When it comes to student living, your new space, especially the kitchen, can be one of the biggest perks of living away from home.

When renting with Student Housing Lancaster, all our kitchens come fully fitted and include fridge, freezer, range cooker, microwave and much more. Some of our properties even come with a dining area for entertaining; you could have your very own student ‘Come Dine with Me’.

Your fully equipped kitchen in your student house is just waiting for you to become a MasterChef, so why not dabble in some culinary delights?

Here is your chance to impress your house mates; get the herbs and spices out, blast some music, learn some cooking skills and, at the end of it all, enjoy a delicious meal – it’s easier than you may think, especially with these handy recipes.

Posh Beans on Toast

You can’t go wrong with beans on toast as a student. However, sometimes the plain option can be a bit mundane. Don’t worry though, as we know how to get creative with this somewhat ‘ordinary’ recipe.

You will need:

• ‘Posh’ bread (Bruschetta or a baguette will do)
• 1 x tin of cannellini beans,
• 1 x red onion
• Cherry tomatoes
• Garlic
• Olive oil
• Black pepper
• ParsleyIt’s as easy as… Simply fry off your bread (after coating both sides with olive oil and salt). While your bread is frying away, fry your onion with the tomatoes, your chopped parsley, then add the beans and let it simmer. Don’t forget to sprinkle your black pepper over the top!

Tip: If you fancy some cheese on the top, opt for some mozzarella!

Easy-Peasy Risotto Pesto

Risotto is always a great option for a quick and easy meal. The great thing about risotto is that you can add in what you want and even make enough to have leftovers for lunch the next day. Plus, anything with pesto is a yes in our books!

You will need:

• 1 x onion
• Garlic
• A dash of oil
• Cream
• Risotto rice
• 1 x stock cube (chicken or veg)
• Pesto
• CheeseIt’s as easy as… Fry your chopped onions in olive oil and garlic. Once you pop your risotto rice in, make sure it is coated in oil and add in your hot mixed stock (a little at a time). Let this simmer and cook then add your pesto and fold in some grated cheese.

Tip: You can either make your own fresh pesto or buy an already-made jar. You could even add some parmesan at the end to top it off.

Super Simple Stir-Fry

A stir fry may just be one of the easiest, quickest, and yummiest recipes to make! Again, the great thing about this dish is that you can add in meat, keep it vegetarian or even make it a bit quirky. You can also use either rice or noodles, whichever you fancy!

You will need:

• Olive oil
• 1 x red pepper
• 1 x carrot
• 1 x onion
• Spring onion
• Garlic
• Ginger
• Broccoli
• Optional meat
• Dried egg noodles
• Soy sauce
  
  It’s as easy as…. Cook your noodles or rice and leave them soaked in oil while you prep your veggies and meat. Once you’ve got everyone ready, get your wok out and fry it all together with plenty of oil, garlic, ginger, and soy sauce.

Tip: If you’re feeling lazy, you can buy a ready-made pack of stir-fry veggies from any supermarket, and even a ready-made sauce!

Quick Crustless Quiche

If you’ve got eggs in the house, this is the perfect quick-and-easy recipe. You can add what you want into this mixture and you’ve got a healthy, nutritious, and great meal which everyone will love! You can make it as mini quiches in muffin tins or as a casserole type, both which are great!

You will need:

• 10 x eggs
• Milk
• 1 x pepper
• 1 x onion
• Bag of spinach
• Cheese
• Olive oil
• Anything else you want to add!It’s as easy as… Crack your eggs into a large bowl, beat them, add a little splash of milk and put to one side.

Fry up your onions, spinach, pepper (and anything else you want: tomatoes, spring onion, ham, broccoli- whatever!). Season your fried-up mixture. Then add your veggie fried mixture to your eggs, mix it all up, pop into a baking tray and bake until golden brown.

Tip: Add cheese into your egg mixture and sprinkle on top before you put in the oven for the perfect combination of crispiness on top and stringy-cheese in the middle.

Pasta Perfection

Like pasta? Like cheese? Also like to be healthy? This recipe is quick, super delicious and easy to make. First you need to know how to make a cheese sauce from scratch – don’t panic though, as this is actually really easy. All you need is flour, milk, butter, and cheese. Watch this video and you will be a pro in no time!

You will need:

• Your newly perfected cheese sauce
• Pasta
• Spring onions
• Tomatoes
• Tuna
• CheeseIt’s as easy as… Once you’ve cooked your pasta to how you like it, add your chopped-up spring onions, tomatoes, and tuna all together with your cheese sauce. Pop this in a baking tray, sprinkle some cheese on the top and bake in the oven until the cheese has melted and you have a golden-brown pasta bake!

Tip: You can add whatever you want into this posh mac and cheese; chop up some ham to make it into a carbonara.

If you are looking for the perfect student house in Lancaster, a place to relax with friends, cook for friends, learn some cooking skills, and, of course, have the odd ‘normal’ beans on toast, Student Housing Lancaster have just that. You can see our range of student houses available right now here (be sure to check out where you will be delving into cooking) or, alternatively, get in touch with us.