Cinna-Man These Are Good!- Rolls

Saturday morning when we were growing up was reserved for cartoons and brunch; wether it's french toast or waffles or - our favorite - cinnamon rolls. In an effort to recapture our childhood while living in a dorm we've come up with a way to make Pillsbury Cinnamon Rolls in the microwave. Even though we're calling this one "Store-bought Done Right" we didn't do anything special to these rolls- we were just excited they came out right (trust us... we've had our share of rock-hard, inedible rolls).

Cinnamon rolls + hungry chemists = love!

Butter the bottom of a tall, glass baking dish then arrange the rolls as far from each other as possible . We used a square pan but if you have a round one that will let the rolls climb up the side as they rise that one would be ideal. Nuke on 50% power for 5 minutes then let stand in the microwave for an additional 5 minutes. Take the metal top off the icing container and warm for 7 seconds. Spread the icing over you rolls and enjoy!

Cinnamon roll glamor shot

Since cinnamon rolls are yeast-risen they are tricky in the microwave. If you try to cook them on regular power the microwaves are too intense and will kill off the yeast too quickly leaving gummy, rock-hard rolls. That being said, when prepared this way the rolls aren't the softest on the planet but they're still pretty darn good! All in all if you have access to a conventional oven, use it.

Well that's all for now! Keep cooking and remember:

No kitchen, no problem!

-K&M

"I Can't Believe It's Not Hogsmeade!" Butterbeer

In honor of the premier of the final installment in the Harry Potter series we're serving up a Three Broomsticks staple- butterbeer! The sweet, frothy drink is perfect on a cold winter's night or whenever you need a bit of magic in your life. We hope you enjoy it as much as everyone's favorite trio does.

Butterbeer: taking the phrase "buttery and delicious" to a whole new level since 1997

Ingredients: (for 2 servings)
2 Tbs butter
1/4 cup sweetened condensed milk
1/4 butterscotch syrup
about 1 1/2 cups cream soda
1 Tbs honey


Nuke the honey, butterscotch, condensed milk, and butter in a heatproof cup for 1 minute. I find it easier to deal with the condensed milk and honey by spooning it out with a tablespoon (1/4 cup = 4 Tbs). Another helpful hint is to use nonstick spray on your cup/spoon. In a separate cup, heat the cream soda for 1 1/2 minutes. Divide your syrup mix into 2 mugs and carefully pour in the warm soda. Mix very gently so it stays frothy and delicious. Sip with your pumpkin pasties and chocolate frogs!


That's all for now! Everyone enjoy the movie and try not to bawl too hard when it's over (we know we will)! Keep cooking and remember:


No kitchen, no problem!


-K&M

We Swear It's Gumbo!

Not jambalaya. We're guilty as charged - both of us kept confusing the name of this dish. But it's gumbo, not jambalaya, we promise! But hey, it's an honest mistake! Both gumbo and jambalaya originate from Louisiana, they both have similar ingredients, and they are both outrageously tasty! Our gumbo, like all other crockpot recipes, is super easy to make. Here's how it's done:

Gumbo? It should be called YUM-bo!

Ingredients:
~Gumbo~

1/2 cup flour

1/4 cup oil

5 Tbs butter

3 celery stalks
1 white onion
1 green bell pepper
4 cups of H₂O (well, we are chemists after all)
5 chicken bullion cubes
about 1 Tbs worcestershire
garlic salt salt, pepper, oregano to taste
1 lb saussage
2 chicken breasts
1 can of stewed tomatoes
1 can of red beans
~Rice~
2 cups long grained rice
3 1/2 cups cooking liquid (water, stock, whatever)


The Gumbo:
First thing to do is to make the roux, the thickening agent for the sauce. Mix the flour, oil, and 2 Tbs of the butter and cook in the microwave for 15 seconds. Stir and heat again. Then add the remaining 3 Tbs of butter and heat as necessary until the mix is golden brown then add it to the crockpot. Dice the vegetables and put on top of the roux. Precook all your meats and cut them into bite-sized chunks and dump into the pot. Next add the water, worcestershire sauce, stewed tomatoes, beans, and the bullion. Cook on low for 7-9 hours.


**Note** Gumbo is traditionally made with shrimp. Since we didn't really want Kate to go into anaphylactic shock, we left out the shellfish. If you want, add 1/2 lb of cooked, shelled, and deveined shrimp for a more authentic taste. Also okra is used as an additional thickening agent. However Madison has had an unfortunate aversion to okra (we blame awful school cafeteria food) so that too was forgone. If you wish to add okra, use 2 cups, sliced.


The Rice:
Pour the uncooked rice into a large, microwave safe dish then add the cooking liquid overtop of it. Keep in mind that rice expands 2 to 3 times its original size as it cooks so take care in selecting your cookware. Microwave for 30 minutes without stirring or until all the liquid is gone. Fluff with a fork and add salt to taste.


This gumbo recipe was inspired by the queen of southern cuisine: Paula Deen! Let's be honest, that woman could fry up a shoe and it would probably taste delicious. That being said this gumbo was wonderful. It's not too spicy so even lightweights can enjoy it. The inclusion of some red chili peppers or tabasco sauce would be an easy way to turn up the heat.


Well that's it for now! Keep cooking and remebmber:


No kitchen, no problem!


-K&M

Microwave Crumble!

We know. Most of you out there are asking "What in the world is rhubarb and why is it in my dessert?!" Well if you ever see in in your local market you'll probably be seeing the trimmed stalks. It's the stuff that kinda looks like skinny red celery. It turns out that various parts of this vegetable are used as herbal medicines and remedies except for the large, triangle leaves which are poisonous. The most common use of rhubarb is what we're using it for here: in dessert. Pairing the strong, tart flavor of rhubarb with the fresh sweetness of strawberries is an award winning combination. Here's how we cooked up a strawberry rhubarb crumple in the microwave in less than 20 minutes!

Strawberry Rhubarb Crumble

Ingredients:
1/2 lb rhubarb stalks
1 lb strawberries
1 Tbs corn starch
2 Tbs granulated sugar
the juice of 1/2 a lemon
6 Tbs melted butter
2 1/2 cups of quick cooking oats
1 1/4 cups of packed brown sugar
2 Tbs flour


Wash and cut the rhubarb and strawberries into 1 inch pieces. Toss with the corn starch and granulated sugar then pour the lemon juice over and set aside. Melt the butter and mush it into the brown sugar. Add the oats and the flour and mix well until it's crumbly. Sprinkle 2/3 of the topping over the fruit and set the rest aside. Nuke the topped fruit on high for 5 minutes then on 30% power for 10 minutes. Let stand in the microwave for 5 minutes to firm up. Top with the rest of the oat mixture and serve with whipped cream and/or ice cream.

Ready to present to neighbors

Any sort of fruit would work in this. And if we're being completely honest, the two of us would probably eat the topping all on its own and be perfectly happy. Four out of four chemists loved this crumble. If you made this for home economics class you would get an A+ (gotta love Old Greg) for sure.


Well that's all for now. Keep cooking and remember:


No kitchen, no problem!


-K&M

Sweet Slaw

When I was little I loved coleslaw. When I was ten years old I found out that it was made out of cabbage. Cabbage! I couldn't believe it! How could an awful, smelly cabbage taste so good? Well it turns out that the secret's in the sauce. Here's a quick and easy recipe that will forever change the way you see the slaw.

Sweet Coleslaw

Ingredients:
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup vinegar (we used apple cider)
1/2 cup of sugar
salt and pepper to taste
1 shredded cabbage
1 shredded carrot
the juice of 1/2 a lemon


For this recipe all you really need to do is mix the dressing then add the veggies. That's it. Yes, it's that simple. If you don't want to shred your own cabbage then one of those bagged coleslaw mixes will be fine. Don't go for the bottled dressing though - it's always better to make your own. This dish gets better as you let the ingredients sit together so we strongly suggest that you prepare it at least a day before you plan on eating it especially if you're bringing it to some sort of potluck picnic.


We hope you enjoy this slaw! It's good on hamburgers and (especially) hotdogs or just on its own. Keep cooking, friends, and remember:


No kitchen, no problem!


-K&M

Hello All!

We hope everybody out there had a good 4th of July! We sure did... We were in New York for the weekend.

Us at Coney Island!

The good news is we went to the neighborhood farmers market and we came back with some fresh ingredients and ideas. Tune in the rest of the week to see what we cook up. See you then!


-K&M

Spinach, Bacon, Feta Microwave Quiche

One of the best things to come out of France is the quiche. This little pie is a great meal for breakfast, lunch, dinner, elevenses, afternoon tea, supper, midnight snack, . . . You get the picture. Depending on what you put in it, the quiche can be eaten any time, any where. Usually this dish takes over an hour to cook in the oven but we've cooked up one in less than 25 minutes. Here's how we did it:

Microwave Quiche?!?

Ingredients:
1 frozen pie crust
1/4 cup fresh spinach
a few basil leaves
1/4 chopped bacon
1/4 cup crumbled feta
4 large eggs
1/3 cup milk (or if you have richer tastes, cream)
salt, pepper, nutmeg


To start off spread the crust into a 9" glass pie dish and prick the bottom with a fork. Microwave for 2 minutes. Next roll the spinach and basil leaves and cut into thin strips. Sprinkle evenly in the crust along with the bacon and feta. Beat the 4 eggs with the milk and add the salt, pepper, and nutmeg to taste. Remember to go easy on the salt because the cheese is pretty salty too. Pour the eggs evenly over the filling. Nuke for 2 minutes on high then 5 minutes at 50% power. Let stand in the microwave for 10 minutes. Cut into 6 segments and enjoy!

Quick Quiche!

This is yet another recipe that you can customize however you like. Just as long as you have about 3/4 cup of filling (e.g. spinach, bacon, feta) then you'll be okay. Now you could put 3/4 cup of just cheese and that would be totally fine. The crust comes out a little gummy but it's still a pretty tasty quiche.


Well that's it for now. Keep cooking and remember:


No kitchen, no problem!


-K&M

A Southern Belle's Perfect Chili

There is nothing better than chili on a rainy day. And chili is just not chili without cornbread. And since it's not raining here we had to cook up a storm of our own... But instead of rain this storm is made up of tasty chili. Here's how we did it:

Chili and Cornbread

Ingredients:
1 lb ground beef (93/7)
1/2 onion
1 green bell pepper
1-28 oz can of diced tomatoes
2-16 oz cans of kidney beans
1-8 oz can of tomato sauce
garlic powder, salt, pepper, cumin to taste
A package of your favorite cornbread mix


The Chili:
In a microwave safe container, nuke the beef for 2 minutes and 30 seconds then stir. Nuke for 2:30 and stir again then for 1:30 and drain off the grease. Add to the crockpot. Deseed the pepper and dice it along with the onion and put in the pot. Drain the beans and diced tomatoes and dump into the crockpot along with the tomato sauce. Cook on high heat for 5 hours. Top with sour cream and your favorite cheese and enjoy. Oh, and don't forget the cornbread!


The Cornbread:
This method of baking in the microwave should be familiar from our Ooey Gooey Microwave Brownies recipe because we made this cornbread the same way... Mix up the batter as per the directions then nuke for 9 minutes. Let the cornbread rest for at least 15 minutes so it can finish baking via carryover cooking. Cut into 9 squares and allow to cool further on a plate.


This chili isn't the spiciest thing on the planet but thanks to the cumin it's got a smoky heat of deliciousness. The sweetness of the cornbread brings a nice balance to the chili especially when it's crumbled up and mixed in along with the sour cream and cheese.


5 out of 5 scientists approve of this chili. The ratings were 8.8, 8.7, 8.0, 7.5 and 7.0. And we've had some pretty rocking chili in our lives. 


Well that's all for now. Keep cooking and remember:


No kitchen, no problem!


-K&M

The Most Awesome Thing a Toothbrush Can Do

Alright, here we go!

Everything you need

To pull out the bristles simply grasp with your needle-nose pliers  and...

twist until they come free. Use the pin, paperclip, or tweezers (pretty much whichever works for you) to dig out the little metal things holding the bristles in.

Nuke in a pan of warm water for 5 minutes

With a towel start bending you brush/bracelet...

until it looks something like that.

Now put it on your wrist to size it properly. Then drop it in some cold water to harden.

And there you have it.

-K&M

Sunday Microwave Brunch

Sunday mornings have always been a relaxing affair for us here in Storrs but not this one. Today we're so excited because we're making bacon and pancakes... In the microwave! Let's get started:

Sunday Morning Brunch

Ingredients:
-1 package of bacon
-your favorite pancake mix (we used bisquick shake and pour)


The Bacon:
Lay two paper towels on a microwave safe plate. Put 4 or 5 strips of bacon on the plate without overlapping them. Put another two paper towels on top. Nuke for 3:30 (for 4 strips) or 4:30 (for 5 strips). Be careful, the grease will be extraordinarily hot!

Bacon Love

The Pancakes:
Start off with your favorite pancake mix (or recipe if you have one). Pour enough batter for one pancake onto an ungreased microwave safe plate. Nuke for 1 minute to 1 minute and 20 seconds depending on the strength of your microwave and the size of your pancake. There's no need to flip it. You know it's done when it comes off the plate easily. 
Note: to avoid stuck on pancakes like this...

Pancake Fail

... Rinse off your plate between each use.


The bacon turns out surprisingly crispy. We suggest patting your strips after they've cooled a little (but still warm) so they don't get soggy with the grease. The pancakes came out a bit thin but still full of pancakey-goodness. It would be exceedingly simple to disperse your batter a little more and make crepes. To round out this breakfast so it looks just as tasty as it does in the picture try our 2 Minute Eggs recipe. Add OJ and enjoy!

Let's admire it again... So tasty...

So until next time, friends, keep cooking and remember:


No kitchen, no problem!


-K&M

Not Short on Taste Short Bread

What dessert screams summer more than strawberry short cake? And no we're not talking about the store-bought, overly sweet, dry cake topped with a practically jellied strawberry sauce - this is the real OG. We're going to tackle this titan of taste in two parts. (Don't you just love alliterations?)

Short Bread!

Ingredients:
1 lb of fresh strawberries
1/2 and 1/4 cup of sugar
the juice of 1/2 a lemon
1 cup butter or margarine
2 1/2 cups of all purpose flour
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp cinnamon (optional)

The Strawberries:
Wash and cut the strawberries into bite sized chunks. Add the 1/4 cup of sugar and the lemon juice and mix well making sure that the strawberries are evenly coated. If you don't have a lemon then any citrus fruit would work - orange, lime, even a splash of lemonade. Let sit in the fridge for at least 6 hours. This is kind of like cheese and wine; the longer it sits, the more delectable it becomes.

The Short Bread:
Cream together the butter/margarine and the sugar. For those who don't know, this means mashing them together until it's light and fluffy. If you wish to avoid fork-shaped dents and cramps in your hand feel free to use a mixer. Next work in the flour 1 cup at a time. Add the vanilla and the cinnamon to taste. On an ungreased, round glass plate (we actually used a pie pan but it was a little hard to get out) spread half the dough into an even slab like a huge cookie. Prick the dough into 16 even sections. Nuke for 4 minutes and 30 seconds on medium high and let sit for at least 5 minutes. Cut along the dotted line (hey, it's kindergarden all over again) and serve with the strawberry sauce and a dollop of your favorite whipped cream.

Strawberry Shortcake!

This recipe makes dense, decadent short bread. With the cinnamon in the dough it tastes kind of like a little scone but hey, that is totally fine with us. If you prefer a fluffier base for your strawberries then try adding 1/2 tsp of baking powder to the flour before you incorporate it into the butter/sugar combo. Also putting a spoonful of the strawberry sauce in your glass of lemonade makes for a refreshing twist on the classic summertime staple.

So until next time, friends, keep cooking and remember:

No kitchen, no problem!

-K&M

Eggplant Lasagna

When the term "home cooking" is mentioned one of the first things that comes to mind is lasagna. Even though we have no kitchen we were determined to find a way to make this comfort food staple. Here's how we did it:

Microwave Eggplant Lasagna

Ingredients:
1 large eggplant

1 cup of ricotta cheese

1 egg

1-12 oz jar of pasta sauce

1 package of ready-to-bake lasagna noodles.

a handful of mozzarella cheese for the top

Slice the eggplant into 1/4 inch rounds. Cover them with a paper towel and nuke for 4 to 6 minutes. Next beat the egg into the ricotta cheese. When the eggplant is done, spread some of the pasta sauce in the bottom of an 8"x 8" glass baking dish. Put a layer of noodles, about 1/3 of the ricotta/egg mixture, and a layer of eggplant. Continue the pattern until a) the dish is full or b) you run out of a component, finishing off with the red sauce and sprinkle the mozzarella on top. Loosely cover the dish with plastic wrap and nuke for 10 minutes. Let stand in the microwave for at least 3 minutes. Garnish with some fresh basil and enjoy!

This recipe is an easy way to sneak vegetables in your diet because, let's face it, according to the world none of us get enough veggies. It would also be really good with zucchini or squash or carrots or anything like that. And the best part is the fact that it takes less time to make than in a conventional oven and it is just as awesome.

6 out of 6 scientists (3 biologists and 3 chemists - a nice healthy mix) agree that this lasagna was quite good. 1 of the scientists dislikes eggplant and she still thought it was tasty!

Well until next time, keep cooking and remember:

No kitchen, no problem!

-K&M

"Ramen can be good?!"

We know you've tried it at least once in your life - whether you liked it or not. The crinkly dried noodles in the outrageously salty bullion broth... You either love them or you hate them. I am on Team Ramen all the way so when Madison said she had a way to make it better I couldn't believe my ears.

Ramen Heaven

Ingredients:

-1 pack of chicken flavor ramen (trust... the other flavors are gross with this)

-1 egg

-1 slice of (preferably white) American cheese (the processed, shrink-wrapped kind)

Nuke enough water to cover your ramen block for 2 minutes. Add the ramen and heat for 1:30 and stir. Continue nuking for 2 minutes. Drain most of the water and add the flavor packet while stirring. Add the raw egg and the cheese (make sure you rip up your slice) and mix for even distribution. Nuke for 45 seconds, stir, repeat until the egg is cooked through. Mix again because the egg tends to fall to the bottom and nom to your heart's content.

NOM!!!

These are some seriously tasty noodles! This was the first time we prepared them in the microwave as opposed to the stove top version and we are happy to report that they taste exactly the same - aka awesome. Another good addition to this would be some shredded chicken or, if you're a Ponyo fan, HAM!

--Please excuse Kate, she recently watched Hayao Miyazaki's Ponyo and has been quoting it nonstop--

Well that's all for now. Keep cooking, friends, and remember:

No kitchen, no problem!

-K&M

2 Minute Eggs

Yeah, yeah, we know what you're thinking... "Eggs from a microwave?!?" But stow your misconceptions because these eggs come out perfectly fluffy and delicious. And the best part about them is you can customize them however you like!

Super fluffy microwave eggs!

Ingredients:
-egg(s)
-milk
-salt and pepper
-cheese
-whatever else you want to pop in there

Crack the eggs into a microwave safe bowl and scramble them. Add about a tablespoon of milk and a healthy pinch of the cheese of your choice. We added a little bit of diced onion but some red pepper would be an excellent addition. Want to add some crumpled bacon? Oh yeah, go for it my friends! Nuke the eggs for 30 seconds and stir. Repeat this until the eggs are done. For one egg it takes about 1:15, for two it's closer to 2 minutes. The cook time depends on how many eggs you have and the strength of your microwave. Add salt and pepper to taste and enjoy!

This recipe is great for breakfast or a midnight snack seeing as it takes the same amount of time to cook and eat it! So until next time, keep cooking and remember:

No kitchen, no problem!

-K&M

Holy Guacamole, Batman!

We are of the belief that if you add avocado to pretty much anything, it will instantly become awesome. That being said one of our favorite snacks is chips and guacamole. It's so simple to make and it only takes five minutes!

The makings of the best dip to come out of a Mexican restaurant since queso.

Ingredients:
-1 ripe avocado (dark green and kinda squishy)
-1/4 of a lemon or lime's juice
-1/4 cup of your favorite chunky salsa
-salt, pepper, and garlic salt to taste
-fresh cilantro if available


To those out of the loop peeling an avocado can be a slippery, squishy mess. The best way to do it is to slice it longways and twist the halves apart. Then take the half with the pit in it and whack the pit with your knife (we would suggest you protect your hand with a kitchen towel) then twist to remove. Take a large spoon and scoop the meat out of the skin. Mash the avocado then add the juice, salsa, and seasonings to taste. If you don't have fresh cilantro don't add the dry version - it's just not tasty. Serve with your favorite chips and let the party begin!

The best thing an avocado can aspire to be.

Yes, we know that this guacamole kinda looks like baby food gone bad but don't be fooled! The addition of the salsa brings a subtle heat to the cool, fresh flavor of the avocado that we're sure you will absolutely love. This recipe serves four grazers or two hungry college students a snack chocked full of antioxidants and omega-3 fatty acids!


So keep cooking, friends, and remember:


No kitchen, no problem!


-K&M

Double Rainbow Ribs

These ribs are so tender they literally fall off the bone. The prep time for this is about ten minutes and, let's face it, that's pretty much all the work. Since these babies are cooked in a crock pot this recipe is exceedingly easy.

Double Rainbow Ribs

Ingredients:

-four pounds of bone in pork ribs

-one can of condensed tomato soup
-1/2 cup of vinegar (any will do- we used apple cider)
-1/2 cup of packed brown sugar
-1/2 onion
-1 Tbs soy sauce
-garlic powder
-chili powder
-salt and pepper


The night before, chop the onion into fine slices. The smaller the better that way you won't bite into a huge piece and get punched in the taste buds by overpowering onion flavor. Add them to the crock pot along with the can of tomato soup, the vinegar, soy sauce, sugar, and seasonings to taste. Whisk to combine. If you prefer a thinner sauce, add no more than 1/2 of the soup can of water. Next trim any excess fat and gristle from the ribs. Arrange the ribs in the crock pot so that they are all submerged in the sauce of goodness. Cover and let them marinate in the refrigerator overnight.


The next morning turn the crock pot on low and cover. Now you're free to do whatever you need and/or want to do all day. These ribs will cook for 8 to 9 hours all on their own. During that last hour make sure the ribs are tender and cooked to your desired doneness. Before partaking in the deliciousness make sure you look out for the tiny little bones that will be floating around in you barbecue. They are highly unappetizing and tend to be very sharp. 


Caution: They will be HOT!


Yes, that's it. That's how easy it is to make fall off the bone, juicy ribs. Four out of four chemists said these were absolutely delicious and make one helluva sandwich. Two out of two graduate students were thrilled saying "these are better than what I get at home."


We hope you really enjoy them. And, as always, remember:


No kitchen, no problem!


-K&M


P.S. These are called "Double Rainbow Ribs" because as Madison and I were pulling them out of the pot we saw a double rainbow outside our window. As if these ribs needed any help being awesome.

It's hard to see but there's a second rainbow to the left of the really bright obvious one.
If you look close enough you can see that the second rainbow's colors are reversed.

The Mother of All Instant Mac & Cheese

No seriously, it's gonna be awesome.

All necessary ingredients

Add milk to line with a little bit of water.
DO NOT GO ABOVE THE LINE.
YOU WILL HAVE TO CLEAN YOUR MICROWAVE.

Nuke for a total of three minutes, mixing at intervals.

Enjoy!

-K&M