Favorite recipe that's easy to do in a dorm?

[KarenNC]

I've been using One Note to compile a recipe book for my daughter who will be going off as a freshman this year. I've included all our family favorites and I thought it would be fun to include a section of food that's easy to make in a dorm room. In the room, she'll have access to a microwave and refrigerator, and I think her roommate is bringing an electric kettle. They can't have anything like a George Foreman grill, toaster oven, oil popcorn popper, electric skillet, that sort of thing. She has decent kitchen skills and is comfortable customizing recipes and techniques rather than just sticking to a recipe. She'll have a full meal plan, but everyone likes something different now and then. There is at least one kitchen in the dorm, but she'll have very little in the way of cooking gear at least at the beginning, so I'm looking to focus on things she can make easily (and cheaply!) in the room with the minimum of utensils for this section. If there's a preferred website with recipes, that'd be great as well.

Do they still tell kids they can iron a grilled cheese sandwich? That's the kind of suggestion I got when I headed to school 30+ years ago. She'll only have a steamer, so that wouldn't work anyway. ?

So, what do your students like to make?

[Garga]

Bean enchiladas

1 can refried beans
2 cans enchilada sauce (I prefer green, but red is fine.)
1 onion
cheese
tortilla shells

Chop the onion (they’ll need a cutting board and knife.)

Mix the onions with the can of beans and one can of enchilada sauce. (They’ll need a tupperware container and spoon for mixing.)

Put however much of the mixture you want onto one of the shells and roll it up.  

Spread enchilada sauce from the second can onto the rolled up shell.  Sprinkle with cheese. (They’ll need a 2nd tupperware container for the leftover sauce.)

Microwave on a plate for 2 or 3 minutes.  (They’ll need a plate.)

Eat.  (Knife and fork.)

This will make up to about 10 enchiladas

The good thing about this recipe is that you can make just one enchillada at a time if you want.  I often eat two at a time, as two fit nicely on a single plate.  If you have access to an oven (which they don’t), it’s nice to put all 10 enchiladas in a pan and bake until the shells get a little crispy on the edges—yum!  But the microwave is perfectly fine for when you don’t have an oven, and is a lot faster.

[klmama]

The kitchen may have all of the gear she needs.  At my dc's college, they can check out cookie sheets, mixing bowls, measuring spoons, baking dishes, etc.

My dc with full meal plan would not want to cook meals, but thinks it's nice to make the occasional comfort food: chocolate mug cake, quesadillas, and microwave popcorn.

 

[retiredHSmom]

The book A Can, A Man and a Microwave is full of microwave recipes that were featured in the magazine, Men's Health over the years.  My husband has used them many times while deployed or on military business travel in hotels with a microwave and refrigerator.

[KarenNC]

8 minutes ago, retiredHSmom said:

The book A Can, A Man and a Microwave is full of microwave recipes that were featured in the magazine, Men's Health over the years.  My husband has used them many times while deployed or on military business travel in hotels with a microwave and refrigerator.

Thanks, I'll keep an eye out for it. I've already put a can opener in her box of supplies.

[KarenNC]

7 hours ago, klmama said:

The kitchen may have all of the gear she needs.  At my dc's college, they can check out cookie sheets, mixing bowls, measuring spoons, baking dishes, etc.

My dc with full meal plan would not want to cook meals, but thinks it's nice to make the occasional comfort food: chocolate mug cake, quesadillas, and microwave popcorn.

 

Thanks for the info. I'll definitely have to suggest my daughter check to see if that's available at her campus.

[KarenNC]

10 hours ago, Garga said:

Bean enchiladas

1 can refried beans
2 cans enchilada sauce (I prefer green, but red is fine.)
1 onion
cheese
tortilla shells

Chop the onion (they’ll need a cutting board and knife.)

Mix the onions with the can of beans and one can of enchilada sauce. (They’ll need a tupperware container and spoon for mixing.)

Put however much of the mixture you want onto one of the shells and roll it up.  

Spread enchilada sauce from the second can onto the rolled up shell.  Sprinkle with cheese. (They’ll need a 2nd tupperware container for the leftover sauce.)

Microwave on a plate for 2 or 3 minutes.  (They’ll need a plate.)

Eat.  (Knife and fork.)

This will make up to about 10 enchiladas

The good thing about this recipe is that you can make just one enchillada at a time if you want.  I often eat two at a time, as two fit nicely on a single plate.  If you have access to an oven (which they don’t), it’s nice to put all 10 enchiladas in a pan and bake until the shells get a little crispy on the edges—yum!  But the microwave is perfectly fine for when you don’t have an oven, and is a lot faster.

Sounds great. That reminds me to send some dried chopped onions along with a few other condiments/spices. I know I find myself reaching for those or my dried shallots from Penzeys when I don't want to mess with chopping an onion, and it might be kinder to a roommate. ? Need to add a couple of containers to store leftovers in the fridge to the list and maybe a microwave plate cover. We have one and it really cuts down on cleanup.

[Bootsie]

Scrambled eggs can be made in the microwave in a mixing bowl--just stop and stir occasionally.  

A can of chilli can be heated in the microwave and with fritos and cheese becomes frito pie.

If there is a full size kitchen in the dorm, often it is easiest to cook some things in the kitchen (spaghetti and meat sauce, mac and cheese, soup) and then package up single size leftovers to microwave to reheat.

[catz]

Mug cakes are a fun treat to have up your sleeve with friends.  There are lots of ideas out there.  

https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/241038/microwave-chocolate-mug-cake/

 

[KarenNC]

29 minutes ago, FuzzyCatz said:

Mug cakes are a fun treat to have up your sleeve with friends.  There are lots of ideas out there.  

https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/241038/microwave-chocolate-mug-cake/

 

Thanks. I have several recipes for mug cakes but haven't tried any. I actually just suggested to my daughter today that she try out a few to see what she liked so that I can send the supplies.

[Chris in VA]

baked potatoes in the microwave are pretty good--a little too wet for my taste but not bad.

she can make microwave popcorn by just using a brown bag and folding it over. No need for the chemical-ly kind. 

[daijobu]

20 hours ago, Chris in VA said:

baked potatoes in the microwave are pretty good--a little too wet for my taste but not bad.

 

 

Microwave potatoes!  Brings back my own college memories.  Slice them first to speed up the process, and throw on some ketchup to make them palatable.