Cheap College Cuisine

proper food storage

2006-12-09T12:37:00.000-08:00

So I know that alot of people do not know about how to properly store cooked food and some of the regulations that people really need to follow when they are done with the meal being prepared. First when a meal is done and there is leftovers people need to store the food in a sealed container that is air tight, having air circulating around the food will cause it to go bad, thus reducing the shelf life. Next if you are going to wrap it only wrap it in plastic wrap. Wrapping the food inside of aluminum foil is going to keep the temperature of the food from dropping quickly which is bad b/c you want the food to stay out of the temperature danger zone.

The temperature danger zone for all foods is from 40 degrees Fahrenheit to 140 degrees Fahrenheit. The reason why this is known as the temperature danger zone is because this is where bacteria that can grow on food is most likely to do so. People should make sure that the internal temperature of the food does not fall into this range for more than two hours (it says four hours, but just be on the safe side). Also I have learned that putting food in the fridge right after the food is done being consumed then it will retain alot of the moisture that is inside of it. I know that people think that at big events they may be ok consuming foods that might have been sitting out all day but their are certain foods that I would personally be a little skeptical of such as potato salad and any other items that contain alot of eggs.

Now there are certain foods that people need to watch more carefully than others when dealing with the sanitation of foods. I use the same cutting board for meats since raw chicken, beef, and seafood have alot of bacteria on the surface. Also you need to be careful when dealing with raw eggs as well, since there is salmonella that could possibly make people sick. If a person is really concerned with the foods that they are eating than I suggest going to http://vm.cfsan.fda.gov/~mow/foodborn.html and looking up the inforamtion on the indgredients you think might be a problem in your meals. But through some of these methods a person should be eating healthy and well for years to come.

Hershey Chocolate the Amercian Candy

2006-11-29T08:24:00.000-08:00

In 1894 Milton Hershey had a dream, a dream to spread love and joy through the simple act of giving someone chocolate. Not only did Milton have one of the best first names ever (my opinion, but I stand by it), but he also had one of the greatest recipes for chocolate. When I visited www.hershey.com I learned a lot of different information about the formation of Hershey chocolate. Hershey didn't start of as a man whom had a lot of success with prior business ventures. Hershey started off being a bankrupt man whom just had the recipes of a chocolate to coat homemade caramels. Soon he learned that people really just enjoyed his chocolate coating on the caramels and started to only produce it. The reason why Hershey chocolate enjoyed success so early was the fact that Milton was able to keep his set price for the candy at a very low price because he mass produced the chocolate. Mass production allows for the company to buy in bulk, thus saving a lot of money since the distributors give them discounts. Instead of keeping prices high and making more of a single bar Milton realized having a small profit on an individual bar would make the chocolate more popular among the masses. Hershey in 1905 made the first Hershey plant in the middle of Pennsylvania farmland (later named Hershey, PA) because it was close to ports of Philadelphia and New York where most all of his sugar and cocoa came from.

Hershey is known for many other products than just its signature item, Hershey in 1907 introduced the "kiss" which became a huge success among the population. Hershey's over the next twenty years introduced The Goodbar (Hershey's with peanuts), Hershey's chocolate syrup, Hershey's chocolate chips, and the Krackel bar (Hershey's with rice crisps). During WWII Hershey's went with the troops over sea's being part of the rations that the troops received, with over a billion rations of Hershey bars being produced.

Today the Hershey Company still enjoys huge popularity among people worldwide making such popular candy as Kit Kats, Reeses peanut butter cups, twizzlers, and ice breakers gum to name just a few. Hershey's net sales have peaked to over 4 billion dollars and it employs 13,700 people. Hershey's not only is America's favorite chocolate but after WWII its popularity spread worldwide with the soldiers that carried it, today it exports to over 90 countries.

Potato Chips, the snack made from rage

2006-11-18T08:44:00.000-08:00

So if you would like a fun read may I suggest going to http://www.kitchenproject.com/history/AmericanHeritageRecipes/PotatoChip.htm and learning about potato chips. Most people really don't think about how these delicious American favorites were produced originally but it isn't exactly the way that most people would think they were.
The article I read talks about a restaurant in Saratoga Springs, New York that made French fries in the traditional thick French style. One day a customer came in and ordered the fries and rejected the fries saying that they were to thick, and the chef made a thinner batch but those to were also rejected. So needless to say that at this moment this upset the Chef and to appease the person and to pretty much be a jerk he sliced the potatoes as thin as he possibly could and fried them up (here's a random fact that french fries are actually not French but actually Belgian, they are called Pom Frites). He then took them out to the guest where the plan backfired on him having the guest love them. Soon other guests were ordering these chips and then they were soon put on the menu of this classy restaurant as the house specialty Saratoa Chips. These chips were actually first marketed to upper class citizens in society and were actually quite expensive when compared with the prices that they are sold at globally today.
It wasn't until the 1920's that the first mechanical potato slicer was produced and mass production of the potato chip was possible. Today Americans eat more potato chips then any other country in the world, and who could have thought that a chef's idea at a practical joke would spring a million dollar industry.
I really enjoyed reading this article the history behind the potato chip I thought was a good interesting read. I think that now knowing these facts about potato chips will allow me to appreciate them the next time I sit down and have a few. Also in the article they also talk about how Herman Lay went around the United States and slowly turned people on to his brand of chips and really set up the first franchise in the country as far a potato chips go.

Peppers they are so hot right now.

2006-11-08T09:17:00.001-08:00

So if you would pardon my pun, you might be able to get a lot out of this really interesting article on gourmetfoodarticles.com (http://www.gourmetfoodarticles.com/chili-pepper.html). The Chili Pepper was actually discovered by Christopher Columbus in the Caribbean and was named "Pepper" by him due to the similarities to the old world peppers of the Piper genus. In 1493 Columbus's physician on the second voyage to the Caribbean took some of the peppers to the West Indies and then to Spain where he wrote about their medicinal purposes.

Before reading this article I had already known a few things about peppers, like the seeds on the peppers are actually the hottest part of them. I also new that peppers can cross pollinate with other peppers so you don't have to intentionally try to breed them with other peppers to get the results that you are looking for. But I also learned many new things like; there are several different varieties of Chili peppers which include Capsicum annuum, which includes bell peppers and jalapenos. Capsicum frutescens, which includes cayenne and tabasco peppers. Then finally there are the Capsicum chinense varieties which include the hottest pepper in the world, the habanero. There are several different species of chili peppers in the world today for example there are red and green bell peppers (with the green being the immmature version of the species). Jalapeno's and Chipoltes are the exact same except the fact that chipoltes are just smoked jalapenos. The peppers are huge staples in latin american, indian, and Caribbean cuisine; they are featured in many dishes that really define the country's they are made in for example Salsa in Mexico.

The article that I read was I felt a very informative article about the origins, discovery, and uses of chili's. I never new that Columbus was the first man to take these delicious vegetables back to Europe where they were a huge success. I found it fascinating that the first thing that they did with the peppers was examine the medicinal uses that it could have. I suppose back then they needed any real help with creating medicines so any new discovery had to of been tested very strictly for any clues to aiding medicinal purposes. Also learning about the vegetables different varieties and species really showed how each individual pepper is truly different from the other. I think that for people whom love peppers and are interested in learning more about them, this article is right up their ally.

Peppers they are so hot right now.

2006-11-08T09:17:00.000-08:00

Candy Corn, the original Treat on all Hallows Eve

2006-10-30T10:19:00.000-08:00

So I know that tomorow is Halloween and that even though Columbia doesn't allow kids to have the happy childhood of trick or treating, I thought that I would talk about the most famous candy that is around during this time; Candy Corn. So I know that most people either love the taste of candy corn or they hate it, I know that most people whom didn't have the thousands of candy options available to them as we do now, absolutely love and adore candy corn. So I found this article online about the history of this beloved candy http://www.hauntedbay.com/history/candycorn.shtml

Candy Corn was first produced in the 1880's by the Wunderle Candy Company in Philadelphia, PA. The company that is most associated with Candy Corn is the Goelitz Candy Company in Cincinnati, OH. The Goelitz Company is most associated with Candy Corn because in 1898 it was the first company to first start mass producing candy corn and distributing it all across the country. The way in which candy corn is made is actually quite simple, the ingredients that go into the start of the candy are sugar, water, and corn starch. These ingredients are melted down into a slurry when fondant (a type of stiff sugar) or marshmallows are whipped into the batter to soften it. Then after the candy has cooled they are poured into corn kernel molds where the food coloring is added to it. Candy Corn is definitely one of the most popular candy's in America in the Fall in 2001 100 million pounds of Candy Corn were produced in the United States alone.

I always love finding out about something that I grew up with, and this article was just one such example of it. I always remembered coming back from trick or treating and searching through my candy and finding candy corn and loving it. Candy Corn I think really is one of those types of things that can only really be appreciated by people that grew up with it. I never knew that candy corns interesting taste/texture came from fondant and marshmallows that were added into the mixture before the molds themselves are filled to make the kernels. I think that the way that candy corn has been made for the last 150 years is fascinating. The fact that even with so many different types of candies on the market today this old favorite is still going strong in almost every American home during this fun holiday.

The Decline of the Family Dinner

2006-10-28T14:02:00.000-07:00

I know that when I was growing up I had a routine of getting home from school, watching T.V., and waiting for my Dad to come home so we could have dinner. Now apparently I am one of many families that had this routine, but lately the number of families not eating together has grown very high. Now I know that you really don't think that this is a big deal but while reading this article http://www.family.samhsa.gov/get/mealtime.aspx I discovered that there are a lot of beneficial things that arise from eating meals as a family.

Some of the statistics that I read in this article included that children who don't eat meals with families are 61% more likely to use alcohol, tobacco, and illegal drugs; while kids whom eat with their families are 20% less likely to use alcohol, tobacco, and illegal drugs. Not only will dining together allow children and parents the opportunity to have more conversation between them, but it also gives the parent the capability to monitor what the child is eating and make sure that they maintain a healthy diet. The article also addresses what kind of things that parents can talk to their children about while eating meals with them. Some of the suggestions include asking them about their favorite part of their day, telling stories about your events as a child, and even talk to them about a movie they might have seen or a book they are reading.

Overall I thought that this article really was very interesting in trying to address an issue that is really taking effect in a lot of American households. It really provided a lot of useful information that can really shed light on the problem to unknowing families all across the country. The statistics themselves I thought were really shocking at how just spending a few hours a week more with your family can really affect the teenagers life. Also I think that having the suggestions for people that might not know how to talk to their teenagers could also prove to be more of an incentive for parents to at least attempt to talk to their kids at a family meal. I know that many parents find it hard to be able to relate to their teenage child and these suggestions alone would really help the "ball to roll" on these scenarios. So in conclusion I really did think that this article showed the importance that eating together as a family really has for the family as a whole.

Peanut Butter, delighting consumers for nearly 120 years

2006-10-20T12:28:00.000-07:00

For my article this week I actually desided to read and analyze two similar articles all talking about Peanut Butter. The first article that I read http://homecooking.about.com/od/foodhistory/a/pbutterhistory.htm dealt with the history of this delicious substance. Peanut Butter was invented in 1890 by Dr. John Kellogg (that's right the corn flake guy) protein substitute for patients that had no teeth. But the commercial use of Peanut Butter did not happen until 1903 when a man named Arbose W. Straub was issued the first patent for a peanut butter making machine. The first wide spread use of commercial Peanut Butter happened when in 1922 J.L. Rosefield found a method of production that would allow the production of Peanut Butter without the separation of oil from the peanuts during the production process. J.L. Rosefield soon formed the Skippy Peanut Butter name brand and this is credited as being the first wide spread name brand of Peanut Butter. In 1992 the U.S. government found out that Americans 857 million pounds of Peanut Butter each year or 3.36 pounds per person. Today more than half of the peanut crop produced in the United States is produced into Peanut Butter, but Americans with their huge love of the product have to import a majority of Peanut Butter from all over the world.
The second article I read http://homecooking.about.com/od/foodhealthinformation/a/pbutterhealth.htm has to do with the health aspects of Peanut Butter. Peanut Butter is a big source of Biotin, Biotin is an enzyme that is critical with the metabolism of fat and protein. Biotin also is said to be good for thin, splitting nails and also is good for hair. Peanut Butter also contains high amount of Vitamin E which prevents polyunsaturated fats in cell membranes, which helps to prevent cancer.

These two articles that I read were very interesting and also very informative. The first article opened my eyes to the vast history that surrounds Peanut Butter. I would have never have thought that the same man whom made corn flakes so popular made Peanut Butter as well, it was always my assumption that George Washington Carver invented Peanut Butter. I also was fascinated to learn how much Americans consume this product on a yearly basis; I never knew that we loved this product so much. The health aspects of Peanut Butter are also incredible, I knew that in third world countries they give malnourished children Peanut Butter sandwiches but I never knew exactly why they were so beneficial to their health. I really found that both of these articles were informative and very interesting at the same time, and I hope that more people will read them.

Ridiculous Nachos

2006-10-14T13:03:00.000-07:00

So Nachos rock, that really is an understatement; nachos are insanely delicious for tailgating, movie watching, Sunday football, parties, and really the list goes on and on. I have been making nachos for a long time and I know a thing or two about making some that are insanely good.
So here's what I do get 1/2 pound ground beef, 1 packet taco seasoning, 1 bag tortilla chips, 1/4 onion chopped, 1 tomato diced, black olives, two jalapenos diced, 4 cups Mexican cheese blend, sour cream, guacamole, and salsa. So here's what we are going to do to get this huge portion of nachos going, in a pan over medium high heat we are going to brown the meat and then drain the grease from the pan and add the taco seasoning to it. Next we are going to get a baking pan and just dump all of the tortilla chips onto it. Now I bet you can't guess what we are going to do next we are going to add the meat, cheese, olives, tomatoes, onions, jalapenos, and beans all on top of the chips until they are just covered in this unhealthy goodness. Now turn your oven onto 325 and put the entire platter of nachos into it. Now just let this cook until all of the cheese is entirely melted.

Once these suckers done take the sour cream, guacamole, and salsa and just put three huge dollops of them onto the nachos and just serve them up.

How save those dollar's when shopping for the food

2006-10-14T12:42:00.000-07:00

So I know that we are all on budgets, at least I know that I am. So I have a few things that I think people might find helpful when they are shopping for their grocerys.

So I know that everyone sees those off brands and becomes a little weary on what they should and shouldn't buy when they are comparing that to name brands. Well honestly think about it this way, the food on the selves that has the best value label, is normally just the stuff that they do not use in the actual name brands. Also you aren't going to buy anything that really is that much different because FDA has huge regulations about what goes onto the shelves of supermarkets in America. But I know that there are some personal preferences that people could have, for instance I would never buy best value milk, not because it's bad just because I like supporting Highland dairy.

Another great way to save money is to buy in bulk, if you buy things in bulk, it will seem like you are spending more money at the time, but in the long run you are spending less per pound/ounce that if you were buying something in smaller packages. I normally buy things like chicken breasts in bulk, just because I know I can keep them in the freezer and they will last for a long time.

The last method that I can suggest is to get the value cards that are offered at almost all major grocery stores. If you are going on big shopping trips and you are buying the store brand version of products, when you get to the checkout isle and tell them you are using you shopping card, you could save ridiculous amounts on money. For example I save roughly $30 yesterday by just this little card.

Well I think these are three tips that we can all use to keep a little green in our wallets, without starving ourselves.

Beef Enchiladas

2006-10-14T12:18:00.000-07:00

So I know what everyone is thinking, why has Pat been on this huge Mexican Cuisine kick lately, well Mexican food is normally a spicy food, and if you all haven't noticed it's been pretty cold outside. So last night I decided to make something that turned out to be one of the best dishes I think that I have ever made, Beef Enchiladas.

Now all you need for this recipe is 1/4 onion chopped, 1/3 pound ground beef, 1 can enchilada sauce, 1 1/2 cups cheddar cheese, 6 medium sized enchiladas, salt and pepper. So what you are going to do is take the ground beef and onion and brown the meat in a pan over medium-medium high heat, once that is done take the beef off and put it on a plate with paper towels on it to catch any extra grease. Now start to preheat your oven at 375 degrees, now get a large baking dish a coat the bottom of it with a non-stick cooking spray and pour half the can of enchilada sauce on the bottom of the pan. Next take your tortillas and add even amounts of beef and cheese into the tortilla and roll them up, after which put them seam side down into the pan. Do this until all the tortillas are full and then take the remaining enchilada sauce and cheese and put them on top of the enchiladas. Now put the enchiladas into the oven for 20 minutes until the cheese is all melted and it looks crispy.

So for serving suggestions I would just put a big old dollop of sour cream or guacamole on top of them and just savor the goodness from the border.

A sweet treat from down South

2006-10-07T10:42:00.000-07:00

So I grew up working in my Uncles Mexican restaurant, this is part of the reason I like cooking so much, but there was a really easy recipe that everyone like to make, the Mexican dish Sopapillas. Now if you don't know what Sopapillas are well then put on your seatbelt and let me tell you, basically what a sopapilla is, is just a puff pasty that is served with honey and cinnamon/sugar. They really are very light and flaky and taste amazing with no matter what you serve with them, I have even heard of people using them as shells for taco salads, but I am not going to go there I am just going to go with the old dessert route.

What you need is take 2 cups all purpose flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 1 teaspoon salt, 2 tablespoons shortening (Crisco), 3/4 cup water, and 2 cups of vegetable oil that we are going to fry them in. Now in a large bowl take the flour, baking powder and salt and combine them. Next take the shortening and cut it into the dry mix, what you are going to do is just use a fork and break up and smash the Crisco into the dry mix until it's incorporated. Then slowly add the water and mix together with your hands so it will knead the dough. Now start to heat your oil until it reaches 375 degrees in a deep fryer or a large cast iron pot will work ok then. Take the dough and form it into twelve pieces, then just pop them in the oil and wait for them to puff up and get a little brown (not golden though). Just take them off the heat and drain them on paper towels and drizzle with honey and cinnamon.

Reese's Peanut Butter Cup Cookies

2006-10-07T10:26:00.000-07:00

This is a recipe that my mom would always make for my family; I know I know I am a lucky man. All this recipe really is though it just peanut butter cookies with a miniature size peanut butter cup right in the center. So what you are going to need for this is 3/4 cup creamy peanut butter, 1/2 cup margarine, now this is kind of tricky but take 1/4 cup white sugar and then 1/8 cup white sugar (this is the only way it works out as far a measurement goes), take 1/4 cup brown sugar and 1/8 cup brown sugar, 1 egg, 1/4 cup vanilla extract, 1 1/8 cups all purpose white flour, 1/2 teaspoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, a bag of miniature Reeses Peanut Butter Cups, and then two regular sized Hershey bars.

Now get a large bowl out and mix together the peanut butter, brown sugar, white sugar, and margarine. After that is done take the egg and beat the vanilla and egg mixture into the same bowl with the already mixed ingredients. Next get the flour, baking soda, and baking powder and mix that into the mixture. Now after you have this big chunk of peanut butter dough what you are going to do is preheat an oven to 375 degrees and start to make your cookies. Take about a walnut sized portion of the dough and form that dough around a Reeses Peanut Butter Cup. Do this until your cookie sheet is evenly full and put them in the oven for about 12-15 minutes. Now get your Hershey bars and melt them on the stove top at a Medium low temp so the chocolate won't burn (the microwave would work to). After the cookies are done pull them and take a spoon in the chocolate and just drizzle them over the tops of the cookies and let them cool. That's all you need for these delicious treats, they go great with a glass of milk.

Chicken Parm

2006-10-07T10:13:00.000-07:00

So I was thinking the other day, what have I not had in a while that really isn't that hard to make, and it hit me; Chicken Parmesan. Chicken Parmesan is a relatively quick, easy, and low fat dish to prepare. So all you are going to need to make this amazing dish is 2-3 boneless skinless chicken breasts, 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning, 1/4 cup dried bread crumbs, 1 tablespoon crushed red pepper, 1/4 cup grated parmesan, and 1 egg beaten, and ca jar of your favorite pasta sauce.

So once you have assembled these items what you are going to do first is combine the bread crumbs, Italian seasoning, crushed red pepper, and parmesan in a large bowl and mix it all together. Next take your chicken and just dip it into the beaten egg mixture and then dip them into the bread crumb mixture, making sure that the entire chicken breast is covered. Now take your pasta sauce and just put it over medium low heat on the stove top that way it will be warmed through when the chicken comes out of the oven. Now with the chicken itself you are going to pop that sucker into a 350 degree oven and let it cook for about 30-40 minutes, just keep your eye on it. When that finally comes out of the oven just serve that over pasta with you pasta sauce going over the top of it, see it really isn't that hard to make a great meal relatively quickly.

Breakfast Sammy's

2006-09-30T15:54:00.000-07:00

So I dont know about you all but I love the idea of an entire breakfast in between two pieces of bread. So there are tons of different ways you can make your breakfast sandwich you can use eggs, sausage, ham, bacon, onion, tomato, peppers, hashbrowns, cheese, the possibilities are endless really. So i think I am just going to go with the simple and easy route of the breakfast sandwich.

Now what I like to do is make a pepper bacon egg cheese sandwich on English muffins. Now what I will do is start by beating 1 egg with a little bit of salt and pepper in it. After I have beaten the egg up I am going to chop up about a tablespoons worth of green peppers. Take a small skillet and put it over Medium heat on the oven, and add the beaten egg to the mix. Now after the egg is poured in just put the green peppers into the beaten egg. Now what you are going to do is just keep pulling the egg in towards the center of the pan so it will clump up and not burn, now after all of the liquid is gone and its nothing but sweet scrammbled goodness just take some cheese and put it on top of the eggs and cover the top so it will melt quickly. Now after the eggs are done cooking put them onto the English muffins that you will have put in the toaster prior. Ok now take that pan that you were just using (or a new one, which ever you prefer) and crank the heat up to about medium high. Now take a couple slices of bacon and through them into the hot pan (hearing a sizzle when you through it in means it will cook quickly). Now once the bacon is cooked to your desired texture (crispy, soft) and put it on the sandwich. And that's it you can eat it with whatever else you like, but that's how I like um. I know that this wasn't the most exciting post but hey its quick, easy, and cheap so sometimes thats exactly what I am looking for.

A little fact about Fast Food

2006-09-30T14:02:00.000-07:00

So I was surfing the old web the other day and I went to cnn.com and found this little article http://www.cnn.com/2004/LAW/03/10/fat.lawsuits/index.html now what this article is talking about is how the United States has just recently banned lawsuits going against the major fast food chains. Basically what is going on is the same lawyers who were famous for the Philip Morris lawsuits in the '90s turned their eyes towards the billion dollar fast food industry.

So I know what you are wondering, how do they have a case. Well basically what the attorneys are trying to push is that Obesity is a disease which is brought upon by the encouragement of fast food chains. The way in which the fast food chains are encouraging the disease is through offering high fat food in its kids meals, as well as trying to encourage people to "Supersize it" and then receiving ridiculous size portions of high trans fat foods. But recently the House of Representatives has banned lawsuits by obese individuals against the Fast Food kings that claim the Restaurants made them that way.

Now another thing that the fast food industry is now doing is some of them are taking away the supersize option on the menu. Also a lot of fast food restaurants now are offering low fat options on the menu, such as grilled chicken sandwiches, and fruit for the kid's meals. Now I know that this isn't like one of my normal blogs but I found this to be interesting considering a majority of us college students live on the quick, easy, and fattening fast food.

That's Amore

2006-09-29T21:35:00.000-07:00

So the other day i decided I would try and make something that I have never done before and that was to make homemade meatballs and let me just say they turned out to be rockstarlicious (yes I know its not a word but you get it). Now when I was making my meatballs I changed the recipe that I found online when searching homemade meatballs on www.google.com to stuff I new that I had already had. So I will give you the recipe that I used when making this tasty dish for my roommate and I.

First I took 1/2 pound of ground beef and combined it with 1/2 small egg, 1/8 cup cracker crumbs (I used saltines, but Ritz would be great to), 1/8 cup parmesan cheese, 1 tablespoon minced onion, 1 tablespoon minced garlic, 3/4 teaspoon Worcestershire, and a little bit of black pepper to taste. Now once you have thoroughly mixed up this entire meat mixture make sure that its not to soupy from the egg, if it is grab 2 more crackers and just break um up and throw them in. Once that is done start grabbing clops of meat and form them into the size of meatballs that you want to have by rolling them in between your palms until round. Now what we are going to do is get 1/2 cup white all purpose flour(you really don't need much flour so just use what you think you'll need to coat the meatballs). Now put the flour into a bowl with a teaspoon of Oregano/Italian Seasoning (use either) mixed into it. Now take your meatballs and just roll them in the flour just enough to coat the exterior of the meat balls. Now once the meatballs are all coated get a large skillet out and put just enough oil in the pan to coat it, to much and it will make them extra greasy. Now once the pan is nice and hot (you'll see the heat rising off it) put the meat balls into the pan, now what you are doing here is just browning the outside of the meatballs, so turn them every minute or so until almost all of it is browned. Take the meatballs of the heat and put them onto a plate with a paper towel to get off the excess oil.

In a medium sized sauce pan with a lid have some Spaghetti sauce warming up over about medium heat until it is warmed through. Once its warm reduce the heat to about Medium low and add the meatballs to the sauce, try and coat them in the sauce. Now heres where patience becomes a virtue, cover the pot with a lid and let the meatballs continue to cook in the sauce itself for 30 minutes or half an hour (that's a joke). I would still check them occasionally just to make sure the sauce isn't boiling too much, you don't want that just a couple of bubble from the bottom here and there. Well after the time is elapsed just put them on bread for sandwiches or on top of pasta, and believe me once you taste these bad boys you'll know all the work was worth it.

Ultimate Quesadillas

2006-09-21T17:56:00.000-07:00

So I like to make Quesadillas, but when I am hungry I like to make them big enough so that one of these suckers can fill me up so I like to make Ultimate Quesadillas. Now what you are going to get is two flower tortillas (the big ones), some taco beef, a Mexican cheese blend, 1 chopped tomato, 1 chopped red bell pepper, some minced jalapeno slices, 1/2 minced onion, 1 tablespoon melted butter, sour cream, and salsa. Now first what you are going to do is get a large pan and put it over medium heat on your stove. Then grab one of the tortillas and brush on one side some melted butter, then grab some of the cheese and put that on first. Next what you are going to do is put the meat on next along with the onion, jalapeno, peppers, and tomato. Now I know I haven't really told you how much of what to put on there but honestly this is just you, if you love onions go crazy with the onions, if you like rocking out with jalapenos then rock out with them. After you have assembled your open faced Quesadillas just put some more cheese on top (this will help the tortilla stick to your mound of ingredients and put the other tortilla on top with butter side facing up. Now keep your eye on the tortilla so it won't burn, you might even want to reduce heat a little so all the ingredients will be warmed through without the tortillas burning on you.

Now after your one side is done it is time for the fun part, flipping the tortilla without loosing the filling ( I have done this a ton and rarely have I been successful). So if you tortilla is flipped and you were able to salvage any of the spilled ingredients just play the waiting game and put it on a plate when it is done. Now if you want to make it look at nice and stuff then cut it into 1/4's and put a spoonful of sour cream in the middle and a little salsa around that.

A hidden gem on the MU campus...the meat lab

2006-09-21T17:33:00.000-07:00

So have you ever gone to walmart and wondered why does that meat look so moist and juicy, well I will tell you why Walmart injects all its beef with a salt and water combination to increase moisture. Now I didn't get this information by doing a lot of research, someone in MU's meat lab told me about this in a class two years ago. Apparently people think that the more moist a piece of meat is after it is done cooking, the better it really is but in some cases injecting the meat is just adding water weight that you have to pay for. Now I am not bashing Walmart, as a matter of fact Sam's club probably has the second best quality of meat in Columbia, but I think the most fresh and bargain for your buck vendor on campus has got to be MU's meat lab located in Eckles Hall.

Now why do I say that the meat lab has the best pork/beef/chicken in Columbia, well for one the livestock is raised on MU's own farm that is located behind KOMU. So not only are you supporting the school but you are helping out students who grow the grain, that goes to the students whom feed the livestock, who then study and get the fresh meat to you. Now I know some people think that it's a little eerie eating something as fresh as this is and knowing where it came from, but it honestly is for the greater good of education, so good luck arguing with that one. But back to the quality of the meat, it really is the juiciest and tender meat you can find out in the market of Columbia. The types of meats you can get are crazy, you can buy T-bones, ribeyes, chuck roasts, marinated whole chickens, beef jerky, bratwursts, and even a bone for your dog (and there are tons of others). Alright now there is one other thing that you can do at the meat lab that they don't except at anyother butcher in the Mid-Missouri area; student charge. That's right not only on the MU campus can you buy your text books, dvds, subway, but you can also buy your meat. Now if you do not know how to get to Eckles all you have to do is take Rollins across College Avenue and it is the first building located on you right. Now I am going to let you know that the meat labs hours very, I believe that its only open on Wednesday's and Friday's until 4. So now you know about the meat lab and I hope you use this information to your benefit.

Oh and did I mention since there is no middle man the costs are pretty low.

Before the weather gets to cold, lets grab a burger

2006-09-20T21:27:00.000-07:00

So I have a couple of burger recipes that I made up that I think are pretty good if I say so myself. First the burger I have is a ranch burger, what you are going to need is a pound of ground beef (if you aren't feeding 4-5 people then just use half a pound, and freeze the rest) a packet of dry ranch dressing mix, 1 tablespoon worcestershire, one egg, and some black pepper. Now what you are going to do is just get the meat and put it into a bowl, and now just add the ranch seasoning, worcestershire, and about 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. The egg in this is really just optional what the egg is going to do is keep all the meat together if it is to dry, but if it forms into patties fine without it I would just forget it. But just garnish the burger with whatever you like, I like onion, pickle, tomato, lettuce, swiss cheese, and a little ranch on top.

The second burger I have is a spicy Chipotle Tabasco burger, what you need is 1/4 cup Chipotle Tabasco, one pound of ground beef, 1/4 onion (minced), 1 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Now what you are going to do is basically throw everything into the bowl and mix it all up. Now I like my food spicy so I will probably put some minced jalapenos into the burger as well, but its totally up to you with how much heat you want. After it is mixed up just form the patties and cook um up. As a condiment suggestion I like to take a little of the Chipotle tabasco and mix it with mayo and spread on the buns of the burger. Other than that you can really just put whatever you want on it.

As a side to both of these burgers you can make some baked beans, I just buy some pre-canned baked beans and add some brown sugar and liquid smoke. If you try this you will be amazed at the difference the taste is by just adding these two simple little things (but the liquid smoke is powerful so taste test them when adding it).

Its time for the sweet stuff

2006-09-17T13:04:00.000-07:00

So I need to give you at least one solid dessert that you can make to impress a certain male/lady friend. Well I think that Banana's Foster is the perfect thing that you can make to impress someone, and guess what its so easy to make. Now I am just going to let you know that this recipe calls for some flambé work (lighting alcohol on fire and letting it burn out).
Ingredients that we will need are 2 bananas (halved and cut lenth wise), 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/8 cup dark rum, 1/8 cup banana liqueur, 1/4 stick butter or 1/8 cup, and vanilla ice cream. Now what you are going to do is put butter, cinnamon, and sugar in a pan over low-medium low heat and wait until the sugar cooks down. Next add the bananas and banana liqueur let the bananas cook a little bit to soften, then add the rum then after the rum is added ignite the rum by either tipping the pan over the open flame or just use a match/lighter now just let the alcohol burn out (let people watch you do this, its mostly for show and people will be impressed). Then fill two bowls with vanilla ice cream and put the bananas on top along with the sauce left in the pan. If you want to make it look like a little nicer, just put some whipped cream on top with a sprinkle of cinnamon and a garnish of a mint leaf. Congratulations you just made Bananas Foster and hopefully you didn't burn down your apartment.

Veggies done Grill Style

2006-09-17T12:25:00.000-07:00

So if you couldnt tell by now my favorite method of cooking food is grilling. So I figured I have shared appetizer recipes, entree entries, and now I needed some side dishes. I decided to go the semi-healthy route and pick a couple of vegetables that I basically consumed on a weekly basis this summer.

Corn on the cob is a hugely popular summertime dish, I think there are very few things that are made on this earth than fresh sweet corn with butter and salt. So the way that I make my corn is by first buying as many corn ears as you would like and then shucking and cleaning them (buying these is normally cheaper/fresher than the prepackaged corn). Once you have got all the stringy things off of the corn, get some butter and coat the corn ears in it, as well as putting on salt and pepper. Then get tin foil and wrap each piece of corn individually, after they are wrapped put the grill on Medium heat and just throw the corn onto it. The corn should take about 30 minutes to cook (just flip it at least every 7-10 minutes.

Asparagus is a new treat for me, I never really liked it until I learned how to make it in one of my Culinary classes that I had to take in my major. Now with asparagus what you are going to do is really simple, first cut off the white ends at the opposite end of the vegetable. Now just rinse it off with a little water and just pop it onto the same grill that you are making the corn on, it will only take about 15-20 minutes to cook, at least to how I like it. I enjoy my asparagus with the spears charred, but you dont have to do this to yours if you dont like that. If you want to add a little more taste to your asparagus then just melt some butter with minced garlic in it and just brush the garlic butter on the asparagus as it is grilling.

The Bratwurst, need I say more?

2006-09-14T10:41:00.000-07:00

So I like Bratwursts, and I am ok with everyone knowing that I make a mighty fine one. So I am going to share with everyone whom is reading this how I make a bratwurst that much better. Now I know that everyone when making meals think that more ingredients in something can always make it better, I disagree with this, I think simple can be better almost all the time so please don't kill the flavor of the meal with 80 different spices, unless its Cajun but thats another post.

So here we go, first buy a package of your favorite type of bratwurst, I like the spicy Johnsonville type of bratwursts. Also for this you are going to need one large yellow onion, hot dog buns, two cans of beer (just go cheap), 2-3 tablespoons butter, salt TT(to taste), and spicy brown mustard. Now time to fire up the grill, this is nothing special just start the grill up, let it get hot enough so that once you put the brats on it sizzles (this will give you a nice crust on the outside) and cook them. While the brats are cooking time to grab the beer, now I know you are hoping that I tell you to drink it but actually we are going to put the beer in a pot on the stove on Medium-Medium Low heat(you just want to warm the beer through not simmer it). Now check back on those brats, now once they are done just pick them up off the grill (USE TONGS OR A SPATULA, IF YOU US A FORK ALL THE JUICES WILL LEAVE AND THUS YOU KILLED THE FLAVOR/SPIRIT OF THE GERMAN SAUSAGE), sorry I just get worked up. But anyway take the brats and put them in the beer on the stove, them being in the beer will allow them to stay warm and also to absorb that delicious hoppy goodness.

Now what we are going to do is cut up the onion (just peel it, cut in half, and cut down against the grain) so you will have it be almost like half an onion rings. Then what you are going to do is get a saute pan and add the butter on medium heat, now you might not need all that butter this is just my rough estimate so just add it according to how much you are planning on caramalizing. You ask what exactly is caramalizing well all caramalizing is, is when you take something that has a fairly high sugar content and browning the sugar to give it a more smoky and distinctive taste. So put the onions inside of the pan and just add a little bit of salt and start enjoying the smell. Now just keep stirring the onions until they take on an almost translucent brown color and have softened from the cooking, they will taste very sweet, I suggest tasting them as the cooking process goes along so you can pull them off of when you ever so desire.

Now with the onions done and the brats soaking in the beer it is just about that time to eat. Grab the hot dog buns (I like mine toasted on the grill, but totally is optional) and put some of the spicy brown mustard on the bun, followed by the brat, and then the onions on top and thats how I enjoy my bratwurst.

If you are ready for some football, then break out the dips

2006-09-09T19:04:00.000-07:00

So with football season starting this weekend I thought I would inform everyone on a couple of dips that I think are pretty tasty. The first real dip that I thought I would share came from a very reliable and great source...my mother.
This dip is a Crab Cream Cheese dip, now I know what you are thinking, crab sounds expensive but believe it or not the canned version of it is pretty cheap and tastes great for this dish. What'll you'll need for this is two 8oz. cream cheese containers, 1/4 cup mayo, 1/4 cup worcestershire, 1 tsp. garlic powder,1/2 bottle cocktail sauce, and 1 can crab meat. Take the cream cheese, mayo, worcestershire, and garlic powder and mix all together in a bowl. Now spread the mixture onto a serving dish ( I just used a plate, but anything works) and pour the cocktail sauce over it. Finally just open the crab meat and squeeze out all the liquid inside of it, just like a can of tuna and spread it evenly across the dip, and then refridgerate. I personally think the best way to eat this is with Triscuit crackers, but try out different things and see what works best for you.
Now for dip numero dos, and by the language you should be able to tell that this is going to be a mexican themed dip. This dip is actually a very simple Mexican Bean Dip that I actually stumbled upon while surfing www.foodnetwork.com (see link below), which by the way is an amazing website which has almost any recipe you could possibly think of. The dip is very easy all you need is one 16oz. container sour cream, one 8oz. container cream cheese ( if you dont like cream cheese than these aren't the dips for you), one 16oz. can of refried beans, 1 bunch of green onions chopped, 1 pack of taco seasoning, and 2 cups cheddar cheese. Now all you have to do is chop up the onions, and take all the rest of the ingredients (minus the cheese) and mix in a large bowl. Once that is done you can do one of two things you can sprinkle the cheese on top and bake or refridgerate. I decided to bake it and it tasted great, but when I was done I put it in the fridge and found that it tasted better cold, so I suggest just eating it as is. Also just because the recipe says to just use these ingredients add whatever you want, I threw in some black olives, chopped tomatos, jalepenos, and some chives. The best part about this is once you have added/changed four different items to a published recipe then it can techniquley is a different recipe. But serve the dip with some tortilla chips or fritos and enjoy the game.
The dips above just so you know are intended to be party dips that serve around 6-8 people, so if you want to serve more or less just change the yield ( see post below).

Oh yeah and here's the link for that rocking Mexican Bean Dip http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,,FOOD_9936_18698,00.html

Making a meal designed for 62 be for 2

2006-09-07T12:32:00.000-07:00

So I have found that alot of people find these really great recipes but then they see it is designed to feed 6-8 people. I know that being poor doesnt allow me to be able to make all that food and hope I can eat it all before it goes bad, so I am going to tell you how to change recipes with a very simple formula. Rather than just say the formula I am going to be nice and break everything down for you. First step, take the desired yield (lets say 4 people) and divide it by the old yield (2 people) giving us an answer of 2. Now you ask what am I going to do with this magical even number, well you are going to mutiply it with all of the ingredients of the dish you are making. So just imagine we are making something like chicken fried steak, the original two tenderloin steaks just became 4 tenderloins, the 1/2 cup of flour became 1 cup of flour, and the 3 eggs is now 6.
Now just because you may get a whole number for the multiplier it doesnt mean that the recipe could end up calling for perfect measuments and ingredients, so what do you do if you need 1/5 tablespoon salt. Well in my experience in cooking it really doesnt matter if you go a little bit over or under just as long as you just use closest measurement availiable, it really won't hurt the dish all that much and I always taste test everything so I can add to or balance the flavors in a dish.
Well now I think you should be able to accurately change the desired yield that you need to, when you need to.

Chicken+Marinade+Grill= Good Times

2006-08-31T12:50:00.000-07:00

With my first post I have found that if someone is tight on money and wants to stretch out a purchase over many meals, there is a lot of roads you can go down, but I like chicken breasts. A person can buy a bag of chicken breasts and keep those suckers frozen for a long time. With it still being grilling season I like to buy a couple of bottles of a favorite marinade (these are normally two for four dollars, and that aint bad). Also grab some cheap flavored uncle bens rice and prepare the amount of chicken you desire in the marinade, I normally do it in freezer bags so I can do four at a time. I leave the chicken in the marinade for at least one night, or if you want a lot of flavor I have left it marinating for three or four days. After the chicken has marinated for the desired amount of time, time to fire up your grill, if it is a gas grill put it on medium, if its a charcoal just move the coals in the center and put the chicken around the outside at first so you can get a good sear on the outside and then move inward. The chicken should only take 15 minutes to cook, only flip it once or twice though and for God sakes dont puncture the chicken when flipping, use a spatula so the juices wont cook out of it, no juice equals a bad time. After the chicken is done serve it with the rice ( thats Uncle Bens job to tell you how to do it). Best of all you can eat good for at least a week on about 15 bucks, not to shabby.

College Cuisine

2006-08-31T12:42:00.000-07:00

My name is Patrick and I am currently a senior at the University of Missouri-Columbia. I know that most people in college are normally very homesick due to one reason, the cooking. I also know that college kids also do not have a lot of something very imortant....money. This blog is going to be one that is going to offer recipes, tips, and a cheap means for eating well while in college. Being my first blog, everyone will just have to leave their expectations a little low, and hopefully by the end of the semester I will have an up and running website helpful to all.