Ask Mario
Last week, I talked about school lunches that you can pack for kids to take to school. I am also asked often for some suggestions for college students with limited kitchen space, money and appliances.
Although I didn’t have the opportunity to experience the traditional college experience, it is something that I am very familiar with.
My college career was spent attending class one day per week and doing my apprenticeship the other five to six days. I have, however, visited many friends and relatives who lived in campus dorms or apartments and even cooked for them during my visits while enjoying their company.
I find that a lot of college students have a particularly difficult time cooking for themselves because not only do they have limited space and kitchen equipment to work with, but they also have very limited cooking experience.
Hence the reason for pizza, ramen noodles and macaroni and cheese being viewed as the traditional college dorm room fare. The great news is that with just a little creative thinking, fortitude and experience you can prepare great tasting food with limited means that will help you more enjoy your scholarly years.
One of the first things you can do is look at the convenience foods that you are used to and prepare them in more creative ways to give you an entirely new experience.
For example, ramen noodles are simply pre-cooked noodles that can be transformed into great tasting dishes other than the standard soup we’ve come to know and love.
Cook them according to the directions on the package, drain the excess water, add some butter, cream, grated Parmesan cheese, and season with salt and pepper while they are still hot and voila you have a delicious version of fettuccine Alfredo.
Take the same cooked noodles, add cream, grated Velveeta cheese, and toss them in the microwave for a few seconds and now you have creamy homemade macaroni cheese. Do the same thing with your favorite jarred pasta sauce and now you have a simple version of pasta with marinara sauce.
Another great item to have on hand is a waffle iron, which opens up the door to create all sorts of delicious foods. Cut strips of bacon to fit on it and you can easily have delicious crispy bacon for breakfast or a snack. Use cinnamon roll dough from a tube, press them on the iron, finish them with a simple store bought icing, and you have hot fresh baked (or ironed) cinnamon rolls. The shape will be different, but the taste will be warm, gooey and delicious. You can even make grilled cheese.
It’s always best to check your dorm policy before you cook with any of the appliances mentioned.
As you can see, with a little ingenuity you as a college student can enjoy easy to make delicious foods in the comfort of your own dorm room. The most important thing to remember is to keep studying hard and to always — Just Cook It!
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Send your cooking questions for Mario to hsfeatures@heraldstandard.com.
Mario J. Porreca of Belle Vernon is a food personality, author, and the host of Just Cook It on WMBS Radio 590 AM.