Every dorm building at Ball State University is equipped with kitchenettes, which students can use to make everything from honey garlic pork chops to TV dinners from the dining hall marketplaces. These small spaces, however, are kitchens in their own right and can be used to make more than Kraft mac and cheese. Whether you’ve never touched the knobs on a stove before or rival Gordon Ramsey in the kitchen, here are 7 recipe ideas to help you make the most of the kitchenettes in your dorm.

Up-scaled Ramen

Ramen is a staple of the college student diet, and there are a variety of ways to expand upon normal microwave ramen. Adding quick-cooking vegetables like spinach, scallions, and watercress are ways to add to the health value of ramen; these can be easily found in the frozen vegetable aisle of your favorite grocery store.

If you have a little more free time:

• Adding fried or boiled eggs can also add some protein to your normal ramen. 

• Cubed tofu or shredded Jerky can be a great way to add meat. 

• Pairing a wild rice soup and creamy chicken ramen or vegetable beef soup with beef ramen can up-scale your ramen as well.

Mug cooking 

Most mugs are deep enough to hold a cup and a half of ingredients, so they make perfect pots to cook snacks in the microwave. Just check the bottom to make sure it’s microwave safe!

Pasta in a mug:

• Equal parts water to equal parts pasta (i.e. ½ cup water to ½ cup shells)

• Cook for a few minutes at a time while stirring occasionally.

• You can add cheese and milk for mac and cheese or top with any store bought sauce as well. 

For a Nutella brownie in a mug, mix: 

• ¼ cup of Nutella

• an egg

• 2 tablespoons of flour 

Once mixed into a batter, microwave for 45 seconds to a minute.

For a fun alternative to Chipotle, consider a burrito bowl in a mug! 

Make microwavable rice, then top with canned black beans, salsa and any other toppings you’d like. Then, you can microwave that for an easy burrito bowl.

For egg fried rice in a mug, mix together:

 -cooked rice

-frozen peas

frozen peppers

-frozen onions

-an egg

-any other vegetables you’d like to add to a mug

Cover it with cling wrap, poke a hole in the cling wrap and cook it for a few minutes.

Want to see how the Nutella brownie and the burrito bowl are made? Follow this link for a video demonstration:

One-Pot Meals

For those who are well-versed in the culinary arts (or can at least comfortably cook meat all the way through), maybe the issue is just a lack of kitchen space. Try these recipes – they’re all cooked in the same pot or pan, so they require less equipment than other dishes.

Potatoes and Eggs (Courtesy of Linda Spiker; The Organic Kitchen)

1. 2 Tablespoons butter/ghee/olive oil

2. 1- 1 1/2 pounds rose potatoes, quartered

3. 4 large shallots, peeled and sliced

4. salt and pepper to taste

5. 3-4 eggs

6. fresh parsley roughly chopped (or sliced chives)

7. red pepper flakes optional

1. Place cast iron pan on high heat. Add butter or ghee to cast iron pan. Add potatoes, cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally (lower heat if necessary)

2. Add shallots. Cook until shallots are caramelized and potatoes are browned and crispy (about 10 more minutes)

3. Sprinkle with sea salt and pepper. Stir.

4. Make 3-4 wells in potatoes with back of a large spoon, crack eggs very carefully into wells.

5. Cook with lid on until whites are solid and yolks are runny.

6. Sprinkle with parsley or chives and red pepper flakes if desired. Serve!

Chicken Mushroom Risotto (Courtesy of Chelsie Collins; BBC Goodfood blog)

Note: This recipe was converted from metric measurements

1. ½ stick butter

2. 1 large onion, finely chopped

3. 2 thyme sprigs, leaves picked

4. 1 pack chestnut mushrooms (8 oz), sliced

5. 1 ¼ cup risotto rice

6. 6 cups hot chicken stock

7. ½ lb cooked chicken, chopped into chunks

8. ¼ cup grated parmesan, plus extra to serve (optional)

9. small pack parsley, finely chopped

1. Heat the butter in a large pan over a gentle heat and add the onion. Cook for 10 mins until softened, then stir in the thyme leaves and mushrooms. Cook for 5 mins, sprinkle in the rice and stir to coat in the mixture.

2. Ladle in a quarter of the stock and continue cooking, stirring occasionally and topping up with more stock as it absorbs (you may not need all the stock).

3. When most of the stock has been absorbed and the rice is nearly cooked, add the chicken and stir to warm through. Season well and stir in the parmesan and parsley. Serve scattered with extra parmesan, if you like.

Contact Miguel Naranjo with comments at miguel.naranjo@bsu.edu or on twitter @naranjo678.

Contact Olivia Ground with comments at olivia.ground@bsu.edu.

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