The natural progression of living arrangements on Wittenberg’s campus begins with dorm life. A major perk of dorm life is a meal plan that makes up for students that lack access to a kitchen to prepare their own meals. The transition from dorm life to off-campus housing comes with a few perks- most notably, a kitchen. Whether moving into a house with your best friends or into an apartment of your own, the access to your own kitchen introduces an exciting adventure to explore new recipes. Although the typical college student hasn't developed strong culinary abilities similar to that of Bobby Flay, harnessing delicious and simple recipes can be the start of your culinary adventure. Are you ready to begin your culinary adventure? Let me introduce you to some of my favorite recipes!

Balsamic Vinegar Dressing Chicken Mason Jar Salad

The key to mason jar salads is the sequence of additions to the jar. You may be inclined to pour the salad dressing on last but, surprisingly, it is the first component in mason jar salads. It is important that the dressing goes on the bottom of the jar in order to prevent your salad from getting soggy. Next into the jar are tomatoes because they will absorb the flavor from the dressing. Then the cubed chicken breast goes in. Before adding the final component of romaine lettuce, put a layer of sliced almonds and dried cranberries. Mason jar salads are great lunch options for students on the go because you just place it in your bag until you find time to eat.

Pizza Macaroni & Cheese

This recipe is a mashup of two favorites: Macaroni-and-cheese and pizza. Start by cooking the macaroni according to package directions for al dente. Drain and place in casserole dish. Dice tomatoes, green and red bell peppers, then add to pasta. Pour marinara sauce over these ingredients. Then sprinkle a blend of Italian cheeses over top. Finally, layer the top with pepperonis and place the dish in the oven to bake uncovered for about 10 minutes or until the cheese is bubbly. (This is a great alternative to late-night pizza runs!)

Apple Sandwich with peanut butter and chocolate chips

They say an apple a day keeps the doctor away, but eating a plain old apple is boring. This recipe embraces the old saying while reinventing a new way to eat apples. First, core and cut the apple crosswise into half inch thick rounds. Brush the rounds with lemon juice in order to prevent them from them from getting brown. Spread a layer of peanut butter on half of the apple slices. Sprinkle a layer of chocolate chips on the layer of peanut butter. Then top the layered apple slices with the remaining apple slices to create the apple sandwich. This recipe is a great snack for during the day, and a healthy midnight snack.

Popcorn: Spicy or Sweet?

Most everyone enjoys buttery popcorn, but how else do you like your popcorn: spicy, or sweet? If you would like a spicy popcorn variation, try whisking garlic, Sriracha, and melted butter together, then pouring it over your popcorn for an unexpected flavorful kick. If you would like a sweet popcorn variation, try combining cinnamon, sugar, and melted butter, then pouring it over a bag of kettle corn for a cinnamon roll-inspired popcorn treat.

Frozen yogurt-covered blueberries and strawberries

Start by rinsing the berries and draining them. Use toothpicks to dip the strawberries and blueberries into blueberry yogurt, then place them onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Place the baking sheet into the freezer for at least an hour for the yogurt to set. Enjoy these tasty, frozen treats in ice cream or simply as a snack.

I hope you try and create your own variations of these recipes as you embark on your culinary adventure!