Easy Recipes for Nursing Students

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I like to cook in batches and freeze things for later to save time. If we all post easy recipes, it should help us get through nursing school.

1 2lb bag tator tots

3 cups cooked cubed chicken

2 cans cream of mushroom soup

1 bag of cheese, shredded

16 oz of frozen peas and carrots

1/4 cup of butter

1/2 cup milk

salt and pepper to taste

Take large skillet and place soup, milk and butter. Combine over med heat. Add chicken, veggies, 2 cups of cheese. Place mixture between two pans, (I use aluminum cake pans). Take tator tots, divided, and place on top of soup mixtures. Cover w/ remaining cheese, divided. Cover and freeze up to three months. To cook, unthaw 30 minutes before placing in oven. Cook at 350 for 1.5 hours or until heated thro.

This is so easy and quick! Very tasty and a good pleaser for kids as well!

Wow, all I have to offer is this.

I just take a bunch of chicken breast, chop it into strips, marinade it with whatever you want, then grill it. I then store it in the fridge for up to like a week (prob shouldn't but it works for me.) Another source of protein for me is tuna, tofu, and sometimes lean beef.

Then for carbs I usually make a lot of rice and/or spaghetti and put the leftovers in the fridge.

I plan on making my own chicken strips sometime soon. I eat a lot of salads and I always use those processed chicken and streak strips, but that stuff isn't that healthy and it's expensive.

I marinate stuff for several days as well, it hasn't killed me yet. Usually I take the easy way out and just use plain Italian salad dressing as a marinade. You don't have to cut up the chicken/beef/pork unless you want to. Whole bone-in chicken breast is great on the grill after it's been soaking a couple of days. When London broil was cheap I used to marinate it for days as well before grilling (I can't figure out beef prices- london broil and flank steak are some of the toughest pieces of meat available, yet the supermarkets want $4-5/lb for the stuff!).

If you want a high carb, too-much-salt side dish, make some potatoes. Slice a couple of potatoes not quite all the way thru and nuke them until they're done or almost done. Put them on a big piece of foil, add some sliced onions, a glob of margarine and sprinkle with a package of onion soup mix. Wrap them up in the foil and let 'em cook on the grill while you're cooking the meat. I love 'em!

Yea, I cut them up before I cook them so that it cooks faster. Cooking whole breasts takes too long for me. Oh and when I store it, it is after its cooked, not raw! I generally never leave raw chicken in a fridge for more than 2 days.

I usually just defrost them in a ziploc bag with some bbq or honey mustard marinade in there.

I try to eat healthy so i try to keep away from very starchy carbs or high saturated fats. Thats why I like chicken breast, tuna, lean beef (occasionally), tofu, soy beans, brown rice, and some spaghetti now and then.

Specializes in SNU/SNF/MedSurg, SPCU Ortho/Neuro/Spine.

I cook rice and beans for a whole week, along with 2 kinds of meat, either peper steak or chicken breast!

i went to the dollar store and bought 10 plastic containters that were big enough, but not huge, srturdy and durable!!!

i pack them on the morning along with one banana, one apple, one yogurt and 2 slim jims!

that and a pack of gum is enough for my whole day!!!

Specializes in IMCU.

For the pasta lovers...

If you take a decent quality pasta like De Cecco you can cook whole boxes at a time. Just under cook it by about 1 minute, drain, toss in a light oil and divide into portions.

Then freeze the individual portions.

If you have a favorite pasta sauce that is freezable you can do the same (pasta sauces with egg and cheese seem to freeze poorly though).

I love this thread!

My easy go to meal:

1 sirloin steak

2 cans of french onion soup

1 family size can of cream of mushroom soup

Box of rotini

Cut up steak into bite size pieces and put in slow clooker w/ the soups on low for about 8-10 hours. Cook noodles per directions on box and add in steak tips/soup mixture.

Very simple and VERY good!

A quick cousin to this recipe:

1lb ground beef

1 bag of wide noodles

1 family size can of cream of mushroom

Sour cream

cook noodles and brown ground beef, combine with soup. Add a little milk if necessary. Add in just enough sour cream to make it nice and creamy. If I have the time I'll pop it all into a casserole dish and sprinkle the top w/ bread crumbs and bake it until their nice and crunchy.

Specializes in IMCU.

If you are ever looking for a decent cook book try ANY cooks illustrated (even second hand). Especially Cook's Illustrated Light -- family has raved about anything I have made from that book.

Specializes in EMERGENCY.

My crockpot is my best friend when I'm in school - so nice to come home from a long day at school & have dinner all ready to go. Here are a few of my favorites!

French Dip Sandwiches

4-5 lb roast - cross rib works best, but any type will work

5 cups water

1 tsp garlic powder

1 1/2 tsp pepper

1 1/2 tsp oregano

1 1/4 tsp paprika

2 tsp salt

1 1/2 tsp Accent Season Salt (optional)

1 1/2 tsp rosemary

Mix water & seasonings in the crockpot and add meat. Cover & cook on low 8+ hours.... you really can't overcook this meat! Shred roast with two forks to make sandwiches. You can use the liquid as an au jus. So yummy!

Salsa Pork/Chicken

Another easy recipe is to throw a pork roast or some chicken breasts into the crockpot & cover with a large jar of salsa. You can also add a can of black beans to the mix (rinse & drain first), or corn or any other mix in. Cook on low for 8 hours. Shred meat & use in tacos, enchiladas, sandwiches, etc....

Roasted Chicken

Remove giblits from the chicken. Rinse & drain the chicken, pat dry inside & out with paper towels. Season the chicken with any type of seasonings you have on hand (garlic powder, salt, pepper, lemon pepper, etc...) I like to season under the skin & inside the cavity. Place chicken breast side up in slow cooker & heat on low 6 1/2 - 7 1/2 hours or until chicken is cooked through and the juices run clear.

Serve sliced chicken with mashed potatoes, rice, etc... or can shred for use in casseroles, soups, mixed in with sauce & served over noodles. Really comes out tasty & tender & sooooo easy!

Tamale Casserole

1 lg onion, diced

1 (16 oz) jar green tomatillo salsa

2 (15 oz) cans chili con carne without beans

1 (15 oz) can black beans, rinsed & drained

1 (2 1/4 oz) can sliced ripe olives, drained

8 to 10 chicken, beef or pork tamales, wrappers removed

2 (7 oz) cans whole green chiles, drained & cut into 1/2 inch strips

Shredded Cheese & sour cream

Place half of the diced onions in slow cooker, top with half of each of the salsa, chili, beans, and olives. Place 4 or 5 tamales on top. Cover tamales with half of the chile strips. Repeat layer, ending with remaining chili strips.

Cover & cook on low for 6 1/2 to 7 hours. Serve with shredde cheese & sour cream

Pulled Pork Sandwiches

1 pork roast (any type)

1 large onion

1-2 bottles of favorite BBQ sauce

Bagged coleslaw mix (optional)

Slice onion and layer on bottom of crock pot. Place pork roast on top & cover with favorite BBQ Sauce. Cook on low all day. Remove roast & shred, adding sauce to taste. Serve on buns, can be topped with coleslaw.

Anyway - these are some of my favs! Hope some of you enjoy! :)

Specializes in Clinical Partner and CNA.

i'm not sure how well this will freeze (i've never tried it), but it's quick and easy to make:

pizza casserole

ingredients:

1 pack of wacky or egg noodles, which ever you prefer

1 pack of pepperoni

5-6 slices of ham

1 jar of spaghetti sauce

1 small jar of pizza sauce

1 pack of mozzarella cheese

1 pack of pizza cheese

1 small pack of hamburger meat

pre heat your oven to 350 degrees. boil your noodles, until they become soft. while your noodles are boiling, brown your hamburger meat, drain, you can add onion if you prefer. then mix in your spaghetti sauce and pizza sauce. mix together. drain water; pour your noodles into a glass or metal baking dish. i'm not sure how big mine is it's 8 by something. once your drained noodles are down, layer on top the meat sauce. then you are going to add your ham slices, put 1 layer on top of meat sauce, then 1 layer of pepperoni. last you are going to add your cheese to the top. bake for 350 degrees until cheese is melted.

since it's kinda like pizza you can add whatever you want to the layers. if you dont like ham for example change it up. i like mushrooms, myself, so i add those. :)

This is a family favorite. I serve it in warm tortillas! Yumm-o

Salsa Chicken

    4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
    1 cup salsa
    1 package reduced sodium taco seasoning
    1 can reduced fat cream of mushroom soup (condensed)
    1/2 cup reduced fat sour cream

Directions

Add chicken to slow cooker.

Sprinkle taco seasoning over chicken.

Pour salsa and soup over chicken.

Add can of soup and mix mixture.

Cook on low for 6 to 8 hours.

Remove from heat and stir in sour cream.

Great with spanish rice and served in a warmed tortilla

Specializes in L&D/Maternity nursing.

okay, now you all have me hungry!

here is a good one from Rachel Ray that my husband and I make all.the.time (sooooooo good):

Lemon Rice and Eggplant-Chick Pea Curry

  • Cook Time 18 min
  • Level Easy
  • Yield 4 servings

Ingredients (dont let the long list scare you. If you dont have all the individual spices, just subsitite with a curry powder...so 3-3.5 teaspoons)

  • 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
  • 1 1/2 cups basmati rice
  • 4 cups chicken stock, divided
  • 1 bay leaf, fresh or dried
  • 1 lemon, zested
  • 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
  • 2 teaspoons ground coriander
  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom, optional
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
  • 3 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 1 medium eggplant, peeled and chopped
  • 1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
  • 1 (14-ounce) can fire roasted diced tomatoes, drained
  • 1 (15-ounce) can chick peas, drained
  • Salt and pepper
  • 2 rounded tablespoons mild or hot curry paste
  • 2 scallions, chopped
  • 1/4 cup chopped roasted cashews

Directions

Heat a medium pot over medium heat with extra-virgin olive oil. Add rice and toast for 1 to 2 minutes. Add 3 cups chicken stock and the bay, lemon zest, turmeric, coriander, cumin and cardamom. Cover pot and bring rice to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer rice 18 minutes. Fluff rice with a fork, remove bay leaf and add butter. Toss to coat the rice evenly.

While rice cooks, make the vegetables. Heat a deep nonstick skillet over medium-high heat with 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil. Add onion, garlic, eggplant and bell pepper. Cover and cook stirring occasionally 7 to 8 minutes until tender. Uncover and add the tomatoes, chick peas, salt, pepper, curry paste and remaining 1 cup chicken stock. Simmer 6 to 7 minutes longer. Mix scallions into rice and top with vegetables. Garnish with cashews.

Here's what I do- I have a gigantic pot and I cook spaghetti sauce (the homemade kind) and freeze it in freezer bags in 4-6 cup portions (enough for our family of 4). Then when I need to, I thaw out a bag and make lasagna, or chicken parm or shells with noodles. I also use my big pot for chix noodle soup, and homemade enchilada sauce. I use those freezer bags like crazy for all my portioning, but thinking I might try one of those food saver things!!!

Kelli

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