The kitchen is bustling as the hostess flits around, putting the finishing garnishes on several plates of pasta. Guests arrive with bottles of wine and mingle in the living room until dinner is announced. Textbooks are left at home and so is the hard liquor. A rather drastic departure from their typical Friday night keggers, this group of college students has decided to class the evening up a bit and sit down to enjoy good conversation and a well-prepared meal among friends.

The dinner party—and cooking in general—seems to be a lost art among college students, who are usually more skilled at the art of Ramen and mac and cheese. And, let’s be honest: Those are two necessary staples in the diet of any budget-minded or time-conscious student. But sometimes the old noodle bowl leaves a lot to be desired. That’s why some students have taken the time to break away from their good friends Kraft and Campbell for a more fulfilling and satisfying dining experience.

Dana Schmidt, Wichita junior, is the president of the KU Culinary Club and a self-proclaimed “food snob.” Schmidt rarely cooks anything from a box anymore, finding it cheaper and more satisfying to do all of her own cooking from scratch.

“The thing about cooking is you eat better,” Schmidt says. “A pork roast is always going to taste better than a sandwich.”

But for those students born without Schmidt’s cooking prowess—and let’s face it, that’s most of us—the kitchen can be a daunting and intimidating place teeming with opportunities to screw up. But cooking from scratch doesn’t have to be a huge production. With a few simple recipes, a little planning, and a set of freezer-safe Tupperware containers, an hour or two every Sunday can be enough to organize an entire week’s worth of meals.

Ann Chapman, coordinator of nutrition services at Watkins Memorial Health Center, recommends putting a little time into cooking a few big dishes during the weekend and freezing them in individual packages that can be reheated throughout the week. Soups, casseroles and lasagnas are all things that freeze well and are relatively simple to make.

After spending a little time in the kitchen and experimenting with different recipes, the fear of all things culinary should begin to diminish. Cooking may even become—dare I say it—fun.

Some students share their love of food and cooking by gathering their friends together and throwing dinner parties. Hannah McWilliams, Leawood junior, says she enjoys cooking for other people and connecting with them over the dinner table.

“I really enjoy going out to bars and parties like most other students, but sometimes it’s nice to stay in and know the people you’re with,” McWilliams says. “It’s nice to do something a little out of the ordinary instead of beer pong in someone’s garage.”

McWilliams says she likes to make elaborate meals for her friends when they come over by preparing multiple courses and serving individual, garnished plates. And while this certainly sounds like enough work to stress some people out, for many students, spending time in the kitchen can be a huge stress reliever.

For McWilliams, cooking helps her reduce stress by combining two essential aspects of her personality: the systematic and the creative. Recipes guide the way, she says, but they’re open for any kind of divergence. At the same time, cooking is also very formulaic, and everything in the kitchen has its place and its process. The fact that you get to indulge and enjoy the delicious fruits of your labor doesn’t hurt either.

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How to eat like an adult

Two recipes to get you started in the right direction

The United States imports and consumes 42.4 million packages of Instant Ramen noodles every year, according to the official Ramen Web site www.instantramen.or.jp. That’s enough to feed every student on both the Lawrence and Edwards campuses three meals a day for almost a year and a half. And, at 10 cents per package, it’s tempting to eat Ramen that often. But for your body’s sake, here are two quick and painless recipes even novice chefs can pull off deliciously.

One-Skillet Tex-Mex Fiesta

16 oz. can original or barbecue baked beans

15-oz. can Mexican style stewed tomatoes, with juice

11-oz. can whole kernel corn, drained

1-1/2 cup instant brown rice

1/4 cup salsa

Combine all ingredients, plus one cup water into a nonstick skillet. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes.

Chicken Sorrento

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves

8 oz. light, creamy Italian dressing

1 bag (16 oz.) frozen stir-fry vegetable blend

Sprinkle chicken with ¼ tsp. of salt and 1/8 tsp. of pepper. Spray pan with nonstick spray and add 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add chicken and cook 2 minutes per side, or until golden. Pour dressing on chicken and turn to coat. Cover, reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Add frozen vegetables, cover and cook additional 5 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through and vegetables are crisp-tender.

Recipes from www.hawkhealth.com