Canned Tuna with Peas

Submitted by soroberts:

Ingredients:

• Splash olive oil
• Can of tuna
• Splash tomato sauce (pasta sauce is fine)
• Dash curry powder
• Dash salt
• Dash pepper
• 1 squeeze of mustard
• Big dash oregano
• 1/4 red onion, diced
• 1/2c frozen peas

Directions:

1. Heat olive oil in pan and add onion. Sautee until the onion starts to turn translucent and add everything but the tuna.
   
2. Once that's all nice and hot, mash the tuna up a bit, add it and cook for a few more minutes or until the tuna has heated up and absorbed the flavors. Voila!

Ricey Puddin'

Submitted by soroberts:

"Let's say you got some Chinese food. Great! But you have crappy Chinese takeout rice that is not so great. Well, you can make ricey puddin' with it! This recipe is easily generalizable, but the units used will assume you have the amount of rice that comes in a Chinese takeout container."

Ingredients:
~ Puddin' Base ~

• Milk (twice as much as rice)
• Rice (from crappy takeout place)
• Sugar of any kind, 3/4c. If you use maple syrup, 1/2c. This is highly recommended.

~ Recommended Extras ~

• 1 egg (optional; will make the pudding thicker)
• 1/2-1c raisins (optional; will make pudding more delicious)
• Rum (optional; will make raisins and pudding more delicious)
• Vanilla (small splash; to taste)
• Nutmeg (small dash; to taste)
• Cloves (small dash; to taste)
• Ginger (small dash; to taste)
• Cinnamon (big dash; to taste)

Directions:

1. Put milk, sugar and rice in a BIG pot. The more surface area the milk has, the better! Heat this concoction and get to work on your extras.
2. Put raisins in a bowl, pour enough rum in there to cover them, and stick in the microwave for 1 minute. Take the raisins out and let them sit. In a few minutes, for extra-plump raisins, repeat this process once they start to cool off. (If you don't like the taste of rum and want plump delicious raisins anyway, use water.)
3. Is the milk boiling yet? Give it a stir. Keep an eye on the milk so it doesn't form a gross skin. Nobody wants that.
4. Dash spices in there as desired; there are some recommended ones above.
5. Once the milk really starts to boil, stir it near-constantly, making sure to scrape the bottom of the pot. If you don't, milk will burn on down there and whoever's on dish duty will hate you. Add raisins if you have 'em; an extra splash of rum in the pudding won't hurt, either, if you are fond of the flavor.
6. After a while, the milk will stop making real bubbles and will start making craters. If you are choosing to use an egg, crack it directly in there and stir it up really fast. You should notice the pudding getting a little thicker all of a sudden. If you are not using an egg, skip this step completely; once the pudding starts making craters it is done.
7. Remove from heat and stir for a little while longer; it's still too hot to eat and you might as well help some of that water vapor escape. Once it's been sitting and you've been stirring it for a little while, you should notice that when you scrape the spoon or whatever along the bottom of the pot, it leaves a clear path that doesn't fill immediately. HOORAY! Pudding achieved!
8. NOM. Get housemates to do dishes.

Everyone Loves Quesadillas

niclark submitted the following:

Ingredients:

• flour tortillas (one per quesadilla)
• avocados (1/2 to 1 per quesadilla)
• cheese, grated or cut into small cubes (we used sharp cheddar cheese because that's what we had on hand, but many cheeses would work just as well)
• a wee bit of butter (optional)
• garlic powder
• onion powder
• cinnamon
• balsamic vinegar
• lemon juice (optional)

Directions:

1. In a small bowl, mash up the avocado. Mix in equal parts garlic powder, onion powder, and cinnamon (a pretty heavy dash of each), a splash or two of balsamic vinegar (a little goes a very long way), and a small splash of lemon juice.
   
2. Melt a little bit of butter in a medium or large skillet (large enough to fit your tortilla), or just bring the skillet up to medium-low heat without the butter if you want.
   
3. Put the tortilla in the skillet and let it start to brown a little bit. Flip the tortilla and sprinkle on the cheese.
   
4. When the cheese just starts to melt, add the avocado mixture. Fold the tortilla in half, then cook for about a minute on each side.

Optional delicious additions: diced tomatoes, diced red onion

Easy: Apple and Cream Cheese MAGIC

Did your parents load you up with even more apples after Thanksgiving break, and you mysteriously have some cream cheese left that's not gone bad yet? 

This is by far the easiest thing to do with the apples... I whipped it up quickly before my friend's pre-Thanksgiving dinner and it was a hit. 

Bavarian Apple Torte. 

Snacks

Almond butter (roasted almonds) and banana is what I eat as a snack/dessert/dinner at home (because almond butter is cheaper when your parents pay for it) - although I did find a cheaper version of it at Whole Foods the other day.

Peanut butter and chocolate (chips) - I sometimes survive on this. If it's dark chocolate, it's almost good for me.

What's your favourite snack?

Pear Dessert

Nicole made this over October Break with a few friends and it sounds delicious!

"This recipe would probably work with other fruits like apples or peaches, but pears were what we had on hand on night at the beginning of October break when some friends and I made dinner and dessert together. My measurements are just guesses, because I rarely measure when I cook anyway, and the whole meal that night was sort of spur-of-the-moment.

Ingredients:

• Canned pears (the ones I used had been canned by a friend’s grandma, but store-bought will probably work too, as long as there is some juice in with the fruit)
• Optional (if you’re using fresh fruit or there’s not any or not enough juice in the canned fruit): ¼ cup or so of pear juice (pear juice is often the base for juice drinks and the only part of it that constitutes “natural fruit juice,” even if it’s not supposed to be pear-flavored; if you can’t find it, water will probably work just fine)
• Brown sugar
• Ground cinnamon
• Ground nutmeg
• Optional: maple syrup
• Ice cream (butter pecan or vanilla bean are both great choices)

Directions:

1. If you’re using fresh fruit, chop it into small cubes before you start cooking. If you’re using canned fruit, you could chop it up ahead of time, but it will likely be soft enough to just chop it up as you cook it with your spoon or whatever you’re using to stir.
2. Pour some of the canning juice (or pear juice or water) into a medium-sized skillet. Add probably ½ - 1 tablespoon brown sugar (I don’t really measure when I cook; you’re making a simple thin syrup, so add enough that you get a nice brown liquid that’s just shy of being viscous). Heat over medium-high heat and stir until all of the brown sugar is dissolved. You could also add a splash of maple syrup at this point if it suits your fancy. If it comes to a boil, reduce the heat just a little.
3. Add your fruit to the syrup. Make sure it’s chopped into less than 1-inch cubes (more surface area = faster cooking time and more space to soak up the syrup). Stir to coat.
4. Add a dash each of ground cinnamon and ground nutmeg, and a little more brown sugar. Stir.
5. Cook the whole thing for about two minutes (longer if you started with fresh fruit, since you’ll probably need to soften it). Pour over a couple scoops of ice cream and serve immediately for optimum enjoyment.

Notes:

I recommend cleaning your skillet or pan pretty quickly, or at least putting it in your sink with a little bit of soapy water to set so that the syrup doesn't harden into a caramel and become really difficult to clean up later."

Submitted by niclark

Chocolate Babies + 1

I just found this recipe, and altered it a little bit to fit the stuff I had at home. You can hardly taste the walnuts, if that's your concern.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup walnuts
• ½ cup sugar
• 1 tbsp honey
• a little bit of water
• raisins
• 3-4tbsp cocoa

Directions:

1. Put all things in a blender and chop/grind until a consistency that will easily be rolled into balls (if it's too dry/crumbly, add a little water and chop/grind again)
2. Roll into balls

These remind me of these chocolate balls my friends and I used to make all the time:

"Neger/Chokladbollar"

Ingredients:

• 3/8 cup butter
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 2/3 cups oats
• 2 tbsp cocoa
• 3 tbsp strong cold coffee
• coconut flakes
  

Directions:

• Mix everything together but the coconut flakes
• Roll into small balls
• Pour the coconut flakes on a plate and roll the balls in the flakes
• Refrigerate for a while

Apple and Bean Stew?

This is easy, and delicious. Especially if you like apples in your curry, and if you like curry and beans. (Did you know that the curry powder you have in your spice rack is actually a mixture of different spices? Yep. Check the ingredient list out. So if you feel adventurous, mix some spices together and make your own personal curry! Once upon a time, when ACDC had a huge assortment of spices by the stir-fry, I was able to do just that. )

Let's get to it.

Ingredients:

• Curry powder, spices, garlic powder, cayenne pepper... etc.
• Oil
• An onion, chopped
  
• Minced garlic (optional)
• 1 or 2 can of beans
• Vegetable or chicken broth (optional)
• Lemon juice (optional)
  
• 2 apples
• Carrots, peas, squash, anything you think would taste good
  
• Ham (optional)
  
• Coconut milk (a dash, also optional)

Directions:

1. Fry the chopped onion and optional garlic in some oil in a saucepan. Blend in the spices, and fry the onion until it's soft, or transparent.
   
2. Mix in the beans (if you want you don't have to drain them - use the beanliquid instead of broth), apples, other vegetables, and lemon juice if you feel so inclined.
   
3. Stir, and cook without cover until the consistency you'd like to have. Add more spices if you deem it fit. Put in some coconut milk or cream if you want a creamier curry/stew.
   
4. Cook until apples are soft.
5. Serve with rice.
   

Submitted by vefehrm

Apples to Apples

There's an abundance of apples at my house, and thus I go to great lengths into trying to incorporate apples into every meal. So far... I've been (or meaning to start) indulging in the following:

• apples with yogurt, cereal, cinnamon, flax seeds, walnuts, peanut butter, coconut, oatmeal for breakfast (anything you can find)
• baking apples, put some sugar and cinnamon on it, stick it in the oven
  
• apple crisp/crumble:
• mix oatmeal, butter, sugar (brown and white), flour, cinnamon
• slice or cut apples, and pour mixture on top
  
• stick in a greased pan
• eat with whipped cream, vanilla ice cream, or something yummy like that
• I used to have a craving for the ACDC spinach, sunflower seed, lemon dressing salad with apples and cranberries. So mix all of this together, and there you go. Add cheese for some more substance and protein.
  
• instead of pb and jelly, try pb and apple
• melt butter in a saucepan, add sugar if you like things sweet, put cut up apples into the saucepan (season with cinnamon or curry)
• vegetable curry (mix apples into your curry)
• I'm sure that going without Gossip Girl for a week is almost impossible for you as well, so maybe some Blair Waldorf salad will help alleviate the wait? (Yes I've been dying to say this for a long time)
• apple scones
• apple pie
• apple butter
• apple jelly
• apples with cheese is also great - eat on crackers (I know grapes and pears are more standard choice, but hey, whatever)
  

Spinach Artichoke Dip

Last night I came to the realization that:

1. the spinach I bought a week ago was about to go bad
2. there was a can of artichoke hearts deep into the cupboard that I had forgotten about
3. the yogurt I bought some time ago is also going bad
4. I have an immense amount of cheese

First I started out steaming the spinach, thinking I'd just steam it so it would keep for however long, and the "almost bad" flavor would hide behind garlic, onion and potentially soy sauce or whatnot. Then I remembered the artichoke hearts and thought: hey! I'll just make a dip. So here goes.

Ingredients:

• half a bag of spinach or as much as you like
  
• 1 can of artichoke hearts
• yogurt, sour cream or cream
  
• 1/2 onion, chopped
  
• oil
  
• cheese (I used mostly Muenster and Parmesan, cheddar might be good too but didn't suit my palate in this case)
  
• optional: tabasco, garlic or garlic powder
  

Directions:

1. Fry the onions in oil on medium heat
2. Add the spinach, and stir until soft
3. Add the can of artichoke hearts (I used half of the "juice", if you prefer water, add some water)
4. Let the artichoke hearts and the spinach cook together for a while, making a "thicker" mixture by letting the water or "juice" evaporate
5. Once it's relatively thick, add yogurt or other liquid dairy, and cook
6. Add cheese (in chunks, it will melt) and stir
7. Add optional spices/seasoning!
8. Let cook to a thick, dip-like substance

If you want this to be a less chunky dip, you can always combine all the ingredients in a food processor before hand and then cook them that way.

Submitted by vefehrm

Butternut Squash

They're pretty fabulous. If you don't like the way they taste, at least they make an appropriate kitchen table decoration now that it's officially fall. If you do like the taste of them... then here are a couple of suggestions:

• Peel, slice in half, take out the seeds with a spoon or a fork, and then...
  
• ...cut in cubes and use in your stir-fry with curry powder or cinnamon
• ...make butternut squash soup (note: if you have a large blender, or a hand held one, it's much much easier than trying to puree the squash in turns)
• ...bake in the oven at 350 degrees, with some yummy butter, salt, pepper, curry or cinnamon mixture. If you have a sweet tooth: add some brown sugar!

Submitted by vefehrm

Apple Honey Breadcake!

Sonia Robert's Rosh Hashanah-themed recipe: Apple Honey Breadcake!

"I have deemed it a breadcake because it has the sugar levels of a bread but I put a crumbly top on it. Also, my measurements are not exact because, well, that's not how I cook."

Ingredients:

• 2 2/3c. flour~1/3c. flax seed meal (for nutty flavor)
• 1c. honey
• 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt
• Lots of cinnamon. Seriously, open that baby up and pour.
• 1 tsp ground cloves (or thereabouts, depending on how much you like cloves).
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg (optional)
• 1/2 tsp ginger (optional)
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 4 eggs
• ~1/3c. vegetable oil (big splash)
• 5 small chopped apples (I used green ones)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven at 325.
   
2. Mix this all up and pour it into a greased casserole dish, or two loaf pans, or what have you. As long as it fits.
3. Put it in the oven for 10 minutes. During this time, mix up a crumbly top from butter, flour, cinnamon and sugar, with a dash of cloves: about a tablespoon each of flour and butter should work, with maybe two tablespoons of sugar. Mix it around til it's crumbly.
4. After it's been in for 10 minutes, take it out and put the crumbly top on. Then stick it back in and bake it for 40-50 minutes at 325 degrees. HOORAY! You are done!
   

Submitted by soroberts

Improving that cookie mix

Some of you don't have the time, or enough confidence in your baking skills to bake your cookies from scratch. A recently graduated friend once told me how she used a basic oatmeal cookie mix, followed the directions (add water), and then proceeded to add nuts, cinnamon, chocolate chips, etc. Her friends devoured the cookies and were so impressed with her baking skills. Also, you can simply make a giant chocolate chip cookie cake in a pan as well. Always delicious with a dollop of ice cream, and maybe some hot fudge...!

Ingredients:

• cookie mix of some sort
• cinnamon, nuts, chocolate chips
• crystallized ginger
• roasted espresso beans
• green tea powder
• wheat bran
• gummibears... maybe
• sprinkles, M&Ms or other chopped up candies
• cereal
  

Directions:

1. Follow the directions on package, but add in whatever ingredients.
2. You can most likely freeze these cookies if you want to save them for another time.

Submitted by vefehrm, inspired by KMix

You found a can of beer

...that's leftover from the beerpong you played with those kids you half-know the other night? Put it to good use, make a quick, easy, delicious soda bread.

This recipe is adapted from "Country Wisdom Almanac".

Quick Beer Soda Bread (Note: This is not sweet bread, this is bread. Don't let the sugar fool you.)

Ingredients:

• 3 cups of flour
• 3 teaspoons of baking powder
  
• 1½ tsp of salt
• 1 can of beer (12 fl oz)
• 3 tbsp of sugar
• 4 tbsp of butter, melted (put 3 tbsp of butter in a mug, and heat it for a few seconds in the microwave)

Directions:

1. Put oven on 375 degrees.
2. Grease a bread pan (or 1-quart souffle dish).
   
3. Combine all the ingredients, apart from the butter. Do not overmix.
4. Put in the breadpan, and put the pan in the oven.
5. Bake fo 50 minutes. Take out the pan, pour the melted butter on top.
6. Put it back in the oven for another 10 minutes and a delicious crust will develop!

Variations:

• In the book they mention adding 1 tbsp of cinnamon, ½ tsp of nutmeg, ½ cup of chopped walnuts, and using 3 tbsp of brown sugar instead of 3tbsp of white sugar - it tastes amazing, but it is still not "sweet"
  
• You can also substitute some of the white flour to whole wheat flour (for instance, 2 cups whole wheat, and 1 cup regular and maybe some oats. If you only use whole wheat the bread becomes very dense). This will make it healthier.
• Feel free to be creative!

Submitted by vefehrm

Baked Avocado

Avocados are delicious. So's cheese. So are walnuts.

Here's a suggestion for baking avocados. Instead of just eating them raw with balsamic dressing, sometimes a hot baked avocado is just all that amazing. It's easy too!

Ingredients:

• An avocado
• Cheese (blue cheese, feta, anything you think would be good with it), grated
  
• Optional: 1 tbsp of sour cream
• Optional: chopped walnuts
• Salt, pepper
  

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Halve the avocado, take out the giant seed.
   
3. Mix sour cream, cheese and walnuts. Salt and pepper to taste.
   
4. Put the mix in the avocado. Bake until cheese or avocado is brown.
   

Bacon would probably be lovely in this as well!

Submitted by vefehrm

Brian Kim's (2010) Mother Says: Clean the stove!

Brian Kim's mom does this. It'll make cleaning your stove so much easier.

What you need:

• aluminium foil

Directions:

1. Put it under the coil as a "collector" of grease, tomato sauce, etc.
   

Result: We won't be fined by ResLife for a messy stove!

Professor Bradley's Edamame Hummus

Professor David Bradley kindly submitted the following recipe, claiming that it is "usually a fan favorite"!

Ingredients:

• 1 bag frozen shelled edamame (boiled for 3 minutes, drained and rinsed with cold water)
• 1 tbsp. lemon juice
• 2 clove garlic
• 2 tbsp cream cheese
• 2 tbsp water
• 2 Tbsp. sesame oil
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil (more/less for consistency)
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp white pepper
• 1 tbsp soy sauce (for topping)

Directions:

1. Combine all ingredients but the oil in the bowl, in a food processor.
2. Turn on, and slowly drizzle in oil as the ingredients are being processed to a creamy consistency.
3. (use half the edamame for the hummus, the other half for topping)

Submitted by dabradley

Salmon Spread

This spread is ideal for baked potatoes or toast. Spice up your weekday with some smoked salmon (lox?)!

Ingredients:

• 7/8 cup sour cream (original recipe calls for creme fraiche)
• 2 hard-boiled eggs, and cut into small pieces
• 1½tsp French mustard (Dijon)
• 2tbsp fresh basil or dill, chopped
• ½ red onion, chopped
• 100g smoked salmon (cut up in thin strips)
  

Directions:
Mix together in a bowl, salt and pepper and serve with toast or baked potatoes. Add a little lemon juice if you want!

Submitted by vefehrm

Peanut Sauce

This may not be the most authentic "peanut sauce" but it's still delicious. I add it to rice, bean mixes, stews, chicken, etc.

Adapted from this recipe that also has measurements.

Ingredients:

• peanut butter (smooth unless you like chunky)
• soy sauce
• lemon juice or a little vinegar
• garlic powder or pressed garlic
  
• coconut milk but regular milk works great too
• a little bit of brown sugar unless your peanut butter contains sugar
• water
• optional: cayenne/chilli pepper, curry
  

Directions:

1. Melt the peanut butter in a saucepan. Try not to boil it because sometimes it curdles weirdly.
2. Add soysauce and the other ingredients.
   
3. Keep on low heat and add more of the ingredients to taste.
   

Submitted by vefehrm

Parmesan Chicken

Submitted by Ayse:
I wanted to send in this recipe because it's pretty darn easy to make, and is so delicious. It's not that healthy (what with a stick of butter), and obviously not vegetarian, but it's an awesome comfort food. Also, it makes more than what one person can eat in a sitting so you can use it for a small gathering, or if you make it for just yourself, it lasts a while, and you can just reheat it and have delicious chicken for a while.

This recipe was adapted from this site.

Ingredients:

• 1 clove garlic, minced ( or a bit of garlic powder, or if you don't like garlic, you don't have to put in any)
• 1 stick unsalted butter (1/2 cup or 1/4 pound), melted
• 1 cup dried bread crumbs
• 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese (I like more cheese than bread crumbs, so I put in more like 1 1/4 cup cheese, and a little bit of bread crumbs)
• 2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley (it still tastes good if you don't add this)
• 1/4 teaspoon salt; 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
• A large pinch of Italian seasoning (don't put in too much or the flavor can be overwhelming)
• 2 lbs of skinless, boneless, chicken meat, cut into pieces no larger than 2x2 inches

Materials Needed:

• bowl for melted butter to dip chicken in
• bowl for dredging the chicken in bread crumbs, cheese, etc...
• a pyrex pan or shallow baking pan for baking the chicken ( the recipe recommends a 9x13 dish)

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 450°F.
2. In a bowl, combine the minced garlic (if using fresh garlic) with the melted butter. In another bowl mix together the bread crumbs, Parmesan, parsley, salt, garlic powder (if you're not using fresh garlic), Italian seasoning, and pepper. Dip chicken pieces into garlic butter, then into crumb mixture to coat.
3. Place coated chicken pieces on to a 9x13 baking dish. Try to leave a little room between each piece. Drizzle with remaining garlic butter and bake uncovered 15 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through and juices run clear. Note that the chicken will get much more browned on the bottom side than on the top.

Serves 4-6.