College is all about appearances: how you look on the first day, how you cover up those dark circles after all-nighters and how you cover up your crippling fear of the real world.
In the spirit of spring awakenings, I present two “fake it ‘til you make it” breakfasts. Two simple recipes that make a big visual and flavorful impact while being quite simple to assemble.
Shakshuka
A Middle-Eastern egg dish served from first light to sunset, shakshuka is a one-pan meal that makes for a serious crowd pleaser. With big flavor, bold colors and boundless ways to dress it up, there’s really nowhere to go wrong.
1 28 oz can of chopped tomatoes (with juice)
3 tsp of olive oil
1/2 onion
3 cloves garlic
1 red bell pepper
1 tsp cayenne
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp cumin
2 tsp of hot sauce (Cholula or the like works well)
5 or 6 large eggs, depending on the size of your pan
1 cup of feta cheese (optional, but highly recommended)
Salt and pepper to taste
In a large skillet — cast iron if you can get it — heat the oil over medium heat. Sweat the onion and bell pepper until the onion is translucent. Add the garlic and cook for five to 10 minutes, but don't let the garlic brown. Add the spices and follow with the tomatoes. Add the hot sauce and cook about 10 to 15 minutes until the tomatoes have thickened. You can add the feta now to soften it, or crumble it over the top later. Crack the eggs into the mixture and transfer to a 350-degree oven and cook for just under 10 minutes or until the eggs set.
Orange & Basil Biscuit Waffles
Thanks to that one friend from high school who won’t stop reposting Tasty videos, you would be forgiven for thinking anything can be put in a waffle iron. Seriously, was that a mac and cheese waffle? Anyway, one item I’ve seldom seen in a waffle iron is biscuit dough. Relegated to the oven for such duties as pigs in a blanket, or simply to spread your favorite jam over, biscuit dough takes on a new identity in the iron.
1 can biscuit dough
1 cup powdered sugar
1 T of milk
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 large orange
1/4 cup granulated sugar
Basil
Preheat the waffle iron. Meanwhile, zest the orange and mix with the sugar. Gently knead the mix into the divided biscuit dough. Don’t knead it too much or you’ll make it dense; do it just enough to incorporate the orange flavor. Place as many of your biscuits in the iron as will fit. While they cook, mix the milk and sugar to the consistency of icing and finely chop the basil. Remove the biscuits, drizzle with icing and top with basil and more orange zest if desired.
