Traditional Macaroni Cheese (as appeared on studentrecipes.com)

(serves 4 people)

Recently I was thinking about my favorite things to eat  during my time as a student. This has to be it - simple, delicious and never gets boring (well to me anyway). Give this a go with some garlic bread and salad.

Ingredients

·         -250g / 9oz Macaroni.

·         -40g / 1, ½oz Butter.

·         -40g / 1, ½oz Plain Flour.

·         -500ml / 1pint Milk.

·         -250g /9oz Grated Cheddar.

·         -50g / 2oz Grated Parmesan.

·         -Salt and Pepper, pinch of both.

You Will Need

- Boiling Pan, x 1 (big enough to fit the macaroni in).

-Boiling Pan, small, x 1 (for the cheese sauce).

-Colander, x 1.

-Knife, x 1.

-Chopping Board, x 1.

-Wooden Spoon, x 1

-Cheese Grater, x 1.

Method

1.       Fill a boiling pan with enough water to submerge the macaroni and then bring to the boil. Once boiling, add the macaroni and turn the heat down to a simmer and leave for around 10 – 12 minutes, until el dente (this is when the pasta is cooked throughout but still has a slight toughness which allows for a bite whilst eating). Once ready remove using a colander and drain well.

2.       In the meantime melt the butter in a small boiling pan on a medium heat. Once melted mix in the flour to make a roux (this is a clumpy, doughy mixture that liquid can be added to to make a white sauce). Next, slowly add the milk bit by bit whilst stirring continuously until all the milk is used and you are left with a thick, pourable white sauce.

3.       Lastly, add the grated Cheddar cheese and Parmesan to the white sauce and continue stirring until combined. Mix the cheese sauce in with the macaroni, season to taste and then enjoy.

Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoy my recipe if you want some choices for serving suggestions then check out my recipes on the 'student recipes' site by following this link.

Lime, Coriander and Butterbean Hummus (as featured as a guest blog on 'studentmoneysaver.com')

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Serves: 4 hungry people
Preparation Time: 5 minutes
Cooking Time: 5 minutes

I am writing this recipe whilst staring out my window at what looks like the end of 2012's British sunshine, as the rain seems to have engulfed what was scorching hot just yesterday.

Despite this I like to remain optimistic, so I'm offering you a simple summer lunch recipe in the hope that we can turn the temperature back up.

Although a more likely scenario is to have to eat it inside, avoiding the weather and pretending that the sound of rain is just a garden sprinkler - all the while holding on to the glistening hope that the summer is not quite over yet.

This is a quick one for you – perfect for when you are in a rush. It can be kept in the fridge for up to 7 days, so why not keep it for future meals. 

If you’re not in too much of a rush why not try mixing some chopped garlic, soft butter and chopped coriander together with some salt and pepper. Spread this onto some bread and toast it and you’ll have some great homemade garlic bread to go with the Hummus.

Shopping Tip

The best way for any student to save money on food is to get all fresh produce from a market. The prices of ingredients are much cheaper when obtained from a market than a supermarket (and if you go towards the end of the day you can always grab amazing deals). Other than the market, the supermarket value ranges are the best place to swipe a deal. This recipe is cheap anyway but using the market when I could still saved me money.

Ingredients

White onion / x1 (£0.23)
Garlic cloves / x2 (£0.01, rounded up)
Lime / x1 (£0.20)
Coriander / 25g (£0.20)
Sainsbury’s basics tinned butterbeans 400g / x2 (£1.38)
Cooking oil / 1tbs (£0.02, rounded up)
Small baguette / x1 (£0.49)

Total Student Money Saver Cost = £2.53

What your mum would buy

White Onion x1 / £0.37 (saved 14p)
Garlic Cloves x2 / £0.03, rounded up (saved 2p)
Lime x1 / £0.30 (saved 10p)
Sainsbury’s living coriander pot  / £1.25 (saved £1.05)
Tinned chick peas 400g x2 / £1.48 (saved 10p)
Cooking Oil 1tbs / £0.02, rounded up
Baguette x1 / £0.79 (saved 30p)

Total Mum Cost = £4.23

Total savings = £1.70

Equipment Needed

Chopping Board x1
Knife x1
Cheese Grater x1 (to zest the lime)
Frying Pan x1
Blender (potato masher will do if not)

Preparation Method

1. Firstly prepare all the ingredients;
• Peel and roughly dice the onion and garlic and place to one side.
• Next zest the lime using the cheese grater (use the fine grater) and roughly chop the coriander.
• Lastly open both tins of butterbeans and drain thoroughly

2. Next fry off the ingredients and leave to cool;
• Heat the oil in a frying pan over a high heat. When hot add the diced onion, garlic and lime zest and squeeze half of the lime juice into the pan and stir.
• Continue to fry for 3-4 minutes until the onion is soft and translucent, but not brown.

3. Combine all ingredients to make hummus;
• If you’re using a blender then use it to combine all the ingredients from the frying pan with the butterbeans and the Juice from the other half of the lime. Next add the chopped coriander and season with salt and pepper.
• If you’re not using a blender then combine all the ingredients using a potato masher. This method will make slightly lumpy hummus but will still taste great.

4. Serve the hummus on bread or toast and add a little salad if you’re really hungry.