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Meals For College Students is a weekly list of easy to make, affordable and healthy recipes for students on a budget with complete instructions and a printable grocery list.

This break allowed me to spend some time with my website and dig deep to see what posts were being read the most. I was surprised to find out that my Meals For College Students posts are my most read and most searched posts. I’m happy to know this information because it lets me see where my focus should be. So with this new year, I’m excited to really make this section of my blog a great one and I’d like to ask your help. Please let me know what you like, what you don’t like and what recipes or ideas you’d like to see in the future. I want to make this section useful for you and want to bring you what you need.

As a reminder, most of these recipes require a stove and sometimes an oven. If you don’t see a recipe in the weekly menu that fits your need, there are several weeks of recipes to browse through where hopefully you’ll find what you’re looking for. In the coming weeks, I’ll be working on menus using only a microwave so be sure to look for those.

For this week’s installment, I have decided to use the logo of the University of Connecticut Huskies in honor of E. J.’s dad ‘s birthday. E. J.’s dad, Edward Zisk, was a member of the Huskies football team back in early fifties and was part of the team that won the Yankee Conference.

MONDAY

Crustless Spinach and Bacon Quiche

A crustless quiche is so easy to make. If you remember the eggs to milk ratio then the possibilities of the types of quiche you can make are endless. For this recipe, you’ll need a 8 or 9 inch pie dish or even a rectangular baking dish would work.

Click here for the ingredient list and the directions.

TUESDAY

Quiche Leftovers and Spinach Salad with Warm Bacon Dressing

Since you’ll have leftovers from Monday night’s dinner, enjoy the quiche a second time and pair it with a delicious Spinach Salad.

Ingredients

1 cup of fresh spinach

2 large hard boiled eggs

4 slices of bacon

1/4 cup mushrooms, sliced

1/4 cup sliced onions

Italian salad dressing

Directions

Place the spinach into a large bowl and set aside.

Slice each egg into several thin slices and set aside.

Fry the bacon until crispy. Remove to a paper towel to drain.

Reserve 1 tablespoon of the fat and add the mushrooms and onions to the pan. Reduce the heat to medium low and slowly cook the mushrooms and onions until the onions are caramelized and beginning to brown.

Chop the bacon and add it to the bowl. Add a bit of the dressing and give the salad a toss. Top with the mushroom and onion mixture and finish by adding the egg slices.

*To boil an egg

Put the eggs in a single layer in a saucepan and cover with an inch or two of cold water. Add a pinch of salt to the water. Place the saucepan on the stove and bring to a boil over a high heat. Lower the heat to medium and continue to allow the eggs to boil for 2 minutes. Turn off the heat and remove the pot from the stove. Cover and allow the eggs to sit for 20 minutes.

Remove the eggs from the pot and place in a bowl of cool water until the eggs cool down a bit, replacing the water to keep cool if necessary. Once the eggs have cooled, strain the water from the eggs and store the eggs in the refrigerator. They should be eaten within 5 days.

WEDNESDAY

Microwave Mexican Pizza

Ingredients

2 tortillas

1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1/2 cup salsa

1/2 cup canned black beans, rinsed and drained

2 tablespoons sour cream

Directions

Place one of the tortillas on a microwave safe plate. Spoon the cheese, salsa and black beans over the tortilla. Place the other tortilla on top. Microwave for a couple of minutes until the cheese melts. Top with sour cream.

THURSDAY

Pan Fried Chicken with Vegetables

I mentioned in previous posts how easy and economical it can be to purchase a bag of frozen chicken breasts or thighs. Keep the chicken in the freezer and take out one or two pieces of chicken as you need it. The cost may be a bit more up front but in the end, you’ll come out ahead because you won’t be buying chicken each week.

(Here’s a hint: Pan-fry 2 chicken breasts and use one for tonight’s dinner and use the other chicken breast for tomorrow’s dinner).

Ingredients

1 chicken breast

1 tablespoon butter

1 tablespoon olive oil

salt and pepper, to taste

frozen vegetables of your choice (broccoli, green beans, corn, etc.)

Directions

Add the butter and olive oil to a medium sized skillet set to medium high heat. When the butter melts, add the chicken. Sprinkle a little salt and pepper over the top of the chicken. Cook the chicken until the meat is no longer pink and the juices run clear. This should take 6 to 8 minutes. As the chicken cooks, turn it occasionally so it browns evenly. If the chicken is browning too quickly, reduce the heat and continue cooking.

Cook the frozen vegetables according to the package directions. Serve with the chicken.

FRIDAY

Chicken and Cheese Quesadilla

Ingredients

1 chicken breast

2 flour tortillas

2 tablespoon butter

1/2 cup shredded cheese

Directions

To pan-fry the chicken breast: In a large skillet heat 1 tablespoon of the butter and 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Add the chicken breasts and cook for 6 to 8 minutes or until chicken is tender and no longer pink, turning once or twice.

Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside. When the chicken has cooled a bit, slice the chicken into strips.

Prepare your quesadilla by placing a tortilla on a plate, add the cheese and sliced chicken. Cover with the second tortilla.

Heat the other tablespoon of butter in the skillet. Place the quesadilla in the pan and cover for 2 minutes. Flip the quesadilla over with a spatula, cover the quesadilla with the pan lid and allow it to heat another 2-3 minutes or until cheese is melted.

If you found this menu helpful, you might like these weekly menus:

Meals for College Students – Week of November 26, 2012

Meals for College Students – Week of November 12, 2012

10 Easy Breakfast Recipes For Busy College Students

Meals for College Students – Week of October 29, 2012

Meals for College Students – Week of October 22, 2012