Whether you've never stepped foot in a kitchen before, or consume all your calories solely from ramen, I have formulated a list of 10 things that you can cook that will make you look like a Bobby Flay's super-star apprentice.
Don't worry, you can trust me...I've taken a one-credit cooking class at college.
1. Sweet Potato Fries
Not only are sweet potato fries bangin', they're actually really healthy too. I hear Michelle Obama is obsessed with them, so that's somethin'.
Difficulty: New born baby could do it.
Ingredients: 1 Sweet Potato, salt, pepper, olive oil
Prep: 5 Min
Cook: 20 Min
Total: 25 Min
1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
2. Cut sweet potato into little fry shapes.
3. Drizzle olive oil, salt, pepper over the potatoes, and coat evenly. (Add paprika or adobo seasoning for an extra kick!)
4. Cook for 20 minutes. (Broil for a 2-3 minutes if you like them extra crispy)
5. Devour all of it.
2. Guacamole
Guacamole has become the epicenter of people's avocado-filled desire, mainly because it's freakin' delicious. Sure, you could go to the store and buy a package, but why not impress your friends with some home-made? Luckily, it's easy AF.
Difficulty: Able to make while sleeping.
Ingredients: 2-3 Avocados peeled, 1 lime juiced, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 ground cumin, 1/2 medium onion, 1/2 jalapeño pepper (optional), 1-2 Roma tomatoes, 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro, 1 clove garlic, minced.
Total: 5-10 Min
1. Scoop out the flesh of the avocados and place them in a bowl with 3/4 of the lime juice.
2. Mash everything up with a fork.
3. Add more lime juice if needed, or to taste. (Too much lime juice turns it into liquid avocado...not too bad, but not ideal).
4. Dive face first into the bowl.
3. Mini Oreo Cheesecakes
There is nothing I love more than Oreos and cheesecake. So, if you could imagine, combining the two delicacies into one bite-size treat is literally equivalent to meeting Jesus or something. It's that good.
Difficulty: Your 3-year-old sister could do it.
Ingredients: 2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened, 1 cup sugar, 1 tsp pure vanilla extract, 2 eggs, 18 Oreo's (with extra to spare).
Prep: 10 Min
Cook: 20-25 Min
Total: 30-35 Min
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Beat the cream cheese with an electric mixer until fluffy. Add vanilla and sugar, beat well. Add 1 egg at a time and beat well after each addition.
3. Place a cupcake liner in the cup of a muffin pan. Put an Oreo cookie on the bottom of each liner. Pour the mixture over each Oreo.
4. Put a whole or crumbled up Oreo on the top of the mixture (your choice).
5. Bake for 20-25 minutes. Let cool until the cakes are completely cold (preferably 4-5 hours).
6. Eat one. Or 10. Or all of them.
4. Turkey Sausage and Kale Sauté with Polenta
This dish is both easy to make and it sounds and looks fancy so it's highly likely that people will think you're actually talented and cool (which you most likely are). If you don't know what polenta is, it's ground corn meal. It comes in a weird tube but tastes dope, so give it a chance.
Difficulty: Fifth-grade reading level.
Total: 15 Min
Ingredients: 1 tablespoon olive oil, 4 – 6 ounces chicken, turkey, or pork Italian sausage, casings removed, 8 ounces prepared polenta, cut into 8 (1/2-inch-thick) slices, 4 ounces pre-chopped kale (about 4 cups) , 1 tablespoon water, 1⁄2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, 1 cup lower-sodium marinara sauce, 2 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, torn into small pieces
1. Preheat broiler to high.
2. Heat the olive oil in a skillet on medium-high heat. Cook sausage for 3 minutes (or until cooked through). Remove the sausage. Place slices of polenta in the pan, cooking for 5 minutes. Remove the polenta. Add kale to skillet, along with pepper and water, cover and let cook for 2-3 minutes. Uncover, stir in sausage and marinara sauce, place polenta (browned side up) on the top of the mixture. Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese.
3. Broil for 2-3 minutes (depending on how well done you like it).
4. Impress everyone you know.
5. Fancy Turkey, Mozzarella, Avocado Sandwich with Balsamic Drizzle
This sandwich is not only delicious but also has the potential to make you feel as if you're sitting at a cool cafe on an Italian street corner. Just sayin'.
Difficulty: Potentially could make with one hand.
Total: 5 Minutes
Ingredients: 1/2 avocado sliced, 4 oz. turkey, tomato slices, 1 oz. mozzarella cheese, handful of spinach leaves, balsamic glaze, ciabatta bread.
1. Toast 2 slices of ciabatta bread.
2. Place turkey slices, tomato, spinach, avocado, cheese, and balsamic glaze on top.
3. Eat sandwich and refuse to give people "Just one bite".
6. Nice A** Omelette
If you're tired of eating cereal every morning, enhance your breakfast game to include this classy a** spinach and feta omelette. You deserve it, champ.
Difficulty: Able to make as long as you can reach the stove.
Total: 10 min
Ingredients: 2 eggs, handful of spinach leaves, feta cheese crumbles, drizzle of olive oil, dash of parsley, oregano, pepper, salt.
1. Preheat pan on medium heat and coat bottom with olive oil (to prevent sticking).
2. Crack eggs directly into pan, let cook for 45 seconds, then stir until the yolk is incorporated into the rest of the pan. Add oregano, pepper, parsley, and salt. When the eggs are about 3/4 of the way cooking (based on your preference, drier or more wet) add spinach and feta onto one half the eggs. Then flip the other side over to close the omelette. Let cook for another minute, flipping it, until cooked through.
3. Make some toast and enjoy.
7. Buffalo Cauliflower Bites
(^ An actual vegetable)
Besides those Oreo cheesecakes, these Cauliflower bites may have been the best thing to ever happen to me.
Difficulty: Your dog may be able to make it.
Total: 25 mins.
Ingredients: 1 cup water, 1 cup all-purpose or whole wheat flour, 2 tsp garlic powder, 1 cauliflower head, cut into florets, 1⁄2 cup Franks Hot Sauce, 1 tablespoon melted unsalted butter
1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Spray cooking sheet with non-stick spray.
2. Combine flour, water, and garlic powder in a bowl until there are no lumps.
3. Dip cauliflower into flour mixture and place on the sheet (leaving space in between each one) and cook for 20 minutes.
4. While the cauliflower is cooking, combine the hot sauce and butter in a bowl.
5. Pour the hot sauce on top of the cooked cauliflower and broil for 5 additional minutes.
6. Serve to aggressive men while they are watching football and see if they notice it's not meat.
8. Ice Cream Sandwich Cake
(^ Yes!)
This cake looks like you have been going culinary school for about five years and worked with Julia Child or something. When, in actuality, you need about 0 percent cooking skill to make it.
Difficulty: Actual 5-year-old children could do it.
Total: 10 Min
Ingredients: 9 ice-cream sandwiches, 12 Oreos, Hardening Fudge Shell, 1 Container of Cool Whip
1. Place 3 ice cream sandwiches on a plate. Drizzle hardening fudge shell on top, along with crumbled Oreos (or any candy of your choosing). Place another 3 ice cream sandwiches on top and repeat.
2. Cover entire cake with cool-whip. Drizzle more hardening shell on top with crumbled Oreo. (You may top with caramel and other candy if you like).
3. Let sit in the freezer until hard.
4. Try not to eat entire thing in one sitting (unless you're up for the challenge).
9. Ground Turkey and Pasta Combo
Ground turkey gets a bad rap because it kinda looks like a brain when it's cooked and isn't the most flavorful. But when you're a professional chef (aka, you), anything can taste good.
Difficulty: Kim Kardashian skill level
Total: 15 Min
Ingredients: 1 package of ground turkey, 1 box pasta (your choosing), 3 tsp adobo seasoning, salt, pepper, oregano, drizzle of olive oil, 1/2 tomato sauce. 2 cloves garlic, minced.
1. Bring 4 quarts of water to a boil. Add pasta when water comes to a boil and cook for 7-10 minutes (based on your pasta choice).
2. While pasta is cooking, drizzle olive oil in a pan over medium heat and cook garlic for a minute. Add adobo, salt, pepper, and oregano to one side of the ground turkey. Cook in the pan, seasoned side down, then season the other side the same way. Mix ground turkey around to cook evenly.
3. Once pasta is done cooking, drain, and add to the turkey mixture. Add tomato sauce to pan and stir, making all is heated.
4. Talk sh*t about the turkey haters and let them try some of your bomb meal.
10. BBQ Chicken Pizza
(^ I drooled)
BBQ chicken is a delicacy itself. Pizza is already on its own playing field of deliciousness. When the two come together, the stars align and your tastebuds weep with happiness.
Difficulty: Ability to use an oven.
Total: 15-20 Min
Ingredients: 1 prepared pizza dough (of your choosing), BBQ sauce, shredded jack and chedder cheese, shredded chicken, bell pepper, raw onion.
1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
2. Roll-out the dough into the familiar pizza shape. Cover the base in BBQ sauce, then top with cheese, chicken, peppers, and onions.
3. Cook for 15-20 minutes.
4. Jump and down with joy.
These recipes are simple to follow and actually taste great (I've tried them all first hand- and mouth). So, instead of Netflix and Chillin' with your new boy/girl, have a classy ass dinner (or breakfast) with them and show off those newfound cooking skills.
Bon appétit.
