatoes and munching on carrots and other veggies!

If you find chickpeas on sale, stock up on a few extra cans for those days when money is tight! 

(Great recipe modified from Cooking Light Dinner Tonight Magazine 2015 Edition)

Deconstructed Falafel
Skill Level: Easy
Time: 20 minutes

Equipment:
Small mixing bowl 
Large 10-12" non-stick skillet

Ingredients:

For The Chickpeas:
2 (15 oz) cans of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
2 Tbls olive oil
2 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp of paprika
1/4 tsp Cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp fresh black pepper

For The Yoghurt Sauce:
1 cup plain 2% Greek yoghurt
1 Tbls of sour cream (optional if available)
2 Tbls chopped fresh mint 
1 tsp chopped dill (optional if available)
2 tsp fresh lime
3/4 tsp kosher salt
2 garlic cloves, minced

For The Extras:
1 cucumber, peeled, seeded, and halved slices
Cherry Tomatoes, halved or full tomatoes, sliced and halved
Red onions, thinly sliced or Green Onions
Peppers, thinly sliced
Feta Crumbles / slices / chunks
Arugula, tossed in olive oil & lemon (or plain)

6 pocket pitas, make sure the pocket is sturdy
6 whole wheat tortillas to make a Falafel Burrito

Instructions:
1. Wash your hands.
2. Drain, rinse, and pat dry the chickpeas.

3. Heat the olive oil over MEDIUM-HIGH heat and sear your chickpeas until golden brown. (For best results, avoid over-crowding the skillet! Make 2 batches if you have to!)

4. Prepare the spice mix and add to crispy, browned chickpeas. Continue browning.

5. Prepare your yoghurt sauce.

6. Prep your veggies.
7. Set up the assembly line!