The Dorm Diet

Hi, my name is Julia Harrison and I am a third-year advertising major at the University of Florida. I created this blog for my Writing for Mass Communications course. I love all things having to do with food and friends! This blog will be dedicate to cooking hacks as a freshman in college!

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Two microwave mug meals you can cook in your dorm room

When I was a freshman in college, I barely had time to sit down and watch a full Netflix show, let alone travel down the hall to the communal kitchen and cook a meal. 

I often opted for frozen meals or picking up some good ol' Chick-fil-A when pressed for time. 

Recently, I dove into the world of microwave mug meals. Even though I have moved into a house equipped with a kitchen, this hasn't made me any more inclined to cook a meal every time I eat. 

With little to no prep time, mug meals are my new go-to when I am rushing out the door.

1. S'mores french toast

2 slices bread

1 tsp. butter

1 egg

3 tbsp. milk

dash cinnamon

1 tbsp. mini chocolate chips

2 tbsp. marshmallows

Begin by putting the butter at the bottom of a mug. Melt in the microwave for about 20 seconds and swish the butter around to coat your mug.

Cube the bread and add it to the mug.

Photo by Julia Harrison

In a separate bowl, mix the egg, milk and cinnamon together.

Photos by Julia Harrison

Pour the mixture over the bread. Top with chocolate chips and marshmallows.

Photo by Julia Harrison

Microwave for about 1 minute and 20 seconds. If the mixture is still runny, microwave for 10 seconds until it is set.

Photo by Julia Harrison

Get the inspiration for my recipe here!

2. Cheese pizza

4 tbsp. flour

1/8 tsp. baking powder

1/16 tsp. baking soda

pinch salt

3 tbsp. milk

1 tbsp. olive oil

1 tbsp. tomato sauce

1 1/2 tbsp. cheese

1/2 tsp. dried Italian herbs (optional)

toppings (optional)

Mix the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt together.

Photo by Julia Harrison

Mix in the milk and olive oil until it is a batter-like consistency.

Photo by Julia Harrison

Top your batter with the sauce.

Photo by Julia Harrison

Sprinkle your cheese of choice and dried Italian herbs.

Photo by Julia Harrison

Microwave for about 1 minute and 20 seconds, or until it starts rising.

Photo by Julia Harrison

Click here for Gemma Stafford's recipe that I used!

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How meal prep saves you time and money in college

Pinterest sparked my interest in meal planning freshman year, and I'm so glad it did. Scrolling through all of the mouth-watering recipes, I never thought they would actually be attainable, but they are, I promise!

Meal preparation can seem like a very tedious task that requires a lot of time and effort. It isn't as hard as it seems, though.

I introduced my roommate, Jennifer Vazquez, to the world of meal prep. Before this, her diet consisted mostly of Totino's Pizza Rolls and Kraft Mac & Cheese.

"Wow, this definitely beats Chick-fil-A," Vazquez said.

Discovering how to prepare my meals for the week made shopping so much easier. I stopped wandering aimlessly through the grocery store, purchasing whatever it is that I was craving at the time, and then regretting it later.

Once I dedicated myself to trying meal prep, I was on the road to success. The first recipe I tried is still one of my favorites, and I'm going to share it with you today. I found this recipe on Kayln's Kitchen and will link it down below.

"It's amazing how quick and easy these meals can be put together," Vazquez said, "I actually don't mind cooking now."

Don't forget! This recipe can easily be customized by adding in or substitute anything. I found that this recipe created four meals worth of food.

Click here for the recipe!

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Master the skill of cooking one-pot meals in college

Venturing into my old dorm hall, Jennings Hall, I asked University of Florida freshman Hanna Harwood what her favorite things to cook in her communal kitchen were.

"I like to get creative and recreate meals from my favorite restaurants," she said. "I don't have the luxury of going out to eat every night, so I started researching copycat recipes for my favorite dishes."

One of her favorites to recreate is Panera Bread's mac & cheese. Considering this is one of my favorite menu items Panera Bread offers, she had me hooked.

"There are hundreds of recipes online for it, but I like this one because everything is made in one pot and there are so little ingredients," Harwood said.

I immediately set aside 30 minutes of my time to make this. I ventured to Publix and picked up the only two ingredients I didn't already have: extra sharp white cheddar cheese and dijon mustard.

"It's really fun when everyone in the kitchen is super impressed with what you are making," Harwood said. "You basically throw all of the ingredients into one pot and let it do its magic."

Copycat Panera mac & cheese

2 cups pasta

2 1/2 cups milk

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. dijon mustard

1 tbsp. butter

1 cup (4 oz.) grated extra sharp cheddar

I gathered my ingredients and got to cooking.

Photo by Julia Harrison

I chopped up the cheese (because what college student has a cheese grater?).

Photo by Julia Harrison

On medium heat, I added the milk, butter, mustard, salt and pasta.

Photo by Julia Harrison

I let that come to a simmer, and then turn the heat down to low. Stir continuously for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the pasta is cooked in the milk.

Photo by Julia Harrison

Add the cheese. I added some regular shredded cheddar, because why not?

Photo by Julia Harrison

Let it sit with a lid on for about 5 minutes and enjoy immediately!

Photo by Julia Harrison

Thank you, Hanna Harwood, thank you.

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Three kitchen gadgets necessary to survive in a college dorm room

Trekking all the way to the end of the hall, pan in one hand and ingredients in another, just to make a simple grilled cheese became an arduous task. I had seen other people on my floor with spaceship-like panini makers, but always thought they were a waste of money. I finally caved and bought one, specifically the Cuisinart Griddler at Bed Bath & Beyond for $99.99, and didn’t regret it for one second.

The Griddler can be used to cook anything from paninis and pancakes to chicken and eggs. This heaven-sent appliance has removable plates, which makes it a breeze to wash!

“This really is the greatest invention ever,” said Alex Smith, a resident of UF’s Broward Hall. “I use it to cook almost everything.”

Photos by Julia Harrison

The list would not be complete without something for caffeine lovers. According to the National Coffee Association (NCA), 59% of Americans drink a daily cup of coffee. As a die-hard Starbucks fanatic, my bank account began crying weeks into my first semester. That’s when I knew I had to ask for some sort of coffee appliance for Christmas.

 My Keurig Mini kept me alive through early mornings, late nights and everything in between. For $99.99, they are available at Bed Bath & Beyond.

“Having a Keurig has saved me so much money I’d probably be spending at Starbucks, or really anywhere that serves coffee,” said Christina Vala, a resident of UF’s Jennings Hall.

Photo by Julia Harrison

Lastly, there is the Nutri Ninja available for, once again, $99.99 at Bed Bath & Beyond. The Ninja can blend anything from green smoothies to piña coladas (I prefer the latter). Throw together a smoothie and you have the perfect on-the-go meal.

Luckily, my freshman roommate picked up this one. I recommend talking to your roommate to see who can buy what to split up costs.

Photo by Julia Harrison

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How to successfully cook in a college dorm hall

Hi all!

I'm Julia Harrison, a second-year advertising student at the University of Florida and cooking is one of my passions. My dad owned an Italian restaurant for about 10 years and taught me a lot of what I now know. This sparked my interest in cooking from a young age.

Coming to college, my mom refused to purchase an overpriced dining hall meal plan for cafeteria quality food. I thought it would be impossible to cook actual meals using a communal kitchen all the way down the hall from me. 

I thank her to this day for forcing me to get creative and learn how to cook in the space given to me (a shoebox-sized dorm). I began to shop strategically and on a budget. 

The purpose of this blog is to serve as a guide to freshmen living in dorms. Having been in that position, I have perfected the art of communal kitchens, mini fridges and microwave meals. The struggle was real, and although it is over for me, it has just begun for you.

Stay tuned for recipes, kitchen tips and tricks, shopping lists and demonstrations in the future!

Updates can be found on my Twitter @juliacharrison_ or email me at [email protected].

Photo by Avia Muller

-Julia

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Fetching First Place

Four-legged friends and their families gathered at The Swamp Restaurant Wednesday, October 18th at Barktoberfest. The popular midtown restaurant, located at 1642 W. University Ave., hosted a Halloween themed ‘Yappy Hour’ for guests and their furry friends. 

Guests prepared for the event by posting pictures of their beloved canines dressed to impress on the Facebook event page. From 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., dogs enjoyed food from a special doggy menu created by Swamp for Barktoberfest, while their owners sipped on a special drink menu. 

Swamp held a costume contest for the dogs, voted on by the staff. The first place winner received a $100 gift card, second place received a $50 gift card, and third received a $25 gift card. In addition to the costume contest, the staff drew raffle winners throughout the night with prizes including doggy toys and treats. All of the proceeds from the raffle were donated to the Alachua County Humane Society.

With almost 200 people marked as “going” on The Swamp Restaurant’s Barktoberfest Facebook event page, the turnout was just as expected. Tables were packed with guests and their dogs waiting to hear the costume contest winners. Be on the lookout for Swamp’s next ‘Yappy Hour’ coming up in December, Santa Paws, where dogs can have their picture taken with Santa!

Jordan McCrary, a 20-year-old public relations major at the University of Florida, and her dog, Missy attending Barktoberfest. The couple took home the first place prize by dressing as the Disney Pixar movie Up. “It’s our favorite movie to watch together,” McCrary said.

University of Florida business students Thalia Rey, 20, and Jaimee Katz, 20, smiling when realizing their casual dinner date was unexpectedly accompanied by an overload of cute dogs in costumes. “This was a pleasant surprise,” Rey said. “Good thing we decided to skip out on the library tonight.”

Pearly, a 3-year-old Labrador mix dressed as a player of her owner’s favorite football team, the Florida Gators. After chowing down on her pup friendly dinner, she patiently waited for dessert. The Alachua County Humane Society had a variety of treats available for purchase at the event.

Radar, a 4-year-old pitbull mix, was saved from the Alachua County Humane Society. University of Florida student, Dani Cañas, adopted him when the Humane Society asked volunteers to shelter dogs for Hurricane Irma. “It was the best decision I’ve ever made,” Cañas said.