Cuisine A La Dorm: Recipes that Rock from Mini-Fridge to Microwave
March 10, 2010 | Lauren Van Mullem
Want to whip up a tasty treat?
Most of the time your meal plan will take care of all your needs and then some. But sometimes,you may want to host a party, or go to a party and make something special. What can you do with only a mini-fridge and a microwave? The good news is you can do a lot. Read on for recipes you can bring to your next party or study group that are sure to impress.
Now, the secret to making any recipe rock is to constantly taste what you are making. If it tastes good to you, then you will have a winning dish. If it tastes bad, try to fix it (this skill improves with time and experience).
Entrée: Microwave Lasagna (serves 4)
No-Boil Lasagna noodles are awesome. You just use them dry, and they cook in the moisture of the sauce around them. Now, the trick is finding a microwave-safe casserole dish with a lid, but if you have that, then the rest is easy. You can also make smaller servings in a bowl, just be sure to keep the lasagna covered as it cooks, because tomato sauce splatters.
You will need:
4-6 no-boil lasagna noodles (depending on how deep the casserole is)
1 jar marinara sauce
1 container ricotta cheese
1 bag mozzarella
(You can also add parmesan, ground meat, fresh basil, chopped garlic, spinach or anything really)
1. Spoon enough marinara sauce into the dish to cover the bottom, then place 1 layer of noodles (slightly overlapping) on top of the sauce.
2. Spoon dollops of ricotta cheese evenly over the noodles (dollops should be Tablespoonfulls), you don’t have to smear the cheese, just keep it in lumps.
3. Spread a handful of mozzarella over the ricotta.
4. Pour more marinara sauce to cover the cheese, and top that with more lasagna noodles. Repeat until you have filled the container, but so there is still room to cover it. You don’t want the lasagna to overflow. End with the sauce and mozzarella on top.
5. Heat in microwave on HIGH for 8 minutes, then stop the microwave, and set the heat to Medium-Low. Microwave for 30 minutes, or until the noodles are tender (not crunchy!).
Caution: do not leave the microwave unattended. Bring a book, do your homework, but stay in the room. Tomato sauce really likes to explode.
Side: World’s best guacamole (serves a group)
I haven’t even published my secret recipe on my food blog, so here it is, for the first time seen in public: The World’s Best Guacamole Recipe. Warning: people will ask you how you did this – just say it’s an old family recipe (mix? What mix?).
You will need:
2 very ripe avocados (black skins, a little squishy)
½ package of “Medium spicy guacamole mix” (yes, that’s the secret)
Pico de Gayo to taste (from a container in the fresh veggie section, or just chop red onion, bellpepper, tomato and cilantro and mix)
Juice of ½ a lime (or to taste)
Finely chopped garlic (optional, but I love garlic)
Mash the avocados together with the ½ package of guacamole mix. Then add a few spoonfuls of Pico de Gayo until you like the way it looks. Squeeze half a lime into the avocado mixture and stir. Now: taste! If it is a little bland, add more mix and another squeeze of lime juice. Cover tightly with plastic wrap until ready to serve or it will turn brown (still good, just not as pretty).
Dessert: English Trifle
You will need:
1 box Sarah Lee pound cake
Instant vanilla pudding, already made (if you are making individual trifles, pudding packs are perfect)
Raspberry jam
Whipped cream
Fresh raspberries for garnish
1 big bowl, or individual bowls, depending on how you want to serve it.
Start by slicing the pound cake into 1/4th inch thick slices. Then, make little jam sandwiches out of the slices with the raspberry jam. Place one layer of jam sandwiches on the bottom of the bowl, then spoon the vanilla pudding over the pound cake until completely covered. Repeat: layer of jam sandwiches, layer of vanilla pudding. Keep in the refrigerator overnight for best flavor, or at least let chill for an hour. When you are ready to serve, top the trifle with whipped cream and fresh raspberries. No cooking required!
