When I first arrived on campus at the beginning of the semester, my mom and I unloaded our minivan and began unpacking my belongings into my New Apt. Although she did little to hide her disgust at my new accommodations—raising eyebrows at the spider community that framed our doorway and the bug infestation in the bathroom—I was happy to call this not-so-new apartment home. She also found the close proximity of the slightly crumbling New Apts. to the shiny suburban NCAs that rested on the hill above us pretty laughable.
The one unappealing feature of the apartment that we could agree on, however, was the state of the kitchen. Featuring two burners, a sink and refrigerator, the area is pretty much the definition of the “bare minimum”. After a little poking around on the Internet and trips to Wal-Mart and Kroger though, I’ve been able to assemble a couple recipes that can easily be completed in a New Apt. kitchen.
The first recipe is a variation from Ree Drummond’s “Summer Stir-Fry” recipe from The Pioneer Woman Cooks. It’s an incredibly easy and cheap dinner that you can use all sorts of substitutions for and can be modified to feed anywhere from 2-8 people. Thought I’d forget about dessert? No way. No-bake Vanilla Cake Batter Truffles are on the menu tonight, my friends.
“Summer Stir-Fry” Variation
Serves: 4-8, vary ingredients based on number of people
Ingredients: 2-3 small zucchini, carton of cherry tomatoes, can of corn, lemon, salt, basil or parsley, clove of garlic, butter (olive oil spray for the health nuts), 3-4 chicken breasts (you can buy this prepared at most grocery stores) OR you can substitute with 1 lb. bag of de-veined shrimp OR tofu.
Directions:
1. Slice the zucchini on a slight diagonal
2. Cut the cherry tomatoes in half long-wise
3. Drain and wash the corn
4. Slice the chicken/tofu
5. Mince the garlic
6. In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat and add the minced garlic
7. Throw in your choice of mean/protein when the garlic begins to brown
8. Cook for about 3 minutes, seasoning with salt and moving around the pan.
9. After you’ve thoroughly cooked your protein, throw it on a plate and cover with a lid
10. Heat a little more butter and throw in your zucchini for about a minute. Move them to the edges of the pan (so that you have an open circle in the middle of the skillet) and throw in the corn. Cook that for another minute or two, move to the outside of the skillet again, and add in your sliced tomatoes. Cook another two to three minutes. Add salt and pepper and turn everything around in the pan.
11. Finally, dump the shrimp/tofu/chicken on the vegetable medley and give it one last minute in the skillet.
12. Transfer everything to a nice serving platter (or paper plates—we’re on a college budget, after all) and sprinkle with lemon juice and sliced parsley.
Voila! Dinner is served!
You can also whip up a salad to serve with your main course. Toss field greens, sliced cucumbers, sliced grape tomatoes, avocado, and salt and pepper with olive oil and vinegar dressing.
And for dessert…
As an avid follower of Pinterest, I often find myself pinning all the pretty, artsy pictures of things without ever following up on how to make them. These “No-Bake Vanilla Cake Batter Truffles” are one of my only pins to have received the fabled follow-up click. Best. Decision. Ever. This recipe is so simple and delicious, it’s the perfect after dinner treat. Also, if you need an easy party snack, but want to do a little better than Goldfish and Oreos from the Market, this is a great way to impress your peers with your so-called cooking ability and creativity.
No-Bake Vanilla Cake Batter Truffles
Makes: 20-30 truffles
Ingredients: 1 cup vanilla cake mix, ¼ cup sweetened condensed milk, ½ tsp. vanilla extract, 1.5 cup to 2 cup chocolate chips
Directions:
1. In a mixing bowl combine all ingredients, except chocolate chips, and stir
2. This mixture should be more solid than runny, but not so dry that you can’t mold it into balls. If you find that your mixture is a little too runny, add a touch more cake mix. If it’s a little too dry, add more sweetened condensed milk. Use your judgment, it’s pretty hard to mess these up.
3. After you make the dough, refrigerate for about 15 minutes and roll into balls.
4. Melt the chocolate chips for 1.5 minutes, stirring every thirty seconds, and then dip your balls into the chocolate. Place them on a cookie sheet with parchment paper underneath.
5. Place the truffles in the fridge. They should be ready anywhere from 30 minutes to a half hour.