Kayleigh Moore
Living in a catered hall has its pros and cons. Arguably, the biggest con is that sometimes you might miss the scheduled dinner and that’s tough luck or you may not like what is on offer that evening so end up going back to you room hungry. Fear not! There is another alternative to a takeaway, that microwave in the pantry is about to become your best friend.
Jacket Potatoes
The classic microwaveable meal. A humble jacket potato can be cooked in the microwave in minutes, and while it may not get a crispy skin like it does in the oven, it still satisfies that hunger. Toppings such as baked beans or even a can of chilli can easily be microwaved to top them or keep it simple with tuna mayo or cheese. Easy and versatile what more could you want.
Now even though this sounds scary, it really isn’t but you will need a couple more items. You will need a kettle as well as a measuring jug to go with the microwave as a big-ish microwavable bowl.
Ingredients
850ml of vegetable stock
350g of risotto rice
175ml of white wine (can be substituted for vegetable stock)
Choice of frozen vegetables
Method
- Add 350g of rice, the white wine and a 1/3 of the stock to a bowl. Cover with clingfilm and microwave foe 10 mins.
- Stir the rice and add another 1/3 of the stock and microwave for 3 mins.
- Add whatever frozen vegetables you want and the rest of the stock and microwave for 7 mins.
- Serve with some grated cheese and enjoy!
Bacon Sandwiches
When you have drank too much the night before and it’s not a weekend so brunch is not on offer you think how nice it would be to make yourself a bacon sandwich. And you can with this easy way to cook bacon that is basically mess free. All you need to do is get some kitchen roll and a microwaveable plate and you are ready.
Place the kitchen towel a couple of sheets thick onto the plate and then put the bacon on top. Fold the kitchen towel over the bacon so it’s like a little parcel. Then microwave for 1-2 minutes per slice, timing based on how crispy you want your bacon and how good the microwave is. Then you are ready to put your bacon in a bap, cob, roll or whatever you want to call it.
Home Meals
I was lucky in my catered hall that each room had a fridge with a mini freezer inside it. This meant when I was home, I would always bring back some frozen leftovers that could be reheated in the oven when needed. And if all else fails there is always some instant noodles about.
So, there are some recipes and tips on how to make the most of what little kitchen you have when living in catered halls.
Kayleigh Moore
Featured image courtesy of Pvs Suresh via Flickr. Image licence found here.
Image one courtesy of Kevin Doncaster via Flickr. Image licence found here.
Image two courtesy of Slgckgc via Flickr. Image licence found here.
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