Fuqua Fast Food: Healthful Meals for the Busy Student

This week’s recipe: Easy Bake Chicken

If you’re like most busy Fuquans, preparing a home cooked meal from scratch seems overwhelming in the amount of time it takes. It’s so much easier to just grab some fast food or pick up pizza. Plus, on the rare occasion you do get to see what’s in the fridge to cook, you may have a familiar reaction - “Not chicken again”.

Chicken isn’t known for being the most exciting entrée because it doesn’t have a distinct taste without some sort of seasoning. But chicken doesn’t have to be boring, and it doesn’t have to just taste good fried or grilled. In fact, mixed in with some basic items, it can not only taste delicious, but be a healthier alternative to on-the-go food. Especially on those cold Durham evenings, here’s a warm and easy meal to spice up the frozen chicken in your freezer.

So if you are still recovering from Cranberry overload or interview frenzy, take some personal time to relax, eat, and savor.

 

INGREDIENTS

1 package of your favorite chicken stuffing

¼ cup melted butter

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut cubed

1 (10 ¾ - oz.) can cream of mushroom soup

1/3 cup of sour cream

 

 

EQUIPMENT NEEDED

13 x 9 inch baking dish

 

DIRECTIONS

• Mix contents of stuffing package with butter and 1 ½ cups hot water; set aside.
• Place chicken in baking dish
• Mix sour cream and soup and pour over chicken in dish; top with stuffing
• Bake at 375 degrees for 35 minutes or until chicken is cooked through

This week’s recipe: Roasted Vegetable Gratin

By. Misa Misono

Since coming to Milan, my re-entry into Italian life and culture has been drawn out over the course of several snow-filled days.  I was greeted by a snowstorm that caught the locals off guard, and the city shut down the highways that the vacationing Milanese hoped to use to return to their homes.  What did that mean for me? Almost nothing was open, the streets were deserted, and it was incredibly cold – all reasons to stay indoors and hibernate.  And of course, cook.

At some point in this period of solitude, I noticed that I was not eating enough vegetables, despite being surrounded by fresh produce.  The best vegetable produce in Italy is often found at the small, local, but abundantly stocked stands or in my case, shops. After studying my Italian dictionary for a few days, I finally mustered up the courage to visit, and this vegetable gratin was the simple but tasty result.

Playing on both French ratatouille and Italian olive oil roasted vegetables, I created a hearty, attractive dish that is made layer by layer like lasagna.  Easy to assemble and accepting of improvisations or ingredient substitutions—add some sliced mushrooms or replace the tomato paste with pesto—my vegetable gratin delivers flavor, texture, and as a bonus, many vitamins.  Served with rice or couscous, it turns into a complete meal that will help you make it through a chilly Durham night.

 

 

INGREDIENTS

 

1 large eggplant

2 zucchini

1 red bell pepper

1 small onion

2 tablespoons of tomato paste

1 long hot pepper (optional)

2 cloves of garlic

½ cup vegetable or chicken stock

1/3 cup shredded parmesan cheese (or mozzarella)

 

Salt and pepper

Extra virgin olive oil

Italian dried herbs or herbs de Provence (or a mix of parsley, rosemary, and sage)

 

EQUIPMENT NEEDED

1 8x8x2 inch baking dish

 

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 375. Wash and dry all vegetables.  Cut eggplants into rounds about a 1/3 of an inch thick.  Set aside. Cut onion in half lengthwise (through the root) and then, putting cut-side face down, cut parallel to the root, creating thin half-moon shaped slices.  Chop the zucchini into rounds – they should look like coins when you’re done.  Cut out heart of bell-pepper and then slice into thin pieces. Mince (this means small!) garlic and hot pepper, if using.

 

Quick Prep Tip

Except for the eggplant and the garlic, you can avoid cutting up the vegetables by buying a pre-cut frozen vegetable mix of your choosing – I would go for a stir-fry mix that has larger chunks of vegetables – and use that as the “filling”.

 

In the baking dish, make a single layer of eggplant. A little overlap is okay. Put a layer of zucchini, onions, and peppers – it does not all have to lay flat, but it should be evenly distributed.  Squirt out a tablespoon of tomato paste, concentrating on getting a bit in each quadrant of the dish. Sprinkle on half garlic and hot pepper.  Sprinkle about a teaspoon of herbs over the layer.  Drizzle olive oil over dish, and sprinkle salt and pepper.

 

Put another layer of eggplant slices, and then repeat with vegetable mix.  Press lightly and top with a layer of eggplant slices.

 

Pour broth over the top of the dish (broth should pour over vegetables and create a pool on the bottom of the dish). Top with a drizzle of oil, salt and pepper, and shredded cheese. 

 

Bake, uncovered, in the oven for about 35-45 minutes.  Check it at 30 minutes to make sure it isn’t burning. If it is, cover it with a piece of foil for the remaining time until vegetables are cooked.  If the vegetables look super shriveled up, add a bit more broth (1/4 cup) for the last 10 minutes.  The top should be golden brown in spots.

 

Let rest for 5-10 minutes before serving.  Serve over rice – and scoop up some of the juice from the bottom of the pan.

Holiday Baking Photos

FYs and SYs joined the Culinary Club Trio of Jenn, Cindy and Misa at the Lofts for a 3-in-1 baking lesson.

Culinary Hits and Highlights of Durham

Author: Misa Misono

This past Monday, I realized that I only have two real weeks left at Fuqua. I will be studying in Milan this spring and when I return in late April, gone will be the classes, the team-meetings, and the scarfing down of food in the precious 45 minute window between 12:45 and 1:30.  Instead, I will be greeted with graduation festivities, debauchery, and if all goes well, a still-viable full-time job offer.  While this is in no way a bad proposition, I was still hit with a wave of nostalgia and amazement for all that has happened in the short time since I entered Fuqua. So, in my farewell article from this side of the Atlantic, I am giving you not a recipe, but a list of some of my favorite local haunts that I will miss while pursuing my own personal la dolce vita.

 

Ciao, amici, e buon appetito!

 

Unless otherwise noted, places listed are in Durham

 

·        A Southern Season, Chapel Hill: The Mecca of all things food. If you’re looking for a tagine, a sieve, wine, or some great cheeses to impress your friends, take a trip to Southern Season.

 

·        Counter Culture Coffee: Available at Fosters, Whole Foods, and Southern Season, this local coffee roaster has won accolades across the nation.  If you’re an espresso-geek like me, you’d be interested to know that espresso-philes nationwide consider Counter Culture’s Espresso Toscano THE ultimate espresso bean and mail-order it.

 

·        Guglhupf: Coffee, fresh baked treats, and alcohol, oh my!  This place offers something for everyone, and is a must-visit for brunch. 

 

·        La Vaquita: If you’re into cabeza or just great asada, hit this cheap eats place on Chapel Hill Road with the fiberglass cow on top.

 

·        Lantern, Chapel Hill: A great date place, this chicly decorated restaurant serves up Asian-southern fusion.  Yes, Asian-southern.  Get the salt and pepper shrimp, and a signature Lantern cocktail.  You too will become a convert to this oddest of fusion cuisines.

 

·        Magnolia Grill: Yes, it’s expensive, and no, the décor does not make sense, but the food is top notch and takes southern cuisine to a whole new level.

·        Mint, Chapel Hill: Passing both Indian restaurant name tests (no mention of India or the Taj Mahal in its title), this new Indian place on Franklin is the best I’ve had within easy driving distance.  The vegetarian platter is a great bargain and could feed a small family, and the samosas are actually made on the premises. (PS, if you want to drive further, try Saffron in Morrisville. I haven’t been there, but have heard it is great.)

 

·        Q-Shack BBQ: Texan and NC style sauces are provided to meet everyone’s needs, and the sweet potato fries are heavenly.

 

·        Randy’s Pizza: There’s something irresistible and nostalgic about Randy’s pizza, especially when taken with cold beer.  Best enjoyed burning hot with plenty of red pepper flakes.

 

·        Rockwood Filling Station: Despite the name, it is not in fact a filling station, but a Neapolitan-style pizza place.  While not as good as the real thing, it does a stand-up job with some serious high-heat oven power.  Trust the owners and eat one of their pizzas instead of making your own.

 

·        Shiki Sushi: No, it’s not San Fran or New York quality, but it is consistent, reliable, and a great deal – they offer 2-for-1 sushi most nights.

 

·        Tonali Mexican Restaurant: Get the fish tacos and die happy. Enough said.

 

·        Twisted Noodle: Thai-ish food, while not totally authentic, is reliably tasty and affordable to boot.

 

·        Watts Grocery: This well designed restaurant offers a great shrimp burger on its lunch menu and an amazing pork chop on its dinner menu.  Sourcing much of its food locally and seasonally, Watts offers a gourmet treat in a really lovely setting.

This week’s recipe: Easy chicken pot pie

Author: Christen Wall

It is that time of the year once again. The leaves are falling and the temperatures continue to drop, and now is as good as ever to snuggle up at home with some warm comfort food. The best meals are both easy to make and delicious. The following recipe, chicken pot pie, does both while also complementing the season well.

My mom used to make chicken pot pie for my family because it is very nutritious and easy to make. It’s so easy to make that even my boyfriend likes to cook it when it’s his turn to serve dinner! This is also a nice recipe that you can customize to your tastes.  If you like more or less of one type of vegetable feel free to modify the recipe to accommodate your personal tastes.

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes

 

Ingredients:

1 can Cream of Chicken Soup

1 bag frozen Mixed Vegetables (thawed)

1 cooked cut-up chicken breast

1 can of Pillsbury flakey biscuits

 

DIRECTIONS

1.      Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. 

2.      In a bowl, combine the mixed vegetables, cream of chicken soup, and chicken.  Add water to the empty can of cream of chicken soup until the can is approximately 1/3 full. Add the water to the bowl as well.

3.      Stir the contents of the bowl and add to a casserole dish.

4.      Bake uncovered for 30 minutes or until vegetables are cooked.

5.      While the vegetables are cooking, you can also cook the biscuits. Cook these to the package directions.

6.      Remove from oven and let cool on a heat resistant surface for 5 minutes.

7.      Serve the vegetable mixture with biscuits and enjoy!

 

SERVES: Serves 2-3 people

Know of a great recipe or restaurant in the Triangle area? Let us know at fuquaculinary@gmail.com or on our new blog: http://fuquaeats.blogspot.com.

This week’s recipe: Sweet Chocolate Peanut Butter Balls

Author: Marla Abramson

Is school getting to you? Between the job search and midterms, I’m more wound up than a matchbox car. Cooking often provides a good outlet and let’s face it, sometimes us Fuquans deserve to indulge. And nothing says indulgence better than chocolate. It can be complex, simple, or refreshing but anyway you make it, chocolate can be more than a sweet treat.

 

This past Saturday, Fuquans and partners tested this theory at the Culinary Club's Chocolate Progressive event. With 13 dishes in 10 apartments, there was a lot to sample. John Yuen rolled fruit and sticky rice into his chocolate sushi, while Erika Jennings dished out bread pudding. Other students offered Oreo-crusted white chocolate mousse torte, chocolate hazelnut mousse cake, white chocolate raspberry brownies, and chocolate caramel cheesecake.

 

I myself whipped up a batch of chocolate peanut butter balls: the chocolate tastes both simple and complex and packs enough sugar to fuel my team through midterms. Speaking of which, try this recipe to celebrate the end of exams and start your Thanksgiving early.

 

Sweet Chocolate Peanut Butter Balls

 

Ingredients

½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature

2 cups creamy peanut butter

3 cups confectioners' sugar

3 cups crispy rice cereal, crushed

1 cup semisweet mini chocolate morsels

2  12-oz packages semisweet chocolate morsels

 

Directions

1. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. In a large bowl, combine butter, peanut butter, sugar, rice cereal and mini chocolate morsels. 

2. Roll the mixture into 1-inch balls, place onto the parchment-lined cookie sheet, and put the tray in the freezer.

3. In a double boiler over simmering water, melt the semisweet morsels. Stir constantly until melted and smooth. If pressed for time, microwave the chocolate for 80 seconds, stirring every 20 seconds.

4. Dip the frozen treats in the melted chocolate, and put them on a cool cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.

5. Place the chocolate-covered treats in the freezer for 5 to 10 minutes, or until the chocolate has set.

6. Store the treat in an airtight container at room temperature.

 

Makes about 3 dozen

Chocolate Progressive Photos

Photos by Marla

Recipe for Chocolate Sushi by John Yuen

INGREDIENTS

12 oz semi-sweet chocolate (dark chocolate works better)

2-3 tablespoons light corn syrup

4 oz cooked sticky rice

fruit, cut into strips (Asian pears, tangerines, persimmon, and other sweet, fleshy fruits work well)

DIRECTIONS

To make the chocolate: Over low heat, melt the chocolate together with the corn syrup. Once melted, pour the chocolate ont a large piece of wax paper, and fold the paper over to cover the chocolate. While still warm, form the chocolate into a sheet about 1/4-inch thick. Let cool to room temperature. (To speed this up, you may also place it in the fridge for approximately 20 minutes.)

To make the sticky rice: A quick way to make sticky rice is to cook it normally in extra water, and add sugar. Use a medium grain rice, and wash thoroughly before cooking. Add 2-3 times the water as rice, and add sugar as the rice heats. Cook about 45 minutes. Alternately, to add flavor, you can cook the rice in sweet tea, fruit juice, or another sweet drink. Allow the rice cool to room temperature, and it will become sticky.

To make the sushi: Put the chocolate sheet on a flat surface. Test for firmness by making sure you can slowly bend the chocolate without it breaking; it should remain as one solid piece. Place the rice and fruit on the chocolate. Next, slowly and carefully roll the chocolate over. Cut with a sharp knife and serve immediately.