Reese's Dessert Bar Mix

My friend and I had a baking party and she saw this mix and decided we had to try it. The Reese's Dessert Bar Mix comes with its own container, and the only baking equipment needed is a microwave and a refridgerator. There are four steps that take some time, but it's nice to just use bowls and silverware and a microwave to make the dish. My advice to make sure you are adding the right mix in--there's about four different bags of ingredients. They are labelled, but it's written in small print. It takes a bit of time to make, but the results are very good. My friend said it was delicious!

Red Baron Deep Dish Singles

I'm now going to focus on different quickie microwave items in my blog, since the dorm I live in now doesn't have a kitchenette. =(

So I love pizza. At late night at school, they have these microwaveable deep dish pizzas. Sounds delicious, right? Well, it didn't quite live up to my expectations. First of all, it was not what I would call deep dish. It just has a thicker crust. Also, it didn't get crisp enough for my taste in the microwave. The flavor was okay, but not stellar.

Last Post for awhile

I'm off to school tomorrow, so I thought I would wrap this up for now.

A secret to college dorm food? Mom's leftovers! Seriously, if you are ever home for a weekend, ask for your favorite meal and then take back leftovers. Make sure to eat them within the week, but it's so good!

So that's my ending note for now. I'll definitely keep writing, just not as often. I'll also be reviewing more meals that I find-you know, certain products marketed towards the dorm crowd. But for now, enjoy!

Another Potato Recipe

I'm on a potato kick. What can I say? I love potatoes. And they are cheap and nutritious, as long as they aren't fries. Here's a way to microwave a baked potato.

-Wash the potato.
-Poke holes in the potato with a fork.
-Microwave for 3 to 4 minutes.
-Cut open to see if potato is cooked (Is it squishy? If so, it's good)
-Bake for another 30-60 seconds if need be. It really depends on the size of the potato.
-Enjoy with some butter, salt and pepper, cheese, bacon...whatever you like!

Potato Chips in the Microwave!

I don't know about you, but I love potato chips! I know, not very healthy, but so good. But in my cafeteria dorms, potato chips are in a huge tub, so I don't ever get them because it weirds me out. But then I found a recipe online for salt and pepper potato chips in the microwave. So why not try it?

Ingredients:
1 potato
1 c. water
1-2 Tbsp. vegetable or canola oil
salt and pepper to taste

Wash and peel the potatoes. Cut very, very thin, about as thin as a sheet of paper. (This is the key to this recipe!) Soak in the water for about 30 minutes. Dry off potatoes well. (This is another key to the recipe) Place potatoes on a microwave safe plate, and don't overlap them. Coat potatoes with oil, and wipe off the excess. Microwave for two minutes, take out and remove any excess oil, and then microwave again for two minutes, or until crisp and slightly brown. Put salt and pepper on the chips, and let cool. And then enjoy!

It's Not Your Mom's, but It's Microwavable!

My sister (and avid blog follower) sent me a link to this recipe for microwave brownies. It's similar to the microwave cakes I posted about a couple weeks back, but for brownies. Here's the recipe:

3 Tablespoons flour (cake flour is recommended, but regular all-purpose is fine)
3 Tablespoons sugar
3 Tablespoons cocoa
1 egg
3 Tablespoons milk
3 Tablespoons oil (vegetable is recommended, but canola is fine)

1) Mix flour, sugar, and cocoa in a mug. I would recommend using a taller-than-normal mug. Make sure everything is fully stirred, otherwise you'll waste the bottom.
2) Add egg and stir.
3) Stir in milk and oil.
4) Microwave for 3 minutes. Let stand in the microwave until the cake settles back into the mug. Trust me, it rises over the mug.
5) Take brownie out of the mug and enjoy!

This recipe is not quite as good as a brownie mix or when you mom makes them, but it's still good. And definitey quick and easy!

Warm Delights Minis

You've probably seen the commercials for these seemingly delicious microwaveable cakes that have the women savoring them in their dark living rooms. The ads are a bit silly, but they do make these cakes look delicious. So of course I tried it (you don't have to ask me twice to try chocolate)!

Unfortunately, I was not very impressed. First of all, the directions to make these "easy" cake were not as advertised. You have to add 1 Tbsp and 1 tsp of water to the mix and stir. Then, squeeze the fudge 10 times before adding to the cake batter. Really? It all just seems unnecessary. The cake did work, and it wasn't awful. But it wasn't tantalizing my taste buds either. It was too complicated and messy for something that was supposed to be fast and easy. However, it is only 150 Calories per serving, so there's a good bonus.

Cheese Dip

If you're sitting in a dorm room and want a party snack, here's an easy one! Take one block of Velveeta cheese and cut into cubes (this will make it microwave faster). Melt in the microwave for about five minutes, stirring at least once in the middle. Then, add one can of Rotel mix (tomatoes and peppers) and mix together. Enjoy with chips and a few friends!

The Incredible Edible Egg...in the Microwave!

Protein in the morning is essential for a great start to the day, at least from my experience. But it is hard to get a quick fix breakfast besides a donut or cereal and peanut butter, especially if you hit the snooze button to many times before class or work. But did you know that you can have a scrambled egg in about three minutes?

Melt butter for 10-15 seconds in a bowl, or just spray with Pam. Then, crack one egg in the bowl and scramble. Add two Tablespoons of water or milk or a combination, and salt and/or pepper to taste. Mix together. Then, microwave for 45-60 seconds. If the egg starts to float to the top of the bowl, it is done. It will be very hot, so I would suggest waited a minute to cool down. And now you have a delicious scrambled egg!

Now, I'm guessing not everyone likes a scrambled egg, so I tried to make an egg overeasy. Not quite the same success. I used the same technique, but I didn't add anything past the egg and I didn't scramble it (because that would ruin the whole point). I microwaved the egg for 30 seconds and then flipped it over to continue. However, it almost exploded in my microwave and ended up being a super rubbery, flat hard boiled egg. Not so appetizing. I wouldn't suggest it.

Healthy Choice Cafe Steamers

Frozen meals. Not that good...usually. Sometimes, however, there's a glimmer of hope. Exhibit A: Healthy Choice Cafe Steamers.

Healthy Choice, well a bit more costly than other brands, does a much better job of providing a meal that actually tastes like its ingredients. There is also meat present in these meals. Real pieces of meat, not just bits of unidentifiable meat look-alike pieces. Also, the two bowl steaming technology works really well.

Word of Warning: Because college microwaves typically have lower wattages than what frozen meals are allotted for, add some time to the time on the box.

Chocolate Ganache: Microwave Version

I made chocolate ganache the traditional way with a friend last week, and it seemed simple enough to try in the microwave. With only two ingredients, this is a treat that's sure to tickle your sweet tooth!
Coat the bottom of the bowl (not a metal or plastic one) plus some with heavy cream or milk. Heavy cream will give the ganache more flavor, but milk is definitely a cheaper option. Microwave on HIGH for approximately 45 seconds. If it bubbles into a boil, take it out. Then, add a few handfuls of chocolate chips, or break up a chocolate bar, whichever you have around your room. Stir together until smooth.
As this point, the ganache is more like a warm chocolate syrup. If you stick the bowl in the fridge for an hour, stirring on occasion, it will match the consistency ganache usually is. You can keep storing the ganache in the fridge, but it'll lose its smooth texture, but re-stirring it with make it regain that texture.
Enjoy!

Microwaving Pasta Take Two

I've finally figured out how to microwave pasta. There are two keys to the process: 1) a deep bowl and 2) a rotation between high and medium power.

So how did I do it?
1) FIll a deep bowl about 1/3 full of water.
2) Add macaroni. Don't add too much that it goes above the water.
3) Microwave on HIGH power for 5 minutes. If the water boils over, turn the microwave off.
4) Microwave on MEDIUM (1/2 of the power level) for 5 minutes.
5) Microwave on HIGH for another 2 minutes.

Some people prefer a more al dente pasta. If that's you, skip step 5. But now that you know how to microwave your own pasta, you can buy your own favorite sauces to mix in, so no more night after night of mac'n'cheese! Enjoy!

Bruschetta!

Bruschetta sounds fancy. It looks fancy. But is it hard to make? Not at all.

Take 2-3 plum tomatoes and chop, disposing of the seeds. Put the chopped, seeded tomatoes into a bowl. Then, take around 20 basil leaves, roll them up about 5-8 at a time, and then cut--it will look like green confetti--and add to the bowl. Or, use 1 tsp of ground basil. Fresh basil will be more appetizing, though. Add a drizzle of olive oil and a shake a little salt over top, and mix well with your hands.

Serve with bread. Toasted garlic bread or toasted French loaf bread would be best, but whatever you have is fine. Enjoy!

Stouffer's Subs

Anyone else seen the Stouffer's commercial for their new line of submarines? Well, I have, and they look so good. I'm always a bit terrified of trying frozen/refrigerated dinners, but I decided that Stouffer's was a good enough brand to try.

I have to say, the frozen meatball italiano submarine was very good. It is two halves, and one half was enough for me. I put it in the oven because I like my food crispy, but you can microwave it too. I thought it was made well, and it did not taste fake at all. Many frozen dinners taste artificial or barely have any meat in them, but this sub is not the case. So if you like subs, try Stouffer's out. And check out other products from Stouffer's at www.stouffers.com.

Cake: The College Dorm Version

Best idea for dorms with only microwaves EVER! My mom's friend from work and church sent this recipe for cake that can be made in a mug. A MUG! How awesome is that?

Cake in a Mug:

1 box Angel food cake mix (MUST be angel food)
1 box cake mix of your choice
water

Mix the two boxes of cake mix very, very well. Fill a mug--I would recommend a taller one to prevent spillage--with 1/3 cup of the mix. You can guessimate by filling a regular-sized mug about 1/3, or a taller mug about 1/4 full. Then, fill with 3 Tbsp water, or about 5-6 of those plastic spoons, and mix well. It should look like a cake batter, a thick liquid. Then microwave for one minute.

And that's it! Then all you have to do is enjoy, either on its own, or with ice cream, syrup or whipped cream! How simple, right? Make sure to keep any leftover cake mix in an airtight container. Also, since the mixes need to be mixed well, a different-colored cake mix is recommended. For example, try a chocolate or red velvet cake mix with the angel food cake mix. Yellow or white cake is fine too, but it's harder to see if you mixed it well with the angel food cake.

Trust me, this is a great quick fix dessert, perfect for dorm students!

Microwaving Pasta

Many college students make macaroni and cheese in their dorm room. But let's face it, it gets old fast. But it's such a quick fix for food. Such a dilemma, I know.

So my thought process? Many brands have pre-made sauces, so why not simply boil water/cook pasta, strain, and add a sauce. That's basically how most box mac-n-cheeses work, so it should work, right?

Well, it's a work in progress. I tried it today, and it wasn't as simple as I thought it would be. First of all, I tried putting the pasta in a mug. Not a good idea, because it doesn't cook as well. Also, water overflowed numerous times during cooking, which made for lots of cleanings and a very wet kitchen towel (sorry Mom)! A bowl definitely works better for cooking the pasta.

So lesson of the day? I need to find 1) the best bowl for the job and 2) a more accurate time. When I find this out, I promise I'll let you know. Because I don't want to have mac-n-cheese every time I need a quick dinner!

Microwave Pizza

Pizza. Most people love it, and it has numerous varieties. For an easy version, make bagel pizza.

Ingredients:
1 bagel (Use both halves or just one, depending on how hungry you are. I used both!)
2-4 spoonfuls of pizza sauce, or a packet of sauce
shredded cheese, depending on tastes; preferably use mozzarella, cheddar, and/or parmesan (I added provolone to mine, so again, it all depends on your tastes.)
oregano (optional)
any other toppings, such as pineapple, ham, sausage, pepperoni, etc. (optional)

Toaster Oven Version:
1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2) Toast the bagel. Toaster times depend on the toaster. For reference, I toasted mine for 3 minutes.
3) Add sauce, spreading evenly over the bagel.
4) Sprinkle cheese on top, again spreading evenly.
5) Place in oven until cheese is melted.
6) Enjoy!

Microwave Version:
1) Microwave bagel. If it needs to be defrosting, do so first for about 1.5 minutes. If not, microwave for only 10-20 seconds. You could also omit this step if you are in a hurry, but keep in mind that your pizza might not be as warm when you eat it.
2) Add sauce, spreading evenly over the bagel.
3) Sprinkle cheese on top, again spreading evenly.
4) Microwave again for 30 seconds to 1 minute (until cheese is melted).
5) Enjoy!

If you do add oregano, or another spice of your choice, add it either before you melt the cheese or after.
If you add other toppings, add before you melt the cheese.

Hope you enjoy this simple meal!

Oven to Microwave....Can it Work?

A certain reader of mine has consistently asked "What if you don't have an oven?"

Honestly, I have never tried converting an oven recipe to a microwave one. So I tried to find some articles on the subject. They are harder to come by than I thought. More articles were on converting microwave recipes to oven ones. Not sure why, but that's how it was.

I did find one article that was decent. So, working backwards, subtract 1/4 c. of the original amount of water and/or liquid. Then, the time in the microwave is three-fourths of the time used for the oven. So, time x 4/3=time for the microwave.

Hope this helps!

Blueberry Muffins Made Super Easy

Enjoying the blueberry muffins with my friend Lindsey!

When you make muffins from scratch, it takes a lot of effort and quickness. But, fortunately, Betty Crocker makes mixes for muffins, and all you have to do is add water! How simple, right? One mix plus one-half cup of water makes six muffins, which is a reasonable amount for a college student. A dozen would be too many unless you shared them with your floor/roommates. You can always re-warm them in your microwave. The mixes come in blueberry, banana nut, chocolate chip, triple berry, lemon poppyseed and cornbread. Yum! The label says "3 Minutes Pouch to Oven," and for once, it's right!

Italian Night with My Sister

Tonight was make-food-for-your-sister night. Always an interesting experience, but usually fun. My sister is a HUGE pasta fan, so of course, we made basil pesto sauce for rigatoni pasta, with garlic bread on the side. Not exactly a way to avoid the freshman 15, but delicious all the same. We started with a recipe from Betty Crocker: Cooking Basics, but we adapted it for our tastes.

For the pasta, fill a medium sized pot around two-thirds full of water. Put a pinch of salt in, and then boil the water. When the water is boiling or close to, add the pasta till it touches the top of the water. Meanwhile, make the basil pesto sauce.

Basil Pesto Sauce
1/2 cup of fresh basil (or 1-2 tsp ground basil)
*to measure fresh basil, press it into the measuring cup
1-3 cloves garlic, depending on your taste preferences
1/3 cup Parmesan cheese
1/3 cup olive oil
2 Tbsp pine nuts or walnut pieces (optional-I didn't use them)
seasoning to taste-salt and pepper would be fine, or any general
**around 1/8 cup alfredo sauce

Mix all these ingredients in a food processor or mini-blender. Or, if you don't have either of those available to you, finely chop and basil and garlic, and then mix with the rest of the ingreidents. The ground basil will be chopped fine enough to add before mixing.
**For a creamier sauce, add pre-made alfredo sauce after mixing all of the ingredients.

After pasta is cooked fully, strain with a collander. Add sauce to pasta. Enjoy! This recipe serves one to two, depending on how hungry you are.

For garlic bread, use the following ingredients:
EITHER a french loaf or ciabatta bread
butter AND/OR olive oil
garlic salt OR garlic powder and salt
seasoning

There's a LOT of flexibility in this recipe, if you didn't notice already. Preheat the oven to 275 degrees F. While the oven preheats, slice the bread in about 1/2 inch slices and place on a cookie sheet. Coat with butter and/or olive oil...a little goes a long way. Sprinkle garlic and seasoning on...again, a little goes a long way. It's up to your tastes. Cook until crisp, about 7-10 minutes or so.

Enjoy Italian night!

Chicken Parmesan 101

I'll be trying some recipes from college cooking books/websites to help students in dorms and apartments to see if they are as easy as they say they are. This chicken parmesan recipe is definitely very simple. I found it in the book College Cooking: Feed Yourself and Your Friends, by Megan and Jill Carle. The recipe as follows:

Oven-Baked Chicken Parmesan

1/4 cup flour
1 egg
1 cup cornflake crumbs
1 Tbsp water
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 (1 LB, 10 oz) jar prepared spaghetti sauce
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
12 ounces uncooked spaghetti

Preheat oven to 350 degreese F. Lightly coat a baking pan with oil or cooking spray.
Place the flour, egg, and cornflake crumbs in separate shallow bowls (or plates for the flour and crumbs). Add water to the egg bowl and beat well.
Dip chicken breast completely in the flour to coat and shake off any excess. This helps the egg and crumbs adhere. Dip both sides of the chicken in the egg and then immediately place it in the cornflake crumbs, pressing slightly to make sure they stick. Place the chicken breast in the pan and repeat with remaining chicken. Bake for 30 minutes, or until chicken in done (not pink anywhere).
Place 2 Tbsp of the spaghetti sauce on top of each chicken breast and top with mozzerella cheese. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and bake for 8 to 10 minutes, until cheese is melted.
Meanwhile, bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil and add the spaghetti. Cook for 10 minutes, or until al dente (not too firm, not too chewy). Drain spaghetti and keep warm.
Heat remaining spaghettie sauce in a saucepan over medium heat. Serve chicken with spaghetti and sauce on the side.

If you want a quick Italian dish, this is definitely a good one to try. I thought it was delicious! It was definitely a simple recipe, especially with the prepared spaghetti sauce. But, to make things even easier, I offer these tips:
-If you don't have flour, just dip the chicken in milk or water. The egg can be omitted as well, but keep in mind that the crumbs won't stick as easily.
-Cornflake crumbs are quite a staple in many breaded meats, but if you don't want to buy them, buy either a box or a single serving of Corn Flakes cereal and crunch them up with your hands.
-You don't need both types of cheeses, one or neither is fine, depending on your preferance.

Yoplait Smoothie Mix

My mom brought home a new smoothie mix to test out. It's nice because it's a small amount--only two servings. And so easy to make too! Just add one cup of milk to the frozen mix, blend, and serve. Simple, huh? All you need is a blender, which some college kitchenettes have. I had the Triple Berry kind, and it was pretty good. The smoothie has a good nutritional value with 30% calcium, and doesn't have very many calories. It also comes in strawberry banana and strawberry mango pineapple varieties. So, if you like smoothies and need a quick snack, give these a go!

Hello everyone!

I'm Clara, a journalism student at UIUC. I love the arts, writing, and, in case you couldn't tell, FOOD! I wrote for my high school newspaper, and I really loved writing local restaurant reviews. I thought that a blog would be a fun way to try something new, and hopefully reach some people with my writing.

My goal for the summer? Find recipes, try them, and decide if they are good enough for the average college student to cook. Let's admit it, dorm food...not always so tasty. I'll look through cookbooks and think of some ideas myself, but hopefully I can inform some of you in cooking!