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Cooking with the Sun Staff

As the new school year rolls in, many busy students, teachers, and parents are searching for ways to save some time in the mornings and make their lives a little easier. Oftentimes meal planning gets shoved to the bottom of the to-do list, overshadowed by homework assignments, extracurricular activities, and attempting to achieve an adequate amount of sleep to have enough energy to repeat the same routine the next day. Consistent early mornings and long days of intense classwork really take a toll on those experiencing this heavy workload on a daily basis. This exhausting regimen complimented by insufficient nutrition can make busy workers worn out, overwhelmed, and overall uncomfortable in their current situation. In an attempt to support the many individuals living this stressful life, the MC Sun staff has attached their favorite go-to meals that are easy to make, fast to prepare, and exciting to enjoy before, during, or after a hard day of work! 

  1. Ro’aa’s Pasta Party

Ingredients:

  • Sprouts spinach fettuccine pasta
  • 4 chicken breasts. cubed
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 3 cloves of garlic 
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Pinch of paprika
  • 1.5 tsp cumin
Photo Courtesy of Ro’aa Alkhawaja

Marinara Sauce:

  • 1.5 cans of tomato paste
  • ½ tsp dried oregano 
  • 1 tsp dried basil
  • 1 clove minced garlic
  • Splash of olive oil

Directions:

  • In a pan, mix olive oil and minced garlic, then add in the uncooked and cubed chicken breasts. Keep on the stove until fully cooked through
  • Cook pasta according to box instructions
  • Mix all marinara sauce ingredients together in a bowl then combine with fettuccine and chicken
  • Enjoy!
  1. Abby’s Bagel Sammy
Photo Courtesy of The Gunny Sack

Ingredients:

  • 1 bagel, flavor of choice
  • 2 slices of bacon
  • 2 eggs

Directions: 

  • In a toaster oven, cook bacon at 400 degrees for six minutes on each side
  • Toast your bagel to ideal crispiness
  • Fry two eggs in a pan

Abby’s Tasty Tip: heat the pan with avocado oil before adding the ingredients in. Once you have cracked the eggs, turn the heat down. Let the eggs cook for a few minutes then flip them and repeat. 

  • Throw the eggs and bacon on your toasted bagel and enjoy your delicious breakfast, lunch, or snack!
  1. Anabelle’s Pizza Bread

Ingredients:

Photo Courtesy of Recipe Diaries
  • 2 slices of bread
  • 2 tbsp of marinara sauce
  • ¼ cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions:

  • Toast bread for 60 seconds
  • Cover toast with marinara sauce and mozzarella cheese and place in the toaster oven at 350 degrees for five minutes
  1. Lorelle’s Pesto Pasta

Ingredients:

  • Pasta of choice
  • Pesto (store bought or homemade)
  • Shredded parmesan cheese
  • Salt to taste

Directions:

  • Cook pasta according to box instructions
  • Drain pasta and top with remaining ingredients
  • That’s it!
Photo Courtesy of Roxy Hudson
  1. Roxy’s Piquant Tacos

Ingredients:

  • 1 tbsp chopped onion
  • ½ tbsp butter
  •  ⅓ cup ground turkey
  • ½ tsp garlic powder
  • ½ tsp smoked paprika
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • 2 tbsp shredded Mexican cheese blend
  • ¼ of an avocado
  • 2-3 corn or flour tortillas

Directions:

  • Melt butter in a pan, then add in onion and turkey and cook on medium heat until lightly browned
  • Mix in spices then continue to cook on stove top until turkey is fully cooked (no pink)
  • Turn off heat and cover turkey with cheese 
  • In a separate pan, warm tortillas
  • Leave on medium heat for about one minute then flip tortillas and repeat
  • Take tortillas off stove top, cover them each with mashed avocado and top with turkey mix
  • Enjoy!
Photo Courtesy of Paula Deen
  1. Kate’s Tasty Toast

Ingredients:

  • Two slices of bread
  • Fig jam
  • One egg, poached

Directions:

  • Toast bread and top with fig jam
  • Bring a pot of water to a boil then immediately lower the heat so it is just bubbling
  • Using a spoon, stir the water in a circular motion then add in the cracked egg
  • Cook the egg for about 3 minutes then dish up with a spoon

Written by Roxy Hudson

Roxy Hudson is Co-Editor-in-Chief for the MCSun, and is going on her third full year of writing with the Sun Staff. She is a Senior runner for the Varsity Cross Country and Track Team and a member of MC's Varsity Soccer Team. When she is not spending her time running in circles on the track, Roxy is usually chilling on the couch with her two adorable chocolate labs or whipping up a tasty dish in the kitchen.

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