Before I first went off to college three long years ago, I sat both of my parents down and made them explain to me how to cook my favorite meals so I could attempt to recreate them by myself and not have to call them every step of the way. Little did I know how limiting (and disgusting) dorm kitchens can be and how difficult it is to cook as a freshman. So here are two good home-cooked meals that are easy, delicious and manageable to cook in a four-by-four foot space.

Banana Bread

The main reason I am including this recipe is because the amount of things you can “borrow” from Usdan is fairly high, which makes it affordable. The main trick to this recipe is to take the bananas a week before you want to make them into bread, and then allow them to brown on your counter until they are completely soft. If it is fairly difficult to keep bananas hidden from your roommate, you can stick them in a paper bag and put them under your bed. Just don’t forget about them.

1)    Sift together  1.5 cups flour, ½ cup sugar, 2 tsp baking soda, and ½ tsp salt.

2)    Beat 2 eggs.

3)    Add ¼ cup plain yogurt and ¼ cup vegetable oil.

4)    Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients.

5)    Add 1 cup mashed banana.

6)    Bake in a greased loaf pan at 350 degrees for 1 hour.

Chicken Soup

I don’t know about you, but whenever I am feeling sick or getting a cold this is the only thing that I want to eat. This is my little sister’s recipe and is guaranteed to make you feel happy. Chicken and broth is readily available in Weshop, and feel free to “borrow” the salt/pepper and oil from Usdan. The main kitchen utensil that you should borrow from someone in your dorm is the giant pot that is necessary to cook this meal.

1)    Sauté one diced onion, 2-3 pressed cloves of garlic, and 1 chopped carrot. Add a little rosemary, thyme, dill, or cilantro if you have it and depending on your taste.

2)    Throw in 4-6 chicken legs and cook them on medium, turning them so they yellow on all sides. Add a pinch of salt and pepper to taste.

3)    Add about 2 quarts of water.

4)    Let it simmer for 30 minutes and add equivalent chicken bouillon to the soup to add flavor. If you don’t want to add the bouillon and you have the time, you can simmer the soup for two hours.

5)    Taste and see what it needs!