Dining Hall Hits

Remember the convenience of walking into the caf’ and finding several meal options available? Recall the joy of seeing your favorite entrée behind the counter? Use these recipes from Sodexo food service—reduced to family-sized quantities and all dressed up just for you—to savor some flavors of Northwestern.

Chicken Parmesan

DOUG BURG

Ingredients

• 6 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
• 2 six-ounce boxes of wild rice
• 6 slices of Swiss cheese
• 3 cups prepared Alfredo sauce, heated

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Grill or bake chicken until fully cooked (165F internal temp).
2. Cook rice according to package instructions.
3. Place cooked rice in the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking pan, followed by the cooked chicken breasts. Cover each breast with a slice of Swiss cheese.
4. Cover and bake for 15 minutes until cheese is melted. Before serving, ladle sauce over each chicken breast.

Yield: 6 servings

Four-Cheese Lasagna

DOUG BURG

Ingredients

• 1½ lbs. ground beef
• 1 tsp. garlic powder
• 23-26 oz. spaghetti sauce
• 8 oz. tomato sauce
• 2 tsp. dried oregano, divided
• 1 tbsp. olive oil
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 small onion, diced
• 8 oz. mozzarella cheese, shredded
• 8 oz. provolone cheese, shredded
• 15 oz. ricotta cheese
• 2 eggs
• ¼ cup milk
• 9 lasagna noodles
• ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375F. In a skillet over medium heat, season ground beef with garlic powder and 1 tsp. oregano. Brown the meat and drain.
2. In a large saucepan, add spaghetti sauce, tomato sauce and ½ tsp. oregano; set aside. In a skillet, saute garlic cloves and onion in oil for 5 minutes. Add meat and onion mixture to sauce mixture and cook for 15-20 minutes.
3. Combine mozzarella and provolone cheeses in a medium bowl. In another medium bowl, mix ricotta cheese, eggs, milk and ½ tsp. oregano.
4. Cover the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking pan with a thin layer of the sauce. Lay three lasagna noodles, uncooked, in the pan. Cover with sauce, then ricotta mixture and mozzarella/provolone mixture. Repeat layering. Finish with a layer of noodles and remaining sauce. Sprinkle parmesan cheese on top.
5. Cover and bake for 30 minutes, then uncover and bake for an additional 15 minutes.

Yield: 10 servings

Peanut Butter Bars

DOUG BURG

Ingredients

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 2/3 cup peanut butter, creamy or crunchy
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• ¼ tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 3 cups oatmeal
• 1½ cups flour
• Icing:
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• ¼ cup butter, softened
• ½ cup creamy peanut butter
• Milk, as needed, to make spreadable consistency

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Cream butters and sugars.
2. Add eggs, soda, salt and vanilla and mix well. Then add flour and oatmeal and mix completely.
3. Spread mixture on 10x15 greased jelly roll pan and bake for 12-15 minutes.
4. Cool completely before frosting.

Yield: 20 servings

Caf’ Facts