Shoyu Chicken

Sources: http://www.hisurf.com/recipes/entrees/obas-shoyu-chicken.html and http://www.cooks.com/rec/view/0,1618,146190-241200,00.html

Ingredients

Variable...
Some chicken (real precise, I know)
Water (a cup or so)
Shoyu (soy sauce) about a cup or two
A couple garlic cloves
Sugar (1/2 to 1 cup depending on taste)
An onion or two (sliced)
Ginger (the refrigerated paste if you've got it)
Honey (optional)
Corn starch
Rice

Directions

Cook your rice. In a pan add water, shoyu (soy sauce), diced garlic cloves, sugar, ginger, honey, and chicken. Try the sauce, and if it's too strong add water. If it's too sour add sugar. Just play with the different ingredients until you hit a mix you like. I recommend adding the onions when you're half done so they aren't too done. Make a rue (cornstarch and water) and add that at the end if you want your sauce to be thicker. Serve it over the rice. 

Notes

Had this in Hawaii, found some recipes, and I just adapt a couple of them. Play with the amounts. 

Jodi's Single Serving Apple Crisp

Source: http://www.byu199.blogspot.com/2013/03/apple-crisp-for-one-chef-jodi.html

Ingredients

Filling:
1 apple, peeled and thickly sliced
2 Tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp cornstarch

Crisp Topping:
1-1/2 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp brown sugar
2 Tbsp oats
2 Tbsp flour
1/2 tsp cinnamon

Directions

Filling: In a small mixing bowl combine sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cornstarch. Massage the dry ingredients into the sliced apples with your hands. Place apple mixture in a microwavable bowl, cover with plastic wrap (folding some back to vent it), and microwave for 4 minutes. Meanwhile, make topping.

Topping: Heat a small frying pan on med-high and fry ingredients for the crisp topping until it is a dark golden brown (3ish minutes). Stir constantly so it doesn't burn. Add crisp topping to filling and top with vanilla ice cream, of course.

Notes

Easy & delicious. Also a dinner group recipe. 

Zach's Cincinnati Chili

Source: http://www.byu199.blogspot.com/2013/03/cincinnati-chili-chef-zach.html

Ingredients

1 1/2 lbs lean ground beef
Small onion, chopped
1 (29 oz.) can tomato sauce
1 (14 1/2 oz.) can peeled whole tomatoes
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp allspice
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 1/2 Tbsp chili powder
1 Tbsp white vinegar
1 clove garlic
3 bay leaves

1 box spaghetti
Grated cheddar cheese

Directions

Brown meat. Add onions to the meat and cook 3-5 minutes. Drain. Place meat and onions in large pot or crock pot. Add the rest of the ingredients and cook on low 4-5 hours, covered. Cook and drain spaghetti 15 minutes before serving. Remove bay leaves and garlic and serve on spaghetti with grated cheddar cheese. 

Notes

Really interesting, unique taste. This was a recipe from my dinner group that I liked a lot & thought was really interesting.

Otai

Source: http://polynesiankitchen.blogspot.com/2008/02/my-mamas-watermelon-otai-recipe_9555.html

Ingredients

1 ripe seedless watermelon
1 can crushed pineapple
1/2 cup shredded coconut
1 can coconut milk
Water (variable to taste)
1/2 cup sugar (variable to taste)
1/2 fresh lime squeezed (optional)

Directions

Cut the watermelon in half, use a fork to scrape out the insides. You want it to be pretty much mush. To the mushy watermelon juice mix, add the crushed pineapple. I recommend lots of pineapple of various sizes of chunks, and the coconut, coconut milk, sugar, and water. Refrigerate it nice and good.

Notes

This is a Polynesian drink I learned to make in Hawaii. My version is different than the source a bit, I highly recommend my version. You chew this while you drink it. I know, it looks like throw up. It is very tasty though, and could be healthy depending on how much sugar you added. 

Fried Rice

(see source for detailed directions, nutrition facts, and suggestions)

I purposefully make the directions cripplingly simple so that you'll visit the source.

Source: Google it & you'll find something.

Ingredients

White rice
Egg
Whatever you want-- meat, veggies, anything at all
Garlic
Butter
Soy sauce
Celery

Directions

Partially cook a bunch of eggs until they are semi-cooked. Remove from pan, add butter and white rice. Add in everything else, add soy sauce to taste, and garlic. Mmm... garlic. More soy sauce, get an amount you like. I love celery chopped up in this. Haven't you had fried rice before? Add the normal stuff-- veggies, sliced ham, whatever. Add in the previously cooked egg, crack in a couple more eggs if you want more egg.

Notes

Just play this one by ear. Your stove top will be a mess, but it's tasty. I'm labeling this as healthy though it probably isn't. 8/10 for versatility, cheapness, and it tastes good.

Rice Pudding

(see source for detailed directions, nutrition facts, and suggestions)

I purposefully make the directions cripplingly simple so that you'll visit the source.

Source: http://allrecipes.com//Recipe/peruvian-lomo-saltado/Detail.aspx

Ingredients

2 cups cooked white rice
3 cups milk
1/2 cup sugar
dash of salt
1/2 cup raisins
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp cinammon optional
nutmeg optional

Directions

 Add it all together except the vanilla and cinnamon and boil it, then lower the heat and simmer it. Cook 30-45 mins until it's getting thicker. Then add vanilla/cinnamon. 

Notes

I usually use a lot more milk. Mmm... creamy... Bailey's... Great for leftover rice. 5/10 it tastes good, but not amazing. It's a good "oh crap the rice expanded and now I have a gallon of leftover rice" recipe.

Lomo Saltado

(see source for detailed directions, nutrition facts, and suggestions)

I purposefully make the directions cripplingly simple so that you'll visit the source.

Source: http://allrecipes.com//Recipe/peruvian-lomo-saltado/Detail.aspx

Ingredients

1 package frozen fries (or just chop up some potatoes in strips and cook them)
oil
Thinly sliced beef of some sort
salt and pepper
1 large onion cut in strips
3 large tomatoes, sliced
1 yellow chili pepper (or whatever, its optional though)
1/4 cup white vinegar
soy sauce to taste
2 tablespoons fresh parsley (chopped, optional)

Directions

 Prepare the french fries like normal (or just cook some sliced potatoes, thats what I did.) Cook the meat with salt and pepper until just cooked, then remove, and cook the onions. Stir in the tomato and chopped pepper, cook until tomato softens. Add vinegar and soy sauce to taste. I recommend a lot of both and I also recommend lots of tomatoes. Add potatoes in, and meat, and cook until everything is done. Sprinkle with parsley.

Notes

This is a peruvian dish that my roommate taught me. We just used potatoes fried in oil all chopped up. I microwaved them first because potatoes cook so stinking slow. I like lots of vinegar and soy sauce and way more tomatoes (I used canned stewed tomatoes) and I never eat it with parsley. I'm a college student, we don't believe in parsley. 

Hershey's Kisses Peanut Butter Cookies of Doom

(see source for detailed directions, nutrition facts, and suggestions)

I purposefully make the directions cripplingly simple so that you'll visit the source.

Source: http://baking.food.com/recipe/hersheys-kisses-peanut-butter-surprise-cookies-213673

Ingredients

70 Hershey's kisses (the type with peanut butter in the middle)
1/2 cup butter or margarine, soften
1/2 cup peanut butter
2 tablespoons corn syrup (it calls for light, but forget that. Trust me, if you're eating these cookies health is the last thing on your mind)
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups flour
1/8 tsp salt

Directions

Call your doctor and have him talk you out of this. If you still want to proceed, beat the butter and peanut butter in a bowl really well. I said butter twice in that sentence, turn back now. Stir the flour, soda, and salt up and add it to the mix. Heat oven to 350 and make the dough into balls, with a hershey's kiss in the center of each ball. Roll in sugar and bake them on a ungreased pan (there's enough grease in the cookies to grease the pan for you) Bake them for 10 minutes or until golden brown at edges. Take them out and let them cool a bit, then stick a hershey's kiss on top, and melt MORE hershey's kisses and drizzle them on top. Eat, enjoy, renew gym membership.

Notes

Supposedly about 10 of these is the same amount of sugar as a soda. (without the extra kiss on top and the drizzle) Soda is awful. These are delicious. 9/10 solely on taste.

Sopapilla Cheesecake

(see source for detailed directions, nutrition facts, and suggestions)

I purposefully make the directions cripplingly simple so that you'll visit the source.

Source: http://www.food.com/recipe/crescent-sopaipilla-sopapilla-cheesecake-88420

Ingredients

2 (8 oz) packages of cream cheese

2 packages of refrigerated crescent rolls

1 cup sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract or almond extract

1/2 cup margarine or butter melted

1/2 cup cinnamon sugar

Directions

Grease the bottom of a baking pan, spread a package of crescent rolls on the bottom. Try to make it like a giant sheet with no holes that is pretty flat. Mix together the cream cheese, sugar, extract, and spread it over the rolls. Put the other package of crescent rolls layed out like the bottom layer but on top. Pour the melted butter on top (may use much much less) and sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar, bake for 30 mins at 350.

Notes

The double ll's make a long e sound. If you call it "so-puh-pill-uh" cheesecake, I will laugh at you. Also I use way less butter. That amount is way excessive. This stuff will probably kill you. It is so unhealthy that it's ludicrous. It is also insanely delicious. 10/10 based purely on taste and ease.

Pesto Chicken

(see source for detailed directions, nutrition facts, and suggestions)

I purposefully make the directions cripplingly simple so that you'll visit the source.

Source: http://www.kalynskitchen.com/2010/09/easy-recipe-for-baked-pesto-chicken.html

   Ingredients                                                   Directions

• Chicken breasts cut in strips
• Salt and black pepper
• 1/2 cup basil pesto (you may need much more)
• 1/2 cup grated mozzarella cheese

Spread pesto on the bottom of a greased baking pan, cut the chicken in strips, stick it in the pan, and spread more pesto on top. Bake it at 375 for 25-30 minutes until it's barely cooked through, add mozzarella on top and bake until it's all melted and golden. Great with rice, couscous or quinoa.

Notes

This is really delicious. I don't know that pesto & cheese are very healthy, but I guess there are worse things out there. It's easy and if you made your own pesto (see the source) it could be decently cheap. 10/10

Spinach Black Bean Lasagna

(see source for detailed directions, nutrition facts, and suggestions)

I purposefully make the directions cripplingly simple so that you'll visit the source.

Source: http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/spinach-black-bean-lasagna-10000000258981/

   Ingredients                                                   Directions

• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 (15-ounce) container ricotta cheese
• 1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and well drained
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 4 cups (16 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack cheese with peppers, divided
• 2 (16-ounce) cans black beans, rinsed and drained 
• 1 (2-pound, 13-ounce) jar pasta sauce 
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 9 precooked lasagna noodles
• Garnish: chopped fresh cilantro

Stir together first five ingredients and monterey jack, set aside. Mash beans in a bowl, stir in pasta sauce and cumin. Spread some of the bean mix on a lightly greased baking dish, layer with 3 noodles, half of spinach mix, some cheese. Repeat layers until you run out of stuff. Bake covered at 350 degrees for an hour, uncover, add more cheese, bake until cheese melts.

Notes

It's vegetarian lasagna, but it's delicious. I added extra spinach and it was probably too much. But it was still delicious. The spinach & black bean combo in lasagna is genius. I froze a bunch of this and lived off of it for weeks. 10/10

Grilled or Roasted Spice-Rubbed Chicken Thighs

(see source for detailed directions, nutrition facts, and suggestions)

I purposefully make the directions cripplingly simple so that you'll visit the source.

Source: http://asweetandsavorylife.com/grilled-or-roasted-spice-rubbed-chicken-thighs-my-go-to-easy-dinner/

Use this rub on Salmon, it's wonderful and healthy (well... the salmon is)

   Ingredients                                                   Directions

• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp cayenne
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 3-3.5 lbs chicken thighs (bone in) about 12 thigh

Mix the brown sugar, cumin, salt, garlic powder, ginger, cinnamon, cayenne, and pepper together. Rub it all over the thighs and bake them at 425 degrees for around 30 mins or until they're cooked (duh). (the internal temp should be 170 degrees)

Notes

See the source for some great tips on cooking thighs. Seriously, you'll thank me. Use a thermometer to make sure they're done but not TOO done. I love the taste of the rub. I actually put it on salmon too & it's great. I make the rub in bulk and put it on all sorts of things. 10/10

Grilled Mediterranean Vegetable Sandwiches

(see source for detailed directions, nutrition facts, and suggestions)

I purposefully make the directions cripplingly simple so that you'll visit the source.

Source: http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/grilled-mediterranean-vegetable-sandwiches-50400000121894/

   Ingredients

• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 2 small zucchini, thinly sliced lengthwise
• 2 portabella mushrooms, sliced 1/4" thick
• 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1 eggplant sliced 1/4" thick

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3/4 of a 1-lb. ciabatta loaf, split horizontally
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 medium tomatoes, sliced
• 2 ounces feta cheese, crumbled (1/2 cup)
• 2 cups baby arugula

Directions

Mix the mayo, garlic, and lemon juice to create the dressing for the sandwich. Brush the zucchini, mushrooms, and eggplant with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Grill them for a couple minutes until they get the char marks & are done. Put the grilled veggies on the bread with the dressing, sliced tomatoes, feta cheese, and arugula (or lettuce)

Notes

Eggplant should be peeled (I think) and I removed the seeds (could be wrong.) Eggplant confuses me. Don't skip the feta, it makes a big difference in taste. I didn't have fancy arugula so I used spinach. Tasted great, was quick, easy, healthy, and could be done for cheap. 10/10

Lentils, Garlic & Tomatoes

(see source for detailed directions, nutrition facts, and suggestions)

I purposefully make the directions cripplingly simple so you'll visit the source.

Source: http://www.food.com/recipe/lentils-garlic-and-tomatoes-16666#

Ingredients

4 teaspoons olive oil
1 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp salt
5 cloves minced garlic
1/2 lb tomato (peeled and minced)
1 cup dried lentils (washed and drained)

Directions

Cook the garlic in oil until it's turning brown, add tomatoes and cook until it's thick (about 8 minutes), add lentils and water, bring to a boil, cover, and reduce heat. Simmer about 30 mins, add the salt and lemon juice, mix it all up.

Notes

I've cooked this once & thought it had great flavor, was healthy, and pretty cheap/easy. Only problem I had was with the lentils-- they had dried peas mixed in and those didn't cook at the same speed so the peas were  still hard. I give it a 7/10 because it tasted good, was cheap, and healthy.