We can’t claim to be chefs…..

We are college kids, we are busy and we are tired. However, we come from different backgrounds and cultures that allow us to share unique perspectives that shine through—both in our writing and our kitchens. The staff was eager to share the recipes that are held close in our hearts and guarded behind the pages of old cookbooks. Peruse for lovingly crafted cookie recipes, convenient study meals, cultural family dishes and eclectic concoctions born from the whatever is left  in your fridge. We hope you enjoy our patchwork cookbook!

Hailey Bosek, EIC-Crockpot Fluffy Chicken and Dumpling 

Growing up, I used to dread the image of coming home to the crockpot on the counter. Now, as I grow, I am learning to love and appreciate the crockpot’s power. This is one of my first meals that I learned to make by myself. I originally got this recipe off Quincy’s Tavern TikTok account. I will never forget the feeling of watching my parents, who had provided and fed me for years, eat a meal that I had made for them. It is an easy crockpot meal that is perfect for throwing everything in and leaving it. It is soft and gooey but savory as well. It takes all day to stew, so after a long day of working at my desk I know there’s a little reward for me! 

Ingredients: (Serves 3) 

1 carton of chicken broth 

2 cans of cream of chicken 

3 sliced chicken breast 

1 chopped onion 

1-2 bags of frozen vegetables 

1 can of Pillsbury buttery biscuit dough 

Garlic as desired 

Salt and pepper as desired

Directions :

Season your chicken with garlic, salt and pepper. Throw your chicken breast into the crockpot with a carton of chicken breast and 2 cans of cream of chicken. Dice your onion and throw that into the crockpot as well. Cook it on high for four hours. 

After four hours, shred your chicken and place your frozen veggies in the mixture. Chop up your biscuit dough into cubes. Leave it in the crockpot for another 2 hours. Then serve! 

Eiman Navaid – Managing Editor – Gigi Hadid’s Pasta 

I chose this recipe because it has always been a comfort food and it is so simple to make – you can never go wrong with it!

Ingredients: (Serves 4) – 30 mins total 

1 box (16 oz) pasta of any kind

1 can (8 oz) tomato paste 

1 cup (8 oz) heavy cream 

4 chopped garlics 

1 chopped onion

Red pepper flakes as desired 

Salt and pepper as desired 

1 cup parmesan cheese 

Olive oil 

Basil as desired 

Instructions:

 Boil salted water on the stove and cook the pasta. In the meantime, saute garlic and onion in a pan with olive oil, mix in the tomato paste until cooked, and then add in the heavy cream, basil, red pepper flakes, and pepper. Once pasta is boiled, add it in with a little bit of reserved pasta water and parmesan, and mix all together until creamy. Enjoy! 

Credit: PolinTankilevitch, Pexels.

Aidan Piñon, Associate Editor – Breakfast Sandwich

The first meal I learned to make was a breakfast sandwich. From its modest origins as a bacon, egg and cheese on sourdough to its refined later versions of different breads, meats, cheeses and other toppings, I believe that I have unlocked the glorious potential of the breakfast sandwich — insofar as I know — after nearly four years of trial and error. The recipe below is for my ideal sandwich which is only made from time to time as money does not always favor this option. I usually go for something simpler; a.k.a. whatever ingredients are available. 

Ingredients:

2 eggs (1 one will also do the job) 

Heavy whipping cream 

Salt and Pepper

Chicken Sausage 

Provolone Cheese 

Spinach or Arugula 

Avocado  

King’s Hawaiian Sweet Rolls

Cholula Sauce

Directions:

Crack the egg(s) in a bowl. Add a splash of whipping cream along with some salt and pepper. Whip thoroughly with a fork. Pour egg mixture onto a hot pan with butter or oil. Scramble egg; make sure to shape the egg according to the type of bread being used. Flip the egg and put a slice or two of provolone cheese on top. Transfer the egg to a plate. Pop bread into the toaster. Slice chicken sausage in half (horizontally) and place on a hot pan. Lightly butter the bread. Add a handful of spinach or arugula to the bottom layer of bread; spread evenly. Spread mashed avocado spread over the greens. Drizzle hot sauce on top. Once sausage is cooked, place it on top of the egg. Transfer the egg, cheese and sausage combo onto bread, drizzle some more hot sauce on top (if you desire) and put that final piece of bread on top! 

Noël Bentley, Associate Editor- Veggie Soup. 

My grandma was the cook in our family. Every holiday, every birthday and every Sunday. She was cooking for our entire family and my fondest memories of her are when we were cooking together. 

Ingredients (serves 8):

• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
• 2 large carrots, chopped
• 1 cup chopped celery 
• 28 oz canned dice tomatoes
• 60 oz vegetable broth
• 3 medium potatoes
• 1 cup green beans
• 3 bay leaves
• 2 tsp salt (for taste)
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1 cup frozen sweet corn
• 1 cup frozen peas
• ½ cup green onions, chopped
• ¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped

Instructions: Put a large pot over medium heat. Add the olive oil, chopped onions, and carrots, and saute for 6-8 minutes. Add celery, canned tomatoes (with juice), broth, potatoes, green beans, bay leaves, salt and pepper. Bring it to a boil then reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 25 minutes. Once the veggies are tender, add corn, sweet peas, green onion, and parsley. Season with salt to taste and simmer for another 5-8 minutes. Remove from heat and warm.    

Morgan Kirsch, Staff Writer – Mimi’s Sticky Buns: 

My great-grandma Mimi was an amazing cook and would make these some mornings when my family and I would stay the night at her house in South Carolina. My sister, cousins and I would sprint down the stairs to get the first one. We also started making these for any special family gathering and it became a comfort food for me, reminding me of my childhood and times when our whole family would come together in our mutual passion for food. Mimi was one of the warmest, kindest person I’ve known. Her love definitely translates into her food. Get ready for a cinnamon roll on steroids!

Ingredients: Best Ever Yeast Rolls (makes 12 rolls)

1 pkg, dry yeast

⅓ c. sugar

½ c. warm water

¼ c. butter

1 tsp. Salt

¼ c. vegetable shortening

½ c. boiling water

1 egg, beaten

3 to 3 ½ c. flour

Instructions: 

Dissolve yeast and 1 teaspoon sugar in the warm water; let stand for 5 minutes. Combine the remaining sugar, salt, butter, and shortening in a large bowl; let stand for about 5 minutes. Add boiling water, stirring until butter and shortening melt. Cool slightly. Add dissolved yeast, stirring well. Add egg and 1 ½ cups flour. Beat until smooth. Gradually stir in enough flour to make a soft dough. Place in a well greased bowl, turning to grease the top. Cover; let rise in a warm place until double (about 1 to 1 ½ hours). Punch dough down; turn out onto a floured board and knead several times. Divide dough into two equal portions. Roll one portion into a 12 inch circle. Spread with two tablespoons of soft butter. Cut into 12 edges. Roll up each wedge, starting at the wide end. Place on a lightly greased baking sheet, point side down. Cover; let rise in a warm place for about 1 hour or until double. Bake at 400 degrees for 10-12 minutes. 

Ingredients: The Sticky Part (makes 12 rolls)

3 tbsp. Butter

¼ c. sugar

2 tsp. Cinnamon

1 c. brown sugar

⅛ c. syrup

2 Tbsp. butter, softened

1 Tbsp. water

¾ c. pecans, chopped

Instructions: 

Roll one portion of the best ever yeast roll dough into a 14X12 inch rectangle. Spread with melted butter. Combine sugar and cinnamon together; sprinkle over top of butter. Roll up lengthwise; cut into 12 pieces. In a saucepan, mix the brown sugar, syrup, butter and water together. Cook until slightly thickened; cool. Spread on the bottom of a 13 X 9 inch baking pan. Sprinkle pecans over top. Place rolls, cut side down, over the syrup and pecans. Cover. Let rest until double (about 45 minutes). Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Turn out onto aluminum foil for a few minutes to allow syrup to drip over the rolls.

Alexandra Murphy, Special Projects Editor- Grandma’s homemade snickerdoodles (Gluten Free Version):

 Growing up, this was a recipe passed down from my great grandmother who passed away a few years ago. Growing up I would make these with my grandma and to this day she will make huge batches of them because every family member on my mom’s side asks her to during the holidays. This will be my first time with celiac attempting to make the recipe GF. 

Ingredients (Makes around 3 dozen) 

1 cup shortening (use half butter and half shortening) 

1 ½ cups sugar 

2 eggs 

2 ¾ cups flour (sifted) 

2 tsp cream of tartar 

1 tsp baking soda 

¼ tsp salt

2 tbsp sugar ( for coating) 

2 tbsp cinnamon ( for coating)

Instructions:

Heat oven to 400. Mix shortening, sugar and eggs thoroughly. Next, add sifted flour, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt stirring into the wet ingredients until fully combined. Wrap the bowl with plastic wrap and let sit in the refrigerator for about an hour. Shape dough in 1 inch balls and roll in a bowl combined with the cinnamon and sugar mixture. Last, place coated balls 2 inches apart on a baking sheet, bake for 8-10 minutes until a light golden brown and enjoy! 

Credit: Gayatri Malhotra, Unsplash

Audrey Leib, Senior Associate Editor – Auds’ Killer Ramen 

I make this when I’m trying to clean out my fridge and need something simple and nutritious, but also comforting. The ramen I buy is a pack of 5 for $2.00, so it’s cost effective, fast, and delicious! Cook time: 10 minutes. Serves: 1-2 people. 

Ingredients: 

Ramen, the seasonings packet

Spinach (or kale, or cabbage, or whatever vegetables you’d like) 

Gochujang (Korean fermented red pepper paste)

Miso paste

Gochugaru

Garlic 

Onion 

Directions: Boil your ramen according to package instructions. Add 1.5-2 tbsp of gochujang, depending on your spice tolerance, and 1 tbsp of miso paste into the boiling water. Pan fry your onions, then garlic until both are browned. Add to the boiling ramen water. Add gochugaru to your liking and serve! You can also make jammy eggs for this or put some protein of your choice in. 

Gia Clarke, Senior Associate Editor- Kimchi Fried Rice

This fried rice is great for getting rid of rice in your fridge, and having leftovers after because I find that this dish gets better with time. It’s also very filling and does not take a long time to make! 

Ingredients:

 (Serves 1-2) – 10-15 mins total (doesn’t account for making the rice beforehand)

3 cups rice (better to use already cooked, leftover rice)

1/2 tbsp cooking oil

1 cup oyster sauce

1 cup sesame oil

Kimchi medley

1.5-2 tbsp chili paste 

1-3 Eggs

Carrots (optional) 

Seaweed (optional) 

Salt (optional)

Directions:

 (measurements vary on how spicy you want it to be) Take a ½ tbsp of cooking oil and put it in your pan. Add 3 cups of leftover rice into the pan and stir. In another pan, take as many eggs as you want and fry them until cooked. Add oyster sauce and sesame oil. 2 tbsp of chili paste (depends on your spice tolerance). Add kimchi medley to your liking and stir. Add carrots and seaweed and stir (optional). Add a pinch of salt (optional). Take your cooked eggs and blanket them over the fried rice and enjoy!

Elizabeth Gregerson, Senior Associate Editor- Greek Pasta Salad

This was the first recipe I ever memorized, a feat I was very proud of at the time! I’ve adapted it over the years to the version I’m sharing now. I encourage you to adjust the ingredient amounts to your taste!

Serves 8ish – great for a party, grill out, backyard barbeque, or cut the recipe in half and use for a few easy lunches. Takes 20-30 minutes, more if you want to cool it in the fridge after assembling.

Ingredients: 

2 boxes of Cavatappi pasta (aka Cellentani)

2 cucumbers

2 cans of garbanzo beans (aka chickpeas)

Jar (or 2…) of pitted and sliced kalamata olives (the purple ones)

2 tbsp (at least) of capers

2 bottles of Greek salad dressing 

Tub of feta cheese – use as much as you want!

Instructions: 

Boil enough water to cook the pasta. If your pot isn’t big enough for both boxes you’ll have to cook each box of pasta separately, which is fine! Just give yourself time. Salt the boiling water before pouring the pasta in, then cook it as long as the box tells you to. 

In a LARGE bowl, pour out one of the two bottles of salad dressing, all the kalamata olives, the capers and the garbanzo beans. Be sure to drain out the liquid from the kalamata olive jars and garbanzo bean cans before you pour them into the bowl. 

Chop the cucumbers into quarters, add to the bowl. Mix up and wait for the pasta to finish cooking. When the pasta is done, drain the noodles (run cold water over the pasta if you’re in a hurry!) and add to the large bowl. Mix up the ingredients in the bowl and add the last bottle of dressing. 

Cover the bowl with tin foil and let it get cool in the fridge. Or eat it warm, your call. Wait to sprinkle the feta cheese on until just before serving. Enjoy!

Asia Thomas, Staff Writer– My Grandma’s Sweet Potato Pie

I chose my grandma’s sweet potato pie because if there was ever a recipe to remind me of home, it would be this. My grandma would make this every single holiday growing up and still does to this day. I have such fond memories of watching her in the kitchen as she made these pies with love because she never truly used, or needed, a recipe. She would even make extra to freeze because she knew I loved them so much. Now, I’ve gotten all my friends hooked and every time I bake this recipe, I think of her.

Ingredients: 

(Serves 6-8) – 2 hours

1 pound sweet potatoes

½ cup butter (plus a little more for crust)

1 cup sugar

2 large eggs

½ cup milk

Nutmeg (½ tsp or whatever feels right)

Cinnamon (½ tsp or whatever feels right)

1 tsp vanilla extract 

1 store-bought pie crust from the freezer aisle, unthawed

Instructions: 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Peel your potatoes and cut them into uniform chunks. Boil water and place potatoes in the water. Boil until fork tender, 40-50 minutes. Once that’s done, place thawed pie crust in the oven just to warm it up. ~5 minutes, don’t let it get cooked. Take potatoes out of the water and drain. Place into a large mixing bowl and start to mash them up. They don’t need to be fully mashed yet. Add your ½ cup of butter and use an electric mixer to mix the butter and sweet potatoes. If you don’t have an electric mixer, a whisk or even a fork with some elbow grease works just fine. Add sugar, eggs, cinnamon, vanilla, nutmeg, and milk. Mix again with an electric mixer until the batter is smooth. Take the room-temperature pie crust and coat it with butter as best you can. Be gentle to not rip the crust! Helps if the butter is softened. Poor sweet potato filling into pie crust. Bake for 60 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Let it cool and serve! Grandma’s pies don’t have toppings but feel free to go crazy.

Credit: Nik, Unsplash

Isabel Perkinson, Photographer and Videographer- Lumpia

I chose this recipe because lumpia, often described as the Filipino egg roll, is a comfort dish my mom and relatives in the Philippines prepared for me over the years. 

Ingredients: (Serves 15) – 45 minutes total

1 pound of protein ( around the holidays I love using the leftovers from the turkey)

½ cup of vegetables of your liking

½ cup onion

2-3 cloves of garlic

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon pepper

30 lumpia wrappers

1-2 cups of vegetable oil for frying

Soy sauce

Instructions: 

Cook or shred your protein. In a bowl add the protein as well as your finely chopped vegetables, onion, and garlic. Season with salt and pepper. Place 2-3 tablespoons of the filling on the bottom half of your lumpia wrapper. Tuck the ends of the lumpia wrapper over the filling and roll close. To avoid unraveling, add water to the end of the wrapper. Repeat until you’ve filled all the lumpia wrappers. Line your pan with a ¼ inch of vegetable oil and heat over medium heat for 3 minutes. Place the closed end of the rolled lumpia in the pan. Flip occasionally until the whole wrapper is golden brown. Serve with soy sauce or a sauce of your liking.

Kiernan Sullivan, Multimedia Editor – Spaghetti Grilled Cheese

When I want to pretend I know how to cook after a pasta night, this is what I tend to make. If you haven’t guessed, it is spaghetti inside a grilled cheese, with an Italian twist. I would make these after classes back when I was in high school and find it to be very nostalgic. Great for a savory lunch or a quick dinner!

½ cup of your favorite leftover spaghetti recipe

2 slices of white bread

⅛ cup melted butter

¼ – ½ tsp of garlic powder, to taste

Parsley flakes, to taste

2 slices of mozzarella cheese, or any cheese

Shredded parmesan cheese, to taste (optional)

Heat leftover spaghetti until warm. Combine melted butter, garlic powder, and parsley flakes. Mix and brush onto both slices of bread. Heat pan to medium-low heat and place one slice of bread butter-side down. Place one slice of cheese, the leftover spaghetti and then the other slice of cheese. Place the second slice of bread butter-side up. Heat until toasted and flip. Remove from the pan once both sides are toasted and golden. Let sit for one minute. Sprinkle parsley flakes and parmesan cheese to taste and serve.

Meredith Bach, Staff Writer-Party Porkrib Patty (College Edition)

Using pre-cooked or packaged ingredients, this recipe is inexpensive, quick and easy to make! It is the perfect yummy dish to make for yourself after a long day when you don’t want to cook too much. Like a party, the Party Porkrib Patty is messy, fun and packed full! 

Ingredients (For a solo sandwich) –  20 minutes total 

Butter Garlic Buns: 

2 tablespoons butter 

1 clove garlic, minced 

2 slices Colby jack cheese 

1 tablespoon mayo 

Sandwich Contents:

Any package of barbecue pulled pork (Jack Daniels or Park Street Deli are both good)

½ cup coleslaw 

¼ cup chopped onions

Instructions: 

1. Cooking the Pork
   1. Chop up onions
   2. Stove cook/microwave pork package, based on instructions 
   3. Cook onions into pork dish, to combine the taste 
2. Prep Buns: 
   1. Start by melting about 2 tablespoons of butter in a pan on low-medium heat.
   2. Add in minced garlic and let mixture cook for 2 minutes. 
   3. Carefully place each half of the hamburger bun in the pan
   4. Allow bread to soak in butter/garlic mixture for 2 minutes, then turn to other side 
   5. Keep turning bread over until desired crispiness/toast, then remove from heat.
   6. Lather mayo onto warm bread to give it more flavor 
   7. Immediately place slices of cheese on each side, so they can melt while you add the rest of the sandwich’s contents
3. Put it all together 
   1. Load on pork/onion combination
   2. Cover in as much coleslaw as you want
   3. enjoy!

Lydia Schultz, Staff Writer – Healthy Vegan Banana Bread

I always have a sweet tooth, but I try to eat healthy so I love re-creating desserts with healthy substitutes! The Cookie and Kate recipe inspires this banana bread and is actually very healthy (vegan, sugarless, high in fiber), not to mention super easy to make. 

Makes for a perfect breakfast or midday snack.

Ingredients: 

• 1 ¾ cups flour (whole-wheat or oat)
• 1 tsp baking soda 
• ½ teaspoon salt 
• ½  tsp ground cinnamon 
• ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil 
• 2 vegan flaxseed “eggs” (see recipe directions) 
• 2 large bananas 
• ¼ cup vegan milk of choice (soy, oat, almond)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• Optional: chocolate chips for toppings

Instructions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Mash bananas in a bowl; the runnier, the better. Make the vegan “eggs’ ‘: 1 egg = 1TB flaxseed mixed with 3TB water; let mixture sit for 5 mins on the side. Combine dry ingredients together in a large mixing bowl. Combine wet ingredients in another bowl with the bananas. Add the vegan “eggs” to the wet ingredient mixture bowl and stir all liquids together. Combine wet + dry ingredients by slowly mixing the liquids into the dry ingredients. Once all lumps are gone, pour batter into a greased/lined 8 x 5 loaf pan. Bake for about 50 mins, or until the toothpick comes out clean. Optional: top with chocolate chips 

Credit: Lydia Schultz

Varun Khushalani, Photographer – Dal Makhani w/ Lachha Paratha

The greatest North Indian dish of all time. A simple dish of lentils, tomatoes, onions, garlic and some magic. Also a lot of butter. A very large amount of butter. My ultimate comfort dish and the yardstick of any good Indian Restaurant. How anyone makes the complex dish is immaterial—how they deal with the simplest one is what is truly important

This recipe is taken from Atul Kochhar’s Curry Everyday

150g dried whole black lentils (urid dal), rinsed and soaked overnight in cold water

50g dried red kidney beans, rinsed and soaked overnight in cold water to cover

1 long, thin green chilli, chopped

2cm piece of fresh ginger, peeled and chopped

2 tablespoons sunflower oil

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

5 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 large onion, finely chopped

1 tablespoon ground coriander

1 teaspoon red chilli powder

1 teaspoon ground fenugreek

1 teaspoon Garam Masala

150ml passata

1 tablespoon tomato purée

1 tablespoon lemon juice

45g butter, diced

100ml single cream

Sea salt

Drain and rinse both batches on lentils (for best results, soak dal overnight0

Put lentils in a pot with a lid with double their depth of salted fresh water and bring to the boil. 

Boil hard for 10 minutes, then skim the surface. 

Add the green chilli and ginger, reduce the heat to low and simmer, partially covered, for 50 minutes, or until both batches of dal are very tender. Set aside without draining and they will continue to absorb liquid as they cool.

Heat oil in a saucepan over a medium heat. 

Add the cumin seeds and fry, stirring, until they crackle.

Add the garlic and continue stirring until it is light brown. Add the onion with a pinch of salt and continue frying, stirring often, until it is light brown.

Stir in the ground coriander, red chili powder, ground fenugreek and garam masala, and stir for about 30 seconds to cook the spices.

Stir in the passata and tomato purée. Reduce the heat to very low and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring often, to cook the tomato purée and blend the flavors.

Add the cooked black lentils and kidney beans with any remaining liquid and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and leave to simmer, uncovered, for 12–15 minutes until thickened, stirring frequently so the pulses don’t catch on the bottom of the pan. 

Stir in the lemon juice, butter and cream with salt to taste.

Samantha Freeman, Deputy Managing Editor- Mushroom Risotto 

When I was growing up, I never fully appreciated my mom’s mushroom risotto. But each bite is wonderfully rich and cheesy. This particular recipe is from NYT Cooking. If you love Parmesan, mushrooms and white wine, this dish is for you. 

6-7 cups chicken broth or stock

Salt and pepper

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

½ cup finely chopped onion

¾ to 1 pound wild mushrooms

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves or chopped sage

1½ cups arborio rice

½ cup dry white wine

½ cup grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions:

 Bring stock or broth to a simmer in a saucepan. Heat oil in a wide, heavy nonstick skillet or saucepan over medium heat. Add onions and cook for 3 to 5 minutes. Add mushrooms and cook until they begin to sweat. Add thyme and garlic. Cook and stir until fragrant. Season mushrooms with salt and pepper. Add rice and stir until grains begin to crackle. Add wine and stir until wine is no longer visible in the pan. Add enough simmering stock to cover the rice. Cook and stir until stock is almost absorbed. Add another ladleful or two of stock and continue cooking, not too fast and not too slowly, stirring often and adding more stock when rice is almost dry, for 15 minutes. Continue adding stock and stirring for another 10 minutes. Rice should be tender. Add another ladleful or two of stock to rice. Stir in Parmesan, and remove from heat.

Credit: Jana Ohajdava, Pexels

Isabella Salinas, Staff Writer – Sorullos (Puerto Rican Corn Fritters) 

I chose Sorullos, a sweet fried snack that my abuela used to make us before she passed, and a dish that I now make for my family on special occasions. This dish can be savory with a cheese element, but that’s not how my family made it as we took a more sweet side to it. 

Ingredients: 

(Serves 8ish) – 30 minutes total

2 cups water

1 tsp salt

1 tbsp white granulated sugar or more as desired 

1 tbsp butter

1 ½ cups cornmeal

2 cups canola or vegetable oil

Instructions: 

Combine water, salt, sugar, and butter in a small pot and bring to a boil until all is dissolved. Add in your cornmeal and mix until it forms into a dough. Once the dough is made take the pot off the heat and let cool. Once the dough is cool to the touch begin forming it into a log one tablespoon scoop at a time. Once all the dough is shaped, fill a saucepan with 2 cups of canola oil and heat it. Fry the sorullos a few at a time depending on the size of your pan, I usually do 3-4 at a time and fry until golden brown. Place on napkins on a plate, let cool and enjoy! 

Kiki Dyball – Associate Editor-Meatball Ginger Soup 

A special soup I make for myself when I need a loving meal, or I make for others when they are feeling under the weather. This meatball ginger soup is merely a warm hug in a bowl! 

Ingredients 

(Serves 4 people; 1 hour cook time) 

Soup 

1 onion 

3 carrots 

2 celery ribs 

3 cloves garlic 

2 tablespoons freshly grated ginger 

1 tablespoon minced lemongrass 

1 tablespoon fresh thyme 

5 cups chicken stock 

¾ cup ditalini pasta (I use gluten-free pastina) 

Salt & pepper to taste 

Meatballs 

1 cup breadcrumbs (I use Aleia’s gluten-free) 

1/3 cup milk 

1 pound ground beef 

1 pound ground pork 

4 cloves garlic 

2 eggs 

¼ cup fresh basil and parsley 

¼ cup grated onion 

Salt, pepper, red pepper flakes and oregano to taste 

Instructions 

1. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large stockpot over medium heat. Add onion, carrots and celery. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender.  

1. Combine meatball ingredients and place bite-sized balls onto a parchment paper-lined tray. Bake at 425 degrees for 10-12 minutes.  

1. Stir in garlic, ginger, lemongrass, thyme and rosemary, about 1-2 minutes. 

1. Stir in chicken stock and 1 cup water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer. 

1. Stir in pasta and cook until tender, about 8-10 minutes.  

1. Stir in meatballs and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper to taste. 

1. Serve immediately and enjoy! 

Samarah Nasir, Graphic Designer, and Art Editor: Dipping noodles (Tsukemen)

Tsukemen, also known as dipping noodles, is a dish I had a lot of while studying abroad in Japan! It includes thick, cold noodles in one bowl and an extremely savory hot soup in another. You dip the noodles into the broth and eat them like that! I missed it dearly after returning to America and couldn’t find any restaurants with it, so I decided to find a recipe to try and make my own! I essentially follow the recipe given on the website I found but I replace the pork in the broth with shrimp as I do not eat pork and I do not add the doubanjiang (spicy chili bean paste) as I prefer the dish to be savory rather than spicy.

With that in mind, the soup recipe I use is (replacing the shrimp with pork and excluding the spicy bean sauce):

The soup recipe is:

½ tsp ginger 

2 cloves garlic

1.8 oz shimeji mushrooms 

1–2 shiitake mushrooms 

2 green onions/scallions

½ – 1 pound of shrimp

1 Tbsp toasted sesame oil

⅛ tsp freshly ground black pepper

1 tsp soy sauce

1 tsp miso 

⅓ cup mentsuyu

1 cup water

1½ Tbsp rice vinegar (unseasoned)

⅛ tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt

The noodle recipe:

2 servings of fresh thick ramen noodles (thick noodles #18 (1.7 mm) are recommended by the original recipe maker)

(Some of these ingredients could be hard to find in your typical grocery store so I recommend taking a trip down to your closest Asian supermarket such as H-Mart!)

Directions:

combine the soup recipe in a pot and cook it all together! Then you take the noodles, boil them, and strain the water away. Next, you run cold water over the noodles until they are cold. Put the noodles in one bowl and the soup in another!

And voila! You are done! I recommend using a spoon with the soup and chopsticks with the noodles to help facilitate the dipping of the noodles. Feel free to also prepare any toppings you would like to add on top of the noodles such as a boiled egg, seaweed, shrimp, etc. 

Enjoy! 😀

Credit: Samarah Nasir

Jana Simović, Assistant Multimedia Editor – Gibanica 

Gibanica is an absolutely decadent and traditional Serbian dish, with versions found all over the Balkan region. Made up of layered and baked phyllo sheets and cheese, it’s a recipe that I grew up eating during both special occasions and everyday meals; which has now evolved to making it myself while still being a staple when visiting home. Although everyone might have a tweak here and there when making it, this is my mom’s tried-and-true recipe that she has perfected with the States’ grocery options. It’s one of those things that are fun to make and once in the oven, forgotten about until it’s ready and delicious to eat.

When I visit home, my mom always makes sure to send some back with me; when popped into the freezer, it can be a perfectly easy reheated meal or appetizer.

Ingredients:

• One pack of thin phyllo dough — should have between 20-25 (12’’ x 17’’) sheets — defrosted at room temperature.
• 5 eggs

• 1 cup of milk (room temperature)
• 1 cup of mineral/sparkling water
• 1 pack of semi-soft cheese (like “Ranchero Queso Fresco”)
• 16 ounces of cottage cheese
• ¼ cup of neutral oil (sunflower) + extra for baking dish
• ½ cup of sour cream (optional)
• Handful of feta cheese (to your liking)

10 minute prep time | 60 minute cook time

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 360℉ 

Beat five eggs in a large mixing bowl. Add cottage cheese and mix well.

Crumble both semi-soft cheese and feta, add to the bowl and mix well.

Add milk, sparkling water and oil to the cheese mixture, combine well.

Spread oil evenly inside of a baking dish (16’’ x 9.5’’ x 2.5’’) and place two phyllo sheets evenly on the bottom, folding alternate sides each time.

Take another sheet; gently scrunch and dip into the cheese mixture, making sure that it is completely covered and has lots of cheese pieces. Very gently squeeze excess liquid back into the mixture.

Place into the pan and continue the process until it is covered by a layer.

Take one phyllo sheet and gently place over the wet layer and continue by spreading a few spoonfuls of cheese on top.

After taking another dry phyllo sheet and covering the new layer, repeat the “scrunching” process to cover the whole base, only leaving two sheets for the top.

Evenly pour in any leftover cheese mixture and place the two sheets on top, completely covering the dish.

Poke a lot of holes throughout the entire area (you can use a fork) and place on the middle/top rack of the oven; bake for about 45 to an hour or until the top layer has become crispy and deeply golden.

Some notes:

Phyllo dough is delicate and dries out pretty fast, so it’s important to work some-what quickly.

Brush the top layer with a light egg wash to get that true golden color.

Prijatno!

Rafa Villamar, Illustrator – alfajores with dulce de leche

Originally from Argentina, this is one of the most popular Latin American pastries. I have a lot of emotional ties to this recipe because it has been passed down by many women in my family before me who made pastries and sold them for a living. Alfajores consist of two butter cookies with dulce de leche in the middle, forming a sandwich. Some people like to sprinkle powdered sugar, coconut and even dip them in chocolate. 

The ingredients are:

1 & ⅔  cups all purpose flour

2 & ½ cups of cornstarch 

2 tsp of baking powder

½ tsp baking soda

1 ¼ cup of unsalted melted butter

¾ cup white sugar

5 large egg yolks

1 tsp vanilla extract

½ cup powdered sugar (optional)

Instructions: 

In a large bowl combine all the dry ingredients, then in a separate large mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar on low speed until light and fluffy. Add the egg yolks one at a time and lastly the vanilla extract. Then slowly add the dry ingredients until you get a crumbly but workable dough. Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC) and place the refrigerated dough on a floured surface so you can roll it out. Cut the dough round with a cookie cutter to make an even number of cookies. Place the cookies apart on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper and bake for about 10-13 minutes or until the underside has a light golden brown color. Spread 1 tsp of dulce de leche on the underside of half of the cookies and then place the rest of the cookies on top of the arequipe to make a sandwich. Press them lightly to squeeze out the dulce de leche and then lightly dust with the powdered sugar.

Amy Merrick, Faculty Adviser — Grandma Tillie’s Spice Cookies

My Grandma Tillie was an amazing baker who completed all her recipes from memory. Before she passed away, we persuaded her to show us how to make some of our favorites. “Just add some of this,” she’d say, tossing a handful of flour into a bowl. How much? we begged. “You know, a smidge,” she’d say, shaking out some spices. Luckily, my cousin was able to interpret her loose guidelines, and our family is still able to make these cookies, which are similar to snickerdoodles, today.

2 ¼ cups sifted flour

1 ½ tsp. baking soda

½ tsp. salt

1 tsp. ginger

½ tsp. cinnamon

¼ tsp. cloves

1 cup brown sugar (packed)

¾ cup shortening

1 egg

¼ cup honey

Granulated sugar (for top; clear or colored)

Sift flour once. Measure and resift flour with soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon and cloves. Cream brown sugar and shortening until light and fluffy. Blend in egg and honey; beat well. Add dry ingredients. Mix thoroughly. Chill for 30 minutes.

Shape dough by rounded teaspoonfuls into balls. Dip the top of the ball into sugar. Place sugar side up on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 12-15 minutes.

Annabelle Rivera, Pueblo News Editor- Buttermilk Cookies 

According to my friends, these cookies are like biting into a pillow!

Ingredients: 

2 1/2 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 cup (1stick) unsalted butter

1 cup sugar

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 cup buttermilk 

Powdered sugar

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Combine flour, salt, & baking soda – set aside. Cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Add egg and vanilla mix well. Alternate adding flour mixture and buttermilk until combined. Batter will be sticky. Drop by rounded tablespoon about 1 inch apart. Bake for 12 minutes. Once cooled, roll in powdered sugar and enjoy!

Anna Retzlaff, Associate Editor – Shoyu Chicken

If you feel like you can’t cook, you are where I was when I was 19. This was the first meal I made as a young adult that actually made me feel like one. It’s a deceptively easy recipe for how good it is. The first time I plated this dish marked the moment I felt capable of making things beyond the Trader Joe’s frozen section. Now, it’s a comfort meal that I make all the time.

Ingredients:

2 pounds chicken thighs

1 2/3 cups low-sodium chicken broth

2/3 cups low-sodium soy sauce

1/3 cup packed light brown sugar

1/4 cup mirin

2-3 medium garlic cloves, smashed and peeled

1-2-inch piece ginger, sliced and smashed

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons cornstarch dissolved in 2 tablespoons water

Thinly sliced green onions, for garnish

Instructions:

Combine all ingredients except cornstarch and green onions in a large pot and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce to low and simmer, covered, turning occasionally until chicken is tender, about 30 to 35 minutes more. Then, remove chicken to a serving platter. Remove garlic and ginger and discard. Bring sauce to a boil and cook until reduced slightly, about 10 minutes. Whisk in cornstarch mixture and bring to a boil. Remove from heat, add chicken, turn to coat and serve chicken with sauce and sliced green onions.

Credit: Anna Retzlaff

Header by Rafa Villamar