Cooking 101

Even bright students with GPS-equipped phones can have problems finding their way around the kitchen. Here are some basic tips for first-time chefs.

1. Baking powder is the great multitasker
Not only can baking powder be used to put out kitchen fires that can’t be doused by water, it can also get funky smells out of your fridge. Leave it next to the orange juice for a day, and soon your fridge will be funk-free.

2. Backwards planning
Knowing the meal you intend to make before grocery shopping will save you time and money, especially if you utilize online resources. Safeway, Fred Meyer, Whole Foods, Zupan’s—all of these places have prices listed online. Search and conquer!

3. Kettle vs. microwave
Portland rains demand hot tea. Be sure to use a kettle though, not the microwave, which can overheat the water and cause it to explode out of the cup. I could not survive Portland winters without my electric teakettle.

4. Hungry hippos get burned
Never, ever take the lid off of a pan while something is cooking inside of it. Steam, which is hotter than the water it comes from, will burn your face. Patience is a virtue, right ma?

5. Stress-free recipes: throw stuff together
Really, it’s okay as long as you can remember anything that has ever been made for you. Chicken noodle soup has carrots, chicken and a starch in there, right? So cook a breast of chicken with cut up carrots and rice. Reuse the basics.

6. Meals made simple
Spaghetti, fettuccini alfredo, scrambled eggs, Caesar salad, tuna salad and hamburgers are all staples that are easy to make—even if all you have is a hot plate. Yes, First Year Experience participants and other dorm dwellers, you can cook too!

7. Olive oil, canola oil and butter, oh my!
Olive oil and canola oil are both low in saturated and trans fats, but olive oil goes smoky at a lower temperature. So, if you’re frying, use canola oil. Butter has a high percentage of saturated fat, so stay away if you value unclogged arteries.

8. Bigger is better
How many times per week do you really want to go to the grocery store? To avoid too many trips, buy and cook for more at the beginning of the week. Leftovers are priceless, and end up saving time and money.

9. Don’t become your grandparents
You know how grandparents tend to keep food way past their “use by” dates? Don’t do that—those dates are there for a reason, so unless you want to get horribly sick and visit the friendly receptionists at SHAC, don’t risk it.

10. Student staples
Fruit, veggies, rice, eggs and chicken. Endless combinations are available on a cheap budget.