bored with my meals, advice?

[theredsqrl]

Hey, anyone want to exchange grad-life friendly recipes?  (i.e., easy, inexpensive, not requiring a well-stocked kitchen, and/or fast?)   Bonus points for recipes that are perfect for those late night writing sessions, when you desperately need a snack but your brain has turned to mush

Comments

[theredsqrl]

Since everyone is sharing such great ideas, I thought it only fair that I post one of my favorite snack recipes! My friends call this Cheese Crack(ers

[nexrad]

One vegetarians and non-vegetarians seem to like, plus is easy to make and extremely cheap...

Red Lentil Soup

1/2 to 1 cup of red lentils (brown lentils will work but double or triple cooking time)
1 red onion
3 to 6 cloves garlic (depending on love of garlic)
1 standard can of diced tomatoes
pinch of Bay leafs, dried is fine
1 to 2 tsp honey
1 tsp red wine vinegar
1 tsp paprika
Olive oil
Plain yogurt to serve/garnish, optional
3 to 6 cups water

1. Heat olive oil in a medium to large pot suitable for soups. Meanwhile, coarsely chop the red onion and chop the garlic. Add garlic and red onion to the heated oil, let simmer until the garlic just begins to gain golden brown deliciousness.

2. Add the lentils (be sure to gently sift them or pour them into a pizza pain to check for any little pebbles - rare, but it happens). Stir, add the paprika. Let the lentils simmer with the oil, onion, and garlic for just a seconds. Add the can of diced tomatoes including liquid.

3. Add the water. Start with 3 to 4 cups. Add the honey and bay leafs

[nexrad]

Sorry for the bold font - html + morning + coffee do not equate to something good.

[historychick49]

Easy Mac and Cheese

8 oz uncooked bite-sized pasta of your choice (macaroni, rotini, howties, shells, etc.)
8 oz shredded sharp Cheddar cheese (it's cheaper to buy a block and shred it yourself)
12 oz small curd cottage cheese
8 oz sour cream
Optional: Parmesan cheese, bleu cheese, feta cheese, or cheese of your choice

1. Cook the pasta until it's al dente or slightly past. Drain.

2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

3. In a 9x13" baking dish, mix together pasta, cheeses, and sour cream. If desired, top with bread crumbs.

4. Bake 30-35 minutes, until the top is golden and the cheese mixture is bubbling.

5. Let cool slightly. Serve with cracked pepper, if desired.

This is addictive as-is, or you can add onions, peppers, tomatoes, spinach - any veggie you like, really - and/or the meat of your choice. If you're cooking just for yourself and aim to have leftovers, add about 1/4 cup of milk to the pasta and cheese mixture before you put it in the oven; this will add to the creaminess and keep it from drying out.

Also some links:

[historychick49]

Oops. howties=bowties.

[shorty92785]

Not all that healthy I think, but once every few months or so I make a huge batch of meat sauce. I dont use a recipe, I just go by taste, but basically: Large cans of tomatoes (the crushed kind, usually), ground beef and sausage or meatballs, some seasonings/grated cheese/olive oil/etc. I let it simmer for a while, and freeze it in tupperware. When I'm lazy and dont feel like cooking, boil some pasta and defrost the sauce. Insta-meal. Depending on what you add to it I think it could get more or less healthy (try turkey meatballs etc)

Actually its what we're having for dinner tonight.