Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo

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Hecha Con Amor, “Made With Love”
Story and photographs by Rachel Grahmann (Magazine selected as the 2012 Professionals’ Choice Award Winner)

Not many people are able to say that they would be willing to eat one meal for breakfast, lunch, and dinner every day; with no uncertainty or hesitation, Kristina Garcia definitely would.

Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo, a dish often overlooked on Italian restaurant menus around the world, is an unconditional favorite for this St. Mary’s psychology major. She loves her school, especially the family atmosphere, and has come to call its 135 acres home.

A third-year student from Laredo, Texas, Garcia intends to graduate in May 2014 and attend graduate school to pursue a career as a school psychologist.

Garcia isn’t what anyone would call an avid chef. She doesn’t cook often, and prefers it that way, but has made sure to learn how to prepare her beloved meal—and, on that note, those who sample her dish will attest that she has learned to make it very well.

Any restaurant around San Antonio would likely have a hard time comparing their Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo to hers, yet no matter where she goes to eat, if it is on the menu, it won’t take many guesses to figure out what she’ll be ordering.

Her one tip for cooking Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo is to make it with love.

“Any meal tastes better that way,” she says. If this is the only secret ingredient that makes her dish so amazing, love needs to be bottled and sold in grocery stores everywhere.

Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo

Ingredients:

  • 5 skinless, boneless chicken thighs
  • 6 T butter, divided
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced, divided
  • 1 T Italian seasoning
  • 1 lb fettuccine pasta
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 1/3 c all-purpose flour
  • 1 T salt
  • 3/4 tsp ground pepper
  • 3 c milk
  • 1 c half-and-half
  • 3/4 c grated Parmesan cheese
  • 8 oz shredded Colby-Monterrey Jack cheese
  • 1/2 c sour cream

Serves 6-8

Directions:

Place a large skillet on the stove over medium heat. Place 2 tablespoons of butter in the skillet and swirl with a fork to melt. Place the chicken thighs in the skillet and sprinkle Italian seasoning on top. Drop the chopped garlic between and on top of the cooking chicken. Cook until the chicken is no longer pink inside. Remove from skillet and set aside to be cut.

Fill a large pot halfway with hot water. Place on stove over high heat and salt lightly. Cover. When water begins to boil, add the pasta and cook until al dente, or for 8 to 10 minutes. Drain the water and set the pasta aside.

In the same skillet used for the chicken, melt 4 tablespoons of butter, swirling around the garlic. Add chopped onion, 2 more cloves of garlic and sauté. Once the onions are almost transparent, add the flour and stir, add the salt and pepper, and stir in milk and half-and-half until the mixture is well blended. Add the sour cream, Parmesan and Monterrey Jack cheeses and stir until melted.

Slice the cooked chicken and slowly add it to the sauce mixture.

Serve over the cooked fettuccine pasta.

 

Fideo

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Fideo by Jose Lucio
Article and Photos by Isaac Lucio

Affordable, fast, and easy to make—if those are qualities someone is looking for in a dish, then Jose Lucio’s recipe for fideo is the right one.

Jose Lucio, nighttime supervisor of the Blume Academic Library at St. Mary’s, was born in San Antonio and has had his three children attend the university.

Lucio likes the fact that St. Mary’s is a small university, believing that the smaller class sizes are much better for students, helps students’ behavior and allows less commotion than there may be at larger schools.

Lucio’s favorite foods are fish and Mexican, so he enjoys cooking different kinds of meat.

Often, he adds in spices and decides it is right by how it looks, so he found it interesting to give the spices actual measurements for this recipe.

He chose to cook fideo for its affordability, ease of preparation and taste.

It is also something that his family has eaten for dinner just about every day for years.

“We all make it a little bit different, just cook slow, don’t rush, and remember to use a low flame,” Lucio advises.

Ingredients

•1 c of Water
•½ box of Vermicelli
•½ tsp of Salt
•½ tsp of Pepper
•¼ tsp of Ground Camino
•1 can of Tomato Sauce

Directions
The first thing to do to make fideo is to place a pan on a stove and pour in half a box of Vermicelli, then turn on the fire to a low setting. Using a spoon, continually stir the Vermicelli around the pan until you notice some of them turning brown. At that point, pour in a cup of water, keeping in mind the steam from it will be hot. You no longer need to stir it, just add in half a tablespoon of Salt, half a tablespoon of Pepper, and a quarter tablespoon of Ground Camino, and then wait for the water to boil. Once it’s boiling, add one can of Tomato Sauce, fill the can with water and pour it in as well – this way you can get all of it into the pan. Now all you have to do is let it sit for three to five minutes, once the time is over, turn the fire off and enjoy. This recipe can serve from one to three people, depending on how hungry they are!

Grilled Chicken Breast topped with Mango Salsa

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Grilled Chicken Breast topped with Mango Salsa
Story and Photos by Cassandra M. Vara

Sometimes it’s hard to retain your savor for flavor when you’re trying to lead a healthy lifestyle.

After all, how can people spice up their dinner without packing on the pounds?

Well, put down those nachos and get up off the couch!

Join Ashley Nicole Reyes, senior Marketing major at St. Mary’s University, as she shows how to turn up the heat while still whittling down the midsection.

Reyes, a San Antonio native and former contender for Miss Fiesta San Antonio, loves exercising, reading, shopping and showing support for her favorite athletic team–the San Antonio Spurs.

Reyes says she chose St. Mary’s as her choice for higher education because of the student-to-faculty ratio, friendly atmosphere and small classroom size.

“The small classroom environment allows for more in-depth conversations and a better overall understanding of the course subject,” she says.

When she’s not studying or cheering in the front row at a Spurs game, Reyes loves to cook because it allows her to explore her creativity.

“Cooking is an art form,” she says. “I love that I can be very expressive with just food.”

Her favorite foods include anything Italian, good steak and fresh sushi.

Exploring her creativity wasn’t the only reason why she discovered her love of cuisine.

Reyes explains that she also began cooking out of necessity. “I love eating healthy and sometimes my family and I just don’t want to eat the same thing.”

Reyes says she sometimes cooks her own dinner since her family’s idea of a healthy meal doesn’t always meet her expectations.

Reyes considers this her favorite dish because “it is quick, easy, and a healthy option that’s still full of flavor.”

She adds that if the dish too spicy, leave out the jalapeño for less intensity.

Or, as Reyes jokingly says when asked for her opinion on the spice factor‚”If you can’t take the heat, get out of the kitchen!”

Ingredients

  • 2 chicken breast
  • olive oil (roughly 2 oz.)
  • 4 limes
  • 2 mangoes
  • 1 pack of cherub tomatoes
  • 1 red onion
  • small bushel of cilantro
  • 1 small jalapeño
  • 1 avocado
  • 1 package of jasmine rice

Directions

Wash chicken breasts and pat dry. Set stove to medium heat. Coat pan with olive oil. Season chicken pieces on each side with black pepper, garlic powder and lime juice. With a knife, carve small, diagonal slits into chicken breasts to intensify spices and to help cook quickly. Place chicken breasts in pan and grill for 20 minutes. Turn occasionally and add lime juice as desired. While chicken cooks, prepare package of jasmine rice and mango salsa separately. Dice mangos, tomatoes, jalapeño, cilantro and red onion and place in large bowl, adding juice from two whole limes to the mix. When rice is done and chicken is coated in an even, brown color, assemble the meal. Place a bed of rice on a plate with the chicken breasts along the sides. Take the mango salsa and coat chicken with about four heaping. Slice an avocado and add as garnish on the rice. Makes 1-3 servings.

Swedish Meatballs

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Swedish Meatballs by Amanda Saldivar
Story and Photos by Mimi Soy

Ever since she was young Amanda Marlyng Saldivar, a junior Political Science major, enjoyed helping her mother and grandmother prepare the meals because she loved mixing and tasting the different ingredients.

“My mother taught me a lot about food at a young age and before I knew it, I fell in love with cooking” says Saldivar.

As she learned to cook with children’s recipe books, she developed a passion for creating food dishes and sharing them with others.

“Growing up, I never thought I would ever cook. Cooking allowed me to get together with my family and gave me time to be active during the day doing the things I loved,” she says.

After earning her bachelor’s degree, Saldivar hopes to continue her education and eventually attend law school.

What she likes best about St. Mary’s is the presence of smiling faces, intriguing assignments and networking with lots of interesting people.

“Meeting all these approachable people and creating fun projects is tons of fun. I enjoy everyday of school,” says Saldivar.

Among some of Saldivar’s favorite foods are seafood and Mexican enchiladas. She personally loves eating sushi simply because it can be classified as a healthy food, being low in fat and calories while high in protein.

However, she fell in love with Swedish food when she visited Europe. Since then, she has specialized in recreating Swedish recipes.

“Meatballs are one of the most common dishes cooked by people all over the world. Swedish meatballs are my favorite type of meatballs because it is simple to make and loved by almost all people,” says Saldivar.

Saldivar has developed her own basic meatball recipe, building in the variations.

Each time she makes them, she varies the meat, spices, filler and sauce–depending on what she has in her refrigerator or pantry, or her taste preferences.

“Some prefer a brown gravy, others a white sauce. I prefer sour cream mixed with a bit of pan drippings tastes great. Goat cheese with some parsley or dill in the white sauce or sour cream makes a tasty treat,” says Saldivar.

Ingredients

  • 1 pound ground beef
  • 3/4 c bread crumbs, soaked in 1/2 cup milk
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper
  • 1 small onion, grated and drained
  • 1/2 tsp ground allspice
  • 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
  • 4 T butter
  • 1 1/2 T flour (any kind)
  • 1 c chicken or beef broth
  • Lingonberry sauce (optional)

Directions
Combine the first 8 ingredients. Form the mixture into 1-inch balls.  Place 3/4 of the butter in a skillet over medium-high heat. Brown the meatballs for about 10 minutes. Remove them and most of the fat. Stir the flour and the remaining butter into the pan. Add the broth. Simmer until it thickens, about 2 minutes. Strain it with a sieve to remove clumps. Return it to the pan. Return the meatballs to the pan for 1 minute. Serve with the berry sauce. Makes 2 servings.

Steaming Spaghetti with Meat Sauce

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Steaming Spaghetti with Meat Sauce
Story and Photos by Emily Scruggs

Priscilla Ortega, St. Mary’s University senior psychology major, prepares her signature dish, spaghetti, by following a coveted family recipe.

When she moved from her family’s home in McAllen, Texas, into a house she shares with her sister in San Antonio, her mother’s spaghetti recipe was one of the comforts of home that Ortega brought with her.

The small campus and strong sense of community are two aspects of St. Mary’s that encouraged Ortega to attend school there.

While these attributes are reminiscent of the small town Ortega grew up in, making her family’s spaghetti recipe is the best remedy when she feels homesick.

Ortega learned the pleasant blend of spices that makes up the spaghetti sauce at the age of 10, under the instruction of her mother and older sister.

Since then, cooking has been a relaxing hobby for her, especially when she feels the stress of balancing school and work.

Italian ranks at the top of her list of favorite foods, along with the Mexican dish botanas.

Though she typically likes diverse dishes, seafood remains to be one type of food that she dislikes.

After graduating from St. Mary’s in May 2012, Ortega plans to attend graduate school abroad to study international relations or mass communication.

She studied in London for a semester during her junior year and cannot wait to return.

London boasts a diverse cuisine, ranging from fish and chips to curry.

Even with the variety of food that will be available to her, Ortega will still keep her family’s spaghetti on the menu.

Ingredients

  • 1 large onion
  • 2 T of butter
  • 3 crushed garlic cloves
  • 1 lbs of ground beef
  • 2 tsp of garlic salt
  • 2 tsp of onion salt
  • 2 tsp of crushed red pepper
  • 2 tsp of pepper
  • 2 tsp of cumin
  • 16 oz Ragu mushroom sauce
  • 1 package of spaghetti noodles
Serves eight.
Directions

Chop onion and sauté with butter and garlic. When onion and garlic have softened, sauté ground beef until completely brown. Add to beef garlic salt, onion salt, red pepper flakes, pepper and cumin. Once everything is softened and well- cooked, pour mushroom sauce over beef and warm over low heat. Boil spaghetti noodles for 10 minutes. Once noodles are soft, serve them on a plate and cover them with beef sauce. Serve in the company of crescent rolls.

Spinach and Ricotta Stuffed Shells

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Spinach and Ricotta Stuffed Shells
Story and Photos by Angelica Radacinski 

Eating healthy and feeling full are two goals Cynthia Ramirez looks for in every meal.

Ramirez, a San Antonio native and a senior at St. Mary’s University, is studying Forensic Science.

She hopes to continue school shortly after she graduates and attend law school.  Aside from loving to cook, Ramirez enjoys painting and creating jewelry.

Ramirez loves St. Mary’s because, unlike larger schools, she is able to receive constant help and support in her classes from professors.

“St. Mary’s offers such wonderful classes and support for whatever your major may be,” she says.

Ramirez enjoys a wide variety of foods and makes clear that she doesn’t necessarily have a favorite dish; however, she points out that she does like seafood quite a bit.  She enjoys baking and has baked an array of desserts.

The recipe was chosen based on a few factors–it is fairly inexpensive to make the dish based on the simple ingredients, it can feed a large number, it is quite healthy compared to most dishes, and it also fills a person up with relatively small portions.

This dish is also easy to make if someone is short on time.

“This dish is really simple. I always like to add a little more garlic for flavor and I tend to use organic products because it gives a cleaner, still delicious flavor,”  adds Ramirez.

Ingredients

  • 16 jumbo pasta shells
  • 2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 lbs baby spinach
  • 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
  • 1/2 lbs part-skim ricotta cheese
  • 1/2 lbs part-skim mozzarella cheese, grated
  • 1 egg, lightly beaten
  • 1 T chopped basil
  • 1 1/2 c marinara sauce
  • 2 T grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Directions

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta shells and cook about 10 minutes. Drain well then toss with oil in a large bowl; set aside. Preheat oven to 375°F. Put spinach into a large skillet and drizzle with a tablespoon or two of water. Cover and cook over medium low heat, tossing occasionally, until just wilted; drain well. When cool enough to handle, squeeze to remove any excess water. Chop spinach and transfer to a large bowl. Add garlic, ricotta, mozzarella, egg and basil to make the filling. Spread a few spoonfuls of marinara sauce in the bottom of a shallow baking dish large enough to hold the shells in a single layer. Fill each shell with spinach mixture and arrange in the dish. Pour remaining sauce over and around the stuffed shells and top with Parmigiano Reggiano. Cover with foil and bake until hot throughout, 20 to 30 minutes, then uncover and continue baking until golden brown, about 10 minutes more. Makes four servings.

Enchiladas Rojas

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Enchiladas Rojas with Jeanette Maldonado
Story and Photos by Dania Pulido

When it comes to cooking, St. Mary’s University student Jeanette Maldonado takes the whole enchilada—literally!

The junior Biology major freed up some time in her busy schedule to talk about the three F’s: food, her future, and all around fun at St. Mary’s while she prepared a particularly special enchilada dish for dinner.

Maldonado, a Laredo, Texas native, may be petite in frame, but don’t let this fool you.

Both her taste buds and work ethic are just as spicy as her enchiladas.

Enrolled as a full-time student, she somehow manages to balance a job in the school’s biology department and is currently preparing for her MCAT exam to gain entry to medical school upon graduation.

Maldonado hopes to become a dermatologist one day and believes St. Mary’s is just the place to help her make that dream come true.

“I really like the small size of the school and the professors. They take the time to help you personally and care about your progress,” says the third-year student.

Some of the only breaks she gets from her hectic schedule are to cook meals for herself, so Jenny has more than one reason to enjoy the task.

“I love to eat buffalo wings and anything with a lot of cheese, but I especially enjoy cooking spaghetti and other pastas,” she says.

“I crave Mexican food the most, though. My mom taught me how to cook, and I prefer to eat homemade food because I like to have control over what goes into my body,” continues the health-conscious student.

After all those biology courses, who could blame her?

The enchilada dish she chose to prepare is a particularly special one, and is rare to come by.

“I can only make these enchiladas every once in a while when I drive back to Laredo or my parents come to visit me because my grandmother makes the chile sauce,” she explains.

“It has a very distinct and tasty flavor, so I like to make the most of the sauce and the dish.”

We’ll be sure to make the most of it as well!

Ingredients

  • 2 c goat cheese
  • 28 oz can of chile colorado
  • 1 onion
  • 5 corn tortillas
  • 2-3 T oil

Directions
Pour 2-3 T of oil into a medium-sized pan. Cut 4-5 small pieces of the onion and place into the pan to give flavor to the oil. Pour some of the chile colorado onto a plate. Take the first tortilla and soak it in the chile sauce. Pick up the tortilla and place it into the pan to heat in the oil. Once it is heated, remove it and place into on a separate plate. Repeat steps 1-3 with all five tortillas. Once all the tortillas are soaked red and heated, sprinkle a desired amount of cheese onto the middle of the tortilla and roll it up to hold the cheese inside. Repeat this step until all the enchiladas are done. Sprinkle cheese on top of the finished dish and enjoy! Makes 2 servings.

Grey Poupon Steak with Garlic Mashed Potatoes

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Grey Poupon Steak with Garlic Mashed Potatoes
Story and Photos by Kirk Dunlap

On a lazy, Sunday afternoon in September, Gregory Valdez arrives to his fraternity brother’s kitchen with a parcel of freshly butchered steak in his hands and a smile on his face.

He considers this to be a perfect time to prepare a hearty, home-cooked meal of steak and potatoes.

As a junior double-majoring in English and Philosophy, he regards English as his favorite, “with philosophy coming in at a close second,” he says.
As an on-campus resident, Valdez jumps at a chance to cook a meal. “Cooking just isn’t something I can do every day,” says Valdez. “Cafeteria food just isn’t the same.”

Valdez feels that it isn’t about the place, but with the relationships he has made that define his experience at St. Mary’s. “I don’t feel connected to the university in terms of location,” he says. “Rather, I find that my connection with the university comes from the people who surround me here.” Valdez notes that this feeling of community comes from his close friends and his fraternity brothers.

“Sigma Phi Epsilon has given me great experiences that I know will last forever,” Valdez reveals. “Without Sigma Phi Epsilon, I would not have been able to progress this far as a person and as a student. Sigma Phi Epsilon’s cardinal principles of virtue, diligence, and brotherly love, are the values which I live by.”

What Valdez likes most about St. Mary’s is that his close network of relationships maintains his connection with others. “St. Mary’s not only keeps me on my toes with school work, but the personal size [of classes] also helps allow me to overcome the problems that are bound to arise in such a close community.”

Valdez is particular about his favorite foods. “I love to eat medium-rare steak more than anything else,” Valdez says. “But even more than steak, I like fried duck.” Pizza used to be high on his list of favorite foods, but because he has worked as a pizza delivery driver for the past two summers, pizza has lost the charm it once had.

“I still order it often though,” Valdez admits.

When first selecting a dish to prepare, he had chosen to make salmon with mango chutney, but Valdez, a spontaneous college student, had a last-minute change of heart.

“I decided that I wanted to make a meal that was much more personal to me, and thus, a lot manlier—and there’s nothing manlier than steak and potatoes.”

This particular dish is inspired by a recipe that he once saw on a cooking show. “I got the idea for this recipe from Paula Deen on the Food Network,” Greg says. “The major difference is that I pan fry the steak in butter, rather than grilling it. It is a simple, delicious, recipe that is easy to make and is beyond delicious.”

“Usually I like to use a 16 ounce ribeye steak, but I thought it would be nice to try the recipe with a 16 oz Texas t-bone, because they were on sale.”

Ingredients
Greg’s Grey Poupon Steak:

  • 2 16 oz steaks, 1 inch thick.
  • Grey Poupon (or Similar) Brown Dijon Mustard
  • 1 clove garlic finely minced
  • Ground black pepper
  • Salt

Garlic Mashed Potatoes:

  • 6 c Water
  • 4 large baking potatoes
  • 2-3 large cloves garlic, crushed and minced.
  • 1 1/2 sticks, butter
  • 1/2 c milk
  • 1 tsp ground black pepper
  • Salt to taste

Directions

In a medium saucepan, prepare water to boil. After washing, cut potatoes into medium-sized chunks about one inch thick, leaving on the skin. As the water begins to boil, add loosely minced garlic, salt, and pepper to boiling water. Boil the potatoes on high heat for 20-25 minutes, or until tender. When done, strain water from potatoes and return them to the pan. Add 1/2 cup of milk and butter to the potatoes then mash to medium thickness. Next, prepare steak by applying liberal amounts of Dijon mustard, rubbing it into the surface. Next, rub in about 1/2 tsp ground black pepper, 1/2 clove minced garlic and a pinch of salt to each side of steak, making sure that the seasoning is rubbed evenly around the surface of the steak. Prepare the frying pan by heating 1 T butter on medium heat. Fry the steaks in butter for about 3-5 minutes per side, or until medium rare. Dish is best when hot. Makes 2 servings.

Breakfast Sandwich

Breakfast Sandwich by Rene Solis
Videography and Production by Ashley Behabetz 

Sophomore Baseball player Rene Solis cooks with eggs to ensure he has substantial amounts of protein to support him both in the classroom and on the mound. Here he displays how to whip together a nutritious and simple breakfast sandwich that will prepare any athlete for a great day.

Ingredients 

  • Eggs (2-3)
  • White bread (2 slices)
  • Milk (1/2 cup)
  • Salt and Pepper (add to taste)
  • Butter (Just enough to spread on bread)
  • Bacon (3-4 slices)
  • Shredded Cheddar Cheese (1/3 cup)
  • Tabasco (optional)
Directions

First heat stove top, medium to high heat. Then place bacon strips on pan and flip every 45 seconds or so or until cooked to a crisp. Remove from pan and place on paper towel to remove excess grease. Then crack eggs into a small bowl, add milk, salt and pepper. Whisk until blended. Pour egg mixture into same pan used to cook bacon. Let cook for a minute then use spatula to mix eggs in pan. While eggs are cooking, place bread in toaster. After toasting, spread a thin layer of butter on each slice. When the eggs are solid and no longer runny remove from heat. Place cooked bacon on bread, then add scrambled eggs and top with cheese. “Smush together” and enjoy.

Wonderful Chicken

Wonderful Chicken by Rick Springer
Videography and Production by Karl Hayes

Rick Springer, sophomore Philosophy major at St. Mary’s University, shows us some of his family roots by cooking his version of “Wonderful Chicken.” Not only do we to see how the dish is prepared and the ingredients involved, but we can see how Springer reveals his modest character.

Ingredients:

  • 3 pounds of boneless chicken breast tenderloin
  • 1 16oz jar of raspberry jam
  • 1 stick of fresh ginger
  • 1 whole onion
  • 2-3 tablespoons of low sodium soy sauce
  • 3 dashes of raw rosemary
  • Salt and Pepper
Serving Size: 4 people

Directions:

First thaw out the chicken breast tenderloin, and start oven top to a medium-high setting. Then chop onions to bite size pieces and chop minced ginger to pea-size bites. Baste chicken with salt and pepper.

Mix low sodium soy sauce and raspberry jam in a mixing container, following the amount ingredients listed above. When the stove is heated to temperature add a small amount of cooking oil and begin to cook the onions first, then the chicken, and lastly the ginger. Once the chicken is cooked to golden-brown, cook the sauce from the mixing container for about a minute. After the sauce is ready, simply pour the sauce over the cooked chicken.

Now you are ready to eat Springer’s “Wonderful Chicken.”