For those students who find themselves living on their own for the first time, it may be hard to prepare a meal without requesting help from mom. It can also be difficult to get used to cooking after spending most days dining in the commons.

However, these recipes will not only look gourmet, but can be done quickly along with your hectic student schedule. You can even make the regular serving size and save some for later in the week when on-the-go meals are the only option.

Here are some recipes that will keep you going throughout the day.

Raspberry Chicken Salad

Ingredients

1/4 cup raspberry preserves

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon white wine vinegar

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

Salt and ground black pepper

2 tablespoons minced scallion

1 cup fresh raspberries

4 cooked chicken breast halves, cut into 1-inch pieces

4 cups chopped Bibb lettuce

Nut bread

Cream cheese

Preparation

In a medium-size bowl, whisk together raspberry preserves, oil, vinegar, Dijon mustard and salt and pepper. Add scallions and raspberries to vinaigrette. Add diced chicken and toss to combine with vinaigrette. Arrange lettuce on individual plates. Spoon chicken mixture over lettuce just before serving. Serve with nut bread and cream cheese, if desired.

Courtesy of foodnetwork.com

Italian Nachos

Ingredients

Italian Salsa

1 tablespoon garlic, minced, approximately two cloves

1/3 cup red onion, minced

4 Roma tomatoes, seeded and diced (small dice)

8 peppadews, seeded and diced

2 tablespoons capers (1 tablespoon rough chopped, 1 tablespoon whole)

2 tablespoons Italian parsley, fresh, chopped

1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons peppadew juice

1 teaspoon black pepper, freshly cracked

Salt to taste (but taste first...)

Filling

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1/2 pound lean ground beef

1/2 pound Italian turkey sausage, casing removed

1/4 yellow onion, small dice, approximately 1/4 cup

2 cloves garlic, minced, approximately 1 tablespoon

Toppings

1/4 cup ricotta cheese

1/4 cup sour cream

8 ounces mozzarella, grated

2 ounces hard salami, julienned

1 tablespoon basil, julienned

1 tablespoon Italian parsley, chopped

4 green onions, thin sliced, to top

2 tablespoons pepperoncini rings (optional)

"Chips"

3 cups canola oil

1 package wonton wrappers, cut in half

Salt

Preparation

For Italian Salsa

Combine all ingredients in a nonreactive bowl. Stir well to combine and set aside to marry.

For Filling

In a medium sauté pan over medium high heat, add 1/2 olive oil, ground beef and sausage. Cook until cooked through and remove from pan. Add remaining olive oil and sauté onion for four to five minutes, until starts to turn opaque. Add in garlic and cook for two minutes more, being careful not to burn the garlic. Add back in the meat mixture, combine and set aside.

For Toppings

Combine ricotta cheese and sour cream in a small food processor or blender, place into a resealable bag and set aside. Prepare all other ingredients and set aside.

For Chips

In a heavy skillet, heat oil to 350 degrees F. Add wonton wrappers, just a few at a time, as they cook extremely fast. As soon as they puff, flip and they will start to brown. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate. Sprinkle with salt as they come out.

In an oven-safe dish, arrange a layer of chips, then some meat mixture (reheated if necessary). Sprinkle with mozzarella and repeat, layering up and finishing with cheese. Place under broiler until cheese is melted. (Don't take your eyes off this step.) Remove from oven and top with salami, fresh herbs, green onions, pepperoncini rings if using, and salsa. Cut hole in corner of ricotta/sour cream mix, drizzle over. Serve immediately.

Courtesy of delish.com

Banana Muffins

1 cup sugar

1/4 cup butter softened, unsalted

1 large egg

3 medium sized ripe bananas, mashed

1/4 cup buttermilk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 1/4 cup all-purpose unbleached flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup shelled walnuts

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Move oven racks to the low position so when muffins bake, the tops are in the middle of the oven. Line muffin tin with paper cup liners or grease with butter, even if using a non-stick muffin tin.

Maria's tip: "A quick easy cheat for buttermilk is to add 1 teaspoon white vinegar to 1/4 cup whole milk, stir, let sit for one minute, and voilà... buttermilk!

In large mixing bowl, using electric hand mixer on low or a whisk and a strong arm mix together butter and sugar. Add egg, mix until well blended. Add bananas, buttermilk, and vanilla and mix until thoroughly incorporated.

Stir in the flour, baking soda, and salt by hand and just until combined-over mixing at this point will yield dry and tough muffins.

Mince walnuts to a very fine, almost dust-like consistency. This can be done by placing walnuts into a blender and pulsing until they are crumbs. Add walnuts to the batter and stir just until moistened and combined.

Fill muffin cups 3/4 of the way. Bake for 15 minutes, or until top of muffin springs back when touched.

Remove from tins immediately when done or they will continue to cook and allow muffins to cool on a wire rack.

Note: If you like raisins or dates in your banana muffin you can throw a palmful (about 1/2 cup) into the batter before you fill the cups.

Courtesy of rachaelray.com