In the midst of midterms, many students frantically hit the books without having much time to cook for themselves. I wouldn't be surprised if frazzled college kids eat out more during these intense exam weeks because it is easy and time efficient. Plus, restaurants are only a few steps away from Memorial Library and Helen C. White.
However, I am always aiming to cut costs where I can and be as productive as possible with my minimal spare time, especially when it comes to food.
Midterm week seems an appropriate time to share tips on how to make a stressful week that much better by adding some flair to your food. That is why I am offering some twists to \classic college foods"" that I am assuming the majority of students have eaten at one time or another while in school.
Now I am not taking credit for inventing these modified dishes. Rather, I am simply compiling a list of some basic meals I have come across in the past that are not only easy to prepare, but also pretty tasty.
The first meal is your not-so-traditional macaroni and cheese. Prepare a batch of your favorite boxed brand and add chopped slices of cooked hotdog. If you don't like hotdogs, sausage would probably work too. I personally prefer Kraft with the squeezable cheddar pouch when making this dish.
Grilled cheese is an item that is easy to spice up by adding fresh tomato slices between thick pieces of buttered Texas Toast before placing the sandwich in the frying pan. You can include hearty slabs of bacon as well if you want to incorporate some meat into your meal.
Another mealtime option involves sprinkling some shredded mozzarella, cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese atop any type of frozen pizza. Chop up some fresh vegetables and toss them on as well. You can even add a dash of garlic salt if you so desire to give it more kick.
In creating a delicious pasta dish, simply boil any style pasta (I prefer fettuccine) and after draining the noodles, garnish them with butter, generous amounts of shredded Parmesan cheese and garlic salt. I am a huge fan of garlic salt. You really can't go wrong with it!
Keep in mind this list is not exhaustive. I am sure there are plenty of other concoctions out there waiting to be discovered, so get creative! I know these tips won't guarantee you acing your exams, but it will make your tummy (and wallet) happy.
I know my stomach will be having its fair share of garlic salt and cheese these next few weeks.
Send your favorite recipes to Kat at krpeterson@wisc.edu.
