In my past 2 year’s dorming at a small Community College, I have learned quickly how important cooking skills are. Gone are the days of asking my mom to fry me a grilled cheese sandwich. There I was at the stove, thinking to myself “learn to cook or eat easy mac every night”. If you don’t eat out every night and want a nutritious meal, you are not alone. But to help you transition, I have created a few easy cooking recipes for you to try out. These are not some five steps, three course entrée but something warm, yummy and filling.
Ramen is a college staple. At 20 cents a package who can argue with the price. In a boiling pot, cook the ramen until it is mostly done. At this point do not add the flavor packet. The idea is that the noodles need to be somewhat stiffer than with your typical ramen. After draining completely of water, add 1/3 of the flavor mix and stir. Now you have noodles perfect for adding soy sauce, sweat & sour sauce, red hots sauce or any other flavoring you like. Feel free to substitute these noodles into any recipe with chicken strips or grilled shrimp (you get the idea).
Another easy recipe is to get a Rice Pilaf packet from your local grocer. These taste great and are inexpensive. Most importantly they are filling. There are many different flavors, some including Spanish, Indian & Mexican style. The instructions are very straightforward and are listed on the packet. Mix with Ground Beef for an awesome meal.
My favorite snack is without a doubt the quesadilla, Mexican style. You will only need some soft white cheese available at your local grocery store (I prefer the round circle soft kind) and some corn based tortillas (these need to be kept refrigerated or they spoil) in order to cook. Cut the cheese thin and place in between two tortillas. In a large cooking pan (sized for four hamburgers), heat up a small spoonful of olive oil for about 30 seconds. Place one quesadilla on the pan and spread the oil evenly. When you see the bottom start to brown, flip it once. When you see the cheese oozing out you know it’s done. Be careful though as the cheese will be hot!! Dip in Salsa for maximum flavor.
The ramen recipe is just a variation of the package, but it is a whole different texture and flavor than just beef or chicken. You have so much freedom when cooking, so use your time in college to experiment. If you enjoyed these tips, leave me a comment or question. If I get enough food interest, maybe I will run a few more recipe/ideas.
Until then, best of cooking - Dylan
No comments:
Post a Comment