Cinnamon Tea Cake

Jesse likes cinnamon. I like Jesse. I was too lazy to make anything interesting. And thus, we have stumbled upon cinnamon tea cake.

  

Cinnamon Tea Cake
(Makes 20 squares)

Ingredients

1/2 cup sugar

60 grams butter

1 teaspoon vanilla essence

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 egg

3/4 cup milk

1 1/2 cup self raising flour

Method

Cream together the sugar, butter, cinnamon and vanilla essence. Stir in the egg. Add the milk and the flour. Go to town on that bad boy. Really, just stir it up. When you're happy and quite positive that the cake has been stirred to perfection (hey, when stirring is the only thing you have to do in this recipe, I'd like to think you'll get enthusiastic about it) pour it into a cake tin and throw it into the oven at 180 degrees. 

It took me until the dishes were washed for the cake to be ready. But there were a lot of dishes to be done. So in real people time, it should be about half an hour. Now, make tea. And eat cake. And finish your bloody communication audit. Actually, that last one might just be me. 

Price

5c for the flour

12c for sugar

37c for the egg

36c for the butter

20c for the milk

8c for the vanilla essence

6c for the cinnamon

I have nothing witty to say. The cake cost $1.24 to make. Goffmans theories support this with three primary principals of communication which are ideal for deconstructing the situation; face, stage and frames. No wait, wrong window. Stupid communication audit.

Peanut Butter Stir Fry

As a uni student, I am all too aware of the temptation just to eat junk all the time. Because really, who's going to stop me? Not only does it feel easier just to throw some chips in the oven or order pizza, with the price of vegetables at the moment, it sometimes feels like it would be cheaper too.

But, apparently that's just the lazy side of me talking, because this was easy to make, cheap and I could practically taste the fresh vegetables doing me good.

Peanut Butter Stir Fry

(Serves 2)

Ingredients

1 cup rice

1 pack firm tofu

1 onion

2 carrots

1 zucchini

1 clove garlic

1 teaspoon ginger

4 teaspoons peanut butter

2 teaspoons lemon juice

2 tablespoons soy sauce

2 tablespoons milk

Method

Okay! So that list is way longer than usual, but don't panic! First, set the rice to cook. Just follow the packet instructions. I believe in you.

Next, cut the tofu into cubes. If you want to marinate it, go ahead, otherwise, just cook it up a little bit. The edges will look brown and good when it's ready. Set that to one side.

Cut up the vegetables however you want. Tonight, I used onion, carrot and zucchini. Had I known how stupid zucchini looked typed up, I probably would have used something else. But anyway, they work well, but so can whatever you have around the house. Cook up the vegetables with just a little bit of water so they don't burn and then, set them to the side as well!

Now, all you need is the sauce. It is so simple and so yummy. Just put the garlic, ginger, peanut butter, lemon juice, soy sauce and milk into a little saucepan and cook it over a low heat until it starts to bubble. At first, it won't look pretty, but once everything starts to melt together, it will look great.

Throw the vegetables, tofu and sauce into the fry pan and make sure everything is hot and saucy ;)

No, but seriously, make sure the sauce is covering everything because that's how this works. By now, your rice should be ready and you can mix it all up and enjoy your dinner.

Price

40c for the rice
$2.35 for the tofu

60c for the onion

60c for the carrots

$1.26 for the zucchini

10c for the garlic

6c for the ginger

8c for the peanut butter

2c for the lemon juice lemon juice

3c for the soy sauce

3c for the milk

This meal is so flexible with its ingredients. Have a favourite vegie? Add that instead. Like a bit of meat? Well, go for it. But, for last night, dinner cost $5.55, and that isn't half bad.

Plain Scones

When I was little, Sundays meant scones. My grandparents would buy them and they would be simply wonderful. So today, I decided to indulge in a little nostalgia (and a lot of scones).

Plain Scones

(Makes 16)

Ingredients

3 cups self raising flour

1 cup milk

80 grams butter

Method

I love making scones because the first step is to rub the butter into the flour. I just find it really soothing. When its done, your flour should look a little crumbly.

Make a well in the centre of the flour and pour in the milk. Stir it for a little while with a spoon, and then, just take it out and knead it with your hands.

Spread a little flour on the tray and place little balls of the dough on there. Surprisingly, they don't spread all that much so you don't really need to worry about space.

I don't use cookie cutters or anything, I hardly press them down so my scones end up looking a little bit lumpy, but it gives them character. Or something along those lines.

Anyway, they only need to cook for about 20 minutes at 200 degrees.

Price

8c for the flour

33c for the butter

25c for the milk

When the scones themselves only cost 66c for the 16, you can indulge and buy a little jam and cream, or, you can just have them with a little bit of butter.

My personal favourite at the moment however is cinnamon sugar. A quarter cup of sugar and half a teaspoon of cinnamon mixed together makes more than enough for all of the scones and it is just perfect.

Cheesy Scrolls

The pie-pocalypse is upon us. For those of you who are not already aware, the Easter Bunny manifested my boyfriend a pie machine this year. This has meant a lot of pies. And for those of you who have ever made a pie will be aware that pies tend to mean a lot of leftover pastry (I'm looking at you Mister Bertram, with your eight litre container full of the offcuts.)

I was worried that my boyfriend's collection of pie pieces was going to end up like my fathers and so was born the easiest snack I've ever made.

Cheesy Scrolls

 (Serves 1)

Ingredients

Leftover puff pastry

Cheese

Mixed herbs

Method

I like to roll the puff pastry into a little rope, then roll the little rope in cheese and twist him up into a knot. Sprinkle it with some mixed herbs and throw it into the oven at 180 degrees for about 15 minutes and you have yourself a tasty scroll.

My only advice is to make sure the rope isn't too thick, otherwise, it won't cook through and your scroll will be icky in the middle.

Price

This means that I can't correctly estimate a price for these little scrolls, but, I'd like to assume I'm working on a gain, because I no longer have millions of pastry offcuts in my freezer.

Chocolate Brownies

Today has been a good day. The article I wrote for Semper Floreat was published, and I got to see my name in print. I had a few really good tutorials, got started on a group assignment. I sleuthed my way to a boy that lost his wallet, got free mi goreng. Drank red wine with my lecturers and drank beer with some of the coolest boys I know. I think I deserve chocolate for being so awesome.

Chocolate Brownies

(Makes 24)

Ingredients

150 grams butter

1 cup brown sugar

2 eggs

1/2 cup of plain flour

1/2 cup of cocoa powder

Method

Beat the butter and sugar until they look all creamy and delicious. Add the eggs to your little concoction. Mix in the flour and cocoa. Try the batter to make sure it tastes awesome. Stop trying the batter or you will eat it all. Put it into a little tray and bake it for about half an hour in an oven set to 160 degrees. Salivate as the entire house starts to smell like brownie.

Price

3c for the flour

78c for the cocoa

74c for the eggs

66c for the butter

34c for the brown sugar

As you may be able to tell, we still haven't gone shopping. That's okay though, I'll probably just continue to take what's left in the cupboard until there is literally nothing left. I'm kidding. I think we'll be shopping this afternoon. That means I should be able to make some other substantial meals. Not that brownie isn't substantial. And hey, for $2.55, I can't see why you wouldn't eat it as one of your main meals.

Potato Bake

Potato Bake is probably the ultimate in procrastination. I have an assessment that I should be doing (ahh, don't we all) and instead, I decided to cook. But, alas (or hurrah?) the cooking decided to work with me.

Potato Bake

(Serves 4)

Ingredients 

60g butter

1/4 cup plain flour

2 1/3 cups milk

2 cups grated cheese 

4 potatoes

1 clove of garlic

Method

Okay! So, the preparation for this isn't difficult, it's just a little time consuming. You grate the cheese, you peel the potatoes, you...Actually, that's about it. Maybe I'm just slow.

Whatever, once that is done, you should boil the potatoes. Not completely, just for about 10 minutes, so that they've got a bit of a headstart. Potatoes are a little bit slow, ya know?

Then, melt the butter and add the flour. Stir in the milk and garlic and once that's all combined, add a cup and a half of cheese (you want to save a little bit for the top so it gets that awesome browned look).

Now, take the boiled potatoes and run them under cold water. No seriously, don't be like "ahh, I don't need cold water because I'm tough!" Because you will burn your fingers. And it will hurt. Trust me on this one. Now, once they are touchable, slice them up.

Put the potatoes into a oven safe dish, overlapping slightly and, over each layer, pour about a third of your cheesy sauce. On the final layer, sprinkle that little bit of leftover cheese.

Chuck it in the oven on 190 degrees and you wait. And wait. And wait. See, this is where my procrastination bake failed me. I ended up writing more in my waiting period than I would have if I hadn't have cooked. Because you just keep thinking, "Ah, I'll just write until dinner is ready, It won't be long". And it is long. Well, relatively.

The bake should take between 50 minutes and an hour to cook, so it's not really something that you can make spur of the moment. But, if like me, you have managed  to accumulate about a million potatoes and you've decided that some of them simply must go (and you really would rather be in the kitchen than at the computer) this is totally worth the wait.

Price

$2 for the potatoes

2c for the flour

60c for the milk

36c for the butter

10c for the garlic

$3.37 for the cheese

For $6.45, I got a meal that would feed four and an hours worth of solid work for an upcoming assessment. I'll be honest, I probably would have paid more than that for the motivation.

Coconut Muffins

This morning, I wanted something a little different for breakfast. Wheetbix and toast just weren't cutting it and my sweet tooth was aching (or it might have been my wisdom teeth, but either way, I was hungry and wanted something good).

The cupboard is looking a little bare today as we haven't been shopping in about a week. So, when I found half a packet of coconut, it was like a little gold bar in the back of the pantry. With my base ingredient it wasn't hard to scrape together all that I needed for coconut muffins.

Why hello there, breakfast. You look awfully scrumptious.

Coconut Muffins 

(Makes 12)

Ingredients 

 

1 cup desicated coconut 

2 cups self raising flour 

1/2 cup sugar 

pinch of salt 

1 egg 

1 cup milk 

1/2 cup oil 

 

Method

There is no method. No, really. You just throw everything into a bowl and stir it. Actually, crack the egg. But aside from that, you're gold. Just as the muffins should be after about 15-20 minutes in a 190 degree oven.

They aren't very sweet, but as an indulgent breakfast, they're still pretty great. And, best of all, ludicrously cheap. I tend to buy Coles brand whenever I can, and for this recipe, it has paid off.

Price

55c for the coconut
5c for the flour

12c for sugar

37c for the egg

25c for the milk

37c for the oil

I didn't factor in the salt because lets be honest, a 'pinch' isn't an easy number to calculate. But, for those of you that are as lazy as me, added up, this cost me $1.71. For twelve muffins and a happy little sweet tooth, that not bad.

It's hard to study on an empty stomache.

Why Hello There,

My name is Natassja. I'm currently studying a degree in communications and journalism at the university of Queensland. As these realms progress into the online world, I am often asked for the details of my blog and up until now, I have just shuffled awkwardly and changed the subject because I could never really convince myself I had enough to say.

If I brandished a cookie at someone, however, they were fine to drop the subject. And, ironically, it was this that led me to my own little place in the blogosphere - Student Hunger. People often ask me how I can afford to bring such yummy things for lunch on a daily basis, and it is because I cook it myself.

And now, why don't you? 

Although I am directing this blog at students, it could very well work for anyone on a budget. Because, it's not just hard to study on an empty stomache. Its downright hard to function.