We Got a Food Processor!!

Along with my wonderful roommate returning from winter break, she brought with her....A FOOD PROCESSOR.  I couldn't contain my excitement with all the thoughts of pestos and other yummy sauces running through my head.  To break in the gadget, we chose a Basil-Mint Sauce to top our tilapia (the original recipe was for snapper, but our budget made us figure any white fish would work).  Fresh and light, we paired it with some jasmine rice and steamed green beans and bacon bits.

Tilapia w/ Basil-Mint Sauce
2 tilapia filets ($2.59)
salt & pepper, to taste (bulk item)
1 c. basil leaves ($1.68)
1/4 c. mint leaves ($1.68)
2 tbsp. chopped/seeded jalapeno ($.12)
2 tbsp. olive oil (bulk item)
2 tbsp. water
2 tsp. lime juice ($.20)
1 garlic clove, chopped (bulk item)
1/4 tsp. salt (bulk item)
Preheat broiler.  Arrange fish on baking dish coated w/cooking spray.  Sprinkle fish with 1/4 tsp. salt and pepper.  Broil for 6 min. or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork.
Combine basil and remaining ingredients in a food processor, and process for one minute, or until smooth.  Serve on fish, and enjoy! Serves 2 ($6.27/$3.14 per serving).

Honey Soy Salmon

Mmm, honey, soy, noodle-y, veggie, salmon-y goodness.

While it is understandable that salmon is quite to splurge for a college student, our local Sunflower Market was running a special the Sunday we happened to be shopping, and the temptation of fresh salmon was too much to resist!  Plus, we've been going to school and cooking meals for about a month now?, so it was decided a treat was much needed.  I stumbled upon this recipe while I was stumbling, I mean studying one night, and the quick prep time enticed me as much as the promise of a fresh and flavorful asian fish dish...I'm a sucker for both.
Honey Soy Salmon w/ Spinach Noodles
8 oz. thai rice noodles ($1.50)
1 tsp. sesame seed oil
2 1/2 tbsp. honey 
2 1/2 tbsp. soy sauce
3 salmon fillets (we used around 1 lb.) ($9.23)
1 tbsp. canola oil (bulk item)
1 bell pepper ($1.25)
1 bunch of green onions, chopped ($.59)
2 c. spinach ($1.25)
1 tbsp. sesame seeds (optional)

He looks happy.

Preheat the broiler, and oil the bottom of an oven-safe dish.  Cook noodles according to package instructions, drain, rinse with cold water, then drizzle with sesame oil to prevent them from sticking together.  Whisk honey and soy sauce in a small flat dish, coat the salmon on both sides with the mixture then let sit for five minutes.  Place fish in oven pan, and cook for 6-7 min. or until thoroughly cooked.  Reserve the remaining honey-soy mixture for the noodles.


Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Toast sesame seeds now for 1 minute, if desired.  Heat oil in pan, then add the green onions, bell pepper, spinach and noodles, sautéing until the cooked through (3-4 minutes).  Add remaining honey-soy mixture, and toss until heated through (add an additional tbsp. of soy sauce, if desired, for flavor).  Serve the noodles and veggies with the salmon and dig in! Soooooo good.  Yields 3 servings ($13.82/$4.60 per serving).

Latin Spice Night! Ole!

Tasty tilapia tacos w/pineapple salsa, mmm.

It's a Tuesday night, and three roommates are stirring in the kitchen... as well as chopping, grilling, and seasoning. Tonight's menu: fish tacos complete with pineapple jalapeno salsa, roasted miniature red and yellow peppers, and, continuing with the theme of last night's scrumptious concoction, tilapia! (If you plan out your meals ahead you can purchase enough fish to last through both of these recipes! We did!) Tonight's meal was an epic success! Low-fat, low-cal, and freakin' delicious!

Bobby Flay ain't got nothin' on us.

Some tricks to shortening the length of time required to cook this meal are simultaneous preparation and a deliberate order to the cooking of ingredients. For example, the Campus Cuisine Crew was able to cut down the prep time by setting up the salsa ahead of time to allow for the marriage of flavor, then chopping all the veggies while heating the corn, roasting the peppers and onions side-by-side while warming the tortillas, and saving the fish for last.

Pineapple Jalapeno Salsa

Juice of 1 lime

1/2 tsp salt, or to taste

1/2 tsp pepper, or to taste

1/2 cup chopped sweet onion

1 jalapeno, chopped

2 cups fresh pineapple, finely chopped

Cut pineapple, onion and jalapeno (DON'T TOUCH YOUR FACE!). Combine in bowl then add salt, pepper and lime. Let sit for 30 minutes.

Fish Tacos

6 wheat tortillas ($1.69)

4 tilapia fillets ($8.13)

8 oz small bell peppers, sliced into strips ($2.99)

1 jalapeno, sliced ($.10)

1/2 large sweet onion, sliced ($.88)

1 1/2 frozen corn ($.79)

salt, to taste (bulk item)

pepper, to taste (bulk item)

2 tsp extra virgin olive oil (bulk item)

First, remove corn from bag and place in pan over low heat. Cut peppers, jalapenos, and onion and grill. Heat tortillas on grill as well. Remove all ingredients from grill. Combine veggies in serving dish and season with salt and pepper to taste. Baste tilapia in olive oil and place in large frying pan over medium heat. Season with salt and pepper (amount to user's discretion). Cook for 7 minutes each side or until fish is cooked all the way through with no pink remaining.
Serves 3 (2 tacos each) $14.58/$4.86 per serving


We ended up having a bit of the veggie mix left over, so being thrifty college students, we opted for chicken fajita paninis for the next night's meal.  This super easy and cheap recipe is the perfect way to use up leftovers in a yummy sandwich.

Chicken Fajita Panini
3 frozen chicken breasts
leftover veggie mix from recipe above (about 1 1/2 cups)
3 slices of harvati cheese
dash of salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes
6 slices of bread of choice (we used french)
1 tbsp. of olive oil


Defrost the chicken in the microwave, then place in a plastic bag with desired amount of salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes.  Cover chicken evenly.  Then place the oven in a pan with 1 tbsp. of olive oil, and cook through on both sides.  Warm up the remaining veggie mix in the microwave. Then it's time to construct your sandwiches! Brush the bread with a bit of olive oil, and arrange the chicken, veggies, and cheese.  Throw it on a panini press or grill pan, and when the bread is nice and toasty, take it off and enjoy!
Makes 3 sandwiches

Testing the Waters, with a Successful Catch!

Ta-da! College kids can cook!

It's Monday night, and the last of the parentals have wondered back to their respective homes.  Three roommates and an honorary friend are faced with their opening act of clown charades, also known as collegiate "cooking".  Not to be intimidated by our ominous task of creating the first edible (and preferably delicious) meal, we decided on the versatile fish that is tilapia, paired with some simple sauteed vegetables, all over a portion of the colossal bag of rice, purchased by a loving parent before disowning us college kids to sink or swim.

Amanda's sauteing vegetables?! You won't find those at an In 'n Out Burger.

This super simple and quick recipe quelled our nightmares of spam-filled meals and even gave light to future culinary endeavors. Be not afraid, my collegiate colleagues!

Lemon-Pepper Tilapia w/ sauteed Squash
4 tilapia fillets ($8.13)
1 tbsp. yogurt butter (bulk item)
lemon-pepper spice blend ($1.50)
1 yellow squash ($.67)
1 zucchini ($.67)
1/2 white onion ($.44)
garlic salt & pepper (bulk item)
2 tbsp. olive oil (bulk item)
1 c. rice (white or brown) (bulk item)
2 c. water


Melt butter and drizzle over fillets in a non-greased baking dish.  Season with lemon-pepper blend to taste.  Bake in oven at 400ºF until flaky and white (about 20 minutes).


Meanwhile, chop squash and zucchini and saute in a pan with olive oil until tender.  Sprinkle with garlic salt and pepper to taste.  Place rice and water in a saucepan, bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cover for 15 minutes.
(Serves 4) $11.41/$2.85 per serving