Collegiate Cook | Shortcuts for Starving Students

Pumpkin “Whoopie, Finals are Over!” Pies

Filed under Apartment, Desserts, Party foods by admin on December 15, 2010 at 7:41 pm {one comment}

You ignored the “Best Par-tay EVERRRR!!!” messages on Facebook so you could write the best Western Civilizations paper ever. You told your roommate the only “going out” you could do meant lugging a backpack full of books to the library to research, and when your friends scored an extra ticket to the concert you’ve been dying to go to, you declined so you could study.

(Okay, maybe you actually went to the concert at the expense of your sociology study group, but otherwise, you were so committed.)

Sacrifices like that deserve a celebration. They deserve something that’ll put a smile on your – and your equally exhausted, studious friends – face, and they deserve something better than watered-down beer in a plastic Solo cup.

You need a pumpkin whoopie pie. And you need one now.

Flavorful and moist, with the whimsy of a cupcake (and without the messy gob of frosting on top), this delightful little pie takes minutes to make.

I triple-dog dare you not to grin like a five-year-old on a sugar high after tasting one.

Kitchen gadgets needed: measuring cups, mixing bowl, whisk, cookie sheet, oven, oven mitts

Ingredients:

1 stick of butter, melted
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup of pumpkin (a little over 1/2 a can)
1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
1-2/3 cups flour
Cheat: 1 container of cream cheese frosting (We recommend the whipped variety, since it tends to be lighter and fluffier)

Time commitment: 20-25 minutes to prepare/cook, 20 minutes to cool before frosting

Steps:

1. First, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. While the oven heats, whisk the melted butter and brown sugar together until its smooth.

2. Next, whisk in all of the other ingredients except for the flour, blending them together.

3. Fold in the flour until you create a muffin-like batter (not as runny as cake batter, but not as dense as cookie dough).

4. Spoon the batter into tablespoon-sized balls on a cookie sheet. Then place ‘em in the oven for 5-6 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the center of a whoopie pie.

5. Once the whoopie halves are cool (about 20-30 minutes), ice the flat side of half the pile with cream cheese frosting, then top with an unfrosted half.

The 2010 Foodie Gift Guide

Filed under BLOG by admin on December 9, 2010 at 8:46 pm {no comments}

No matter how much you detest them, generic gifts can be so easy to give. As you pop open each chocolate-filled day on the advent calendar, the time to contemplate one thoughtful, awe-inducing gift fades away, and before you know it, it’s Dec. 24^th and you’re standing outside the fluorescent glow of the local drugstore, determining which value-priced soap basket or As-Seen-on-TV product to buy.

This doesn’t have to be your fate, though. Sure, picking out gifts can be mind-boggling work (whoever made rocket science the idiom to symbolize a challenge certainly hasn’t tried Christmas shopping for Aunt Bertie), but we’ve compiled a bunch of food-related ideas to motivate and inspire you.

Shelf the “World’s Best Dad” mug

Give that hardworking padre of yours the thing he really needs — a travel minibar or coffee kit that goes anywhere he does. Business trips just got a heck of a lot more bearable. Coffee tote, UncommonGoods.com. $56. Mini Travel Bar, UncommonGoods.com. $42.

Mind your manners

Your mom taught you not to put your elbows on the table or slurp your soup, so why not show her you took those words to heart with a cheeky piece of wall art? Miss Manners would definitely approve. Choice of three prints, “Etiquette Collection,” Coulson Macleod wall art. £199.

However, if the price tag makes your head spin and you can’t imagine creating your own DIY version, how about this bright print to sass up her kitchen? My mother doesn’t drink, but even she can appreciate the sentiment. “When Life Hands You Lemons” print, Etsy user dearcolleen, $29.

Swap the Slap Chop for…

This sweet, uh, Foodpod. Not only does it look like the fruit of some futuristic, alien plant, giving it instant cool points — it makes boiling and blanching vegetables incredibly easy. Now there’s no reason for your timid friend to dodge the kitchen. Fusion foodpod cooking vessel, Amazon.com. $12.33.

The poor man’s Roomba

For the past few years, my best friend has fought through Black Friday crowds for a Roomba, only to turn up empty-handed (and beat-up) hours later. Since it’s hard to splurge on the real thing, this little desktop buddy is sure to whisk away any countertop crumbs. Mini Robo Vacuum, FredFlare.com. $20.

Upgrade those half-hearted BFF necklaces

It doesn’t matter how mature you are — there’s something irresistible fun about these whimsical stud earrings. It’s perfect for a friend (or roommate) who knows better than to take life too seriously. Smiley PB&J earrings, FredFlare.com. $12.

Move Over, Milton Hershey

Enjoying the gift of chocolate lasts about five minutes in my family — four to unwrap every bon-bon, truffle and Kiss, and one to inhale them all at warp speed. For a more enjoyable (and personal) take on sweets, try out this complete kit to making chocolate from scratch. (And if that weren’t incentive enough, each purchase pays for 25 cups of staple food for underprivileged families.) Ancient Aztecs Chocolate Kit, TheHungerSite.com. $14.95.

Let them eat pie

Even the Scroogiest, Grinchiest Hot-and-Cold Miser will crack a smile after laying eyes on the diminutive pastries the Pocket Pie Mold makes. In fact, you can even print these recipes for blueberry and apple pie, and include them as “starter” recipes. Lattice Pocket Pie Mold, Williams Sonoma. $9.95.

For good-humored Grandmas

Fair warning: If you wrap this for the elders in your life who aren’t into aging gracefully, this gift may go over like inviting vegans to a pig roast. However, anyone who enjoys a good round of “where’d-I-put-my-dentures” will have one gum-baring laugh over this one. Frozen Smiles Ice Cube Tray, PerpetualKid.com. $5.99.

Get organized

End “What’s for dinner?” debates with a cute, framed blackboard, which you can use to jot down the night’s meal, or keep a running tab of items to pick up the next time you head to the grocery store. Or, more realistically, leave cringe-worthy jokes and half-finished games of Tic-Tac-Toe for your roommates. Gold-framed Chalkboard, Etsy user sweetiepiesuite. $24.50.

For everyone’s inner Homer Simpson

There’s no better way to banish “d’oh!” moments with some homemade mini doughnuts, especially when they take only six minutes to make. Just make sure not to indulge too often, or your inner Homie will become an outer one. Sunbeam Donut Maker, Target. $29.99.

Thanksgiving Leftovers Pizza

Filed under Dorm, fast food, redefined, Party foods by admin on November 22, 2010 at 11:01 pm {no comments}

Part of the allure of Thanksgiving dinner are the leftovers afterward: turkey sandwiches stacked high with cranberry sauce and stuffing, vegetable sides and remaining white meat simmered into a hearty soup, microwaved mini-feasts…I could keep going until I drool on my keyboard.

Each year, I can count on plenty of these meals, since my father makes it his personal quest to roast the largest bird he can buy (a mission I fully support). This year’s turkey weighs a whopping 41 pounds, which guarantees more than enough leftovers to create all of the aforementioned dishes PLUS something new, different and gloriously gluttonous.

The Thanksgiving Pizza was born while my boyfriend and his roommate admired some of the ridiculous treats on Thisiswhyyourefat.com and making their travel plans for that great American holiday. That alone should tell you that this isn’t the healthiest dish, but it IS mouthwateringly delicious. Just enjoy it in moderation, okay?

Kitchen gadgets needed: baking sheet, saucepan, ladle, oven, oven mitts

Ingredients (serves 4-6):

One premade pizza crust (or make it from scratch using this recipe)
1 cup shredded turkey
1 cup gravy
1 1/2 cups mashed potatoes
1 cup stuffing
1/4 cup cranberry sauce

NOTE: These are just rough amounts — use as much or as little as you want, and take some freedoms to add or subtract ingredients as you see fit. This dish is yours; own it.

Time commitment: 13-15 minutes

Steps:

1. Pour the gravy into a saucepan, and bring it to a simmer on medium heat. If the gravy is a little too thick and gelatinous for you, stir in a few tablespoons of water as it reheats. In the meantime, preheat the oven to 450 degrees.

2. Roll out the premade dough so it’s about 1/4-inch thick and place it on the baking sheet. Next, smooth a light layer of gravy on top, leaving a 1/2-inch border around the edge of the pie.

3. From there, add a light layer of mashed potatoes, then pepper the pizza with small dollops of stuffing, cranberry sauce and shredded turkey. Feel free to experiment and add whatever you want. Peas? Go for it! Green bean casserole? Why not? Honey-glazed carrots? Sure. French silk pie? Don’t push it.

4. Drizzle on a little extra gravy to keep the pie from getting too dry, then place it in the oven. Twist the dial down to 425 degrees, and let it bake for 9-11 minutes, or until the potatoes are lightly golden.

Let the pizza cool before serving. You may have to fight your friends for a second slice.

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