Quick, Easy and/or Cheap Recipes That Can Be Used with ...



Quick, Easy and/or Cheap Recipes That Can Be Used with Residents:

General Snack Ideas

• Refrigerated break-and-bake cookies: easy and the students love them.  We do unannounced "midnight cookies" occasionally, where we bake some cookies at midnight and bring them around to students in the entry.  The students really like this.

• Nachos: Cheese, refried beans, nachos...the refried beans make it a nice snack and with veggies and refried beans it is great for everyone.

• Trifle: Trifle is great! It looks really nice, and is easy to make. You can make a relatively healthy dessert with angel food cake, sugar free vanilla pudding, strawberries, bananas, and fat free whipped cream. Or, you can make a really rich dessert by using brownies, chocolate pudding, heath bars, and whipped cream. You just need a big trifle bowl, and you can get these for $10 online. Make up your own recipe or check out: .

• Cheese and Crackers; Fruit and Fondue: We have found that simple cheese and crackers (wheat thins or whatever along with any kind of cheese, though white cheese seems to be preferred) are appreciated, as well as fruit. Fruit is usually served on its own but with chocolate fondue it is even better-- bananas and oranges go really well with the fondue.  To make the fondue, we just melt baker's chocolate and add cream until the consistency is right.  The fondue is very popular for study breaks.

• Chocolate Trifle: so simple and popular, it has it's own web page:

. Scroll down to the third recipe (omit Kahlua)

• Cake Mixes: Any type is easy to bake and plentiful.

Strawberry shortcake:  I buy a bunch of angel food cakes from Star, along with a bunch of the frozen strawberries in syrup and some cool whip.  Thaw the strawberries and cool whip and cut the cake into slices.  Put them out on a table and let people go to it :)

• Brownies: from a box.

Bagels and cream cheese/peanut butter/nutella/jam:  Alpine has a discounted rate when you buy bagels by the dozen, and they throw in an extra one for good measure (I think you get 13 bagels for 5.99 as opposed to the singleton rate of 8.97).

• Chocolate chip cookies: once you get the hang of it, they're very easy and good. The most expensive thing is the chips. I recommend using white and milk chocolate chips.

General Meal Ideas

• Spaghetti: a cheap way to feed a lot of students, and they seem to really like this.  

• Taco/nacho night: always popular.

• Hot dogs: in large pack sizes.

Recipes

Hearty Chili (very healthy, too!)

So easy to make- the most complicated part is cutting up the vegetables!  This recipe makes 20 1-cup servings of chili, and can be easily doubled or halved.  You can add pretty much any other vegetables you'd like (fresh spinach, eggplant, etc) and can make the chili vegetarian by simply eliminating the meat and adding more veggies, and substituting vegetable broth for the beef broth.

1 lb lean ground turkey meat

1 medium onion, diced

2 medium zucchinis, diced

2 medium yellow squash, diced,

4 stalks of celery, diced

2 bell peppers (any color), diced

2 28-oz cans of diced tomatoes

1 14.5-oz cans of black beans, rinsed and drained

2 15-oz cans reduced sodium beef broth

1 package of chili seasoning

In a nonstick saucepan, sauté turkey and onion until browned.

Transfer turkey and onion to a large soup pot, add all other ingredients, mix well.  Bring to a simmer, let simmer on medium heat until vegetables are tender (about 1/2 hour).

Broiled Quesadillas

Two of us made enough for 50 people in 1/2 hour, and they were a big hit; little extra fat other than cheese.

Large flour tortillas (count 1 per person; i.e. half a quesadilla per person)

Shredded monterey jack and shredded cheddar cheese (1+ oz per person)

Pam non-stick cooking spray (optional)

Salsa, refried beans, other toppings

Place oven rack in upper most position. Turn on broiler.  Spray cookie sheet with Pam.  Place 6 tortillas.  Sprinkle cheese. Place 6 tortillas on top of each.  Spray with Pam to facilitate browning.  Place under broiler.  Watch carefully.  Flip when start to brown.  Remove when other side starts to brown.  Cut into triangles.

Easy Peach Cobbler

Adopted from ; Serves approx. 35

½ cup butter or margarine, melted

4(29oz) can sliced peaches with juice

2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 tablespoon ground nutmeg

¼ cup cornstarch

2 cup water

4 cup milk

4 cup sugar

4 cup all-purpose flour

8 teaspoons (=2 tablespoon + 2 tsp) baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

2 cup butter or margarine

1/4 cup sugar

2 teaspoon cinnamon

1. Combine ½ cup melted butter or margarine, spices, and sliced peaches with juice. Stir cornstarch and water together; mix into peach mixture.

2. In another bowl, mix together milk, sugar, flour, baking powder, and salt; mixture will be thin.

3. Melt 1 cup butter or margarine each in two 13 x 9 x 2-inch pans.

4. Pour batter over melted butter. (1/2 in each pan)

5. Spoon peaches over batter. (1/2 in each pan)

6. Mix together the sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle over top (1/2 on each pan).

7. Bake at 350*F (175*C) for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until golden brown.

7 Layer Taco Dip

From Joy of Cooking; Serves approx. 40

Layer 1: 2 (16oz) can refried beans

- mash and spread over beans:

Layer 2: 6 large ripe avocados, peeled & pitted

6 tablespoon lime (or lemon) juice

- mix and spread over avocado layer

Layer 3: 4 cups sour cream (= one 32oz container)

2 (1oz) envelopes taco seasoning

- in order, sprinkle with:

Layer 4: 6 tablespoons drained chopped canned mild green chili peppers (=7oz can)

Layer 5: 10oz (or 6 oz & 2.5 oz. cans) pitted, sliced, & drained black olives

Layer6: 16 ripe plum (or 8 regular) tomatoes, chopped (approx. 8 cups)

Layer 7: 4 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese

Set oven to Broil and adjust rack to about 4 inches from top, heat just until cheese is melted for 1~2 minutes.

Serve with tortilla chips

Oatmeal Muffins

1 cup oatmeal

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 cup flour

1 tsp baking powder

berries or chopped fruit, if desired

1 cup milk + 1 tsp vinegar (let stand 5 minutes)

1 egg, beaten

1/3 cup brown sugar

1/3 cup salad oil

1 tsp cinnamon

nutmeg, if desired

Combine oatmeal, salt, and soda.  Add flour and baking powder.  In another bowl mix the remaining ingredients.  Then stir the wet ingredients with the dry until just moistened through.  Fill greased muffin cups (or paper-lined cups) 2/3 full and bake at 400 F for 15-20 minutes.  Note: if batter looks a little runny or if you need enough batter for one extra muffin, I usually add slightly more (~1/4 cup) oatmeal and flour to the recipe.)

Pumpkin Bread

Ingredients

3 1/3 cups flour

2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp pumpkin pie spice

2/3 cup water

1 can (1#) pumpkin (plain, not for pies)

2/3 cup shortening, oil or butter

2 2/3 cup sugar

2 eggs, large

Grease 2 9x5x3 inch loaf pans (use 3 pans if they're smaller); dust with flour.  Mix dry ingredients, set aside.  Combine pumpkin and water, set aside.  Combine shortening, sugar, eggs and beat at high speed 3 minutes. Stir flour mixture, alternately with the pumpkin mixture, into the shortening mixture, beating after each addition.  (If you like nuts, add 3/4 cup to batter.)  Pour into prepared pans.  Bake at 350 F for 45 to 55minutes, depending on size of pan.  Test for doneness with a toothpick.

Cream of Potato Soup

My most student requested recipe; I usually make the vegetarian version. Not giving your kids salmonella is important.  I recommend bleaching the area first if you're going to be using a public kitchen. .

1 big bag of potatoes

milk for consistency

thyme to taste

rosemary to taste

garlic (several peeled cloves)

onions (optional)

Cut the potatoes into chunks (quarters or cubes). (optional):  For added flavor fry 1/4 to 1/2 of the potatoes in oil with garlic, onions if desired, thyme and rosemary before adding to pot. Put cut potatoes with remaining garlic and onions (if desired) into pot or pots.  Fill with enough water to cover the potatoes and boil until tender (soft when pierced with a fork). Blend with a hand blender (alternatively, put in blender in shifts or mash with a potato masher). Add rosemary and thyme to taste. Add milk until soup is of desired consistency, stirring.  If you add too much milk, simply heat longer.

If you want to make a meat version instead of vegetarian, omit optional frying step, omit rosemary and thyme, and add ham before boiling or fried bacon after blending (let stew for a while after adding bacon).

Fudgy Brownies

4 oz bakers chocolate

4 oz butter

1 t vanilla

pinch salt

1 C sugar

2 eggs

1/2 C flour

Preheat oven to 350F, grease an 8x8 pan. Melt butter and chocolate on low heat until melted. Remove from heat. Mix in vanilla and salt. Mix in sugar. Add eggs one at a time. Add flour. You can also add about 1/2 C nuts or chocolate chips, etc (optional). Bake for 28-30 min until toothpick just comes out clean. Serves 16. If making a double batch, reduce heat to 325 and bake a little longer (5-10 min).

Peanut Butter brownies

Blend the following ingredients together in a bowl:  a jar of creamy peanut butter (can't use anything reduced fat here because it's too dry!), 2 cups of sugar, and two eggs.  Once it's all well mixed, press evenly into the bottom of a 13"x9" baking pan.  Prepare your favorite brownie batter and pour on top.  Bake for about 35-40 minutes at 375F (cooking times may vary---just make sure that an inserted toothpick comes out mostly clear of chocolate when inserted about two inches from the side of the baking pan).  

Microwave S'mores

Marshmallows

Hershey’s, or Reeses peanut butter cups

graham crackers.

Build bottom half  and microwave for 1 minute or less add top cracker

Nachos

Bag of corn chips

jar of salsa

cheese shredded

Put aluminum foil on a cookie sheet w/ a rim -- add chips, add some salsa and poor cheese on top.  Cook for 5-10 min at 350degrees and serve w/chips.

Helpful Websites for Planning Programs and Study:

• : GRTs (and students) who don't have cars can order groceries from this website

• : you can select the desired serving size and the website will recalculate the necessary ingredients

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Useful Local Resources for Planning Programs and Study Breaks:

Restaurants

Cheap Eats

• Cinderella's: Cambridge

• Island Hopper: Boston

• Pad Thai Café: Boston

• Desi Dhaba: Cambridge

• Sweet Chili; Cambridge

• Cheesecake Factory: isn't inexpensive, but the students love it

• Tin Tin Buffet: usually gives a 20% discount off the $3.99/lb price for large orders.  If you buy egg rolls and steam your own rice, it is a reasonably priced study break.  The downside is that you must pickup your own food, but since you can order the quantities beforehand and the staff usually has your food all packaged beforehand, it works out well: 200 N Beacon St Brighton, MA, (617) 254-7888

• Cassava Boba Lounge: One of my students got a discount here for some bubble tea and I believe the restaurant delivered the drinks to the dorm too.

• Royal East: Chinese restaurant. They deliver good food and reasonably priced. 617-661-1660;

• El Oriental: One of the best experiences I've had with a restaurant was a place called El Oriental in Jamaica Plain.  The food was exceptional, hot, and ready for pickup on time.  The owner of the place even gave me a free milkshake.  The entrees that I got were shredded beef and shredded chicken and were served with either red beans and rice or yellow rice as well as sweet or unsweetened plantains.  The meals are about $9 each and feed about two people.  Make sure you get some hot sauce.  I saved this for the Thursday of finals week and drew about 30 students.  It was very popular.  I'll definitely do it again. The whole thing ended up costing $140, and was well worth it. Info: 416 Centre St, Jamaica Plain, MA, 02130; 617 - 524 – 6464;

• Wing-it: pretty popular for some of the kids' study breaks.  

• Stefani’s: fairly cheap and the pizza’s fabulous!

Shopping

• I-Party is essential for decorations for in-house rush and other fun occasions.  There is a location in Brighton, 1660 Soldiers Field Road, (next to Staples), Brighton, MA 02135; 617-783-4880, Hours: 8:00-9:00 M-F 9:00-9:00 Sat. 10:00-6:00 Sun.  The website is: .

• Haymarket is a good source for cheap and good fruits and veggies.

• Star Catering

• Star Market: Close and convenient

• Market Basket: Somerville; much cheaper than Star Market if you are buying a lot.

Prizes

• MITAC: for movie passes

• Vinny T's: always willing to donate gift certificates

• Alpine Bagels: has donated several gift certificates to me in the past for 1 bagel and medium coffee.

Other

• MIT Medical: has good programs like sex jeopardy. We also did a program on love and dating last year.

Tried and True Programs and Study Breaks:

• At the beginning of the year, it is hard to know when everyone is moving-in due to international student orientation, pre-orientation programs, returning students arrivals, etc.  This year I posted festive "Welcome Back" signs on each person's door.  The text of the sign for returning students said something like "Welcome back to H-entry ................
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