THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2002
FOOD
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN - 13
Food column to feature readers' survey requests
If there is one thing I learned from attending cooking school in Florence, Italy, and from my mentor, chef Antonio Cecconi, simplicity is the key to fantastic cooking. If cooking means popping a frozen dinner into the microwave is as easy as it gets, then there's a need for cooking lesson 101, pronto.
EAT THIS
Don't worry, I am here to help you with all of your cooking needs and you, the avid reader, have helped me by taking my food survey online at kansan.com. From the hundreds of you who responded, each week I will now give you the meals you asked for. Whether it's burritos, fried rice or lasagna, each recipe will be to your liking and will represent the 83 percent of you college students' budget of $25 to $50 per week. It's all for you ladies and gents and as Rob Schneider says in the movie, Waterboy, "You can do it!"
You asked for it. As Chinese food was ranked highest for wishing to cook more of, here is a simple meal for only $13.48.
Chicken Lo Mein (omit chicken for vegetarian dish)
Serve with chopsticks, fresh fruit,and a glass of iced tea. Tip: This dish also can be made with a single electric burner.
Contributed art
7 ounces of cooked Chinese noodles
6 oz. of boneless, skinless, ready-to-eat
chicken strips, shredded
1 cup of broccoli florets
1 cup of sliced mushrooms
1/2 to 1 cup of snow peas
1/2 cup sliced or shredded baby carrots
1/2 cup sliced red pepper
1/2 cup of bean sprouts (can be found in
produce section)
1 garlic clove, sliced into thin strips
2 to 2 1/2 tablespoons of oyster flavored
sauce
2 tablespoons of soy sauce
Christina DiGiacomo
cdigiacomo@kansan.com
2 tablespoons of vegetable oil 1/2 cup water
Heat oil over medium heat in a large sauté pan or wok. Add garlic, broccoli, mushrooms, snow peas, carrots, red pepper and bean sprouts and sauté until all vegetables are tender. Mix in cooked chicken and spaghetti.Add oyster flavored sauce and soy sauce to vegetable and pasta mixture, and toss. Serve in a large bowl.
Servings: 2. Low in fat.
Jayplay food survey results:
Males and females participated in the survey in equal numbers. More juniors and seniors cook — two to four days per week according to the survey — than sophomores and freshmen. Only 10 percent of the participants were vegetarians, and more than 90 percent of the participants live in a house or an apartment. Interestingly, the few of those surveyed who live in a residence hall said that they wouldn't mind cooking if provided the proper facilities.
Ninety-three percent buy food items that are low in fats and calories, with very little concern for fiber, protein, calcium, vitamins A and B and iron. Most participats took 30 to 45 minutes to cook a meal and thought they were moderately good cooks.
Eighty-three percent the participants spent between $25 and $50 per week on food. Students in the survey enjoyed cooking because it was healthier than eating out. This was definitely skewed toward the upperclassmen. It seems the older students are, the less need there is for fast food.
Chinese food was found to be the "most wanted to know how to cook" more than any other ethnic cooking. It seems like the Asian region was very popular as Japanese came in a close second. Italian came in third with Mexican and Indian following. A few of you listed "other."
Thank you to everyone who participated in the survey.
If you want it,you can find it. Check out The University Daily Kansan classifieds. We're also online at kansan.com