i’m 19 and have never cooked anything in my life. this is my first attempt at a balanced meal in my college apartment
i’m 19 and have never cooked anything in my life. this is my first attempt at a balanced meal in my college apartment
by hydratedshawty
35 Comments
hydratedshawty
verdict: chicken was good. i should have used fresh broccoli, not frozen (that’s what the liquid is lol) because it got too soggy. potatoes were a bit underdone, i cut them too big i think. overall 7.5/10. i’m going to try beef next!
Selash
1.) Does look nommy.
2.) Your ideas for next time look good.
3.) Cooking is a great skill to cultivate.
Keep going! You got this!
PHXLV
Looks like you did a great job! I make sheet pan meals all the time. Healthy. Tasty. Efficient.
Baggieofweed
Not too shabby
420_PaperSt
Sheet pan meals are the best! Hit up Pinterest for sheet pan recipes. So easy and minimal perfect for a college student. You put it all in at once and bam dinner!
Clear_Body536
Looks really good for first time.
goldielooks
For your first time cooking, this is really impressive!
Azul951
Good job kiddo!!
Best-Hotel-1984
Good job. Start with basic things like pasta, stir fry, curry, and even casserole. Easy to make, fairly cheap, and will give you leftovers.
DrTwilightZone
OP, this looks great! 👍 Please don’t be too hard on yourself. In order to get great at something, first you have to be not-so-great at it.
You should be proud because this is an excellent first meal to cook! It’s balanced and nutritious. You are at a wonderful starting point. Please keep going and post your future meals. I, for one, am interested in seeing how you progress. 🧑🍳
partyboystu
Looks awesome! Congrats on taking the leap. When you first start out, it can seem really daunting, but it’s so worth it. Some other super simple easy beginner recipies to look into are “One Skillet” dishes (same idea as your one pan dish here) and then of course slow cookers. Slow cookers are awesome, especially during college. Throw all your stuff in in the morning before you head off to class, then you come back home and the house smells awesome and dinner is already done! Keep it up 🙂
jrbake
LFG! You got a bright future, kid
ShiftyGorillla
Nice!
For a super basic recipe, toss that chicken into some white rice with the same cooked broccoli.
I don’t think it qualifies as a stir fry, but who cares, it’s filling and tasty, with fairly cheap ingredients.
barbermom
Way to go! Trying and working through the growing pains are the fun part of cooking.
poopoomcg00
Invest in a crockpot they are literally a lifesaver for when you’re learning how to cook!
Alternative_Bag_9119
Great job, bravo!
BowtiepastaMasta
None of those three cook in the same amount of time for you to enjoy. Broccoli will be overcooked. Potatoes undercooked. That’s if you’re cooking the chicken to a proper temp.
Next time, start with the potatoes, then the chicken, then the broccoli.
2FANeedsRecoveryMode
Looks good, maybe sear the chicken real quick and it’ll be great.
nikkesen
Simple and wholesome food. Looks healthy and satisfying.
ApoplecticAutoBody
Good job. That’s a perfect sheet pan dinner. Definitely use fresh veggies and as far as the potatoes go you’ll figure out size so everything cooks in same time. Sometimes I add the veg partway through so they don’t overcook.
MTN_Chef
Well done! One pan meals are well suited for small spaces. You’ll be able to find endless recipes online to try next.
Revegelance
This looks fantastic for a first ever attempt. And it’s only gonna get better with experience.
Outrageous_Card6007
If you put the cheese on the last 6 minutes in the oven it won’t melt as much and will stay on the food better good job it looks good
Lucky-Somewhere-1013
A tip to make clean up easier: get yourself some parchment paper and line the sheet pan with it. When you are done cooking you can either compost the parchment paper or throw it away.
Classic_Product_9345
That looks really good !
Salt_Craft_7544
Do yourself a favour and buy some parchment paper, It will help with the clean up big time. Looks good!
What I typically do for these pan meals is add the broccoli last. I would start with the cut potatoes and leave the chicken whole. About 15 mins before the potatoes are done, take the chicken off the pan and add the broccoli while you’re flipping the potatoes. This should help to even it out.
Itsnotsponge
Im not trying to be mean but just look up some recipes “cheap easy meals with left overs” or what ever
WickerPurse
You are gonna be an amazing cook. I can already tell.
Glum_Nose2888
Good job! Looks good for a first timer. Keep it up!
ExoticNatalia
Least you seasoned it. That’s all that matters. Looks good tho!!
Srnkanator
Some tips.
Tin foil that. It makes clean up super easy and saves the tray over the long run. Make it a “boat” with raised edges to trap juices.
Marinate the chicken first I like organic boneless chicken thighs, for at least 4 hours, then dry seasoning right before roasting, of your choice. Don’t cut up, leave whole.
Pick a fresh vegetable. That’s where all the water is from, don’t use frozen vegetables if you are pan sheet roasting. Broccoli is good, so is asparagus with bell pepper, cauliflower with carrots, etc. Olive oil, lemon juice, garlic salt and dry herb (I usually do dill) is all it needs.
Potatoes. Small mix, or fingerling works best. Cut them in half inch sizes, boil for about 10 minutes. It will precook the starch and allow for more browning in the oven. I just do Montreal Steak seasoning and again olive oil. Drain and dry of course.
Preheat oven to 400°. On one pan sheet, go for about 35 minutes. Make three sections protein, veggies, starch.
Great right out and fresh from the oven, then for prepped meals the next couple days.
MeaNovissimaBibere
Aye dawg, looks edible to me.
Small_Tax_9432
All you need is some cooked rice and you’re good to go 😋
AFenton1985
That looks good reminds me of stuff my dad made when I was little.
BlackberryIcy2894
Overall great job but wanted to give you some suggestions! Frozen broccoli is completely fine to use, but you might be better off steaming it instead of baking it in a tray where it can get soggy like this.
You could probably find an affordable rice cooker with a steamer basket attachment included. Another reason why I loved having a steamer basket in college was how easy it is to heat frozen dumplings (no oil splatters!) whenever I needed a quick meal.
As for the potatoes, try boiling them first in a pot of water to soften them, then broil or bake in the oven to finish cooking and allow them to crisp up! My first meals in college looked a lot like this. As I got older, I realized the oven is probably my least favorite cooking method. You’ll get the hang of it!
35 Comments
verdict: chicken was good. i should have used fresh broccoli, not frozen (that’s what the liquid is lol) because it got too soggy. potatoes were a bit underdone, i cut them too big i think. overall 7.5/10. i’m going to try beef next!
1.) Does look nommy.
2.) Your ideas for next time look good.
3.) Cooking is a great skill to cultivate.
Keep going! You got this!
Looks like you did a great job! I make sheet pan meals all the time. Healthy. Tasty. Efficient.
Not too shabby
Sheet pan meals are the best! Hit up Pinterest for sheet pan recipes. So easy and minimal perfect for a college student. You put it all in at once and bam dinner!
Looks really good for first time.
For your first time cooking, this is really impressive!
Good job kiddo!!
Good job. Start with basic things like pasta, stir fry, curry, and even casserole. Easy to make, fairly cheap, and will give you leftovers.
OP, this looks great! 👍 Please don’t be too hard on yourself. In order to get great at something, first you have to be not-so-great at it.
You should be proud because this is an excellent first meal to cook! It’s balanced and nutritious. You are at a wonderful starting point. Please keep going and post your future meals. I, for one, am interested in seeing how you progress. 🧑🍳
Looks awesome! Congrats on taking the leap. When you first start out, it can seem really daunting, but it’s so worth it. Some other super simple easy beginner recipies to look into are “One Skillet” dishes (same idea as your one pan dish here) and then of course slow cookers. Slow cookers are awesome, especially during college. Throw all your stuff in in the morning before you head off to class, then you come back home and the house smells awesome and dinner is already done! Keep it up 🙂
LFG! You got a bright future, kid
Nice!
For a super basic recipe, toss that chicken into some white rice with the same cooked broccoli.
I don’t think it qualifies as a stir fry, but who cares, it’s filling and tasty, with fairly cheap ingredients.
Way to go! Trying and working through the growing pains are the fun part of cooking.
Invest in a crockpot they are literally a lifesaver for when you’re learning how to cook!
Great job, bravo!
None of those three cook in the same amount of time for you to enjoy. Broccoli will be overcooked. Potatoes undercooked. That’s if you’re cooking the chicken to a proper temp.
Next time, start with the potatoes, then the chicken, then the broccoli.
Looks good, maybe sear the chicken real quick and it’ll be great.
Simple and wholesome food. Looks healthy and satisfying.
Good job. That’s a perfect sheet pan dinner. Definitely use fresh veggies and as far as the potatoes go you’ll figure out size so everything cooks in same time. Sometimes I add the veg partway through so they don’t overcook.
Well done! One pan meals are well suited for small spaces. You’ll be able to find endless recipes online to try next.
This looks fantastic for a first ever attempt. And it’s only gonna get better with experience.
If you put the cheese on the last 6 minutes in the oven it won’t melt as much and will stay on the food better good job it looks good
A tip to make clean up easier: get yourself some parchment paper and line the sheet pan with it. When you are done cooking you can either compost the parchment paper or throw it away.
That looks really good !
Do yourself a favour and buy some parchment paper, It will help with the clean up big time. Looks good!
What I typically do for these pan meals is add the broccoli last. I would start with the cut potatoes and leave the chicken whole. About 15 mins before the potatoes are done, take the chicken off the pan and add the broccoli while you’re flipping the potatoes. This should help to even it out.
Im not trying to be mean but just look up some recipes “cheap easy meals with left overs” or what ever
You are gonna be an amazing cook. I can already tell.
Good job! Looks good for a first timer. Keep it up!
Least you seasoned it. That’s all that matters. Looks good tho!!
Some tips.
Tin foil that. It makes clean up super easy and saves the tray over the long run. Make it a “boat” with raised edges to trap juices.
Marinate the chicken first I like organic boneless chicken thighs, for at least 4 hours, then dry seasoning right before roasting, of your choice. Don’t cut up, leave whole.
Pick a fresh vegetable. That’s where all the water is from, don’t use frozen vegetables if you are pan sheet roasting. Broccoli is good, so is asparagus with bell pepper, cauliflower with carrots, etc. Olive oil, lemon juice, garlic salt and dry herb (I usually do dill) is all it needs.
Potatoes. Small mix, or fingerling works best. Cut them in half inch sizes, boil for about 10 minutes. It will precook the starch and allow for more browning in the oven. I just do Montreal Steak seasoning and again olive oil. Drain and dry of course.
Preheat oven to 400°. On one pan sheet, go for about 35 minutes. Make three sections protein, veggies, starch.
Great right out and fresh from the oven, then for prepped meals the next couple days.
Aye dawg, looks edible to me.
All you need is some cooked rice and you’re good to go 😋
That looks good reminds me of stuff my dad made when I was little.
Overall great job but wanted to give you some suggestions! Frozen broccoli is completely fine to use, but you might be better off steaming it instead of baking it in a tray where it can get soggy like this.
You could probably find an affordable rice cooker with a steamer basket attachment included. Another reason why I loved having a steamer basket in college was how easy it is to heat frozen dumplings (no oil splatters!) whenever I needed a quick meal.
As for the potatoes, try boiling them first in a pot of water to soften them, then broil or bake in the oven to finish cooking and allow them to crisp up! My first meals in college looked a lot like this. As I got older, I realized the oven is probably my least favorite cooking method. You’ll get the hang of it!