Category: Cooking Corner

By Emily Fry

Staff Writer

Oatmeal Raisin Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

 

If you’re stressed studying for finals, and need a little break, why not make some cookies? It will give you a study break, and then while you’re studying you’ll have a nice treat.  Happy baking!

Ingredients:

1/2 cup softened butter

1 cup packed brown sugar

1 cup granulated sugar

3 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 cups peanut butter

4 1/2 cups rolled oats, mixed with 2 teaspoons baking soda

1 cup M&Ms

1 cup raisins

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Beat butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar in a large bowl until pale and fluffy.

2. Beat in eggs, vanilla and peanut butter until well-blended.

3. Stir in oats, baking soda, M&Ms, raisins and chocolate chips.

4. Make one-inch balls, place three inches apart on lightly greased cookie sheet.  Flatten to two-inch diameter.

5. Bake at 350 F for 8-10 minutes.

By Emily Fry

Staff Writer

Baked Mac and Cheese

On a cold November day, there is nothing more satisfying than some comfort food like mac and cheese. The school makes an amazing macaroni and cheese, but seems to be serving it less frequently than in the past. If you’re dying to have some mac and cheese right away, try this recipe. It’s not as good as the caf mac and cheese, it’s better. Happy Baking!

Ingredients:

1 lb. elbow macaroni, cooked

5 Tbsp. unsalted butter, plus more for baking dish

1/2 c. all purpose flour

6 c. whole milk

3 1/2 c. grated sharp cheddar cheese

3 tsp. kosher salt

1 c. bread crumbs

1/4 c. fresh parsley, chopped

1/4 tsp. black pepper

Directions

1. Melt the butter in large saucepan over medium heat.

2. Slowly add flour and cook, stirring constantly, for three minutes.

3. Add milk in a steady stream and cook for seven minutes.

4. Add the cheese and 2 tsp. salt and cook for five minutes.

5. Remove the sauce from the heat and add the cooked macaroni.

6. Transfer the macaroni to a buttered 9×13 baking dish.

7. Combine the bread crumbs, 1 tsp salt, pepper and parsley and sprinkle over the casserole.

8. Bake at 400 F until golden brown and bubbling at the edges, about 20 minutes.

Serves: 6-8

Source: Real Simple: Meals Made Easy

By Emily Fry

Staff Writer

Butterscotch Brownies

If you’re looking for a nice break from studying, try these bars.  This recipe is super easy and only takes an hour from start to finish.  Even if you’ll never master calculus, anyone can master this recipe.  Happy baking!

Ingredients:

6 Tbsp. butter

1 3/4 cups brown sugar

2 tsp. vanilla

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1 cup flour

2 tsp. baking powder

3/4 tsp. salt

Directions:

1. Melt butter in a medium size saucepan, then remove from heat.

2. Add brown sugar and vanilla to the saucepan. Stir to combine.

3. Mix in eggs.

4. In separate bowl combine flour, baking powder and salt.

5. Add the flour mixture to the saucepan and mix just until blended. Batter will be thicker than traditional brownie batter.

6. Place batter in a 13×9 greased pan and bake in 350 F oven for 20-25 minutes.

Source: Sandy Fry

By Emily Fry

Staff Writer

White Pizza

With this recipe you won’t even need the phone number for Domino’s. You can make your own pizza dough or buy pre-made dough from Wal-Mart. My favorite type is pesto sauce with tomatoes and mozzarella, but you can be creative and try any combinations you might like. Happy baking!

Dough Ingredients:

1 1/4 c. water

2 Tbsp. olive oil

1 tsp. sugar

2 tsp. salt

1/4 c. cornmeal

3 Tbsp. whole wheat flour

3 c. flour

1 Tbsp. yeast

Directions:

1. Mix warm water, oil, salt, sugar and yeast.

2. Let sit about 10 min, until foamy.

3. Add cornmeal and flours.

4. Knead dough five to 10 minutes on a floured surface. Don’t knead too much or the dough will be tough.

5. Let rise in greased bowl until doubled and then punch down.

6. After dough has risen, chill for two hours.

Makes enough dough for two 12-inch pizzas.

Pizza Ingredients:

Dough for two pizzas

4 Roma tomatoes, thinly sliced

2 c. mozzarella cheese, shredded

Shredded Parmesan cheese

Pesto

Directions:

1. Work dough into round pies (stretch, roll,whatever works).

2. Put in 12-inch pizza pans, greased and sprinkled with cornmeal.

3. Spread thin layer of pesto on pizza. Top with tomato and cheese.

4. Bake at 450 F for 12 to 15 minutes.

Source: Writer’s own.

By Emily Fry

Staff Writer

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

When people think of Halloween and October, they often think of pumpkins.  To go along with your carved jack-o-lantern, why not make a delicious pumpkin treat?  These easy muffins are definitely more of a treat than a trick.  Happy baking!

Ingredients:

3/4 cup white sugar
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 eggs
3/4 cup canned pumpkin
1/4 cup water
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/2 cup semi–sweet chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Grease and flour muffin pan or use paper liners.
2. Mix sugar, oil and eggs. Add pumpkin and water. In separate bowl mix together baking flour, baking soda, baking powder, spices and salt. Add wet mixture and stir in chocolate chips.
3. Fill muffin cups 2/3 full with batter. Bake 20 to 25 minutes.

From Allrecipes.com

By Emily Fry

Staff Writer

Vegetable Soup

Fall is officially here, which means the weather is starting to get cooler.  On a cold, rainy day, what could be better than a warm bowl of soup, full of fresh vegetables?  This one is especially delicious served with freshly grated parmesan and toasted baguette slices.  Happy cooking!

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp. olive oil

1 large yellow onion, chopped

2 carrots, chopped

2 celery stalks, chopped

3-14.5 oz cans chicken broth

1 cup water

1/2 lb Yukon potatoes, peeled and chopped in 1 in. chunks

1 Tbsp. fresh thyme

1/2 tsp. kosher salt

1 can drained canellini beans

1/2 cup alphabet noodles

1-14.5 oz can diced tomatoes

1/4 lb green beans in 1 in. pieces

1 cup broccoli, chopped

Directions:

1)     Heat oil over medium-high heat in a stockpot.  Add onions, carrots and celery. Cook until softened, about five minutes.

2)      Add chicken broth, water, potatoes, thyme, salt, beans and noodles.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat and cover partially, simmer for 15 minutes.

3)     Add tomatoes, green beans and broccoli.  Return to a simmer and cook until tender, about 5-10 minutes.

Source: Real Simple: Meals made easy

By Emily Fry

Staff Writer

Shrimp with Spinach and Couscous

With midterms coming up, nobody has enough time to make elaborate meals.  This dish takes only 15 minutes and serves four.  Happy cooking!

Ingredients:

1 cup instant couscous

3/4 tsp. kosher salt

1/8 tsp. black pepper

3 Tbsp. olive oil

1 clove garlic, thinly sliced

1 5-oz bag spinach

1 lb. bag frozen uncooked shrimp, thawed

1 lemon, cut into wedges

Directions:

1. Prepare couscous according to directions on package, season with 1/4 tsp. salt and pinch of pepper.

2. Heat 2 Tbsp. oil in large skillet over medium heat.

3. Add garlic and cook for one minute, add spinach and cook until wilted, about one minute, transfer to plate

4. Rinse shrimp and pat dry

5. Heat 1 Tbsp. oil in skillet over medium high heat. Add shrimp, lemon wedges, 1/2 tsp. salt and 1/8 tsp. pepper.  Cook turning once, until shrimp are pink and cooked through, about 4 minutes total.

6. Return garlic and spinach to pan and toss.

7. Serve over couscous.

Source: Real Simple: Meals Made Easy

By Emily Fry

Staff Writer

Mustard-Glazed Chicken

Even though this is a Martha Stewart recipe, I’ve tweaked it a little to adapt it to a college student’s resources, so it’s still really simple.  Everything this recipe calls for is available at Wal-mart or Weis.  Your friends will be impressed by your culinary expertise and it tastes delicious!

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts

2 Tbsp. olive oil, plus more for seasoning chicken

Sea salt and pepper

4 Tbsp. unsalted butter, softened

2 1/2 Tbsp. Dijon mustard

3/4 cup coarse bread crumbs

2 Tbsp. chopped fresh thyme

3/4 cup low-sodium chicken stock

1/2 cup heavy cream

1. Preheat oven to 375 F.  Rub chicken breasts with olive oil and lightly season with salt and pepper.

2. Combine 2 Tbsp. of butter with mustard; reserve 2 tsp. of mixture for the sauce.  Melt the remaining 2 Tbsp. of butter and mix with thyme and bread crumbs.

3. In a large skillet, heat the 2 Tbsp. of oil over medium high heat.  Sear the chicken about 5 minutes.

4. Remove from heat. Transfer chicken to 9×13 baking dish.  Set aside the skillet to make the sauce later.  Smear each side of the chicken with the mustard mixture and sprinkle each side with the bread crumbs.

5. Roast in oven until the chicken is cooked through, about 20 minutes.

6. Transfer chicken to a plate.  Add the stock and cream to the skillet and cook over medium heat and stir until creamy and reduced, about 3 minutes.  Remove from heat, and stir in the reserved mustard mixture.  Strain through a fine sieve and serve with the chicken.

Adapted from Martha Stewart Living Cookbook

By Emily Fry

Staff Writer

Apple Pie

Apple pie is a fall staple.  Cortland apples are great for baking. They stay crisp and are sweet, but still a little tart.  Why not drive out to Ard’s and get local, fresh Cortland apples?  You can even try the corn maze while you’re there.

Pie Crust

Ingredients:

2 1/4 cups flour

3/4 tsp. salt

2/3 cups shortening

6-8 Tbsp. cold water

Crust

1. Combine flour and salt.

2. Cut in shortening using pastry blender (although a fork can work ,too) until the pieces are pea-sized.

3. Add water 2 Tbsps. at a time, mixing with a fork.  Add just enough so that the flour mixture is moistened and can be formed into a ball.  It will seem a little dry, but that means you’ll have a flakier crust.  If you add too much water it will be tough and chewy.

4. Cover the dough and refrigerate until ready to use.

Filling

6 Cortland apples, peeled and thinly sliced

1 Tbsp. lemon juice

3/4 cup sugar

2 Tbsp. flour

1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg

1. Add lemon juice, sugar, flour, cinnamon and nutmeg to apples and toss to coat.

2. Divide the pastry into two balls.  Roll out one of the balls on a lightly floured surface into a circle.  The circle should be about 12 inches in diameter.  Place the pastry in the pan.

3. Fill pastry-lined pan with filling.  Roll out the other ball of dough and place on top of pie and seal the crusts.

4. Flute edges and cut slits in top layer of pastry.

5. Bake at 375 degrees F for one hour.  For the first 40 minutes, cover the edge of the pie with foil to prevent burning the edge.Remove foil for the last 20 minutes. Cool at least two hours before serving.

Guacamole

Let’s face it, a lot of the Bison’s food is a little overpriced for how much you get. This is a really easy recipe for your own guacamole that won’t break the bank and also makes enough to share with friends. As an added bonus, it uses white kidney beans to lower the calorie count. You won’t taste the difference, but your bank account will thank you.

Ingredients:

1 can (15-19 oz) white kidney beans (cannellini beans), drained and rinsed

1 Tbsp lime juice

1 jalapeño, seeded

½ cup chopped fresh cilantro

¼ cup chopped Vidalia onion

1 ripe avocado, pitted and cut into smaller chunks

2 plum tomatoes

½ tsp. salt

Directions:

1. Mash beans with lime juice in a medium bowl. It works best with a spoon and then a fork.

2. Add jalapeño, cilantro, onion, salt and avocado. Mix with a fork, taking care to mash the avocado well.

3. Chop tomatoes and stir into avocado mixture.

4. Serve with tortilla chips.

Adapted from “Guiltless Guacamole” in Good Housekeeping Magazine.