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.