words from mars

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The Cheapest Meal Around

This week’s call for a new tip from Mars (me!) called for some real thought. Yeah, I have some opinions about the recent election, the state of our people, and the general angst among us. But I choose not to write about that today. Today, I choose to write about something more pressing, more immediate, more relatable: what to eat. 

I have lived the last four years as a poor college student. And I have no qualms with this lifestyle. In fact, learning how to live with so little has been one of the most amusing parts of my life. I take pride in the fact that I have honed certain skills (including housekeeping, time managing, and cooking) in the time that I have spent living alone.

I am writing to you today to share a recipe that I have created independently. The following was conceived in a moment of creativity, desperation, and limited finances. Please feel free to share this recipe with friends, or modify it to your liking. Here’s what you will need for a cheap dinner:

INGREDIENTS:

1 1/2 cups water

1 tbsp. miso paste

1 packet ramen noodles

1 egg

1/4 cup frozen peas

Bring the water to a boil

Once boiled, add the miso paste and stir until dissolved

Now, add the packet of ramen noodles, letting boil for 2 minutes

After 2 minutes, crack one egg into the boiling water and stir gently for 1 minute

Once the egg is fully cooked, pour frozen peas into soup and let boil for 2 minutes

 Remove soup from heat and cool at least 3 minutes. Serve and enjoy!

Miso Paste Image: www.steamykichen.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/miso-paste-.jpg

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Unclog Your Sink with Science!

Many of my household chores tend to slip under the radar when there is not an immediate and easy solution. If I see a laundry basket overflowing, I put the clothes in the washing machine. If my sink is full of bowls and plates, I spend twenty minutes scrubbing them. And if my fishbowls are looking murky, I change the filters and the water. 

Because these are problems that have very accessible solutions, there is almost a meditative quality about dealing with them. If I know how something is done and have the tools to do it, the process is enjoyable and rewarding (mostly because I can watch Netflix while I complete tasks on my to-do list). 

When I lived alone, I was on top of these little chores, as well as the aforementioned difficult ones. Because I had no one to help me, I was forced to teach myself tricks to help keep the place fully functioning. Now that I have a roommate, the house dirties at an irritatingly accelerated rate, but I can deal with certain problems because I have had to do it alone. For instance, the horror of a clogged drain. 

Whether it be a kitchen sink backed up with coffee grinds and ramen noodles, or a bathtub drain full of hair, the thought of unclogging these unholy grime-filled pipes is enough to induce gagging. But never fear! I have the solution! 

At one point of my time living alone, my sink was so backed up that it would fill entirely with water in under a minute and take half an hour to drain. It was awful. Unfortunately, my status as a full-time-student part-time server hindered my ability to buy cleaning chemicals (and anything to eat other than said ramen noodles), so I had to figure out another way to solve the problem. Phone calls to grandmothers commenced, an I emerged victorious and with a workable solution. 

All you need for this fix is water, a pot/kettle, a stove, baking soda, and vinegar. Before you follow the steps below, make sure to get a fork or piece of wire and remove anything from the drain that you can see. If there is any hair, food, or garbage visibly showing when you look down the sink, try to get it out. Removing the big stuff first will make this process faster and more effective. Once you have removed everything you can, proceed with the following directions: 

What You’ll Need

6 cups water

1 cup baking soda

1 cup vinegar (white distilled)

To begin, boil 3 cups of water. Once boiled, pour the water down the drain to remove any excess grime that can be washed down. 

Next, sprinkle the 1 cup of baking soda down the drain, making sure to coat the sides. Let sit for 2-5 minutes. 

After the time is up, pour down the 1 cup of vinegar. Do not be alarmed if the liquid bubbles over the drain - it will eventually make its way down the pipes.

Now, wait another 2-5 minutes while the chemical reaction breaks down the grime. During this time, boil the last 3 cups of water. 

Once boiled, pour the water down the drain to wash down the baking soda and vinegar. Repeat entire set of steps if necessary. Happy draining!

Photo accessed from https://www.tradewindsimports.com/unclog-bathroom-sink.html

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Making a Killer Sazerac!

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How to Make a Sazerac

Watch a local bartender make a drink with fire!

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