College Cooking: Eat Well, Study, and Still Have Time to Party

Cooking? College Cooking? Are you kidding?

You've heard it a million times

Yada, yada, yada.

And the thing is, all those statements are true.

Add to that the health risks of poor nutrition. For teen-age girls and women, for instance, of not getting enough iron in your diet. Anemia, for instance, can sneak up on you, you gradually grow more tired, until you can either black out or not remember the past few minutes.

By the way: Learn to read labels, and look at things like protein, and trans fats (partially hydrogenated fats - bad, very bad.)

Speaking of college cooking and health: Practice good sanitation habits in the kitchen so you don't get food poisoning:

• Cold food in fridge, for a limited time, then toss.

• Don't refreeze meat.Handling raw meet and not washing your hands creates risk for toxoplasmosis, countless bacterial visitors.

• Hot food hot, not lukewarm for hours on the stove.

• Cook meat thoroughly and wash hands after handling raw meat. Don't eat eggs that have not been properly cooked.

• Store fruits and veggies unwashed, and then wash right before using. Use a Veggie Dip Wash

I believe in making things as simple as possible, and that includes college cooking.

Cooking, Food & Wine

Mainly though, we function better if we follow the basics of good nutrition, and you already know what those are, but in a pinch, that may be the first thing you neglect.

Hence, we include here some really simple recipes you can throw together with little or no money, scant planning, a minimal number of ingredients, and most important, very little effort.

I once read the suggestion that in a pinch, having a party, you could use the kitchen sink for a punch bowl. We never really got into that idea in my college suite!

First, Kitchen Staples-Do a little shopping

Essentials for college cooking and cleaning up afterwards - as fast as possible.

Note: If I worked it right, my mother would show up at my college

once in awhile, and clean.

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Things to Take to College

College Apartments

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Three Ingredient Recipes

Appetizers that can double as meals:

Tamale Dip

1 (15 ounce) can of tomales2 (15 ounce) cans of chili1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese (you can buy it already shredded)

Mash tomales and mix with the chili. P;ace in 9 inch pie plate or 8 in. square pan. Sprinkle with cheddar. Bake at 350 degrees

Serve with chips or eat as a casserole.

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Same Deal - Dip or Meal

1 (15 ounce can) chilli1 (4 ounce ) can chopped green chilles1 (8 ounce) can grated cheddar

Bake at 350 degrees or heat 10 minutes covered, in microwave

Eat with tortilla chips or with a fork.

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Another dip/dinner recipe

1 (32 ounce) box velveeta cheese, cut into cubes1 1 (10 ounce) can of tomatoes and green chillies, drained1 pound hamburger meat cooked and drained of fat**, pork sausage, or chicken

When purchasing ground beef look for fat content at 15% or less.

Mix this all together.

Eat or dip.

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Chicken Snacks

• Buy chicken snalcks, or strips in sacks in frozen food department
• Heat in microwave
• Serve with Ketchup

  Fast Things to Fix: (2- 3 ingredients)

• Scramble eggs and throw in a little cheese and some ham, or broccoli, etc.

• Toasted cheese sandwiches - remember to butter both slices of bread on the outside - then throw into a frying pan on med. heat.

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  Three Ingredient Casserole

  Open a can of Tuna (Dolphin safe, U.S. companies.

• Put half the tuna on the bottom of greased casseroled dish

• Add crushed potato chips to cover

  Add remainder of Tuna

• More crushed potato chips

• Add one can of Campbell's Cream of Mushroom Soup mixed with water

• Top with more crushed potato chips

• Bake at 350 degree for about 30 minutes.

Great Dish to Take Someplace, or eat for several meals:

A meal: Pasta, salad, bread. If inexperienced, baby-step your way through it

FIX THIS FIRST, then while it is heating, fix the salad and the pasta.

A little practice and you can whip out this meal out in little time, and with very little stress.

You can fix the bread the day before and wrap in foil in fridge.

Bread for Pasta