kbristol

FOOD. Students seek food at all hours of the day, and we should remember that what we put into ourselves affects how we perform every day. But this isn't going to be an entry preaching the benefits of healthy eating, because we get that every day from magazines and television—America's Health Problems! Poor College Eating Habits! Etc. There is a more important issue to address first. Making food for ourselves is a big part of learning how to live on our own. So whether you're a Maria's Tower freshman or a junior with a full kitchen in Fulton, learning how to cook is an incredibly important skill for life. Cooking can be an especially helpful skill when the caf is closed or you simply don't want to walk through the snow for a grilled cheese. My roommates are all really incredible cooks, which inspired me to make my own list of yummy (albeit horribly sketchy and probably unhealthy) recipes!

And of course, being students, we're crunched for time and brain matter, so sometimes we need a meal that's easy-peasy to prepare. Here are some recipes that I've come up with in my time living in John St and Fulton (and if I managed to not burn the building down, I'm sure you won't either!)

S'mores Casserole - (Microwave needed; no campfire required) Hey, I didn't say I was going for healthy on this one! This is just a sometimes-snack in case you're craving the camp food S'mores. Buy a bag of mini marshmallows, one Hershey chocolate bar, and a box of Teddy Grahams (which they often sell down in Spotlight Cafe.) Put half the chocolate bar in a microwave-safe bowl and pour marshmallows on top— as many as you want or until the ratio of chocolate to marshmallow is about equal. Put the bowl in the microwave and nuke until the marshmallows have sufficiently puffed up (they'll explode a little. It's cool to watch.) Take it out and pour teddy grahams on top, as many as you want. Stir and enjoy! It's exactly like s'mores but you can eat it with a spoon, so it's less messy.

Microwave Ramen - This was a necessary one to learn when living at John St. and I didn't have the storage space for pots and pans and didn't want to walk all the way to the 2nd floor kitchen for a stovetop. Instead of Cup-o-Noodles, you can make the traditional packet of Ramen in the microwave. Fill a micro-safe bowl full of water and heat on High for 2 minutes— this should get it boiling. Put the noodles in and time it for another 2 minutes, possibly 3, until the noodles are at their peak of soft sodium-packed goodness. Again, Ramen is really high in sodium, but I promised I wouldn't talk about nutrition, because this is just for when you're craving Ramen and don't have a stove.

Anything in a Rice Cooker - This isn't a recipe, necessarily, but a suggestion. Rice cookers are amazing kitchen appliances; they're like having a mini internal oven and can cook much more than rice. Rice itself is a fantastic food to add to one's diet. It saves for days and can be added to almost anything. Most rice cookers also come with vegetable steamers, which is both healthy and convenient. So look into getting one: I can say firsthand that they are awesome. You can find lots of recipes online with ideas of other things you can make in rice cookers, from soups and stews to stir fry or pasta.

Okay, so I only gave you two recipes, but they're the two I had the most fun with last year. Here are some links you may find helpful:

http://www.yumyum.com/student/ — A simple guide for making nutritious meals in dorm living.
http://recipes.suite101.com/article.cfm/rice_cooker_recipes — An article about the many things you can make in a rice cooker.

Happy eating! Be sure to venture outside the school cafeteria once in a while!