Pho, [pronounced: fuh], is a delicious combination of broth and noodles ... and it’s quickly becoming the college student’s new Ramen. Pho restaurants are popping up left and right as its popularity steadily grows in the States, and there are a number of different recipes that allow you to make this masterpiece at home.

Pho has only been around for the last 100 years or so, making an especially big splash in its native country, Vietnam. The first pho restaurant opened in 1920, and it wasn’t even considered popular in South Vietnam until around the 1950s. It’s been suggested that its name came from the word “fun” as pronounced in Cantonese. In 2011, CNN dubbed pho the 28th “World’s 50 Most Delicious Foods.”

Ingredients:

• 4 quarts beef broth
• 1 large onion, sliced
• 6 slices fresh ginger root
• 1 lemon grass
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 tsp. whole black peppercorns
• 1 pound sirloin tip, cut extremely thin
• 16 oz. packages of dried rice noodles
• 1/2 tbps. hot pepper sauce
• 3 tbps. fish sauce

Tiropita is a classic Greek appetizer that will be sure to fill your stomach without emptying your wallet. Its primary ingredients include four types of cheeses, eggs and the traditional phyllo dough used in a variety of Greek dishes. A popular version of the Tiropita is the Tyropitakia, which literally translates into “bite-sized cheese pie.”

The main reason why college students may be able to especially appreciate this cuisine is that the ancient Greeks were incredibly frugal and founded their food on what they call the “Mediterranean triad:” wheat, olive oil and wine. Contemporary times have added a wide array of cheeses to this list, inspiring the dish we’ll create today.

Ingredients

Canada is one of the last countries typically thought of for rich, decadent cuisine. Then again, not everyone knows what they’re looking for. Many Canadian dishes were adopted by the French, so their recipes share many similarities. The largest tradition that the United States shares with Canada is the celebration of harvest, which is commemorated with a symbol of autumn: the pumpkin.

Canadian maple pumpkin pie is a traditional dessert celebrated around the holidays of Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas. Using maple syrup as an ingredient is customary in Canada, which produces the most maple syrup in the entire world.

For this recipe, we’re going to use a store-bought pie crust. Feel free to make your own if you’re feeling ambitious -- but the popular “pate sucree” French pastry dough typically used in Canadian pumpkin pie takes about four hours to bake, and the same goes for pumpkin puree. For now, we’ll stick to the easy route.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon flour
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg
• 15 ounces of pumpkin puree (canned)
• 3 eggs
• 2/3 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 cup maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Fit the pie crust in a 9-inch pan, and warm it in the oven until it is hot.

2. Stir brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, salt, ginger and nutmeg in a large bowl. Add the pumpkin puree, eggs, heavy cream, maple syrup and vanilla extract into the dry mixture and whisk until completely smooth.

3. Pour pie filling into the crust and bake for one hour.

Pumpkin pies may be served either chilled, at room temperature or slightly warm. Canadians top this treat with heavy whipping cream or brandy sauce -- or both! Enjoy this orange pastry alongside your Christmas dinner this year. While pumpkin pies may not be too popular come spring or summertime, truth is they are just as delicious year-round.

By: Rachel Davidson | Image: Source

Ingredients:

• 4 teaspoons active dry yeast
• 1 teaspoon white sugar
• 1 & 1/4 cups warm water
• 5 cups flour
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup baking soda
• 4 cups hot water
• 1/4 cup kosher salt (for topping)

Instructions:

Let your taste buds soar with one of the most popular adaptations of the classic pancake: the crêpe. Originating from the Latin word ‘crispa,’ which means ‘curled,’ crêpes are thinner and more delicate than a pancake, though usually made of similar ingredients. They are considered to be one of the many timeless cuisines of France and are served along the streets in both sweet and savory styles. The best thing about these delicacies? There are variations between types that make this treat a great breakfast, lunch, or a super sweet dessert, as we will see below.

Ingredients (yields 8 servings):

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons melted butter

Toppings:

• Brown sugar
• Honey
• Sliced strawberries
• Chocolate sauce
• Whipped cream

1. Whisk together the flour and eggs until blended. Gradually stir in the milk to a smooth consistency before adding in the sugar, salt and butter. Beat until you have achieved an even texture.

2. Lightly oil a frying pan and place over medium to high heat. Use a 1/4 measuring cup to pour the batter onto the pan, tilting the pan in a slow circle so that the batter is spread out evenly.

3. Fry each side of the crepe for about 2 minutes or until lightly browned -- but be careful to keep an eye on each as they cook, as these delicacies are easy to burn.

4. Add your toppings!


For the toppings listed above, first cover the crepe in brown sugar and drizzle honey over this, then layer the sliced strawberries across the gooey surface. Top it off with some whipped cream with chocolate syrup drizzled over and eat either open-faced or rolled up.

As mentioned above, you can replace the sugary toppings with meat and veggies to make a savory dish, which is often called a galette. Whichever way you choose to prepare this dish, the versatility of the crêpe will ensure its spot on the menus and in the bellies of foodies around the world.

By: Rachel Davidson | Images: Source

Authentic Mexican cuisine may seem few and far between around the average college campus. Escape from the dreary mess of Mexican fast food restaurants by creating this masterpiece of a meal in your own home or dorm kitchen. This family recipe features a special homemade sauce that puts a personal touch on your finished dish that will be sure to wow your friends and roommates.

Enchiladas originally hail from Mexico and may be dated as far back as the era of the Mayans. They were mentioned in the first Mexican cookbook in 1831, "El Cocinero Mexicano."

The following recipe can be altered in countless ways. Add veggies, beans, other types of meat, or try varying levels of spice to heat up your finished dish!

Ingredients:

• California chiles (dried)
• 2 cloves of garlic (minced)
• 40-50 corn or flour tortillas
• 1 can of tomato paste
• 1 lb. of shredded chicken
• 3-4 large potatoes
• Any amount of cheddar cheese
• Vegetable oil

1. Slice open the chiles to spoon out the seeds and put them in a pot to boil. California chiles are pretty mild, so if you want to add more spice to this recipe, try substituting these with New Mexico chiles. Peel and boil the potatoes in a second pot.

2. Put the boiled chilies, tomato paste and garlic in a blender with a small amount of water (about 1/4 cup) and blend to make the sauce. Keep adding water until you’ve reached your perfect consistency.

3. Put each tortilla in a pan with oil to brown. Let each one cool before moving forward. In a second pan, begin heating the sauce.


4. Dip each tortilla in the enchilada sauce and fill with any amount of chicken and potatoes. Roll each enchilada up into a tube shape and place next to each other on a baking sheet. Fit as many enchiladas on the sheet as possible -- they should be touching each other. Sprinkle as much cheddar cheese as you’d like on top and put in the oven for about 10 minutes at 250 degrees, or until the cheese melts.



These are easy to make, don’t take much time and are a cheap way to feed a house full of hungry college kids -- plus, they make great leftovers. Serve this dish with guacamole, sour cream, rice and any other favorite sides for the full effect of a terrifically caliente Mexican feast.

By: Rachel Davidson | Images: Source, Rachel Davidson

Asian food has become a staple in the college diet in many forms. One of the best examples of this is the Jiaozi, which is the traditional name of the Chinese dumpling that has spread to Japan, Eastern and Western Asia. It is also the formal name of the famous pot sticker. The Chinese New Year is often celebrated with vast amounts of Jiaozi because their appearance is similar to the money (‘yuan bao’) that was used during the Ming Dynasty. Serving Jiaozi is believed to bring prosperity.

There are many ways to prepare a Jiaozi: boiled, steamed and pan fried are traditional, but today we will focus on one of the most popular and easy to prepare: the Chinese Pot Sticker.

Fillings:

• 3 cups of shredded cabbage
• 1/4 cup of chopped green onion
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon ginger
• 1 large clove of garlic, minced
• 1-2 lbs of ground pork, chicken, or turkey

Wrappers:

• 4 cups flour
• 2 cups water
• pinch of salt

1. Grind, mince and shred all of the filling ingredients in one large bowl to create a smooth consistency. All ingredients should be chopped into tiny pieces.

2. Take about two tablespoonfuls of the mixture, roll it into a ball, place it in a wrapper and seal the edges together with water. You can fold these into any shape you want: square, triangle, circle ... use your imagination!


You can easily find premade won-ton wrappers in most grocery stores, but for the ambitious college foodie who wants to make her own, know that the amount of water will differ for every batch. Start with a smaller amount and add as needed. Good dough will be firm and feel silky. However, rolling out the dough to the ideal thin, round shape is very difficult because of its shrinking nature. Make sure each piece is less than 1/4 inches thick.


3. Place pot stickers sitting upright in a pan with oil and cook uncovered for about two minutes, or until brown, at medium heat. Next, add about 1/2 cup of water and cover for about 8-10 minutes on low heat (or until the water evaporates). Your finished pot stickers will look something like this.


Make these for lunch, dinner, multiply the recipe to serve at a party or make extras to freeze for later! Believe it or not, these guys can last 3-4 months if frozen in a secure package. This recipe will make about 50 pot stickers, which means that most of your energy will go into folding each edge together. If you have no energy but extra filling by the end of your meal, cook the meat and serve it as a side to noodles or any other Asian cuisine. Also, be sure to save some extra soy sauce (or sweet and sour sauce) to dip your finished products in! Happy cooking!

By: Rachel Davidson 

Pizza is one of the easiest, quickest and yummiest meals that can feed a household -- all for less than $20. With unlimited sauce and topping combinations, there’s no wonder that pizzerias are consistently able to keep competing and are successful businesses. But consider this -- next time you’re craving this classic, save on the tip for the delivery guy and make your own Italian masterpiece at home.

The recipe below is simple, easy and authentic Italian. Most Italian-style pizzas have a tomato base and use mozzarella cheese. Prosciutto is a dry-cured ham that’s usually eaten raw, but tastes great baked as well. Northern Italy is renowned for its prosciutto, and some manufacturers spend up to nine years preparing this meat.

• Tomato or marinara sauce
• Olive oil
• Mozzarella cheese
• Prosciutto
• Salt & pepper
• Butter
• Pre-made pizza dough

Use as much as you’d like of each of these ingredients. You can alter this recipe in limitless ways by swapping the classic tomato sauce with pesto or a creamy ranch, adding veggies or using different meat and cheese. The possibilities are endless and easy to experiment with different variations, so choose your favorites and start mixing and matching!

1. Remove your dough from the fridge about 30 minutes before you plan to start cooking. The dough should get as close to room temperature as possible.

2. Cover a baking pan with flour so the dough doesn’t stick. Knead your hands through the dough and spread it out on the pan. Make sure the thickness is consistent.

3. Drizzle olive oil all over the dough, adding salt and pepper if you want. Next, butter just the crust of the pizza.


4. Spread tomato sauce across the pie and add cheese and whatever toppings you’d like. Put in the oven for 25 minutes at 450 degrees (leave in for longer if you like a crispier crust).
For another fun way to use any extra dough you may have, try braiding strands together to make breadsticks. Dip these in tomato sauce or butter them with cinnamon and sugar for your sweet tooth. You can turn nearly any of your favorite ingredients into an Italian masterpiece as long as you infuse your own creativity!

By: Rachel Davidson | Image: Weheartit, Rachel Davidson