Suddenly, we realize it’s October! The leaves start turning yellow, the wind starts blowing stronger, and cozy sweaters become our close friends. Just like Oscar Wilde once said, “And all at once, summer collapsed into fall.” Fall comes so fast that sometimes we aren’t speedy enough to say goodbye to summer, and now it’s time we start thinking about how to make the best of this special season. During this lovely weather, nothing is better than dorm-made dishes to stay comfy and warm. These dishes will definitely brighten your autumn’s day and mood!
Healthy Breakfast: Sweet Potato Soup
Ingredients:
- Olive oil
- Onion
- Garlic
- Carrots
- Sweet potatoes
- Vegetable broth (Chicken broth is fine too!)
- Italian seasonings
- Ground cumin
- Turmeric
- Salt and pepper
- Toppings: roasted peanuts, green onions, sesame seeds
First, you need to quickly fry the onions in the pot over medium heat, until soft and translucent. Onions are definitely easy to get burned, so keep an eye on them! Then, add the garlic into the onion, and cook until fragrant, this should take about one minute.
After that, add chopped carrots and cook for 6-7 minutes, stirring occasionally while cooking, then the sweet potatoes should be added into the pot for 1 minute. You can pour the Italian seasonings and vegetable broth into the pot at this point, then let it boil. After it has boiled, it’s time for you to cover the lid, simmer on medium-low heat for 15-20 minutes, until the sweet potato is tender.
Finally, remove the soup from the heat, blend all the ingredients to smoothen the mixture, pour into a bowl, and it’s ready! Serve with toppings of your choice, and that’s how you get yourself a warm, sweet, delish meal. With air-tight containers, the soup can be stored for up to 5 days in the fridge, and 3 months in the freezer.
Wondering how you can gather all of these ingredients? The good news is all of the items are available at Walmart, and you can easily purchase them at low prices.
Click here to see the recipe in more detail!
Seasonal Lunch: Chicken Fried Rice
Ingredients:
- Butter
- Cooked white rice (Leave it cold before starting to cook!)
- Frozen sweet peas
- Carrots
- 2 eggs
- Small onion (Chopped)
- Green onion (Chopped, and optional!)
- Garlic powder
- Soy sauce
- Boneless chicken breast (Should be cooked and chopped into ½ inch dices before adding to the rice!)
- Sea salt and black pepper
Melting some butter on your pan is the first step for this recipe. Then, add your onions, carrots, and sweet peas altogether to the pan until tender. The vegetables should be pushed to one side, and the eggs should be beaten and scrambled next to the vegetables, cook the eggs until scrambled. The next step is mixing the eggs and vegetables together, at the same time adding the garlic powder and soy sauce to the pan, stirring constantly until the seasonings are even all over the pan. Finally, mix the chicken – the soul of the dish as well as the cooked rice into the pan, mix them thoroughly, and voila! The dish is ready to serve. You can add green onion on top of the fried rice, or some pinch of salt and black pepper for extra flavors, but they are totally optional!
Click here to see the recipe in more detail!
All-time favorite dinner: Pumpkin Mac N Cheese
What would Fall look like without the pumpkins? Are you eager to find out how to make pumpkin dishes at DePauw’s dorm? Here is a simple recipe for a savory pumpkin dinner!
Ingredients:
- Unsalted butter
- All-purpose flour
- Whole milk
- Canned pumpkin
- Ground nutmeg (Available at Walmart!)
- Dried thyme (Available at Walmart!)
- Salt and black pepper
- Shredded cheddar cheese
- Breadcrumbs
- Elbow macaroni (Available in packs at Walmart!)
First, cook the macaroni until desired firmness and drain thoroughly. While cooking the macaroni, melt the butter on the pan, slowly add the flour, and whisk until smooth, then add the milk, a little at a time into the mixture, and continue whisking until thickened. At this point, pour the seasonings into the pan, these include nutmeg, thyme, canned pumpkin, salt, and pepper. After stirring the mixture well, the cheese should be slowly added. Melt the cheese into the mixture, and finally, add the drained macaroni to the pan. Add breadcrumbs for extra texture, your choice! The dish is completed within an hour, and a large pan of pumpkin mac n cheese can absolutely cheer up your group of friends during this cozy weather.
Click here to see the recipe in more detail!
60 Second Dessert: Mug Brownie
Ingredients:
- All-purpose flour
- Unsweetened cocoa powder
- Dark brown sugar
- Salt
- Milk
- Vegetable oil
- Vanilla extract
- Semi-sweet chocolate chips
Prepare yourself with any medium microwave-safe mug! Add flour, salt, cocoa powder, and brown sugar into the mug. Then, pour the vegetable oil, vanilla extract, and milk into the dry mixture, stir well until you form your batter. Mix in the chocolate chips, then microwave for nearly 2 minutes, which is the timing for a 1200W microwave! If you have a weaker/stronger microwave, adjust the time so that the brownie can be baked. Use a toothpick to test if the brownie is ready or not – if it’s no longer wet, then you can go ahead and taste this delish dessert inside your dorm room.
Click here to see the recipe in more detail!
These are four lovely cozy recipes for Fall. For those staying at DePauw’s dorm during this year’s Fall break, don’t hesitate to try them out! Food is always a near and dear way to enjoy this long-awaited season and connect with others!