Table Of ContentSay goodbye to the $$55
Over 300 MouthwateRing,
Money-saving MeaLs!
dining hall!
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MEAL $$55
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Need a break from the monotony of your meal plan? Can’t afford to waste money O
on lukewarm takeout? Well, now you can ditch the dining hall’s soggy excuse for
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the Monday-night special thanks to this appetite-saving book packed with
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cheap, easy, and delicious recipes.
Offering up more than 300 hassle-free dishes, $5 a Meal College Cookbook E
will not only satisfy your hunger but your meager bank account, too! Whether G M e A l
you need a morning-after greasy breakfast, a cram-session snack, or date-night A
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entrée, here you’ll find ideas for everything you crave, including:
College
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C o o k b o o k
Saving you from overcooked, overpriced, and dull dishes, if you have to buy a
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book for college, this is required reading.
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Rhonda Lauret Parkinson is the author of The Everything® Chinese Cookbook and The Everything®
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Fondue Cookbook. She is a freelance writer and chef, and lives in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
B.E. Horton, MS, RD holds a master’s degree in nutrition communication from the Friedman School
of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University. She obtained her registered dietitian (RD) certificate hP
after completing her undergraduate degree at the University of Vermont. She lives in Burlington, VT. oa
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Cover images: istockphoto/©kcline/©bluestocking/©dlerick nn
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II$SS9BB.9NN5-- 11(C30::A 91N7- 48$4-1101-5.49-40902) 50-80-2008-8 Cooking s, Rd with Rhonda LauRet PaRkinson
with B.e. hoRton, Ms, Rd
www.adamsmedia.com
Good Cheap Food for When You Need to Eat
Rhonda LauRet PaRkinson
with B. e. hoRton, Ms, Rd
Avon, Massachusetts
Copyright © 2010 by F+W Media, Inc. All rights reserved.
This book, or parts thereof, may not be reproduced in any form without permission
from the publisher; exceptions are made for brief excerpts used in published reviews.
Published by
Adams Media, a division of F+W Media, Inc.
57 Littlefield Street, Avon, MA 02322. U.S.A.
www.adamsmedia.com
Contains material adapted and abridged from The Everything® College Cookbook,
by Rhonda Lauret Parkinson, copyright © 2005 by F+W Media, Inc.,
ISBN 10: 1-59337-303-1, ISBN 13: 978-1-59337-303-0.
ISBN 10: 1-4405-0208-0
ISBN 13: 978-1-4405-0208-8
eISBN 10: 1-4405-0728-7
eISBN 13: 978-1-4405-0728-1
Printed in the United States of America.
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
is available from the publisher.
This publication is designed to provide accurate and authoritative information with regard
to the subject matter covered. It is sold with the understanding that the publisher is not
engaged in rendering legal, accounting, or other professional advice. If legal advice or
other expert assistance is required, the services of a competent professional person
should be sought.
—From a Declaration of Principles jointly adopted by a Committee of the American Bar
Association and a Committee of Publishers and Associations
Many of the designations used by manufacturers and sellers to distinguish their product
are claimed as trademarks. Where those designations appear in this book and Adams
Media was aware of a trademark claim, the designations have been printed with initial
capital letters.
This book is available at quantity discounts for bulk purchases.
For information, please call 1-800-289-0963.
Contents
introduction iv
Chapter 1: Wake-up Call: Breakfast 1
Chapter 2: is it noon already? Lunch 19
Chapter 3: Crunch time: simple snacks on the Go 35
Chapter 4: survival of the Fittest: healthy dishes 51
Chapter 5: Beat the heat: What to Make with a hot Plate 71
Chapter 6: nuke it! Microwave Meals 91
Chapter 7: Cold Call: Frozen Food Fixers 109
Chapter 8: Leave it to Me: ideas for Leftovers 121
Chapter 9: double take: Got a date? 141
Chapter 10: Party hearty: easy Foods for a Group 159
Chapter 11: home sweet home: When the Folks Visit 183
Chapter 12: Last Resort: desserts 207
appendix a: Glossary of Basic Cooking terms 228
appendix B: equivalent Measures 230
index 231
iii
Introduction
Leaving home for college presents chal- • A plastic or metal colander for draining
lenges as well as opportunities. If your washed, blanched, and boiled food
kitchen know-how doesn’t extend beyond • Knives, particularly a good one for
the reheat setting on the microwave, the cutting meat
idea of having to learn basic cooking skills • A plastic or wooden cutting board for
along with a full schedule of college courses cutting, chopping, and mincing food
can seem overwhelming. It’s all too easy to • Measuring spoons and a measuring
give in to the lure of pricey takeout or, if cup
you live on-campus, the dining hall. How- • A vegetable peeler
ever, the basic recipes in this book will help • A can opener
turn cooking from a chore into a creative, • A grater for grating, shredding, and
stress-free break from studying—and are slicing cheese and other foods
wallet-friendly. What’s more, they offer an • A wire whisk for whisking sauces
opportunity to bring new friends together. and eggs
Before you get started, consider invest-
ing in a few utensils for your kitchen area. Of If there’s room in your budget—and
course, what you need will depend on your your dorm or other student residence
specific circumstances (some residences permits them—there are some basic
with communal kitchens often offer pots, electrical appliances worth acquiring too:
pans, and other cooking essentials for stu- a coffee maker, toaster or toaster oven,
dents). Either way, most of the essentials microwave, hot plate and/or rice cooker.
are inexpensive and can usually be found at Again, these aren’t essential—and they’ll
discount stores—or maybe Mom and Dad need to be stored in your room—so think
are willing to pass off some of their older about what you’ll use before you buy it.
items. And a few basic items will go a long Once you’ve purchased the basic
way. Here are the recommended tools: tools needed for cooking, it’s tempting
to start filling up the refrigerator. Hold off
• Plastic mixing bowls for mixing until you’ve purchased a few dry staple
ingredients and serving dishes ingredients. A pantry stocked with basic
• A wooden spoon or two for stirring ingredients—such as flour—will keep
and mixing you from having to make repeat emer-
• A heatproof rubber spatula for mix- gency trips to the local grocery store
ing ingredients and turning food dur- every time you cook a meal. Here are the
ing cooking essentials:
iv $5 a Meal College Cookbook
• All-purpose flour: As its name • Noodles: Pasta noodles like lin-
implies, all-purpose flour is used for guine, penne, or even standard
almost every type of baking. spaghetti can be turned into a meal
• Sugar: Regular granulated white quickly and easily.
sugar is used both as a sweetener • Rice: If you don’t cook rice often,
at the table and in cooking. Brown or ever, start with white rice. Then,
sugar is molasses-based and used in for variety, experiment with brown
baking, sauces, and wherever a rec- rice.
ipe calls for a stronger flavor agent • Miscellaneous flavoring agents:
than granulated sugar. Lemon juice, tomato sauce, and soy
• Olive oil: Olive oil is used for sauté- sauce will allow you to create a num-
ing and frying, as a salad dressing, ber of different dishes.
and in marinades.
• Instant broth or bouillon: Chicken, Now that you’re armed with some
beef, and vegetable broth are used in basic kitchen utensils and pantry items,
soups, casseroles, and other dishes. it’s time to get started! In this book you
• Dried herbs and spices: Dried will find 301 delicious meals for any occa-
herbs and spices lend flavor to sion: breakfast, lunch, snack, dinner, des-
soups, stews, and other slow- sert, a date, or when your family visits.
cooked dishes. And each meal costs five dollars, or less,
• Salt and pepper: Standard table salt so you don’t have to break the bank for a
should meet all your cooking needs. good meal. Happy cooking!
introduction v
CHAPTER 1
Wake-Up Call: Breakfast
Basic Bagel with Cream Eggs Benedict with Mock
Cheese .....................2 Hollandaise Sauce ........ 11
Garlic Cheese Toast ........2 Cinnamon Toast with Ricotta
and Raisin Spread ........ 11
Cheesy English Muffins .....3
French Toast ............. 12
Broiled English Muffins .....3
Italian-Style French
Hard-Boiled Eggs ..........4
Toast ..................... 12
Soft-Boiled Eggs ...........5
Easy Pancake Roll-Ups ... 13
Basic Poached Egg .........5
Buckwheat Pancakes .... 14
Perfect Scrambled Eggs ...6
Healthy Honey Crepes .... 15
Simple Eggs Benedict ......6
Basic Waffle Recipe ...... 16
Savory Scrambled Eggs ....7
Oatmeal with a Twist ..... 16
Basic Cheese Omelet .......8
Hawaiian Waffles with
Western Omelet .............9 Macadamia Nuts ......... 17
Cheese and Mushroom Fresh Fruit Granola ...... 18
Frittata ................... 10
Yogurt Surprise ........... 18
1
Basic Bagel with Cream Cheese
▶ serves 1
1 bagel, any flavor
Cost: $0.60
2 teaspoons raisins
Calories: 402
2 teaspoons chopped walnuts
Fat: 15g
2 tablespoons plain cream cheese
Carbohydrates: 56g
½ teaspoon (or to taste) ground cinnamon
Protein: 13g
Cholesterol: 30mg
Sodium: 560mg
Cut the bagel in half and place in toaster. While the bagel is toasting, chop the raisins. Mix together
the raisins, walnuts, and cream cheese. Stir in the ground cinnamon. Spread the cream cheese
mixture on the toasted bagel.
Garlic Cheese Toast
▶ serves 1
2 teaspoons (or to taste) margarine
Cost: $0.64
2 small slices crusty rye bread
Calories: 280
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
Fat: 12g
2 tablespoons ricotta cheese
Carbohydrates: 33g
Protein: 9g
Cholesterol: 10mg
Sodium: 460mg
Spread the margarine on the bread. Mix the garlic powder into the ricotta cheese and spread onto
the bread. Broil in the oven until the toast is lightly browned and the cheese is softened (but not
completely melted). Serve warm.
2 $5 a Meal College Cookbook
Cheesy English Muffins
▶ serves 4
4 English muffins
Cost: $0.44
1⁄8 teaspoon garlic powder
Calories: 210
2 teaspoons lemon juice
Fat: 8g
¼ cup canned tuna
Carbohydrates: 27g
3 ounces plain cream cheese
Protein: 8g
Cholesterol: 25mg
Sodium: 290mg
1. Split the english muffins in half and toast.
2. While the muffins are toasting, stir the garlic powder and lemon juice into the tuna in a small
bowl. add the cream cheese, mashing to mix it in thoroughly.
3. Spoon a heaping tablespoon of the mixture onto each toasted muffin half. Serve cold. Store the
unused portion of the tuna and cream cheese mixture in a sealed container in the refrigerator.
(it will last for 2 to 3 days.)
Broiled English Muffins
▶ serves 6
6 English muffins
Cost: $0.55
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
Calories: 220
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Fat: 8g
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
Carbohydrates: 28g
½ cup canned tuna, drained
Protein: 11g
½ cup shredded Cheddar or Monterey jack cheese
Cholesterol: 15mg
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
Sodium: 390mg
1. Split the english muffins in half and place in toaster.
2. While the muffins are toasting, stir the garlic powder, lemon juice, and mayonnaise into the tuna
in a small bowl. Stir in the shredded cheese and the Worcestershire sauce.
3. Spoon a heaping tablespoon of the mixture onto each toasted muffin half. Broil briefly in the oven
until the cheese is melted and the tuna is heated through. Store the unused portion of the tuna
and cheese mixture in a sealed container in the refrigerator. (it will last for 2 to 3 days.)
Wake-Up Call: Breakfast 3
