More than just mac

Once again I have stumbled upon another box in that same fateful aisle. While shopping this caught my eye because of the brand, the picture, and the easiness. Kraft is a very trusted brand, in my opinion, and is something I know I can count on to have great results.

After opening the box I saw that it contained dried pasta, a small package of sundried tomatoes, and a package of sauce mix. The steps were about the same as you would follow to make the Kraft macaroni and cheese, except no other ingredients like milk and butter were needed which makes this recipe great for a college student like myself.

After boiling the pasta for the directed amount of time, it asked me to put the sundried tomatoes into the pasta and boiling them together for about two minutes, then drain both in a colander. The only problem I saw with this process was when I went to strain the boiled mixture, the sundried tomatoes fell through the slots in the colander which created a mess in the sink.

The next step was to open the package of sauce and put it on the pasta mix in the pot. Another problem arose with this process. The package says "tear here", but I was not able to open it by tearing and used a pair of scissors. When putting the sauce of the pasta, it was incredibly hard to squeeze out and also resembled human body excrement, which was not something I wanted to see just before eating it. I stirred it all together but was having trouble dissolving the sauce to make it thinner. I placed it back on the burner and the mixing became easier and the sauce was distributing better.

The taste of the final product was merely okay. I'm not a huge fan of parmesan cheese, but if you like the flavor then I think you would have enjoyed this recipe more. This box holds three servings, but if served alone with no side dishes would probably only feed two people, which was the case when I made it.

Overall I think this is a good product, and I would possibly buy it again but in a different flavor. The cost is low and it requires no other ingredients which is sometimes hard to find in these type of dinners. I believe that college students would like this product because it is a familiar brand and takes the same amount of time as another one of their Kraft favorites.

For more information regarding this product, and other Kraft dinner products please click here.

Idaho Grown

Mashed potatoes are not an easy dish to fix, especially for a novice chef like a college student. Recently, I discovered a way to make them that only involves adding boiling water: Idahoan Potatoes. They come in a dry mix, and taste like the real thing! What drew me to this product was my undying love for mashed potatoes, and cheap and easy food. The cost for this item is under one dollar! I was skeptical at first, but the finished product proved to be outstanding! This brand also boasts the "Best Taste Award" by ChefsBest in 2007, as well as the use of 100% Idaho potatoes - so you know you are getting the real deal!

Among the different flavors of potatoes are four cheese, butter and herb, and garlic mashed potatoes. Your average grocer should provide at least five of the different flavors listed on the website, here. What I like most about this product besides the easiness of it is the flavor. Some products say their flavor resembles the homemade item, but I feel like this is one of the best representatives when it comes to mashed potatoes! They were moist and flaky, and required little seasoning other than what it came with.

I believe this is a product that college students will like because it is cheap, time efficient, easy to make, and gives students a comfort from home! I will definitely try this product again and explore the different flavors offered by this company!

Italy in your apartment

There is a certain aisle in the grocery store I have come to know well. It's the one with boxed dinners like macaroni and cheese, spaghetti, and ramen noodles. A few weeks ago I was searching for a meal to try for my blog, and found this one- Pasta Roni. I'm sure many of you are familiar with it's sister brand; Rice-a- Roni. This brand is known for having easy, family friendly, and affordable selections. These adaptations come with a few pasta choices to choose from, but butter and herb italiano caught my eye.

After opening the package I found similar contents to a mac and cheese dinner. It contains a package of dried seasonings, as well as uncooked pasta. The instructions were to boil water, milk, butter, and seasonings then add the pasta. Next you cook the pasta for around eight minutes and that's it! Definitely a do-able thing for 20 year old to do!

The seasonings you added from the packet were prevalent when tasting the food, and added a lot to the dish. It was enough for two people. Although, I would suggest adding a salad or a protein to it if you are feeling a little more hungry than we were.

My only criticism of this dish was that once completed, the sauce was a little runny. The package had warned me about this and said it would thicken upon standing. I felt like this process took a little longer than necessary, so I dumped out some of the sauce and it worked fine. When I re-heated it a few hours later, the sauce was the perfect thickness.

I felt like this dish is an affordable and easy to follow recipe for college students. It's available in all grocery stores, and the brand offers more flavors and well as rice versions to suit your taste buds. I will most likely buy it again for a night in the apartment, and recommend to my fellow students for a great dinner costing less than five dollars.

Food for the carnivore in you

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As some of you may or may not know, the town of Edmond was founded because there were many train tracks running though it and thus, people wanted to live close to transportation.  This week I tried the restaurant called Oklahoma Station BBQ. I attended this restaurant as part of my social service club's fall banquet, but was in for some great BBQ!

This was my first introduction to Oklahoma BBQ, however I am sure it will not be my last. My experience at this restaurant was fantastic, to put it lightly. 

Because this event was considered a catered we only had a choice of three meats; pork tenderloin, chopped beef and sliced beef.  My date and I chose pork tenderloin. The meat tasted smoked and had wonderful flavor, and resembled turkey in taste. 

At Oklahoma Station, there are many choices for side items (almost too many!). Overall, there were about 10 to chose from on the buffet. Out of all of them I chose fried okra, macaroni and cheese, and coleslaw. All of the sides were great tasting, home style items that tasted like family recipes. For more menu options available, please click here. 

The cost I felt was reasonable. For our meals at the banquet which included; a drink, as many sides as we wanted, a piece of Texas toast and a choice of meat, was around $10. While I was there I looked at their menu and things like beef sandwiches were around five dollars. They also offer desserts, take home menu options, as well as a few "healthy choice" selections.

My experience at Oklahoma Station was wonderful and filled with great southern BBQ! I would definitely eat there again and tell my friends about it! For any information regarding locations, catering or franchising click here. 

Italian favorites made by Oklahoman's

Othello's Italian Restaurant of Edmond, OK is a family owned restaurant offering casual and affordable dining. The atmosphere while dining is relaxed, and incorporates traditional Italian decor.

What drew me to this restaurant initially was it's reputation. Around campus and to locals, Othello's is described to have great Italian food and reasonable prices. One thing I have learned in my days as a college student is that if it is approved by that demographic, then you should probably give it a try.

There are many great coupons and special offers given by the restaurant, some listed on their website. Of all of them listed, the best deal I found was 1/2 price pizza on Sunday evenings! To a college student, this means you can get 2 large pizzas, split it with about 6 people and go away only spending about $5! What a great deal! Many of my friends on the Oklahoma Christian campus have made it a tradition of going most Sunday evenings, and taking advantage of their best offer.

Their pizza has a homemade quality about it. It tastes like something your grandma would make that has been passed down for generations in your family. They use many herbs, and offer a great variety of toppings to be added if you would like them.

Another way they set themselves apart from your typical restaurant is the homemade bread given before each meal. It is not your typical bread stick, but a loaf which also tastes like a family favorite.

There are many other Italian favorites, as well as local-inspired meals offered at Othello's, but those I have yet to try. If they taste as wonderful as their pizza did, I'm sure I will be back there to give it a try someday. This restaurant is greatly loved by those whom have tried it, and will continue to be a staple of Edmond restaurant favorites. Recently, their brand has expanded to include a location in downtown Oklahoma City, as well as their first location in Norman.

For more information regarding their menu, coupons and hours of operation, please click here.

Cold weather comfort food

The time of year is approaching when we crave certain foods. Chili, soup and other seasonal favorites pop back in our minds after a year of hibernation. During this time I crave nothing more than a bowl of soup and a grilled cheese. This week, I have decided to write about a soup I have recently re-discovered; Creamy Potato by Bear Creek.

I originally tried this soup a little over a year ago after having my wisdom teeth removed, and remembered it again once the weather started to get cooler (it works great for both occasions, though).

This soup comes dried in a small bag, and claimed to make a half-gallon of soup! The instructions were very simple; boil 8 cups of water, whisk in the mix and let simmer for 15 minutes. So easy I bet a child in middle school could do it, as well as any stove-weary college students!

Another thing college students will be attracted to is the price. To make this half-gallon of soup only costs around 3.50 (less than a trip to the cafeteria).

The taste and portion of the soup well worth the price I paid. I had 5 people at my apartment when I made it and we still had a bowl left over for the next day. However, if you wanted to make it on a Sunday you could probably eat it for lunch the rest of the work week. The taste of the soup is very creamy, with some onions and parsley for flavor which would appeal to a variety of taste palates.

Bear Creek, the makers of this soup, have around ten other kinds of soup including chili, chicken noodle soup and clam chowder. These soups can be found in your local grocery stores soup aisle, along with the canned stuff. To find more information about Bear Creek, or to read about their other products, please click here.

Overall, the soup was delicious, and I would absolutely try it again, as well as other flavors offered by Bear Creek. The easiness of this recipe would be ideal for a holiday party, or if you are craving comfort food on a small budget.

Krusteaz Cinnamon Crumb Cake

I'm sure many of you have seen this in your local grocers baking aisle, and wondered what it would be like to try. This brand's selections are a little different than the average Betty Crocker box recipes. Krusteaz has a variety of muffins and cakes, as well as lemon bars. All of which can be seen on their website, here.

I picked the cinnamon crumb cake because I assumed you cannot really go wrong with cinnamon!

The cost factored into my choice as well. Around 2 dollars for this box. Another great feature about this mix is that the only thing you really need that is out of the ordinary is 1 egg. The other ingredient is water which of course, costs nothing (essentially)!

My only complaint is one that many college student would have regarding this recipe: time. Not time in baking, but time in prep. You see, in the box contains 2 different packets, one for the mix, the other the cinnamon topping. You have to alternate the layers at least two times. And when making muffins like I did instead of a cake, this got a little messy and time consuming! However, I do have to say it was worth it in the end result!

Overall, I would recommend this to college students as an alternative to brownies or cookies when baking. The price is a little more expensive than a cake mix, but when factoring in the icing, eggs and oil you would need in those recipes, the cost almost evens out. This cake could also make a great breakfast on your way out the door for class! So next time you are down your local baking aisle, don't be afraid to pick up an unknown box. You never know what you might find!