College is the perfect time to tap into the culinary side of the brain.
There is a plethora of food that lends itself to college cooking. I have talked to many people throughout my life who say their cooking is so bad they manage to burn water.
I'm here to tell you, and show you, that you can learn the ways of a college chef.
This new column will provide ways to cook on a college budget. Using basic kitchen staples and inexpensive ingredients, you can cook for friends, family or just yourself whenever you like.
Some of the dishes in these columns may sound odd, but trust me - they're really good. The true key to cooking on a budget is learning how to use herbs and spices. Hopefully, I can help you turn your basic dishes into a source of pride.
Thanksgiving has come and gone, and one thing that tends to be universal is that college students return home with holiday leftovers.
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As much as I like leftovers, turkey sandwiches get boring pretty quickly. A couple of years ago, I was rummaging through my kitchen cupboards and fridge trying to find something new to make with my Thanksgiving leftovers. As soon as I saw the corn tortillas on the bottom shelf of the fridge, I knew I wanted to make turkey tacos.
Tacos are pretty easy to make, and it doesn't take a lot of experience to cook them. With this in mind, I took out my leftovers and a few fruits and vegetables. This dish is extremely easy to make, tastes great and takes about 30 minutes to prepare. This recipe yields six servings.
What you'll need:
1/2 cup of cranberries (canned or homemade)
1 garden jalapeno
lime juice
sugar
1/4 chopped onion
corn tortillas
1/2 avocado
1 cup iceberg lettuce or cabbage
1 cup white cheddar cheese (you can substitute with Monterey Jack)
8-10 corn tortillas
3 tsp. oil
turkey (shredded into small pieces)
The only thing you need to make for this dish is the cranberry salsa. Using about 1/2 cup of any type of cranberry sauce, add one chopped-up garden jalapeno and 1/4 cup of diced onions. Add lime juice and sugar to taste.
Reheat the turkey in a pan or the microwave.
Add a few tablespoons of oil to a hot pan, enough to coat the bottom. Throw a tortilla onto the hot oil and cover lightly with cheese. Add the turkey to half of the tortilla and fold it over in half.
After one minute, flip the taco over and cook until the cheese has melted and the tortilla is starting to crisp.
Let tacos cool for a few minutes, and then add the lettuce and cranberry salsa.
Eat and enjoy.
