Friday, September 17, 2010

The Good Old Days...

I was talking to one of my best friends today and he told me he moved into the dorms of his school and are eating all the "college junk."  I remember those days- grabbing whatever you can to eat in the few minutes you have.  Last semester, I survived (while my wallet did not) on buying sandwiches on campus for lunch because I didn't have the 3 minutes to microwave leftovers.

As usual, college food is nothing compared to home cooked comfort food- so when I lived in the dorms, I improvised with what I got.  I went to the dining hall and find the typical foods available and thought "how can I use these ingredients to make something better?"  and then the ideas started to fill up my stomach... Here's some ideas may fill your stomach... [Most of the ingredients can be taken from the dining hall.. ;)]

By the way... a rice cooker helps a LOT!  That and a hot water boiler was the only cooking tools I had!

1. Buffalo Chicken Sandwich - Take grilled chicken and turn it into buffalo chicken

Grab the hot sauce that is available and put 1 cup of it into a microwaveable bowl.  Add 2 tablespoons of butter into the bowl.  Add a splash of worcestershire if they have.  Throw in 1 teaspoon of sugar.  Microwave for 1 min or until the butter has melted.  Carefully!.. stir it so everything is nicely mixed, and pour it over the grilled chicken! And enjoy your buffalo chicken anyway you like it.

2. Dorm Style Stir-Fry (the rice cooker is needed..or something to the extent)- Most dining halls have a salad bar, use that to make something more than a salad..


Grab everything but the lettuces!  Grab the baby corn, peppers, mushrooms, tofu, bamboo shoots, broccoli,  carrots, celery.. etc.  whatever you like in stir-fry GRAB IT!  ..grab a little bit of oil, soy sauce/ teriyaki, hot scauce while you are at it.. =]
Plug in the rick cooker and press the "cook" button on so the pot can get hot.  Add some oil and then add in the veggies!  Stir it a little bit and add 1/4 cup of water and the sauces and put the lid on it.  The water boil and the steam will help with the cooking process.  When the veggies are cooked and soft, bon appetite!

NOTE!!! Want "chicken and broccoli"? grab grilled chicken and broccoli and cook it the same way as above! MA PO TOFU could be made this way too..it was yummy.. that way you don't have to always call for chinese take out.


3. Breakfast Sandwich - Assemble breakfast into 1 item so it is easier to eat on the run.


This is easy.. grab the english muffin/toast, sausage patty and ask the cook to fry you up an egg with cheese and just put it together yourself! not too hard...?

the best idea..? DESSERTS IN A DORM!
4. Dorm "Apple Pie"! (rice cooker or a pot(and stove) is needed)- now...i usually don't support taking the easy way out when it comes to desserts...but when you are in college...exceptions can be made. If you have time, you can go and buy a pre-baked pie shell. Or you can skip the pie shell (and save some calories) and just have apple pie a la mode!

Grab 6 apples (granny smiths are better than others..but grab whatever is available), butter, cinnamon sugar,
and cut them up into slices.  Melt the butter and mix in the apples and sugar.  Put into the rice cooker/pot and turn it on. Turning occasionally, cook for 30 mins or util the apples are nice and soft.  Now you can either pour it into the pie shell and wait for it to cool...or put the apples into a bowl and put ice cream on the top!

I have made all the above in my dorm room on a fly, so there is no set measured recipe.  Use what you have and just be creative.

This is for you, buddy.

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