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My family hosted an exchange student from Thailand when I was in high school. Until I have the chance to visit her in her country, I thought I would try to prepare some of the delicious food that she introduced us to! This is a recipe for a peanut sauce that is generally used for dipping. I found a recipe online, and asked my host sister for a few tips. I had to make some adjustments because of my limited pantry options, but the result was still fantastic!
1 can coconut milk
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon minced ginger root
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
4 tablespoons peanut butter
4 chicken breasts, cut into 1” cubes
1/2 onion, chopped
1/2 red bell pepper, sliced lengthwise
1 cup green beans
1 teaspoon oil
In a medium bowl, combine 1/4 cup coconut milk and 1 tablespoon of soy sauce. Add chicken to bowl and let marinate for at least 15 minutes.
In a medium saucepan, heat half of the remaining coconut milk over medium heat. Add garlic and ginger, stirring constantly. Stir in remaining 2 tablespoons of soy sauce and lemon juice, followed by the peanut butter. Add remaining coconut milk, brown sugar, and cayenne pepper, continuing to stir until sauce is completely blended.
In a skillet, heat oil over medium heat, add onion and cook until tender, about three minutes. Add chicken with red bell pepper and green beans. Stir fry until chicken is golden brown and vegetables are tender. Serve peanut sauce with rice, or your favorite noodle dish.
Tips from a student cook...
The authentic recipe starts with dry roasted peanuts, which are processed with the other ingredients in a blender. I had peanut butter on hand, and the substitution turned out to work just as perfectly. You can use chunky peanut butter if you still want the processed texture. The recipe also called for fish sauce and tamarind paste, ingredients I didn't have and probably would not use often, so I decided not to try to fit them into my budget. Although others may, I didn't mind their absence. If the sauce is too thick or peanut butter too strong, as mine turned out to be, add a bit of water to thin it out. The peanut sauce was great the next day…a good way to spice up your boring ramen noodles!
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- Thai Peanut Sauce with Chicken
- Chocolate Cherry Cake
- Cheesy Potatoes
- Curry Fruit and Chicken Salad
- Peanut Butter Banana French Toast
- Introduction
Student Kitchen is written by
Jennifer Derri.
Jennifer was born and raised in the suburbs of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Just missing the chance to claim baby-of-the-family status, she holds fourth place in a brother-less line of five daughters. A product of Catholic schools, she loves traveling, gardening, and new recipes. Fulfilling her childhood dream of becoming Pocahontas in an age of immigration chaos, she was recently married to Ghanaian husband James, whom she met while studying as a high school exchange student. After completing her degree in psychology at Adelphi, Jennifer, currently working as a gym receptionist, plans to earn her masters in counseling with a specialization in cross-cultural psychology.
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This is the best cake the world has ever seen. Someone made this cake for my dad on his sixteenth birthday, and he has not eaten any other birthday cake since. Nearly everyone in my family has adopted the same tradition! We always say this sent-from-heaven cake is best made in my mom's favorite yellow cake pan, but the real secret is in the homemade frosting! This recipe is so simple, yet so delicious!
Cake:
1 package fudge cake mix
2 eggs, beaten
1 can (21 oz) cherry pie filling
1 tablespoon almond extract (optional)
Frosting:
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup milk
5 tablespoons butter
6 oz chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 9" x 13" cake pan with non-stick cooking spray or butter.
Gently hand blend cake mix, eggs, pie filling, and almond extract together in a medium bowl. Spread batter in pan. Bake for 25-30 minutes.
While cake is baking, prepare frosting. Boil sugar, milk, and butter for one minute. Add chocolate chips gradually, stirring constantly until well blended. Remove from heat to prevent burning.
Remove cake from oven and let cool at least five minutes. Spread frosting evenly over the cake, and serve!
Tips from a student cook…
Use a spatula to stir all the ingredients in order to avoid chopping up the cherries. Don’t worry if it looks dry, the eggs and pie filling add enough moisture; just keep stirring! To make sure the cake if fully baked, stick a toothpick in the center. If the toothpick comes out clean, the cake is set to go. Make sure let the cake cool before frosting, or it will melt and roll off to the sides. Of course, this cake goes great with vanilla ice cream. Don't forget to lick the bowl, and make sure not to eat the whole thing yourself!
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This recipe is a Wisconsin family favorite. We cheeseheads usually make two batches for holiday get-togethers, and even then I always make sure to be in front of the buffet line. The dish is a bit rich, but after the first bite, you will no doubt start dreaming of seconds.
1/2 stick of butter
2 lbs frozen cubed hash brown potatoes
1 cup sour cream
1/2 green onion, chopped
1 can cream of potato soup
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup corn flakes
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and use butter to grease 9" x 13" baking pan.
Combine potatoes and onion in mixing bowl. Add sour cream and cream of potato soup, and mix well. Add shredded cheese while continuing to mix until well combined.
Spread potato mixture evenly in pan. Lightly crunch corn flakes and layer on top of potatoes. Place baking dish in preheated oven, and bake for 45 minutes.
Tips from a student cook…
To add a bit of spice and color, toss in some chopped jalapenos. Pepperjack cheese also adds some great spicy flavor. The hashbrown potatoes (cubed are definitely better than shredded) are usually found right in the frozen aisle by the french fries. It's best if the dish can go right into a hot oven. If you have a stove that takes forever to preheat, as mine does, make sure to turn it on right away.
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This is a delicious chicken salad that basically makes itself. It tastes even better after refrigerated for a day or two, and also tastes great in a wrap! The curry adds a lot of flavor, and mixes great with the fruit and especially the raisins, which are, in my opinion, the most amazing snack ever invented (you will see them popping up in almost every one of my recipes!).
4 boneless, skinless, chicken breasts, thin sliced
1 stalk celery, chopped
1/2 red onion, chopped
1 small apple, chopped
1/3 cup raisins
1/3 cup seedless red grapes, halved
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon curry powder
3/4 cup mayonnaise
Cook chicken in a frying pan over medium heat. Brown each side until juice run clear. Meanwhile, chop celery, onion, and apple. When chicken is cooked through, remove from pan and let cool, then cut into 1 inch strips. Combine all ingredients in mixing bowl. Stir well, tossing to coat evenly. Salt to taste, and serve.
Prepares: 8 Servings
Tips from a student cook…
Whenever I buy celery and need only one stalk for a recipe, the rest always ends up going bad. To avoid this, try to plan on using it in other recipes during the week. Don’t forget celery adds great flavor to soup! Also don’t forget a lot of these ingredients are available at the UC salad bar. Curry powder is often found with other spices in the baking aisle, and can be used to spice up a lot of recipes. You can substitute any kind of nuts in this recipe; walnuts and cashews are especially nice!
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First things first! Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, so they say. French toast is my favorite breakfast of all time, and this yummy variation is sure to give you a boost of energy before class, with lots of protein, fiber, and of course, maple syrup!
1 egg
1 dash of cinnamon
2 tablespoons peanut butter
2 slices bread
1 small banana, sliced in rounds
vegetable oil
In a mixing bowl, lightly beat egg and cinnamon together. Spread peanut butter on one side of each slice of bread and top with banana slices. Put the two slices together to make a peanut butter banana sandwich.
In frying pan, heat oil, enough to lightly cover the bottom of the pan, over medium heat. Dip sandwich into egg mixture, coating and allowing each side to absorb for about 20 seconds. Place sandwich in heated pan. When first side browns slightly and lifts easily from the pan, flip to brown second side. Serve immediately with maple syrup.
Prepares: 1 Serving
Tips from a student cook…
If you don’t have cinnamon, try snagging a few shakes from the supply in the Underground Café! Packaged slices of butter are also readily available in the UC. Creamy or crunchy peanut butter both taste delicious with this recipe, but definitely try to get a ripe, sweet banana. You can save at the grocery store by buying only a half dozen package of eggs and a smaller bottle of syrup, which will also save space in the fridge!
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Cooking meals may not be an easy option for every college student. Living in the dorms, with cafeteria food and microwave at best; managing a tiny basement apartment, with sink and stove squeezed between bed and bath; commuting from home, with time to swing by the pick-up window but not dinner table, most students do not have the time, space, or money to cook meals every day. I am a student, studying, working, and learning to cook in quite a meager apartment kitchen. Here are some delicious recipes and resourceful tips for preparing quick, easy, and inexpensive meals that will surely spice up your Ramen Noodle life.
Student Kitchen essentials:
1.5 qt. medium saucepan, with cover
2.5 qt. large saucepan, with cover
12" non-stick frying pan
9" x 13" baking pan
medium mixing bowl
wooden spoon
small paring knife
small plastic cutting board
easy to store Tupperware
This page last modified on August 20, 2008.
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