We all know that dining out is a great way to experience new cuisines but can also bleed your wallet dry. Cooking at home can be a great way to expand your taste bud’s horizon while also saving you precious dollars.

This week, the Clarion brings to you a comprehensive at-home cooking guide that will be great for a friend’s night in or making a delicious meal that you can munch on for days to come.

Meat Lover’s

Chicken is always a go to choice for a delicious and healthy meal. It is the perfect option for a party or small get together and goes great with a number of side dishes. The Clarion brings to you this delicious and easy to make Chicken Piccata recipe, courtesy of Food Network. The recipe incorporates a sauce made with white wine, chicken broth and capers just to name a few. According to the recipe, chefs will make the sauce by heating white wine, chicken broth, lemon juice and capers in a nonstick skillet.

Helpful Hint: The sauce is more flavorful if chefs use the same skillet they used to cook the chicken – unwashed.

Let these ingredients blend together for about 10 to 15 minutes. Serve over cooked chicken.

Typical Chicken Piccata recipes can cause waistlines to expand because of the heavy butter and wine-based sauce. This recipe, however, is a great option for students counting calories because it reduces the amount of wine and butter used while still providing a tasteful meal that is only 207 calories per chicken serving.

All ingredients for Chicken Piccata can be purchased for around $25. It’s a great option for students hosting a dinner because each person can chip in a few dollars to make a deliciously affordable meal.

For full directions for the recipe visit www.foodnetwork.com

Veggie Lover’s

For anyone who prefers a meal with no meat, there are plenty of options out there that will leave you and your taste buds satisfied and ready for more. The Clarion brings you recommends this student friendly and affordable vegetarian friendly pasta primavera recipe, also courtesy of Food Network. This healthy recipe is sure to satisfy your vegetable requirement for the day incorporating carrots, zucchini, squash and cherry tomatoes.

The recipe calls for chefs to mix vegetables with oil, salt, pepper and herbs in a baking sheet. Then place the baking sheet in an oven for about 20 minutes. Once the pasta has been cooked, chefs will toss the vegetable mix, pasta, cherry tomatoes and Parmesan cheese to taste.

Helpful Hint:  Sauce sticks to noodles better if chefs put sauce in large bowl and put pasta on top of it and then mix.

Then it is ready to eat. With an estimated 25 minutes preparation time and a 20 minutes cook time, this meal is ready to eat in only 45 minutes.

This is a great meal option for students because all ingredients can be purchased for under $15 and produces about six servings. A perfect option for someone who is looking to feed themselves for the next week, add a salad or side of steamed green beans to mix it up every night.

For full directions for the recipe visit www.foodnetwork.com

Add Some Pork to Your Chop

One must-know recipe for all aspiring chefs is the basic pork chop – crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside. While this is not a meal to eat every day, its subtle but distinctive taste and easy preparation is perfect for any special occasion.

The Clarion encourages students to go beyond the college student cooking norm with this Boneless Butterflied Pork Chops With Fire-Roasted Tomatillo Sauce, recipe courtesy of Shelley Grieshaber’s recipe on Central Market, a go-to website for all things food.

The recipe says that chefs will marinate their pork chops in a cumin and cayenne based brine for a minimum of 45 minutes.

Helpful Hint: The longer they marinate the better they will be.

Once ready to be cooked, dry the pork chops with paper towel and rub olive oil on both sides. Grill pork chops in a nonstick skillet until cooked. Serve with warm homemade or store bought tomatillo sauce.

Pork chops can be purchased at any local grocery store prepackaged or at the meat counter. Usually priced around $7, students can make a gourmet meal for a fraction of the restaurant cost. However, because pork chops are known to not be the leanest of meats, this meal should be saved for a special occasion like a date night or birthday dinner. Be sure to serve them with a salad or asparagus to add a little green to the meal.

For full directions for the recipe visit www.centralmarket.com

Unsuspecting Breakfast Meal

We all know that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. What better way to start it then with healthy tacos for breakfast? The Clarion suggests the breakfast tacos recipe courtesy of the book Flat Belly Diet.

The book directs chefs to warm corn tortillas.

Helpful Hint: For a moist tortilla, wrap it up in a wet paper towel and heat in the microwave.

Then add egg whites, ½ cup of baby spinach leaves, one cup of salsa and ¼ cup of avocado to make the perfect breakfast taco. Perfect for students on the run in the morning, this easy to make recipe only takes a few minutes and at around 369 calories, is a healthy start to the day.

For full directions for the recipe see Flat Belly Diet.

The great thing about making this yourself is that all recipes can be changed to address the chef’s specific needs and taste. Don’t be afraid to experiment. Some of the best meals are made on accident.