Easy Eats by Sara

By Sara Kay, Features Editor

The stereotype about being in college is that all meals need to be either eaten in an on-campus facility or out of a Styrofoam cup with yellow tinted noodles and freeze dried vegetables.  At first, I can't say I disagreed with this stereotype, but over time I developed a sense of love for the kitchen, and since then have taken pride in being able to make myself a delicious dinner with not a lot of hassle. 

The easiest type of meat to work with, I've found, is chicken.  It's healthy, a great source of protein, and can be prepared in several different ways with several different flavors.  It's also a quick dinner fix, which gives it serious appeal.  This recipe for a basic roasted chicken is simple and delicious, and can be prepared in even the drabbest of dorm building kitchens.

Easy Roast Chicken

Ingredients:

6 boneless skinless chicken breasts, thawed (if you prefer chicken with the bone in, you can buy the packages of chicken parts that include the legs, wings and thighs.  The healthier version would be with the boneless skinless chicken breasts, but it's up to you)

1 jar of good Tomato sauce

1 small can of sliced black olives (about ¾ of a cup)

Olive oil

3 sprigs of rosemary

Salt and pepper for taste

Preparation:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. 
2. Clean off the chicken breasts.  Make sure to trim all the fat off if there is any.
3. Lay the chicken breasts flat into a glass baking dish (I like the pyrex baking dishes)
4. Lightly cover the chicken with olive oil.  Don't soak them; just give them a light coat on both sides.  Sprinkle both sides of each breast with salt and pepper.
5. Pour the tomato sauce over the chicken breasts.  This makes for great flavor and locks in all the moisture from the chicken so they stay really moist and tender.  Add the olives and rosemary.
6. Cook in the over for one hour.  Cut a piece of chicken in the middle to make sure it's cooked all the way through.  You'll know because the meat will be white, and the juices will run clear.

This recipe is great because it has very few ingredients, a lot of bold flavors, and it's great for feeding a large group of people.  Don't feel that just because you live in a dorm or you think you can't cook, that you can't cook.  You can!  Start with simple, easy, delicious ingredients, and you can't go wrong.