dylanmarsh

Hello all. I did a search for this and didn't see anything specific to this category.

What can you all suggest to cook while I'm stuck living in a dorm room this semester? I have an 850 watt microwave and a bagel sized toaster. The school doesn't allow Foreman Grills, Toaster Ovens, etc. The micro and the toaster are my only options. I suppose the food doesn't have to be hot, so good salads or whatever is an option, too.

Thanks in advance for your help.

dimbulb

wooot? no toaster ovens or foreman grills?

I used to scorn the foreman grills, until a housemate got one. Great little machine. Toasts bread, makes grilled cheese sandwiches.... oh.. it grills meat and veggies too.....

Is there a kitchen? if there's a shared kitchen, you might want to invest in some knives and a frying pan and a pot or 2........Cook for 2 persons, keep the leftovers for the next meal. etc......

keep your food in your own little mini fridge though. Fully expect food kept in the community fridge to disappear....

microwave, one thing that comes up is scrambled eggs made in the microwave. If you get the proportions right, or if you get a microwave rice steamer, you can make rice in the microwave too... ( though i doubt you'll want rice... lol... )

preluder

I love those Totino's Party pizzas! You're supposed to put them in the oven for a crisp crust, but you can microwave them fine. There's always the cheap but quick ramen, and my tip is to add an egg, crack one and drip the goo through a fork and you have egg drop ramen soup, and it actually adds nutrition.

If salads are okay, you can buy pre-packaged greens, then add good stuff like chopped pear, apple, grapes, and add nuts is great too, like assorted almonds, cashews, pecans/walnuts.

but really, what i would do is use a forman grill anyways, and just hide it in the closet when you're not using it. candles start fires, not foreman grills.

JadziaDax

First, questions are to be posted to the thread at the top of the forum called "->POST YOUR REQUESTS & QUESTIONS IN THIS THREAD<- Constantly Updated".

Second, many people have asked about quick and easy. There are sandwich recipes in the forum for that.

Third, pick up some "Soup to Go", Chunky Soup (in the microwaveable containers), or Chef Boyardee in the single serving containers for quick hot foods.

Also, salads in a bag (like Dole's) can become your best friend. They are quick and easy, and they have some great combos of veggies.

Also, go to your local Walmart or Target-like store and pick up a microwave omelet maker. It's a dish that you put the eggs in. It's easy to use, and you can make some good omelets and scrambled eggs in it using just your microwave.

majik_6

Frozen convenience food works nicely! Especially pre-made frozen dinners.

I like to make quesadillas in the microwave (just two tortillas and some cheese, after heating top with sour cream and salsa), or burritos with a can of blackbeans heated up in the microwave, melted cheese, pre-chopped lettuce, tomato, salsa, and sourcream. Even if you're not a vegetarian, vegetarian frozen foods fix really well in the microwave, and many you can't even tell the difference. My current favorites: Gardenburger Riblets and Morningstar Farms Herb-crusted Cutlet. Heat it up, throw it on a nice bun, maybe a lil mayo or some melted cheese. Good stuff.

These aren't the most complex or amazing recipes, but most of them can be made in less than three minutes, and are easy to eat on the way to class. I lived on these things when I was in the dorms.

__________________
it's all about self-indulgence

Thraeryn

If there's a range-top stove anywhere in the dorm, go to Wal-Mart and invest $10 in a wok. It's a larger frying pan than you'll ever need, and it also opens up the quick, cheap, and easy world of stir-fry. (Stir-fry involving meat and vegetables can take about 20 minutes, including cutting/ingredient preparation.)

Microwave/frying pan quesadillas are even better with a little butter slathered in the tortillas before cooking.

Kraft Mac & Cheese is now microwavable. I dunno what they've started making the noodles out of, but it is like super-pasta when compared to the cheaper brands. Cut up and throw in a couple of steamed hot dogs and chow down. (Takes about 8:30-9:00 minutes.)
Edit: OH! I forgot: you don't have to waste money on milk to make Kraft Mac & Cheese. Just add a fair amount of margarine. Margarine takes a lot longer to go bad, and is cheapcheapcheap.

Again, if you have a stove top somewhere, break down and invest in a medium-sized pot, the kind that's perfect for cooking white rice. Rice is about as cheap as dirt, and you can make an excellent sauce to drip over it with mustard, orange juice, and canola oil. (Experiment until it tastes right for you. Cooking rice generally takes 15-20 minutes.)

Wal-Mart sells off-brands of hot dogs for as little as $0.50 per package. Put some in a bowl, add enough water to nearly cover them, then cover the bowl with plastic wrap and microwave for steamed hot dog goodness. (Takes approx. 1:30-1:45)

Potatoes are also cheap. Poke them with forks, wrap in damp paper towels, put `em on a plate and microwave for baked potatoes. (I think it'd take your microwave 3:30 to bake them; took around 5:00 in my parents' old 700 watt.)

If you ask me how to cook something you like in a microwave, I can probably tell you. PM me.

Plaid13

alot of schools have grills set up outside cooking outside over fire is always good =) if not get a formen grill and if they say anything just call it modern art =P

blade02

Heres just a few tips, for some variety and keeping stuff cheap but healthy.
If you have access to a stove...then you can do stuff like buy chicken breasts or steaks, or pork.....then whenever you have time...sit down for an hour and cook all of it (or a weeks worth at a time). Then keep the cooked meat in your fridge...when its dinner time, just get it out and heat it up in the microwave, having a good assortment of sauces will be a blessing, you can go from honeymustard chicken one night....to italian dressing chicken the next...all with just cooking the meat once. Saves lots of time and makes having a cooked dinner less hassle.

Canned vegetables to heat up with your meats are good.

I also like to make one large bowl of tuna for the week...good for sandwiches or crackers and all ready to go.

My last advice, is having your own shredded cheese or favorite sauces can make microwave mac and cheese or any frozen dinner about 10x's more enjoyable. I mean making stuff cheesier or just adding the extra "zing" you wanted, will make any of the pre-made stuff feel a little more made to your taste.
Just incase you're wondering about cost, I usually spend about $20 a week on food...and none of its frozen dinners or made out of a box.

anthro101

Here is one tip of when I lived in the dorms...you know those single pan microwave pizza? The ones with the silver disc on them to sit the pizza on? Save those. This isn't a cooking tip per say, but a leftover tip. You'll notice that if you were to put leftover fries in a microwave they'd turn all soggy...well next time put them on top of one of those discs and they'll come out crispy...works for a few other things as well...if you don't want something to be chewy or limp out of the microwave.

Definitely the staple foods of the dorm are ramen/cup'o noodles, canned soups and foods, tuna, coldcuts, bread, cereal microwavable anything. That's what I would live off when I didn't go to the dining hall anyway.

I also agree you should get a a Foremen grill no one will know unless you burn the dorm down, but that can happen with even the toaster you have. Find someone who has a stove and cook there and refrigerate your stuff like blade said and I also agree with his cheese statment...cheese does seem to make the microwave stuff taste a lot better. Which reminds me...you can make quesadillas in the microwave and use my little silver disc method they come out better. You can even add a few shreds of ham or something to your quesadilla and get yourself a nice salsa. That was one of my favorites when I needed something quick.