thursday, august 28, 2003
jayplay. 5
Good food as close as your microwave
By Brandi Garvin
bgarvin@kansan.com
Jayplay writer
Most of us remember a time when we loved macaroni and cheese. We relished in a wellboiled hot dog and couldn't live without our daily peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Well, those days are back. Dorm living has made food for 5-year-olds a dietary staple for 18-year-olds. We have found that mac-andcheese is a lifesaver. Hot dogs make life simple. And PB&J is acceptable at any meal. Ah, the joys of dorm room dining are upon us.
"We can just about have anything," Amanda Hubbell, Kingman sophomore, says. She and her roommate have a microwave and mini-fridge, as well as a freezer chest in their Corbin Hall
room. Hubbell's dorm room houses Lean Cuisines, Cheese Nips and ice cream among other treats.
While students tend to stock up on snack food, there are complete meals you can prepare in your dorm room. Prepare to dazzle your roommates and study buddies alike. Here are some recipes that are good enough to forego that late night call for Papa John's dorm special.
Now some might go to the obvious meals (popcorn, bagels and a pouch of ramen noodles), but with those same nonperishables, you could turn that popcorn into popcorn balls, those bagels into pizza, and that ramen into stir fry.
POPCORN BALLS
Start off by popping your
microwave popcorn and separating the kernels from the seeds. Then, in a microwave-safe bowl melt half a stick of butter and a half of a bag of marshmallows. Combine all ingredients and shape popcorn into balls. This recipe can be substituted with Rice Krispies cereal giving you homemade Rice Krispies Treats. I said it was going to be easy, not healthy.
PIZZA BAGELS
You need two basic toppings for a pizza: cheese and sauce. Anything on top of these two are optional. You can toast your bagel before putting on the toppings, but remember that toasters and toaster ovens are prohibited in the dorms so, toast at your own risk. Place bagel topped with sauce, cheese, and your
favorite toppings in the microwave. You may want to cover it with a paper towel to eliminate clean-up time. Microwave until cheese is melted to your liking. Presto! Cheesy pizza that's fresh and hot; just the way you like it!
stir frv
Pick up your favorite frozen veggies from your grocer's freezer. Microwave your veggies according to the directions on the package. Put your ramen in a bowl with water, cook until al dente, then pour out the remainder of the water. If you're having trouble with the ramen, you're a sad person. Read the directions. Add ramen seasoning and veggies to noodles. Put it back in the microwave for a few seconds to make sure all the flavors mix
well, and serve hot while watching anything decipherable on your 13-inch TV screen. Neither football nor basketball is recommended. Don't sit too close you could go blind!
Dining in your dorm room can be easy and beneficial. What if you're avoiding your nosy neighbor? What if you wake up, and can't make it to class because the sunlight is burning your eyes? These are not reasons you should be punished with microwave popcorn for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Other than these recipes, oatmeal, burritos and chicken fingers also microwave nicely. So shut your shade (I know there's only one window in those rooms). Turn down your lights, and experiment with your microwave. If all else fails, peanut butter and jelly to the rescue!