On a relatively crisp Sunday morning, I woke up hesitant to emerge from beneath my cozy den of layered blankets. After sleeping with my window open last night, I felt like I inhaled crisp autumn. 

Days are getting shorter, and mornings are colder. The Packers had their first loss of the season. It is officially the unofficial start to fall. 

College kid Autumn is a wake-up call. We may be broke, tired and ready for a cozy Harry Potter marathon, but papers must still be written and exams studied for. 

It can be challenging to find moments of comfort when new responsibilities and constant learning surround us. 

Especially when it comes to fueling ourselves, for some Blugolds, this may be the first fall they are in charge of supplying themselves a bowl of chicken noodle soup when the first round of frat flu hits campus. 

The last time I had the privilege to recommend my college meal preferences sparked the beginning of The Spectator’s Peanut Butter Salami saga. 

I am setting out to prove my worthiness of EC Eats. This compilation of college budget-friendly fall recipes will blow your mind without breaking the bank.

My desire for a cozy fall meal began at a very young age. Every Sunday morning, I was welcomed by the sound of the Packer game and a concoction wafting up from the kitchen of my childhood home.

Often, this smell was my mom’s Packer Sunday Dip. 

Mrs. Schoenemann’s Packer Sunday Dip:

1 lb ground beef

One jar of your choice of salsa: Bucky Badger Mild Chunky Salsa is highly recommended

One block of Velveeta cheese 

One bag of chips of your choosing

The process for this recipe could not be any easier. The only supplies you will need are a small frying pan and a crock pot. 

My favorite life hack if you don’t have these supplies: swing by Savers. Continue reading when you have acquired these supplies. 

The procedure is straightforward. First, brown your 1 lb of ground beef in the frying pan. Once browned, add your choice of salsa and Velveeta cheese to a crock pot. 

Let these ingredients simmer on high for about an hour. Mix every 5-10 minutes. In the meantime, get a head start on your next big paper. Approximately an hour later, your college house will smell like gameday.

That roommate locked up working on chemistry will come out of hibernation for this rendition of Packer Sunday Dip. 

My following recommendation comes with parameters for success. This masterpiece must be made on the first fall evening when you feel the urge to wear slippers. I can’t explain why, it just tastes best while sporting cozy socks and fuzzy slippers.

Claire’s Iconic Mac n Cheese:

One package of Velveeta mac ‘n cheese

One package of ground pork sausage

This is probably the only recipe that takes less effort and ingredients than Mrs. Schoenemann’s Packer Sunday Dip. 

Four simple steps: brown pork sausage. Cook mac n cheese noodles. Add pork sausage, cheese and any seasonings of your choice to the noodles. Enjoy this fabulous meal (with your slippers on). 

My personal favorite optional side dish is a pan of Jiffy Cornbread Muffins. Add a little butter on top of a muffin to the side of your delectable mac ‘n cheese, and you are in for a comfortable fall evening. 

These dishes may be less nutritious, but they will provide the utmost fall coziness available. 

Schoenemann can be reached at [email protected].