By: Madison Schettler and Sarah DeWolfe
A new semester means new classes, new notebooks, new routines, and this year, a new café in the library! While we love how easy it is to grab an iced coffee during a particularly painful study session, we can’t help but miss Global Café (RIP). So, if you find yourself craving a buffalo chicken panini or some mac and cheese balls and just don’t know where to turn, look no further! Here are some quick and easy recipes you can make for a few of our old Global Café favorites.
Sarah – Mac and Cheese Balls
What you need:
- 1 box of your favorite mac (the creamier, the better)
- Milk and butter depending on what the box calls for
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- 1 cup of all-purpose flour
- 1 cup of breadcrumbs
- Vegetable oil as needed
- 1 block of cheddar cheese, preferably Velveeta (optional)
Step 1: Cook mac and cheese according to the directions on the box.
Step 2: Once the mac and cheese is done, spread it out thinly onto a baking sheet. Throw it in the freezer until set, overnight works.
Step 3: When you’re ready to start making the mac and cheese balls, set out three bowls: one filled with eggs, one with flour, and one with breadcrumbs. I also decided to cube up some velveeta cheddar cheese to stuff inside of them for some extra cheesiness.
Step 4: Fill a deep pot with vegetable oil and set on medium-high heat. I would add enough to cover at least half of the mac and cheese balls as they are frying.
Step 5: When the oil is ready (I can usually tell by dipping a fork into the egg mixture and just touching it to the oil to see if it starts sizzling) take about 2 tablespoons of the mac and cheese and form it into a ball. Stuff some cheddar inside of the ball-if you chose to go that route-and then roll it in the flour mixture, followed by the eggs, and then the breadcrumbs. Repeat this for each mac and cheese ball and place them carefully into the pot. Be careful not to crowd them, keeping it to around 3 at a time.
**If you want an extra crunchy exterior you can go back and add another layer of egg and breadcrumbs before dropping them carefully into the oil.
Step 6: Using tongs or a metal spoon, flip each ball when they begin to brown. Remove them from the pot when fully browned and place them onto a plate covered in paper towels to drain the oil. That’s it! You and your friends (or let’s be honest, just you) can dig into these savory late-night bites.
TIP*** Please DO NOT pour the leftover oil down your sink. You’ll thank me later. Let it cool completely and pour it back into a safe container to use again.
Madison – Hummus Wrap
Ingredients: (Makes one wrap)
- wrap of your choice (I used a spinach wrap but you can use white or whole wheat)
- hummus
- lettuce
- tomato
- red onion
Step 1: Spread hummus on your wrap.
Step 2: Add lettuce, tomato, and red onion on top. Cheese and other veggies are optional as well.
Step 3: Roll up your wrap and serve!
Sarah – Chicken Pesto Panini
What you need: (makes 2 paninis)
- four slices of bread (I used white bread)
- a jar of basil pesto
- one red tomato (literally any tomato will do)
- one rotisserie chicken
- one block of mozzarella cheese or shredded mozzarella
- butter/olive oil
Step 1: I like to lay out all of my ingredients first, so I sliced up the tomato and mozzarella and put it to the side immediately. Then with two forks, I shredded up some of the chicken from the pre-cooked rotisserie chicken I bought and put that in a bowl.
Step 2: Take as much pesto as you want and spoon it into the bowl with the chicken, mix until chicken is fully coated.
Step 3: Heat a small saucepan with a couple tablespoons of butter or olive oil while you finish building the sandwich.
Step 4: Spread oil or butter onto each side of the bread and start stacking! Bread down first, then mozzarella slices, a few tomato slices, the pesto chicken, more mozzarella (for optimal cheese pull) and finish with the final piece of bread.
Step 5: If you have a panini press, simply place the sandwich onto the press and close it until the bread has browned and the cheese has melted. If not, carefully pick up the sandwich with a spatula and transfer it onto the pan. Flip when bread is golden brown. If you want, you can take another pan and press down onto the sandwich to speed up the process.
TIP*** you can turn the heat off or on low and put a pot cover on top of the pan to steam it if you want the cheese to melt without having to keep the sandwich on the direct heat.
Step 6: Once both sides are golden and the cheese is melted, you’re ready to eat! Don’t forget to film that cheese pull!
Madison – Buffalo Chicken Panini
Ingredients: (makes 2 paninis)
- four slices of bread (I used a simple white bread)
- one chicken breast, shredded
- 1/2 cup buffalo sauce
- 1/4 cup of blue cheese dressing (or ranch!)
- four slices of mozzarella
Step 1:Mix together the chicken, buffalo sauce, and blue cheese.
Step 2: Spray the bread lightly with cooking spray, or if you’d prefer, butter the bread. Place one piece of bread sprayed side down in the panini maker and top with half the buffalo chicken mix.
Step 3: Place the other piece of bread (sprayed side up) on the sandwich and close the press.
Step 4: Plug in the panini press and let the sandwich cook, taking out when the light turns green, and enjoy!
Step 5: If you’re like me and don’t have a panini press, never fear! You can still make this delicious sandwich, by cooking it in a pan, like you would a grilled cheese, pressing down on the sandwich with a spatula to ensure the bread becomes crispy!
