The Cavalier Daily
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Hoos in the kitchen

Five meals for less than $10

Whether you’re the next Gordon Ramsay or are just learning how to put Bagel Bites in the microwave, all college students love the prospect of a cheap meal. For us upperclassmen lucky enough to have a kitchen — we use the term “kitchen” loosely — here are five tasty meals that will feed four for less $10. Bon Appetit!

1. Fettuccine Edgar “Alfred-Poe”

_½ pint heavy whipping cream
½ cup butter
¾ cup of Parmesan cheese
1 package fettuccine

Optional: grilled chicken_

Fettuccine “Alfred-poe” is delicious and extremely simple to make, while bringing you lighter feelings than The Raven — or really any of Poe’s stories — did. First, impress your friends with this tasty homemade sauce. Combine the heavy whipping cream, Parmesan cheese and butter in a saucepan and heat it on the stove. Simultaneously boil water and cook the noodles in a separate pot. After that, drain the pasta and add the sauce, then voilà! If you are in the mood for something extra and are willing to spend slightly more time, effort and money, you can always add some grilled chicken!

2. Grilled Cheese Around Grounds

_4 large slices of American or mozzarella cheese
8 slices of bread
2 tomatos
Butter or olive oil_

Everybody loves a good grilled cheese sandwich — so here is an opportunity to dress it up a bit. Instead of just a slice of American cheese and bread, you can splurge a bit and add some mozzarella cheese, a few slices of tomato and, if you are feeling extra fancy, a little basil. It’s like a Caprese salad between bread! Simply assemble the sandwiches and cook them in a buttered frying pan on a stovetop. For a slightly healthier meal, use olive oil instead of butter in the pan. Works like a charm!

3. The Good Ol’ Salad

_2 pears
4 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and pepper (for taste)
1 bag of lettuce
Bleu or feta cheese
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

Optional: almond slices_

If you are looking for a lighter, refreshing meal, this salad is for you. To begin, preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Then, peel and dice the pears, mix them together with one tablespoon of olive oil and sprinkle on salt and pepper. After this, place them onto the baking sheet and bake for 12-15 minutes. After the edges of the pears are golden, take them out, put them over lettuce, and add either bleu or feta cheese.

To make the dressing, mix together Dijon mustard, red wine vinegar and three tablespoons of olive oil. To keep it simple, stop there, or add almonds slices for a little crunch!

4. Rotunda Rigatoni

_1 onion
1-2 cloves garlic
1 package penne or rigatoni pasta
Olive oil
1 pound ground beef
28-ounce can of plum tomatoes

Optional: Parmesan cheese_

For this hearty meal, preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit, and put a pot of water on the stove to boil. While things are heating up, chop up the onion and garlic. Once the water comes to a boil, add in the pasta along with a drizzle of olive oil to keep the noodles from sticking together. While the pasta is cooking, brown the ground beef over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally. Once cooked, drain the water from the pasta and the grease from the ground beef, and put them both into a baking pan. Next, open and drain the can of plum tomatoes and add them to the pan. Add in the onion and garlic, and if desired, sprinkle some Parmesan cheese to top it off. Place the pan in the oven, set a timer for 20 minutes, then sit back and relax while you await your delicious meal.

5. Cavalier Chicken

_4 chicken breasts
1 can Campbell’s Cream of Mushroom soup
½ cup milk

Recommended Side Dishes: rice and a vegetable_

This is a classic meal: chicken, rice and a vegetable of your choice. You can cook chicken many different ways, but the simplest is to preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit, place the chicken in the pan, open a can of Campbell’s Cream of Mushroom soup, mix in the milk and pour it on top of the chicken.

Once you have prepared the chicken, all you have to do is put it in the oven. It takes about an hour to bake, but you can use that time to boil your rice and vegetables in separate pots on the stove, or catch up on some reading for class the next day. Afterward, drain the water from your rice and vegetables, take the chicken out of the oven and indulge!

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