Easy Lemonade Pie

If you are heading to a fun bbq or pool party (now that the weather is heating up!), you want to make sure to bring a tasty dessert along with the fabulous potato salad (recipe below). Dessert is my favorite and I’m always tempted to order a slice of pie at a restaurant. I recently had the key lime pie at King’s Fish House in Tempe and it was delicious! But, like I’ve said before, ordering drinks, appetizers and desserts while out to eat really adds up! As a college student, this pie recipe won’t cost you much and it tastes delicious, plus it’s super simple! Similar to the key lime pie, it’s tart and refreshing! Here is what you need:

1 can frozen lemonade concentrate, partially thawed

1 pint (2 cups) vanilla ice cream, softened

1 tub (8 ounces) cool whip topping, thawed

1 prepared graham cracker crumb crust (6 ounces)

Directions: Beat concentrate in a large bowl with an electric mixer on low speed for about 30 seconds. Gradually spoon in ice cream and beat until blended. Gently stir in cool whip until smooth. If necessary, freeze until mixture will mound. Spoon into crust. Freeze for four hours until firm. Let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes or until pie can be cut easily. Garnish with strawberries. Store leftovers in freezer.

It can’t get much simpler than that! This pie is perfect during the warm summer months! I’m definitely wanting to try some of these pie recipes I found online-check them out: Frozen Lemonade Pie, Lemon Sour Cream Pie, Betty’s Bumble Berry Pie, The Neely’s Frozen Lemonade Pie (I love them!), The Neely’s Frozen Limeade Pie, Barefoot Contessa’s Frozen Key Lime Pie,  Rachael Ray’s 10 Minute Fruit Tart, Why so blue-berry pie, Emeril’s Creamy Lemon Icebox Pie with Lemon-Scented Whipped Cream and Fresh Berries, Creamy Frozen Blueberry Peach Pie, Frozen Raspberry Pie, and Martha Stewart’s Grasshopper Pie.

Creamy Potato Salad

I love potato salad! But not just ANY potato salad. I am very picky. I’ve never liked the store brands and I refuse to eat potato salad at restaurants because I’m always disappointed. The only potato salad I’ve ever liked is, of course, my mom’s recipe! Although a lot of college students don’t typically buy a lot of potatoes; I think anyone would change their minds once tasting a bite of this! It’s not hard to make and is perfect for a pool party or picnic (just don’t leave it sitting out in the AZ heat!) I knew I needed to share it with everyone so I hope you enjoy it as much me and my family! Here is what you need:

(Makes 8 servings)

7 medium potatoes

Italian dressing

3/4 cup celery

1/3 cup sliced green onions or chives

4 whites of hard boiled eggs

1 cup mayo

1/2 cup sour cream

1 1/2 tsp. horseradish mustard

salt

Directions: Cook seven medium potatoes in jackets, peel and slice-making six cups. While potatoes are warm, pour 1/2 cup italian dressing over. Chill for two hours. (Tip: Chilling is very important!) Add 3/4 cup sliced celery and 1/2 cup sliced green onions and tops. Chop whites of four hard boiled eggs and add to mix. Save yolks-reserve some for garnish. Combine remaining yolks with 1 cup mayo, 1/2 cup sour cream and 1 1/2 tsp. horseradish mustard. Fold into salad. Add salt and celery. Chill for two hours.

I don’t know what it is, but this potato salad tastes like no other potato salad. It’s very simple and traditional but nothing else comes close! I’ve searched for some other potato salad recipes online that I’ll share with you as well. If I decide to be adventurous I’ll try them out because they sound tasty but I don’t know how they will compare! Spring Vegetable Potato Salad,Potato Salad with Artichoke, Green Beans & Feta, Sweet and White Potato Salad with Mixed Greens, Amber’s Potato Salad, Anticipatory Potato Salad, Herbs & Garlic Potato Salad, Giada’s Tuna, Green Bean & Potato Salad, Paula Deen’s The Lady’s Warm Potato Salad, and Potato Salad Lite.

German Puff Pancake

After realizing how many of my recipes are breakfast related, I decided to continue the theme! I don’t eat out for breakfast often, but the best breakfast I’ve ever had when dining out, was at The Original Pancake House. A friend of mine took me there in San Diego and I fell in love! Thankfully, they have a location in Scottsdale so ASU students should definitely check out this amazing place! The first time I ate there I ordered the “Dutch Baby” and after that, I never had anything different because it was THAT good. It’s one of their signature dishes and described as  ”an air filled delight oven baked to golden perfection and served with lemon, whipped butter and powdered sugar to create a mouthwatering blend.” My mouth is watering just thinking about it!

I’ve been trying to come up with something similar to the Dutch Baby on my own. With the help from my mom, this recipe comes close. I call it the German Puff Pancake and it is SO easy to make and there are no crazy ingredients you need to go out of your way to buy! You will really impress family and friends with this yummy breakfast (or it can be served as a dessert!) Here is what you need:

(Makes 4 servings)

2 nine inch pie plates

2 tbsp. unsalted butter

4 eggs

2 cups low-fat milk

1 cup flour

1/2 tsp. vanilla

Cool Whip

strawberries

 

Directions: Preheat oven to 475 degrees F. Place the butter in a 4 inch ovenproof skillet until it is melted. While it melts, beat the eggs in a blender or whisk until light and bright yellow. Gradually beat in milk and then add the flour until smooth. Stir in vanilla. Pour the batter into the hot butter and return the pan to the oven. Cook until pancake is puffed and golden. Tip: This takes about 12 minutes. Finally, add cool whip and strawberries on top! Tip: You can also experiment with other toppings such as cinnamon, cinnamon sugar, honey, syrup, jam, or even chocolate sauce! Yum!

You will not be disappointed by this recipe! I love anything that involves berries and cool whip. The Original Pancake House adds powdered sugar on top which is delicious as well. I thought it would be much harder to come up with a recipe similar to the infamous Dutch Baby. I suggest you try the real thing but you must try my recipe as well!

Here are some recipes I’ve found for a similar type ‘puff pancake’ that I’m looking forward to trying: Apple German Puff Pancake, Puff Pancake (Breakfast Nirvana), Delores’s Apple Puff Pancake Pie, Martha Stewart’s Dutch Baby Pancake, Puff the Magic Pancake, and  German Apple Pancake.

Baked Artichoke Dip

I think we have all experienced this-you go out to eat with the intention of  not spending much money but then realize the bill is way more than you expected. An easy way this happens is when you order an appetizer or drink. It adds up quickly!

To save money, I don’t normally order appetizers when out to eat. However, I’m always tempted to when I see a certain thing on the menu: artichoke dip! Many restaurants have several varieties of artichoke dips-whether it be a spinach artichoke dip or a cheesy garlic artichoke dip. I love them all but my favorite remains my Mom’s. I always request it when I’m home and it has become a tradition on Christmas Eve and New Years Eve. It’s such an easy recipe and is great for college students looking to make an easy dip for a party. Believe me, your friends will be very impressed! Here is all you need:

1 cup mayo

1 cup grated parmesan cheese

1/2 cup finely chopped onion

1 can (14 oz.) artichoke hearts, drained and chopped

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1/4-1/2 tsp. pepper

3 tbsp. dry bread crumbs

1 tsp. olive oil

optional garnish: chopped tomatoes and green onion

Directions: Mix first six ingredients. Spread in baking dish. Mix bread crumbs and olive oil. Sprinkle on top. Bake for 20 minutes at 400 degrees F. Garnish with chopped tomatoes and green onion.

It’s as easy as that! Baking the dip makes such a difference! I love to eat this with crackers (I really want to try Dr. Krackers!) or crispy bread but it would also be good with veggies. Check out these other delicious sounding artichoke dip recipes: Spinach & Artichoke Dip, Monterrey Spinach Artichoke Dip, Warm Artichoke Dip with Scallions & Jalapeno, Classic Artichoke Dip, Hot Spinach & Artichoke Dip, Creamy Baked Artichoke Heart Dip, Collard Green & Artichoke Dip and Sun-Dried Tomato & Artichoke Dip.

Cookies for breakfast!

Who said you can’t have cookies for breakfast? As I said before, I love sweets, no matter what time of day. If the butterscotch chip muffins aren’t quite your thing (check my last post) then this breakfast cookie recipe may be just the right for you.  There’s nothing wrong with treating yourself once in awhile to the yummy breakfast treats at Starbucks (their new “perfect oatmeal” sounds great!) or Jamba Juice (who also just introduced oatmeal to their menu-I want to try the apple cinnamon!), but it shouldn’t become a daily habit. I’ve recently started experimenting with oatmeal (check out my homemade granola recipe!) and after reading other food blogs, I’ve come up with a quick and simple oatmeal breakfast cookie that is great for busy college students. Here is all you need:

1/2 apple, chopped into small pieces

1/2 banana, mashed

1/2 cup strawberries, chopped into small pieces

1/2 cup-1 cup rolled oats

optional: peanut butter or almond butter (try Barney Butter for a real treat!)

optional: ground flax seed

Directions: Pour oats into a medium size bowl. Add just enough water so that the oats are moist. Stir in apple pieces.  Next, add mashed banana and starberries. If you use a nut butter, add a big spoonful to the mix. Combine the ingredients and form it into a cookie or a couple small cookies (the thickness is up to you) Tip: Flatten with a fork if you want your cookie to be thinner. Fold cookie in saran wrap and allow to refrigerate over night.

In the morning, you will have a healthy, delicious breakfast oatmeal cookie! For further enjoyment, sprinkle some cinnamon, sugar or nutmeg (or all three!) on top of the cookie. A bit of jam or jelly spread on top would be tasty too!

Tip: The addition of peanut butter really helps the ingredients stay together but it is not necessary. Feel free to add in other berries such as blueberries or raspberries. Also, I haven’t tried this but I think using some canned pumpkin in place of the peanut butter would also help hold the oats and fruits together. Just a suggestion!

Check out these other oatmeal breakfast (or dessert!) ideas I’ve found: Morning Oatmeal Cookie, Breakfast Cookie, Ellie Krieger’s Breakfast Cookies, Oatmeal Cookie Pancakes, Breakfast Oatmeal Cookies, The BEST Oatmeal Raisin Cookies, Thick, Chewy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies, Applesauce Oatmeal Cookies, Baked Oatmeal with Apples, Bananas & Walnuts, Donna’s Carrot Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Breakfast Cookies and Irish Breakfast Scone Cookies.

Butterscotch Breakfast!

I definitely have a sweet tooth, and if you are anything like me, it doesn’t matter what time of the day it is. As I mentioned in my previous post, I love muffins! My ideal breakfast definitely includes a sweet and savory muffin or pastry/donut. From reading other blogs, I’ve found what sounds like the most amazing donuts…EVER! They are called Holey Donuts and are low-fat and have NO artificial sweeteners. Their flavors sound too good to be true! I’m dying to try the Boston Creme Oreo Cookie, Raspberry Graham Cracker and Vanilla Frosted Boston Creme! Oh my! However, I’m on a budget, like many college students, so I need to try and save money in any way that I can. Making your own breakfast muffins/cookies is a great alternative!

Of course, it’s always fun to treat yourself to a fresh bakery roll or pastry once in awhile (Wildflower Bread Company is a must-stop in the Tempe area for great pastries!) but making your own muffins is cheaper and also healthier because you know exactly what ingredients you are eating! Another favorite recipe of my mom’s is her butterscotch chip breakfast muffins. They definitely cure any sweet tooth craving. I can guarantee they will bring a smile to your face and give you something to look forward to in the morning!

This recipe is very simple and easy and makes about 18 muffins (enough to last you through atleast a week of class-depending on if you can stop yourself from eating them!!!) Here is what you need:

3 cups flour

1/4 cup sugar

1 tbsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

2 large eggs

1 cup milk

1/2 cup butter

2 cups butterscotch chips

Directions: In a large bowl combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. In a medium bowl whisk eggs, milk and melted butter. Pour liquid ingredients into dry ingredients. Add butterscotch chips. Stir. (Tip: Stir until just mixed.) Spoon batter evenly into 18 greased 2 1/2 inch muffin cups. Bake in a preheated 400 degree over for 20 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm and enjoy!

I love to eat these as soon as they come out of the oven! The warm butterscotch chips melt right in your mouth! If you are interested in other sweet sounding breakfast muffin recipes, I’ve found some that I am looking forward to trying in the future! Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins, Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins, The Muffin Recipe, Coffee Cake Muffins, PB & J Muffins and Chocolate Peanut Butter Muffins. Yum!

Cheesy Tuna and Rice Muffins

I love muffins! Muffins definitely are not just a breakfast food and my tuna muffin recipe (adapted from my mom) proves this! I’ve always been a huge fan of tuna. It’s also cheap and easy to prepare for college students.

Tuna can be eaten in so many ways-on its own, in salad, on crackers, in pasta, on pizza etc. I get bored easily and so after years and years of eating the basic tuna salad with mayo and seasonings, I’ve found a great solution. Tuna Muffins! These cheesy tuna and rice muffins are a perfect dinner meal when you are looking for something delicious and quick. Here is what you need:

Makes 6 muffins

2 cups cooked rice (instant rice is obviously the quickest option)

1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded

1 can tuna, drained

1 tbsp. minced onions or chopped fresh onions

1 tbsp. dried parsley

1 tsp. all season salt (or salt)

2 eggs, beaten

2 tbsp. milk

vegetable spray

optional: 3/4 cup black olives, cut into thirds

Directions: Combine rice, cheese, tuna, onions, olives, parsley and season salt. Stir in eggs and milk. Mix well. Spray six muffin cups with vegetable spray. Divide rice mixture evenly between every cup. Bake at 375 degrees for 15 minutes! 

If you have the time, combine the following ingredients for a simple sauce that is delicious drizzled over these muffins!

1/2 cup melted butter

1 tbsp. lemon juice

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. dried parsley

How easy does that sound? These muffins are so tasty and cute. I love the addition of black olives for some extra flavor but they are definitely not a necessity. You can eat these like a typical muffin or flatten them down a bit with a fork for more of a tuna casserole type meal. 

Looking for more easy tuna ideas? These sounds tuna-riffic! Tuna Melt Muffins, The Muffin Mom’s Tuna Melt Muffins, Obama’s Tuna Salad Recipe, Parmesan Tuna Muffins, Tuna in a Muffin, Tuna Corks, and Potato & Tuna Lunch Muffins.

Basil Linguine

When trying to decide what recipe to share with the world, I thought about some of the best dishes my mom makes. I was recently back home in cold Minnesoooota and requested a meal that I used to dislike (back when I was young and picky!) but now I absolutely love! Basil linguine!

As I discussed in my previous post, ramen noodles become a staple to many college students. These quick and cheap noodles become a college student’s “Italian” dinner idea. However, this recipe for basil linguine is a very simple pasta dish and the flavors are amazing! Although there are some great Italian eateries around Tempe (such as Oregano’s and Lo Cascio’s), I’ve never found a rich, creamy basil pasta dish like this anywhere. I love a great Italian meal and this one will have you going back for seconds (and maybe thirds!).

This recipe serves 6-8 people so there will be plenty of leftovers for late-night munching and more if you prepare this for only you and a couple others. Here is what you need:

1 pound linguine

3 cups tomatoes (1 large can) peeled, chopped and seeded

1 8 oz. package of cream cheese, cubed

1/2 cup olive oil

1 tbsp. wine vinegar

1/3 cup fresh chopped basil or 2 tsp. dried

2 garlic cloves, minced or 1/8 tsp. garlic powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. pepper

grated parmesan cheese

Directions: In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients except for the linguine and cheese. Mix lightly. Cover. Marinate at room temperate for two hours. (Tip: Allowing the mixture to marinate at room temperature really helps to enhance the flavors of all the ingredients.) Prepare linguine according to box directions. Add pasta to marinated mixture. Sprinkle lightly with cheese and serve! It’s as simple as that! (Tip: Using fresh basil really makes this dish delicious but dried basil works perfectly fine!) Also, the addition of shrimp to this dish would be very tasty! Hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I do!

Check out these other basil linguine recipes that I can’t wait to try! Lemon Basil Linguine, Linguine with Tomatoes & Basil, Tomato Basil Linguine, Buttered Linguine with Tomatoes & Basil, Linguine with Pesto Trapanese, and Linguine with Garlic Crab Sauce.

Orzo & Shrimp Salad

I guarantee a lot of people associate ramen noodles with college life. For many students, ramen is a staple in their every day diet. It’s easy, quick and extremely cheap. What more can you ask for? I admit, when I lived in the dorms freshman year, I often times used my mini microwave to heat up the little ramen noodle bowls for a quick snack. It got old very quickly though! After being accustomed to home cooked meals every day by my mom before college, I’ve found that I constantly need to try new things to satisfy my appetite and cravings.

I’m a big noodle/pasta fan. I’m waiting for the day Arizona opens up a Noodle & Co. because this place can cure anyone’s noodle desire. (If you are lucky enough to have this in your neighborhood, I would suggest the classic butter noodles or pasta fresca!) The Italian in me always makes me want to find new pasta recipes. Another staple for college students is spaghetti; however, there are so many other kinds of pasta that are delicious and worth trying. One is orzo, a rice shaped pasta!

Awhile back I stopped for a bite to eat at 7th Heaven Eatery, a casual restaurant located in Phoenix. I had heard great things about their orzo salad so I wanted to give it a try. The orzo pasta was served on a bed of spinach, drizzled with balsamic dressing and topped off with chicken breast, feta, and toasted almonds. This restaurant has some other great sounding pasta dishes such as the Thai Peanut Noodles and Yakisoba Noodles (the Fisherman’s Stew also sounds amazing!). After devouring my orzo salad,  I was inspired to create my own orzo salad! After I found Barefoot Contessa’s (who I love!) Roasted Shrimp & Orzo recipe, I made some changes according to ingredients I had on hand.

Students, do not fret. Orzo may sound scary, but it’s not! You can find orzo in the pasta aisle at your local grocery store. It’s not as cheap as buying spaghetti, but hey, it’s worth it. I promise! This recipe is not hard at all and you don’t need many ingredients to make this pasta dish delicious. I absolutely love shrimp but it can easily be omitted/substituted for another form of protein such as chicken or tuna.

Here is the recipe:

Serves 4

1 cup orzo

1 pound medium shrimp, cooked and peeled

1/2 cup chopped red onion 

1 cup corn

1 cup cherry tomatoes

1 green pepper, finely chopped

around 1/2 cup lemon juice (about 3 lemons)

around 4 tablespoons olive oil

4 oz. pitted black olives

parsley

dill

salt & pepper (about 1/2 tsp. of each)

optional: scallions, cucumbers, peas, feta cheese, lemon zest for garnish

Directions: Prepare shrimp according to package  directions (dethaw if frozen etc.). Cook orzo according to package directions (tip: the orzo tastes best al dente-when it has a little bite to it!). Drain. Run cold water over pasta for about 30 seconds. In a large mixing bowl, toss together the orzo, onion, corn, green pepper and olives. Add the shrimp. Combine the lemon juice and olive oil in a small bowl. Pour over mixture and stir well. Add  as much parsley and dill (tip: fresh parsley and dill taste much better but dried works well also) as you like (tip: dill can be very potent so make sure to test the mixture before you add too much).  Finally, garnish with cherry tomatoes. Cover and chill for a couple hours.

This dish is so colorful and very easy. I love the combination of the lemon juice/olive oil with the shrimp. The parsley and dill really enhance the flavors of all the ingredients. Barefoot Contessa’s recipe calls for cucumbers which would definitely be a nice addition or substitute for the green pepper. I didn’t have any feta cheese but I think it would be great as a garnish. A lot of college students tend to have canned tuna in their pantry so don’t forget that tuna can be used instead of shrimp. I think I will try this next time! Another tip: keep in mind that this recipe would taste great at room temperature or warm, but I preferred it cold. Make sure to keep the leftovers so you can save time and money! Enjoy!

Check out these orzo recipes I found from bloggers! Pear Feta Orzo Salad, Orzo with Mushrooms, Peas & Parmesan, Orzo Caprese Salad, Sweet Chicken with Orzo and Grilled Vegetable Orzo Salad.

Finally, here are two more recipes from, my favorite, the one and only, Giada De Laurentiis. I could watch her cooking show on Food Network all day! Tri-Colore Orzo and Orzo Stuffed Peppers. Click here to watch Giada make orzo stuffed peppers for a live audience!

Easy Homemade Granola

I love breakfast! We all hear it’s the most important meal of the day and I definitely believe this is true! I especially find that as a college student, I need the fuel of a good breakfast to get me going in the morning. I also know that as a college student, I’m usually rushed in the morning so I look for something quick and easy. Many students buy a sugary pastry or bagel and a coffee on campus every morning but doing this everyday sure adds up! This daily habit leaves you with an empty wallet and often times, an empty stomach after about an hour.

However,  for an occasional splurge and treat, there are some great restaurants around the Tempe area that offer some tasty breakfast choices that I would recommend. One of my favorites is Chompies. Their omelets are to die for and I recently tried their crunchy granola pancakes. I’ve never been much of a pancake fan but the sound of fresh whole grain granola mixed into their house scratch batter sounded too good to pass up. The crunch of the granola in the pancakes was great and I was definitely impressed. However, packaged granola at grocery stores tends to be very expensive so as tempting and delicious as all the variations look, I always put it back on the shelf and purchase my usual cold cereal (I love Kashi’s line of cereals-Heart to Heart and Honey Sunshine are my personal favorites). I have a solution though! Make your own granola at home! It may sound complicated but it’s really not.

While visiting the parents back home in the frigid state of Minnesota for Christmas, my mom taught me how to make delicious homemade granola. This recipe makes several servings and it stays good for a couple weeks so it will save you trips to the grocery store and lots of money! Here is the recipe:

5 cups of rolled oats
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup honey

optional:

cinnamon

ground flaxseed meal

Preheat oven to 350.
First, measure the oats into a big bowl.  Put the brown sugar, the oil, and honey in a saucepan. Mix and heat together until boiling and combined. Tip: if you measure the oil first, then the honey won’t stick to the measuring cup as much! Add the combined liquids to the oats and mix thoroughly.  Spread on a large, greased cookie sheet (jellyroll pan – a cookie sheet with one inch sides).  Bake for 20 minutes. Tip: Stir once or twice for even browning.  Then, I like to add a sprinkle of cinnamon before baking sometimes and then about 2 Tbsp. of ground flaxseed meal when the granola comes out of the oven.  Stir to combine which also helps keep the granola from sticking to the pan as much!  Tip: don’t wait too long or the flaxseed won’t stick to the granola.  Cool and store in an airtight container.

Sounds easy, right? And I guarantee you will love the sweetness and crunch of this simple recipe. It also beats paying about $5 for a small bag at the store. I’ve also that found that eating granola in the morning satisfies my hunger much better than just cereal (and it’s definitely much more hearty than a pop tart!). If you don’t like eating granola on its own or are looking for ways to incorporate it into other foods, here are my suggestions: sprinkle the granola over vanilla yogurt (greek yogurt is the best-I’m really wanting to try Fage), top some on ice cream or on a banana spread with peanut butter (check out PB & Co’s line which are absolutely delicious!) Finally, I recently tried this vanilla almond milk and it pairs nicely with granola! You can try making your own homemade vanilla almond milk with this recipe. What are some of your favorite ways to eat granola?

So instead of dreading waking up early for class, fall asleep dreaming of your amazing bowl of granola in the morning! I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I do! I’ve found some other granola recipes from other bloggers that sound great! Check them out: Homemade granola, Christie’s granola, Nami-Nami Granola, Easy homemade granola and Granola.