One of the things that made living in a dorm room suck, at least for me, was having no access to a kitchen. I am no Gordon Ramsey, but I like cooking because it makes me happy. So when I had to move into my dorm and live for two months without a kitchen, it made me sad.

By the end of October, I was getting sick of takeout and dining hall foods. So I began to look for a way to improvise in cooking only with a microwave. And in time, I came up with different ways to cook ramen, eggs, ham, etc. So for anyone who is sick of eating dining hall foods, I wanted to share few ways to cook good meals only using your microwave.

Since Thanksgiving was a few days ago, I’ve decided to share some microwave prepared dishes you could make in your dorm room to bring back some of the nice and warm nostalgia of Thanksgiving you might miss.

1. Stuffing

Who doesn’t love stuffing right? I think I gorge on stuffing more than the turkey itself when it comes to Thanksgiving dinner. Instead of just buying ready to eat stuffings, making your own would be more healthy since there won’t be any preservatives, and more customizable. So let's get to it.

Ingredients:

For 1 Serving

- 1.5 cups of breadcrumbs

- 2.5 tablespoons of minced onions (you could actually mince an onion or buy already minced/dried onion form the spice section of grocery)

- 2 tablespoons of minced celery

- 1 teaspoon of butter

- 1/3 cup of chicken broth

- 2 teaspoons of salt

- 1/4 teaspoon of poultry seasoning

- 1/3 teaspoon of garlic powder

- a small dash of pepper

Directions:

Mix the ingredients thoroughly in a large enough bowl and when it is ready to microwave, place a damp paper towel over the bowl and microwave for 4-7 minutes. (If the stuffing is too wet or cold in the center, microwave for another minute or so.)

Enjoy!

2. Baked Potatoes (Serving 1)

One of the must-haves on my plate is baked potatoes. But a baked potato itself is boring. So I usually spice things up by putting some of my favorite seasonings or cheese. It is very simple to make:

Ingredients:

- Potatoes (sweet or regular)

- Paper Towel

- Seasoning of your choosing (salt, pepper, garlic, parsley, brown sugar, cinnamon, etc)

- Optional: Cheese

- 4 teaspoons of Olive Oil

Directions:

1. Cut the potato in half

2. Place the cut potatoes on a plate inner side up

3. Apply two teaspoons of Olive Oil to each cut potato

4. Apply half tablespoon of the seasoning of your choosing on each potato

5. Place damp paper towel on top of the potatoes

6. Microwave for 30 seconds to 1 minute

Enjoy!

3. Green Bean Casserole

I don’t like green beans that much, but Thanksgiving is the only time when I eat green beans because of the Green Bean Casserole. So let's see what goes inside it.

Ingredients:

- 1 Can of Mushroom soup. (If you are allergic to mushroom, any creamy soup would do. I’ve tried clam chowder and it was pretty good)

- a half cup of milk

- 1 teaspoon of soy sauce

- Black pepper

- garlic powder

- Fried onions

- Canned green beans or fresh green beans.

Directions:

1. If you are going for the fresh green beans option, you must pre-boil them or heat them so that they are soft. You could do this by heating the fresh green beans on the microwave for 2 - 3 minutes. Make sure to cover the plate with a damp paper towel to make sure the green beans don’t go dry.

2. Place the green beans on a plate or bowl that you are making the casserole in and pour the soup of your choosing and the milk into the bowl and mix thoroughly.

3. Add a teaspoon of soy sauce and some garlic powder and mix thoroughly.

4. Add a handful of fried onions on top of the casserole and some black pepper.

5. Microwave for 6 - 8 minutes or until it is heated.

6. Sprinkle more fried onions on top and serve.

4. Corn on the Cob

I used to love Corn on the Cob but I can’t eat them anymore because of my braces. Well, technically, I am not allowed to eat corn at all but I eat them anyway. So I’ve decided to add this to the list.

Ingredients:

- 1 Ear of Corn

- Salt

- Some Butter

Directions:

1. Place some butter in a bowl and microwave on high for 1:30 minutes.

2. Microwave the corn for 2 minutes and run it through the cool water.

3. Remove the silk around the corn.

4. Apply melted butter on the corn and microwave for 2 minutes.

5. Rotate the cob 60 degrees and microwave for 2 minutes.

6. Turn the cob again and apply some more butter and some salt and microwave for 2 minutes.

7. Take it out of the microwave and serve.

5. Thanksgiving Pumpkin Pie

I love pumpkin pie and it is the best way to end the Thanksgiving Dinner. I’ve decided to add it to the list. However, since I’ve never baked pumpkin pie on a microwave, I’ve looked up some recipes and found the best one to try. I thank Cooks.com for the wonderful recipe.

Ingredients:

2 eggs, separated

1 can (13 oz.) evaporated milk (about 1 2/3 c.)

1 pkg. (4 1/2 oz.) egg custard mix

1 can (16 oz.) pumpkin

1/4 c. packed brown sugar

3/4 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg

1/4 tsp. ground cloves

1/8 tsp. ground ginger

1/4 tsp. cream of tartar

1/4 c. granulated sugar

Directions:

1. Use pastry mix for 1 crust pie. Prepare as directed on package.

2. Roll between 2 pieces of wax paper.

3. Place crust into microwavable pie plate.

4. Prick bottom and side with fork.

5. Microwave uncovered 2 minutes; turn dish 1/2 turn.

6. Microwave 2-3 more minutes until crust has a dry, flaky appearance.

PART II: PUMPKIN FILLING:

1. Separate 2 eggs. Keep egg whites in a separate dish.

2. Beat egg yolks in 2 1/2 quart glass casserole dish.

3. Add milk, egg custard, mix, pumpkin, brown sugar, and spices.

4. Microwave uncovered to boiling (7-8 minutes). Stir every 2 minutes.

5. Pour into pie shell

6. Beat egg whites and cream of tartar until foamy in a separate bowl.

7. Beat in sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time until stiff peaks form.

8. Spread meringue around edge of pie.

9. Microwave uncovered until meringue is set (1 1/2 minutes).

10. Label and refrigerate at least 4 hours.

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Cooking is awesome. Until I have access to a stove and nice kitchen utensils, I will always experiment with food and my microwave. You should too! You never know what you could make until you try and maybe if you keep experimenting, you might be able to impress your familiy members, or your future in-laws with your simple yet very tasty cooking skills. So cook on!