As a freshman, you don’t even think about cooking on your own unless it’s the late night Easy Mac or occasional cake for a friend’s birthday. There’s no need.
The Fresh Food Café offers an expansive variety of meals that require no effort and, with the prepaid meal plan, seem to be free.
Even as a sophomore it’s easy to rely on Levering and Nolans. Cooking anything in McCoy is a challenge and even those big refrigerators in Charles Commons remain reserved for a Brita, beer, and maybe some microwavable dinners.
As an upperclassman, however, you are rudely thrown out of campus housing, off of the comforting meal plan and expected to fend for yourself.
Suddenly Levering salads seem exorbitantly expensive, you’re eating every meal at One World because you live next door, and your father is wondering why two months into the semester you’ve spent all the money in your bank account.
I have numerous friends who resign themselves to eating every single meal out because “they can’t cook” or “don’t have time.”
When they complain that they have no money for concerts or spring break I have no sympathy.
Yes, Chipotle is disgustingly good and Ajumma’s chicken bulgogi is delicious, but with entrée prices ranging from $6.50 to $8, this adds up to a pricey daily meal.
I’m not a saint. I love going to restaurants, I go to bars and frequent Hop Deli, and I am too quickly becoming a familiar face to those two guys who work at Café Alkimia.
But having these indulgences seems all right when I’m eating breakfast and dinner at home and bringing a sandwich for lunch.
Which brings me to my main point: you too can cook! And save money!
Seriously, it’s not hard. By resigning yourself to the “I-can’t-cook” category you’re saying you can’t perform basic, elementary skills.
So you can’t use a knife and cut up a tomato? You can’t turn on your stove? Are you really unable to pour some olive oil into a pan? If you’ve gotten into Hopkins and survived long enough to become an upperclassman then I’m pretty sure you can.
The scariest part of cooking may be the daunting task of what to buy. You’re faced with the epitome of American obesity and over consumption when you walk into a grocery store; but don’t fret.
Stick to simple essentials and be sure not to load up on snacks (because even though you’re in college, eating Cheetos for breakfast is never a good idea).
Someone once told me to shop along the periphery of a grocery store, and that’s where the necessities will be found: produce (vegetables and fruits), protein (meat and fish), dairy (milk, yogurt, cheese), and grains (breads and pastas).
My example of a simple delicious meal that you are 100% guaranteed to be able to cook will be pasta with a fresh tomato sauce.
I promise this will smell much more complicated than it is to make and can be made in under twenty minutes. You can put the leftovers in the fridge and eat them for lunch tomorrow.
Make it for someone you’re interested in (paired with a bottle of red wine) and they’ll be extremely impressed.
Pasta with a Fresh Tomato Sauce
Serves 2
Ingredients:
3 Medium sized red tomatoes, chopped
1 Large onion, chopped
1 Clove of garlic, thinly sliced
Handful of fresh basil
Salt
Pepper
Olive oil
Pasta of your choice (half of a box)
Optional: Spinach, sliced mushrooms, and/or chicken*
Fill a medium saucepan with water, add a dash of salt and set over a high heat. Cover with lid and allow to boil.
Once water is boiling add half the box of pasta and cook until al dente (so there’s still a bit of firmness when bitten, but not chewy).
Drain pasta when it’s fully cooked, put back in cooled saucepan and set aside.
Using a sharp knife, chop up the tomatoes and onions (onions can be diced or sliced).
Slice the garlic as thinly as possible. Place a frying pan over a medium-high heat and add about 2 tablespoons of olive oil to the warm pan.
Add the garlic to the pan and allow to cook until translucent, then add the onion and tomatoes (make sure to include the liquid from the tomatoes too).
The onions should become soft and translucent as well. Stir occasionally. Add salt and pepper to taste.
When the sauce is warm and fragrant it’s done.
Either add the sauce to the pot of pasta or simply serve on top of the plated pasta.
Rip up a few basil leaves and top the dish with them. Serve immediately. Supplement the pasta with fresh bread and a salad.
*You can also throw some spinach and/or mushrooms into the frying pain for a fuller, richer sauce.
Sauté chicken in a separate pan and serve with the pasta for a heartier meal.
If you’re a newbie to cooking and still addicted to going out to eat, start off slow.
Buy cereal and milk as breakfast, make dinner at home, and use lunch to get your fix of buffalo chicken sandwiches from Char Mar.
