By Will McAneny, News Correspondent.
As the temperature drops and the leaves start to change color, the homey scent of favorite fall foods become more and more appealing. Often, the onset of fall brings nostalgia for home cooked dishes like slow-cooked pot roast, perfectly whipped mashed potatoes and freshly baked apple, pumpkin or pecan pies.
These recipes may sound complicated, but college students need not be discouraged. According to Katie Barszcz, professional caterer, private chef and author of the blog “A Small Boston Kitchen,” those traditional fall flavors can easily be recreated by the less experienced chef.
“Dishes like soups, stews, braises and heartier dishes are perfect for this time of year,” Barszcz said. “The weather is just starting to get colder and we develop a greater need for some classic, comforting, stick-to-your-ribs meals as the temperatures outside cool off.”
In addition, Barszcz said fresh produce is plentiful during the autumn months.
“Take advantage of the times, such as late summer [or] early fall, when there’s so much in season,” Barszcz said. “You still have all that fresh summer produce available to you but there’s heartier root vegetables like potatoes, carrots and beets … which are so versatile and are just starting to come into season.”
However, students don’t need to be a professional chef to eat seasonally. Jill Pinsky, a sophomore environmental science major, said she enjoys the benefits of seasonal produce.
“I try to eat what’s in season,” she said. “I always love fall, because that means apples are in season and they’re my favorite fruit.”
Ashlee Clark, writer of “Ashlee Eats,” a blog that offers tips for eating frugally, offered even more advice for college students looking to recreate traditional fall flavors easily and on the cheap.
“It’s easy for college students to spice up a simple can of condensed soup,” Clark said. “For example, an easy way to hack a can of tomato soup is to cook the soup according to the package directions, but use milk – two percent works well – instead of water for a creamier soup. As the soup is cooking, add some fresh or dried basil.”
Clark agreed with Barszcz on the topic of seasonal fruits and veggies.
“For me, fall means introducing apples and pumpkins into my cooking since these foods are in season,” she said. “I look forward to cooking apple pies, apple pancakes, baked apples, pumpkin pie, pumpkin spice muffins — the list goes on.”
Clark gave several final tips for students without kitchens who still want a change of pace from the usual Dunkin’ Donuts and Easy-Mac.
“Add a luncheon meat to your sandwich, such as turkey, Canadian bacon … or roast beef,” Clark said. “Pair it with some soup and you have a pretty easy meal.”
Some students said with a dash of ingenuity, a creative person can spice up even the most basic dorm-room staples.
“With those instant Kraft macaroni and cheeses, you can do a lot to spice those up,” Pinsky said. “You can add other cheeses, sour cream or bread crumbs.”
However, for the students who possess both a taste for adventure and regular access to a stove, Clark offered a final suggestion: Grilled peanut butter and jelly.
“Grill the sandwich like you would a grilled cheese,” Clark said. “The peanut butter heats up and begins to melt, which makes an ooey-gooey treat that’s a change of pace from the normal sandwich.”
