My mind has been consumed lately by the fact that my college career is coming to an end in the very near future.The pressure to find a job after graduation has suddenly become a suffocating reality that grows stronger and stronger with each day that I am unemployed.To ease my anxiety, I’ve been racking my brain for any contacts I’ve made over the years and how I could somehow find an in into the PR industry after graduation.Past internships came to mind, and one in particular got my taste buds excited.
There’s a great restaurant in the Murray Hill area of New York called Penelope that I frequented at least once a week last summer while interning.My favorite dish was their “When Veggie Met Sally” salad that including a perfect blend of sweet and savory flavors.Apples and veggie burger may sound…interesting…together, but I’m sure cheese and apples did too.And look how good that turned out!
Veggie Burger Salad
Original photos by Culinary Chronicles of a College Kid.blogspot.com
¼ cup of mozzarella cheese (the original recipe called for goat cheese, but who has that in their fridge?)
balsamic vinaigrette
Cook the veggie burger according to package instructions.As this is cooking, peel and slice the apple into small pieces.Combine the salad, apples, cheese, onion, and veggie burger in a bowl.Toss with the balsamic vinaigrette and enjoy!
This dish is really great when you are in the mood for a light, quick meal.Especially after eating too many leftover treats from experimenting for the Today Show…
Yes, I am still in the process of developing the perfect dessert for the Today Show Thanksgiving contest.I have always been super detail-oriented and somewhat of a perfectionist, so when I put my mind to something, I can’t submit it until I am completely satisfied with the results.This is why you can often find me in the Donnelly computer lab until all hours of the night tweaking projects.
In this case, however, my kitchen was the lab.I’ve spent at least seven hours baking and experimenting over the past week because of my compulsive need to get my “vision” to materialize correctly.Finally, at on Friday morning, it all paid off!I made Thanksgiving S’mores that were fantastic!
I decided to stray from the cookie concept because I thought it might be too plain and conventional for the Today Show.The s’mores idea developed out of my desire to make something simple enough for my readers to execute, yet creative and tasty enough for the judges of the Today Show to appreciate as well.Add some Thanksgiving elements like cranberry sauce and cinnamon, and you’ve got yourself a winner!Hopefully…
Now that I’ve perfected all three recipes and chosen which one I’m going to submit, I’ll post them here for you all to enjoy as well.Try them out and let me know if you think I made the right choice!
Apple Cinnamon Cookies
Adapted recipe and photos by Culinary Chronicles of a College Kid.blogspot.com
Original chocolate cookie recipe by Giada de Laurentiis
Servings: 2 dozen cookies
Ingredients for the cookies
1 cup of sugar
1 egg
½ tsp vanilla extract
1 stick of butter
2 cups and 2 tbsp. of flour
½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt
½ tbsp cinnamon
1 tbsp apple pie spice
1 cup finely chopped apples (preferably Fuji)
Ingredients for the sugar glaze
½ cup powdered sugar
1 tbsp softened butter
½ tsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp water
For the cookies:
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.Combine the sugar, egg, vanilla, and butter in a bowl and mix well.In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and apple pie spice.Slowly add the dry ingredients into the bowl with the wet ingredients in three different segments, mixing in between each addition.Once they are combined, add the apples and fold into the mixture.
Take a tablespoon-sized ball of dough and place it on an ungreased cookie sheet, gently pushing the center down to flatten it slightly.Repeat the process, leaving about an inch in between each cookie.Place in the preheated oven for 14 minutes.Let cool for about five minutes, and then place on a cooling rack for another ten minutes.
For the glaze:
Add the sugar, butter, vanilla, and water in a bowl and mix well until a glaze consistency is formed.Drizzle over the cookies and enjoy!
White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies
Adapted recipe and photos by Culinary Chronicles of a College Kid.blogspot.com
Original chocolate cookie recipe by Giada de Laurentiis
Serves: 2 dozen cookies
Ingredients
1 cup of sugar
1 egg
½ tsp vanilla extract
1 stick of butter
2 cups and 2 tbsp. of flour
½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt
¾ cup dried cranberries
1 cup white chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 325 degrees.Combine the sugar, egg, vanilla, and butter in a bowl and mix well.In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.Slowly add the dry ingredients into the bowl with the wet ingredients in three different segments, mixing in between each addition.Once they are combined, add the cranberries and white chocolate chips and fold into the mixture.
Take a tablespoon sized ball of dough and place it on an ungreased cookie sheet, gently pushing the center down to flatten it slightly.Repeat the process, leaving about an inch in between each cookie.Place in the preheated oven for 14 minutes.Let cool for about five minutes, and then place on a cooling rack for another ten minutes.Enjoy!
Thanksgiving S’mores
Original photos and recipe by Culinary Chronicles of a College Kid.blogspot.com
Serves: 12 s’mores
Ingredients
2 cups of mini marshmallows
12 graham crackers
¾ cup of cranberry sauce
1 cup white chocolate chips
¼ tsp. cinnamon
First, preheat the oven to 350 degrees.Then, spread about a teaspoon of cranberry sauce on half of a graham cracker.Put a few (about 10 or so) mini marshmallows on top of the cranberry sauce, then place the other half of the graham cracker on top.Place on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil and repeat the process for the remaining s’mores.
Put the baking sheet into the preheated oven for about 6-7 minutes, allowing the marshmallows to melt slightly.
As these are cooking, set up a double boiler to melt the chocolate.Place the white chocolate chips in the double boiler and continuously stir until it is completely melted. (FYI a double boiler is a pot of simmering water with a bowl resting on top of it. Pour the white chocolate in the bowl and let the steam from the simmering water heat the chocolate. Make sure the bottom of the bowl is not touching the water). This will take a few minutes, and the s’mores should be out of the oven and cooling at this point.
Add the cinnamon to the melted white chocolate and mix well.Frost the top of the s’mores with the white chocolate and cinnamon mixture.If you prefer to drizzle the chocolate on top, that is effective as well.Let the s’mores sit for about 45 minutes until the chocolate has fully cooled before plating and serving.Add some dried cranberries on the plate for presentation!
I didn’t get a chance to go food shopping this week…or last week…so my choices for dinner on Sunday were limited.My options included toast, cereal, Campbell’s soup, or brown rice.I knew I had some frozen chicken somewhere in the back of the fridge and a head of broccoli that may or may not have been past its expiration date.It was time to get creative.
Of all of the things I mentioned, only the chicken, broccoli, and rice seemed reasonable enough to include in a recipe, so I decided to throw them altogether in a skillet.I figured I could add a few spices here, some lemon juice there, and the dish would be fail proof.Usually, when I come up with these seemingly fantastic ideas in my head, they don’t translate very well onto the plate.This time was the exception, however.The stir fry came out great!I couldn’t believe I was successful and I was so proud of my culinary genius.Clearly, this dish fed my stomach AND my ego.
Chicken, Broccoli, and Brown Rice Stir Fry
Original recipe and photo by Culinary Chronicles of a College Kid.blogspot.com
Start by defrosting the chicken breast (let sit at room temperature for about two hours before starting to cook) and cutting into small cubes.Then, pour a small drizzle of olive oil into the plastic bag along with a tablespoon of water.Add the lemon pepper seasoning, a squirt of lemon juice, and a pinch of salt and pepper into the bag as well.Put the defrosted chicken into the plastic bag with the mixture and let it marinade in the fridge for at least ½ hour.
As this is marinating, pour the water, chicken broth, and rice in a large pot over medium heat.Cover with a lid so that it cooks faster.
After the rice has been simmering for 20 minutes, place a large skillet over medium heat and lightly coat the bottom with olive oil.Chop the clove of garlic into fine pieces and add to the skillet.The garlic will brown fast, so be sure to spread it around as soon as it hits the heat.
The chicken should be finished marinating, at this point, and will be ready to add to the skillet.Take it out of the fridge and gently add the pieces of chicken onto the skillet.Be cautious of hot oil splashing out of the pan as the chicken is added…I would know.
Don't make fun of my apron
Keep moving the chicken around in the pan, using a large spoon, to make sure that it is evenly cooked.
After about five minutes, add the broccoli and keep stirring.If you feel that the pan is too dry, add a little more olive oil.Be careful not to add too much, though, as the rice will add some moisture as well.Let the broccoli cook for a few minutes, then check on the rice to see if it is ready.You will know that it is ready to be added to the skillet when all of the liquid has been absorbed into the rice.If the rice is ready before the chicken and the broccoli, take it off the burner and let it sit until it is ready to be added.Timing is the only tricky part of this recipe, so be alert.
Carefully pour the rice over the chicken and broccoli in the skillet.Mix well then sprinkle with some more lime juice, salt, and pepper.Enjoy!
As I mentioned earlier, I love this recipe.From now on I will make sure to always have some broccoli, chicken, and rice on hand so that I can make this as my default dinner when I’ve got nothing else.You should too!I promise it won’t let you down and it’s not as difficult as it may seem.
The only drawback for this recipe is that it doesn’t take five minutes to prepare, like most of my posts.It took some extra time to marinate the chicken and cook the rice, but I’m telling you it was well worth it.It’s great for a Sunday night when you have a little more time to spend in the kitchen, and are ready for a hearty, energizing meal before the week starts.Plus, this recipe makes about three servings.If you don’t plan on sharing, save it for leftovers during the week.It may take that extra twenty minutes to prepare, but you’ll end up getting three meals out of it.Spend the time on Sunday, and save the time during the week!
I’ve recently decided to become more responsible and catch up on current events now and then, so I occasionally turn on the Today Show while getting ready in the morning.Except I wake up too late to catch the real news stories, and end up watch the last segment of “Kathy Lee and Hoda,” which is mostly lifestyle and entertainment news.I don’t know much about the upcomingelections or the economy,but I can tell you all about how to train your dog properly or how to order wine at a pricey restaurant.
In my defense, however, my attempt at being a grown up did result in the discovery of a potentiallyamazing opportunity.Kathy Lee and Hoda informed me that The Today Show is hosting a contest for viewers to submit their best Thanksgiving side dishes or desserts.Three lucky winners get the chance to prepare their winning recipe on the show!Talk about great PR for the blog!Being a cooking enthusiast with an enormous sweet tooth, I was instantly excited by the challenge.Picturing myself on TV next to Kathy Lee Gifford talking about my own recipe was all the motivation I needed to get cooking.
I love all things sugary, so I decided to come up with a Thanksgiving dessert that was festive and creative.I started by throwing out crazy ideas involving pumpkin, cranberry, and apple flavors, and narrowed it down from there.Apple pie cookies with a sugar glaze and white chocolate cranberry sandwich cookies with a cranberry and macadamia nut frosting filling were the final two that made the cut.
Two straight nights of experimenting resulted in this:
First attempt at apple pie cookies. Runny batter, ick
Mess
I added an extra cup of flour because the batter was so thin, and ended up with a cake texture insted of a sugar cookie. Good, but not what I was going for.
I decided to change the recipe altogether and they came out MUCH better.
Failed attempt at the white chocolate cranberry cookies. They were hard as rocks and the chocolate burnt instead of melted. Still working on that one...
I plan to continue perfecting my recipes tomorrow night, and then I’ll make the final decision on which cookie I will choose.I’ll post both recipes as soon as I get them right!
In the mean time, which idea is your favorite so far?I’d love any kind of feedback or criticism!
I’ve been craving this classic lately but was looking to put an interesting new twist on it.So, as I start with most of my cooking ideas, I Google searched some creative ways to make grilled cheese a little fancier, but just as easy.This particular recipe from Tyler Florence, Food Network star and host of “Tyler’s Ultimate,” caught my eye because the ingredients were very different and they could all be found in my fridge.The combination of the sour apples and the salty bacon was surprisingly delicious, and the extra kick from the Dijon mustard was unexpected but tasty as well.
Fancy Grilled Cheese
Adapted recipe and photos by Culinary Chronicles of a College Kid.blogspot.com
Original recipe by Tyler Florence
Serves 1
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
2 slices whole grain bread
1 Granny Smith apple, peeled and thinly sliced
2 strips bacon
Dijon mustard
Butter
Place a skillet over medium heat to warm up.Cook the bacon according to package instructions.Spread the mustard on one slice of bread, then top with cheese, bacon, apple slices, and more cheese.
Place the second piece of bread on top of the sandwich and spread butter on the top of the bread.Place the sandwich, butter side down, onto the heated skillet.Press down with a spatula and wait till the bottom turns golden brown.As you are waiting, spread more butter on the bread that is facing up.Flip the sandwich over and allow the other side to cook.When both sides are golden brown and the cheese is melted (about 5 minutes), take the sandwich off of the skillet and enjoy!
Jorge's boring version with just cheese and bacon. Apples "make his teeth hurt."
This really is a great recipe and I would definitely recommend it if you are a grilled cheese fan.This version was just as easy and ten times more flavorful.It took about five minutes longer than making a plain grilled cheese, but the huge difference in taste was worth it.Plus, it’s five more minutes used to procrastinate from doing work!
Next time I think I might try honey mustard instead of Dijon to see if the sweet and savory makes a good combination.Try it out and let me know what you think!
I have a few cooking blogs that I read religiously because one, I love everything to do with food, and two, I aspire to be as awesome of a cook as some of these bloggers!I recently came across a recipe for Mexican Rice Quesadillas that looked DELICIOUS, but a little complicated.The Mexican tomato rice and beans were homemade and involved about a million ingredients that I don’t think I could find even if I scoured every student kitchen on the Marist campus.I knew there was no chance of me having the time or the money to recreate that, so I figured Uncle Ben would probably have a reasonable alternative for me.And I was right!I scooped that Sante Fe style rice off of the shelf in aisle nine quicker than you could imagine.
My housemates decided to skip out on family dinner this week and go to Applebee’s instead, but it’s okay because they definitely regretted it after they saw my yummy homemade creation.They missed out, but you shouldn’t…try this recipe tonight!
Mexican Rice Quesadillas
Adapted recipe and photos by Culinary Chronicles of a College Kid.blogspot.com
2 tortillas (I suggest whole wheat if you want a little more flavor)
1 cup Monterrey Jack cheese, shredded
1 package Uncle Ben’s Sante Fe rice
Cooking spray
Heat a frying pan or skillet over medium heat and spray with cooking spray.Cook the rice according to package instructions.Spread half of the cheese over one of the tortillas (I used Monterrey Jack instead of the recommended Cheddar because I thought it would be more festive, ha).Place the rice on top of that, and then sprinkle the rest of the cheese on top of the rice.
Place the second tortilla on top of the first, and then place on the heated skillet.Once the bottom is golden brown, flip it over and let the other side cook.The quesadilla should be done after a total of about four minutes on the skillet.Let cool for a minute or two before cutting into slices.
Kim was the only housemate around to try them and she had no comment except "good." They left her speechless :)
Kerry: "Oh those look so good! I wish I didn't ditch family dinner night for Applebee's." Okay, she didn't actually say that, but I could read it on her face...
These were so good and so easy that I will most likely be making some kind of quesadilla variation again during the week.Check back soon for another idea on how to use up the rest of your tortillas!Hint…it may involve some grilled fruit (peaches?) and chicken.
Looking for a morning treat to satisfy your sweet tooth? I’ve found the solution!Put down the Cinnamon Toast Crunch and follow this recipe for an easier version of a breakfast classic.I made these cinnamon crescent rolls for my Monday morning class and it was just the energy boost we needed to keep us awake.All but one was gobbled up!
When I first found this recipe, I had flashbacks to eating the REAL cinnamon rolls (the giant ones with tonsss of icing) on special occasions when I was a kid.Whenever we had a snow day, a half a day of school, or birthdays, I would wake up to the smell of cinnamon and sugar and SPRINT to the kitchen to claim the gooiest roll in the batch before my sisters did.This time, the roles were reversed, as my housemates were the ones flocking to the kitchen to get their hands on these fancy crescent rolls.If a recipe can drag a bunch of college kids out of bed at 8:30 a.m., you KNOW it must be good!
Cinnamon Crescent Rolls with a Sugar Glaze
Adapted recipe and photos by Culinary Chronicles of a College Kid.blogspot.com
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.Combine the cinnamon and the granulated sugar in a small bowl and mix well.Unroll the crescent rolls and place on an ungreased cookie sheet.Spread a thin layer of butter on each roll and top with the cinnamon and sugar mixture.Tip: Don’t afraid to be generous!The crescent dough puffs up in the oven and will overpower the cinnamon and sugar flavor unless you use a heavy hand.
Roll the dough up from the largest end to the smallest.Top each with another thin layer of butter and the cinnamon and sugar mixture.Place in the oven for about ten minutes or until the rolls are golden brown.
While the rolls are cooking, combine all the ingredients for the glaze in a bowl and mix well until a smooth consistency is formed.Pour this glaze over the rolls just before serving.
I unfortunately did not have time to make the glaze for my class that morning, as one of my classmates graciously called me out on, but I appreciated the feedback and would love to hear what YOU think of this recipe as well!Please comment and tell me how yours came out!
