With the cold weather in full swing this winter, I’m sure your motivation to leave the comfort of your dorm room for dinner time is dwindling quickly. At this point in the year, the stack of take-out menus that would pile up in my dorm room was shameful, honestly. Thankfully, it was possible to create delicious meals in my microwave oven, so you can change up my routine of visiting the dining hall every day.
In our Microwave Survival Guide, we’ve compiled some of the top meal and snack trends among college students and provided a hassle-free, microwaveable version of each recipe below. Share your tasty creations with us on Instagram by tagging @SharpHomeUSA.
Spice up your Noodles
Ramen remains a staple food in college. Whether its growing popularity is because of the low cost at the campus store or its unbelievable flavor is up for discussion. The important part is that it is filling and does not require leaving your dorm room’s comfort, which is all a college student can ask for in a meal.
Here’s a recipe from Bigger Bolder Baking to help you prepare real food really fast, instead of just more fast food. Some ingredients you’ll need to make your own fresh ramen include:
- 1 cup Chicken stock
- A few strands of Ramen Noodles (¼ portion)
- 2 tablespoons frozen mixed vegetables
- 2 teaspoons soy sauce
- ½ teaspoon chili sauce
- 1 tablespoon green onions, sliced
Start by finding a large microwave-safe bowl or mug, and break all of the noodles into pieces small enough to fit nicely in the container. Then, combine all of the ingredients listed above into your container and microwave for 2 minutes or until the noodles are tender.
Prepare the Perfect Pizza
If you’re like me, your pizza cravings occur during all hours of the day. But in-between classes, ordering a pie for delivery is out of the question. You could try to microwave some bagel bites, but that would end in a soggy disappointment. Trust me; I’ve tried.
Thankfully, Country Living released a recipe for the perfect pizza in a mug, which we have provided with step-by-step instructions below.
First, you’ll need a large microwave-safe mug (the one from your school store will probably do). Combine 4 tablespoons of flour, 1/8 teaspoon of salt, 1/8 teaspoon of baking powder, and 1/8 teaspoon of baking soda. Then add in 3 tablespoons of milk and 1 tablespoon of oil, mixing the ingredients thoroughly. To top your pizza creation off, add a scoop of your favorite sauce, toss in some shredded cheese, and microwave for about 1 minute and 20 seconds or until ingredients are fully cooked. Allow a few minutes for the pizza to cool down and enjoy!
More Cheese Please
You can never have too much cheese — at least I know I can’t. If you’re looking to put your powdered cheese for pasta in the past, we’re here to help.
There are some great ways of creating a delicious bowl of mac and cheese in the microwave with REAL cheese. One of my favorites is a recipe from The Kitchn. Some ingredients you’ll need for this cheesy delight include:
- 1/2 cup macaroni or shell pasta
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup milk
- 1/2 cup shredded cheese
To start, you will need to combine your pasta, water, and salt into a microwave-safe bowl. Make sure to heat the pasta on high in two-minute intervals, mixing every so often until the pasta is fully cooked. This process should take about 6 minutes, which is 3 two minute intervals. After your pasta is cooked to perfection, add both the milk and cheese into the bowl and microwave for 1 minute or until the cheese has fully melted.
Once the cooking time has finished, mix thoroughly to ensure the cheese sauce is evenly distributed. Enjoy!
Satisfy your Sweet Tooth
When you’re at school and have a crazy craving for something particularly sweet, there aren’t exactly many options. You could make a mug cake, but we have a feeling the famous saying “let them eat cake” was not meant for that type of cake.
Instead, try baking up a sweet delight like this apple crisp recipe by Allrecipes in your microwave.
Start by spreading the apples in a glass baking dish. In a medium bowl, mix the melted butter, brown sugar, oats, flour, cinnamon, and allspice. Sprinkle this topping evenly over the apples once the mixture is evenly spread in the glass dish, microwave for 10 minutes, and allow to cool for 2 minutes. After the plate has cooled, add some vanilla ice cream to taste and enjoy!
- 4 large Granny Smith apples – peeled, cored, and sliced
- 1/2 cup butter melted
- 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
- 3/4 cup quick-cooking oats
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon allspice
