For those who opted out of a meal plan this year, fear not, because dinner at home is easier than it looks. When the take-out menus start to look just a little too familiar, it’s time to utilize the kitchen for something other than beer storage. These recipes are both delicious and difficult to mess up. In other words: foolproof.
Eating out costs money and cooking at home can be much more lucrative. A DC 10 from Wings costs $11 (plus tip). A chicken dinner at home costs about $6, depending on your super market of choice. It is also a healthy alternative to the take-out options in the area. Provided are four recipes that are easy on the wallet and on the taste buds.
Breadcrumb chicken is simple and can be turned easily into chicken parmesan. The chicken can be put on a roll to make a chicken parm sub, or served over pasta. Purchase a boneless, skinless chicken breast, breadcrumbs, grated parmesan cheese, eggs and milk.
At home, put 1-cup breadcrumbs in a bowl.
Add half a cup of the grated parmesan cheese to the breadcrumbs and mix together. Set out a plate next to the bowl of breadcrumb and cheese combination.
Put about two tablespoons of milk on the plate, or just enough to coat the bottom of the plate.
Crack an egg into the milk and beat until the combination is smooth. Now would also be a good time to defrost the chicken if necessary.
Here’s where it gets messy. Place the chicken in the milk and egg mixture and coat it entirely, flipping it occasionally to get both sides covered. Submerge the now coated chicken in the breadcrumb and cheese mixture. Make sure the whole chicken is covered in the breadcrumbs and then put it in aside. Repeat these steps with all the chicken. Heat the oven to 350 degrees and fill the bottom of an oven safe pan with just enough oil to cover the bottom. Place the chicken in the pan and bake for 25 minutes. From there, add pasta sauce and cheese for a chicken parm or eat as is.
The inside-out burger is not only easy but also much tastier than a regular hamburger. Necessary ingredients include ground beef (or premade burger patties), shredded cheese (any type desired), bacon and a hamburger bun. Feel free to substitute any toppings for the bacon. Get creative with options like onion straws, mushrooms or guacamole.
Take the ground beef and form two medium sizes patties. Make a pocket in the center of each patty to fill with toppings. Make sure the pocket is not so thin that when cooked it will burst. Fill the pocket with cheese and toppings and then combine the two patties. Pinch the sides together to form one burger. Ideally cook this on a grill outside or on a George Forman grill, but stovetop works as well. Grill five to seven minutes on each side for a medium rare burger. Make sure to cover it with a pan’s lid while cooking to ensure the cheese melts inside.
On the stove, spray a pan with non-stick spray, then heat the pan up before placing the burger in it. Cook the same way: five minutes each side making sure to cover the pan. Toast the hamburger bun and enjoy.
Stir-fry is so simple to make it’s no wonder the dining halls take advantage of it. All that is needed is vegetables, chicken or steak (optional), soy sauce, rice or noodles, garlic and oil. The easiest — and healthiest — way to cook vegetables is steaming them. Use a Tupperware container or a bowl with wax paper covering. Put an inch of water in the container, toss in the vegetables, cover loosely with lid and microwave for 2-3 minutes.
Once the vegetables are steamed toss them into a lightly oil-coated pan and cook on medium/low heat. Put in a teaspoon of garlic to add flavor and stir often so the veggies don’t burn. In a separate pan cook the noodles as if it were regular pasta. Optionally substitute brown or white rice, but remember it takes about 30-50 minutes to cook rice fully. Once strained put the noodles in the pan with the vegetables and add a quarter cup of soy sauce. Mix and serve.
To make this not vegetarian, slice chicken or steak into long pieces and sauté in a pan with oil until fully cooked. Then add vegetables and continue. If soy sauce is too salty, try La Choy’s Orange Ginger stir-fry sauce. Tip: Stop N Shop sells prepackaged stir-fry kits with chicken or steak and a combination of peppers and onions, usually for about $6.
Making quesadillas not only invites a Napoleon Dynamite quote, but is a filling dinner that can be made in 10 minutes. Take flour or corn tortillas, chicken, a Mexican blend of cheeses, salsa, guacamole, sour cream and a taco flavor seasoning packet. Slice the chicken or steak into long and thin pieces. On the stove cook the chicken in a pan with some oil. Sprinkle the taco seasoning onto the chicken while it’s cooking. In a separate pan sprayed with non-stick, place a tortilla in the center. Cover with cheese. Add desired amount of chicken and then top with more cheese and a second tortilla. Cover quesadilla with a lid and cook for about three minutes on medium heat, then flip. In small bowls put sour cream, salsa and guacamole for dipping. Slice the quesadilla into dipping strips and enjoy.
These recipes are some of many easy dinner ideas. On a weekly budget of $50, these meals leave a surplus of funds for clothes, shopping or alcohol. It beats alternating between Wings, Bruno’s and Dominos every week.
Kelsey Laning can be reached at [email protected].
