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Post by Tiger on Dec 17, 2010 2:21:40 GMT -5
So, next semester the cafeteria is moving to the other side of campus. Since I don't want to trek all the way over there every time I want a meal, I switched to a new meal plan that provides me with plenty of Flexcash (good anywhere on campus) but no meal points (good only at the cafeteria). This meal plan also has the advantage of being several hundred dollars cheaper, and my parents have agreed to make up the difference to me directly. Upshot: I'll be eating in my dorm a lot more often next semester.
While a good portion of that will likely be TV dinners and other microwavables, I'd like to actually prepare something myself from time to time. I don't actually know how to make anything that's not extremely basic, so I turn to you for help. I have a fridge, microwave, and can purchase a griddle, but no oven. What tasty meals can I whip up with those resources? What ingredients should I pick up when I get back to campus?
Oh, and what's a good brand of deli chicken? I've developed a taste for the sandwiches one of the places on campus makes, but my attempts to recreate them here at home have met with failure.
Thanks in advance!
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Post by Tiberius on Dec 17, 2010 2:59:34 GMT -5
I used to have an excellent latke recipe, but it seems to have gone missing. There are some reasonable ones here, though, so you might as well check them out. allrecipes.com//Recipes/holidays-and-events/hanukkah/latkes/Top.aspxIn fact, allrecipes.com is a pretty good place to look for any type of recipe. They tend to be slightly less insane than the ones on foodnetwork and places like that. Another nice, rather simple recipe I actually do have on hand... Ingredients1/2 of a 16 ounce package linguine (Use fettuchini or spaghetti if that's what you have on hand, it isn't that important.) 1 cup fresh or frozen broccoli florets 2 tablespoons butter 4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves (about 1 pound), cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces 1 can (10 3/4 ounces) Campbell's® Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup (Regular, 98% Fat Free or Healthy Request®) 1/2 cup milk 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper (I substituted dried basil leaves... pepper is boring.) DirectionsPrepare the linguine according to the package directions in a 3-quart saucepan. Add the broccoli during the last 4 minutes of the cooking time. Drain the linguine mixture well in a colander. Heat the butter in a 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook until it's well browned, stirring often. Stir the soup, milk, cheese, black pepper and linguine mixture in the skillet and cook until the chicken is cooked through, stirring occasionally. Serve with additional Parmesan cheese. Another, slightly more difficult recipe (Or rather, time consuming. Mushrooms are a bitch to chop.) that is well worth the effort. Country Mushroom Soup Ingredients1/4 cup butter 1/4 cup all purpose flour 2 cups chicken broth 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon pepper 1 or 2 bay leaves 2/3 cups chopped celery 1/4 cup finely chopped onion 3 tablespoons cooking oil 4-5 cups fresh mushrooms 2/3 cup half and half cream DirectionsIn a 2 qt saucepan, melt butter, stir in flour until smooth. Gradually stir in broth until smooth add salt, pepper and bay leaves Simmer uncovered for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally meanwhile, in another pan, saute celery and onions until tender add mushrooms, cook, and stir until tender add to broth mixture: bring to a boil reduce heat: simmer: uncovered: for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally add cream and heat through discard bay leaves
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Post by Art Vandelay on Dec 17, 2010 3:07:51 GMT -5
Dude, one word. Nachos. Quick, easy and fucking tastey.
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Post by Tiberius on Dec 17, 2010 3:10:04 GMT -5
Art's idea is good too. Could probably find a good spinach dip recipe...
Oh! Also, if you don't have one, get a nice big plastic cutting board (Wood ones are tend to get cut up, and soak up stuff.) and some decent knives, nothing too fancy, just something you can actually cut with, like a good french knife.
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Post by cagnazzo on Dec 17, 2010 4:02:34 GMT -5
Oh! Also, if you don't have one, get a nice big plastic cutting board (Wood ones are tend to get cut up, and soak up stuff.) and some decent knives, nothing too fancy, just something you can actually cut with, like a good french knife. I have a knife from the dollar store. And another from a cheap Chinese place. They are surprisingly non-shitty! I'm sure someone with a lot of experience would scoff, but if you're not some super chef, you can get the job done for pretty cheap.
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Post by Tiger on Dec 17, 2010 4:16:21 GMT -5
Those do sound tasty, but how well would they work microwaved?
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Post by Tiberius on Dec 17, 2010 4:23:52 GMT -5
Those do sound tasty, but how well would they work microwaved? The pasta was pretty good microwaved. The soup tends to disappear before any of it can be refridgerated.
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Post by Haseen on Dec 17, 2010 5:08:59 GMT -5
This is very simple, but you can wrap a yam in a paper towel, wet it, and microwave it for 7 minutes. And in general, covering things in wet paper towels when you microwave them eliminates that dry nastiness that microwaving normally causes. Another one I love is mini raviolis in tomato soup.
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Post by caseagainstfaith on Dec 17, 2010 14:33:39 GMT -5
One thing I liked to make in college is the fried bologne recipe from Bad Santa, quite simple, and really cheap.
All you need is bread, Olive oil, I used BEEF Bologna, cheese (or not) and Salsa. I turned the griddle to medium, put a little olive oil on the griddle, and then the bologna for about 2 minutes a side, and then put it on the bread, salsa on top of the meat.
It turned out really tasty if you ask me. Also got all my friends hooked on them too.
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Post by The_L on Dec 17, 2010 14:45:33 GMT -5
Art's idea is good too. Could probably find a good spinach dip recipe... Oh! Also, if you don't have one, get a nice big plastic cutting board (Wood ones are tend to get cut up, and soak up stuff.) and some decent knives, nothing too fancy, just something you can actually cut with, like a good french knife. Plastic has the same problem as wood. Go all out and get glass. And Tibs, your stovetop recipes sound delicious, but if I'm reading it correctly, Tiger doesn't have a stove.
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Post by Tiberius on Dec 17, 2010 15:37:26 GMT -5
Art's idea is good too. Could probably find a good spinach dip recipe... Oh! Also, if you don't have one, get a nice big plastic cutting board (Wood ones are tend to get cut up, and soak up stuff.) and some decent knives, nothing too fancy, just something you can actually cut with, like a good french knife. Plastic has the same problem as wood. Go all out and get glass. And Tibs, your stovetop recipes sound delicious, but if I'm reading it correctly, Tiger doesn't have a stove. He said he could get a griddle, which can be used as a hotplate.
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nightkitty
Junior Member
Covert Pervert IRL
Posts: 57
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Post by nightkitty on Dec 17, 2010 16:40:32 GMT -5
A nice quick breakfast (or snack) meal would be a toad in the hole (or eggie in a basket) RecipeTo add to it, you can use salt and pepper, or put a slice of cheese on top and let it melt (I use mozzarella).
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Post by rookie on Dec 18, 2010 12:58:40 GMT -5
First, a quick word on cooking stuff. Raid Goodwill or Salvation Army or yard sales or somewhere else like that for what I will be suggesting. Nothing needs to be fancy, nor do you need whole sets of pots and pans and knives and such. First invest in a decent frying pan (or skillet or saute pan). What you are looking for is something light enough not to be uncomfortable yet heavy enough for home defense. The heaviness will help eliminate hot spots and help provide even heating which means even cooking. Also you might need what we call a sauce pot, something like you would use to heat spaghetti noodles. And a lid for it. As far as knives go, you need four. If you have a set that has more, then fine. But you need four. A big honking chef's knife, a small paring knife, a steak knife, and a steel. A steel is not technically a knife, but it's invaluable. They are used for sharpening knives. And when used properly after a bit of practice, it looks kinda bad ass. Cutting boards. Wood or plastic. Either one is fine. They both work pretty much equally good. Basically, it comes down to preference. I would recommend getting two, one for veggies and one for meats. But with that hardware, you can make anything you want.
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Post by calee022 on Dec 19, 2010 9:57:50 GMT -5
Plastic has the same problem as wood. Go all out and get glass. Glass will dull your knives. Take a potato, wash it, wrap it in plastic wrap and nuke it until it is done. Peel it (you can do it with your hands under cold running water) Mash it up with some butter, milk, a GOOD dose of Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper. Cook some frozen mixed vegetables, stir some into the potato's. put it on the griddle and flatten it out like a pancake. Let it brown, flip it and let the other side brown. You can sprinkle some shredded cheese on it if you'd like.
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Post by Armand Tanzarian on Dec 19, 2010 10:08:15 GMT -5
Bacon. Lots of it. Use the excess lard to cook fried rice or hash browns.
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