There are a handful of things we miss when we go away to college, clean bathrooms, showering without flipflops, our bed, and of course, a nice home-cooked meal. Nothing beats coming home after a long day to your favorite meal prepared by your mom or dad. We particularly miss this when the cafeteria food is especially inedible. Lucky for me, both of my parents are chefs, so I guess you could say I'm pretty spoiled in the food department. When I left for school, I made sure I had some basic recipes on hand for when I had enough time to cook something for myself or some friends real quick on a night where school dinner was pretty crappy. Believe me, it has paid off! So, without further ado, let me share with you some easy and fun recipes for the busy college student that are sure to be delicious (shout out to my mom for sharing these with me)!

Pasta in Tomato Sauce

What you'll need:

- Three cloves of garlic, diced or whole

- One small onion, diced

- Half teaspoon of salt

- Sprinkle of pepper

- Teaspoon of parsley

- Teaspoon basil

- Two cans of crushed tomato sauce

- One tablespoon of sugar

- Half cup of Extra Virgin Olive Oil

- Pasta of your choice

Start off with a half a cup of Extra Virgin Olive Oil and pour it into a decent sized pot, then throw in your diced onion and whole or diced garlic. Saute and simmer on a medium flame for at least five minutes, stirring occasionally so the bottom doesn't burn. You have to continue sauteing this until the onions and garlic get slightly browned. Once everything is sauteed, open your cans of sauce and pour them into the pot. Mix everything together and add your salt, pepper, parsley, and basil (for the best flavor, use Kosher salt), then lower your flame to a low simmer. Cook for approximately a half an hour to 45 minutes, stirring every five minutes to avoid burning the bottom. While you're waiting for your sauce to cook, you can start cooking your pasta of choice. Want to add garlic bread, too? Here's the quick recipe for that!

What you'll need:

- Italian bread

- Butter

- Garlic powder

- Salt

- Parsley

Cut you bread in half, down the middle, and then into smaller slices. Evenly spread your butter onto the bread, and then sprinkle your garlic powder, salt, and parsley. Put in the oven on broil for about five minutes, checking every minute or so (it burns very quickly!).

When all three portions of your meal are done, plate them, top it with grated cheese, and you're all set to go with a tasty and classic meal for you and all your friends!

Pasta Tossed with Veggies in Garlic and Oil

What you'll need:

- Two bags of California blend vegetables (frozen)

- Pasta of choice

- Five cloves of garlic

- One quart (32 oz) container of chicken stock

- Salt

- Pepper

- Parsley

- Basil

Put a quarter of a cup of Extra Virgin Olive Oil in a pan with your garlic and saute until it is lightly browned. Then, add your vegetables with a cup of Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Add a pinch of salt, pepper, parsley, and basil and cover the vegetables, stirring frequently. Once vegetables become softer, add a container of chicken stock and let it simmer. While this is simmering, cook your pasta. Penne, Rigatoni, or Bowtie go best with this. Once both portions are cooked, drain pasta and add to vegetables, mixing everything together for maximum flavor. Top with grated cheese and you're all set to go!

Tortellini Alfredo

What you'll need:

- Two packages of Tortellini (or just pasta of choice)

- One quart of heavy cream

- One egg yolk

- Salt

- Pepper

- Parsley

- Basil

- Grated cheese

In a sauce pan, put your quart of heavy cream and simmer on a medium heat, stirring occasionally. While this is simmering, get an egg yolk and put it in a separate bowl. Take a bit of your heavy cream, when hot, and add to the bowl, mixing them until the yolk becomes dissolved (this prevents the yolk from scrambling in your sauce). Once the yolk is dissolved, you can add it to your sauce pan and continue to stir periodically. Add your pinch of salt, pepper, parsley, and basil, and then you can add in your grated cheese. Sprinkle in just enough to not make the sauce too salty, but plenty to give it the perfect flavor, so add a bit and then taste the sauce just to make sure. Let the sauce simmer on low for a few minutes. It should cook for about a total of 15 to 20 minutes. Just before the sauce is done, you can start cooking your Tortellini. It cooks very quickly! If you choose not to use Tortellini, cook your pasta when you're ready. Once your pasta and sauce is cooked, it's ready to be plated and topped off with a bit more cheese!

Flatbread Pizza

What you'll need:

- Flatbread or Naan Tandoor baked flatbread

- Can of tomato sauce

- One eight oz bag of shredded Mozzarella cheese

- Salt

- Pepper

- Basil

- Parsley

- Toppings of choice

Put the bread onto a pan, and spoon the tomato sauce onto the bread, spreading evenly. Then sprinkle shredded Mozzarella cheese on top of sauce, with a pinch of salt and black pepper, a pinch of parsley and basil. You can add toppings of your choice, such as pepperoni, mushrooms, black olives, etc. Put the pizza in the oven and bake on high, at 400 degrees, for about 10 to 15 minutes, checking every few minutes. Once it's done, remove it from the oven and let it cool for a few minutes, then you'll be ready to enjoy the cheesy goodness!

Quesadillas and Bean Dip

What you'll need:

- Plain tortillas

- Eight oz bag of shredded blended cheese, or cheese of choice

- Cream cheese

- Can of beans

In a non-stick pan, lay your tortilla and once warm, sprinkle in your cheese and flip half of the tortilla over on top of the other half, and press down with a spatula to make sure it sticks. Let the one side grill until golden, and then flip it over to grill the other side. Let it grill until cheese is at your personal melted desire. Easy enough, right?! In a baking pan, spread a layer of cream cheese along the bottom, this is the base for your bean dip. On top of the cream cheese, add your beans, spreading them evenly. Then, on top of the beans, add as much shredded cheese as you'd like! If you'd like, you can also add sliced black olives (which is what I usually do, but it's optional). Bake in the oven, at about 350, for 12 to 15 minutes, checking every so often. It may take less or more time than this, depending on the oven and how melted you want your cheese. Once you've baked your bean dip and grilled your quesadillas, they are ready to be served with a side of sour cream, salsa or guacamole and tortilla chips for a yummy dinner!