Campus Bound?  Here’s College Cooking:  Feed Yourself and Your Friends

By Megan & Jill Carle

Reviewed By Marty Martindale

No, this book isn’t about 27 ways to jazz up ramen noodle soup! It’s rare a dorm-dweller starts college with good eating habits, much less the ability to prepare same. It’s even rarer when two daughters from one family head out so well-equipped. This is how it happens in the Carle family, two sisters, Megan and Jill. In fact, they have co-authored the cookbook: College Cooking:  Feed Yourself and Your Friends.

They aptly organize the Contents into sections for Survival, Avoiding the Freshman Fifteen, Toga Party, Cheap Eats, Cinco de Mayo, Eat your Greens, Tapas Party, Just Like Mom Makes, Oktoberfest, Food for the Masses, Impressing your Date, 80s Party finishing off with Satisfying Your Sweet Tooth. Between this and the recipes, they help out with some Kitchen Basics, Tools and Equipment and Stocking your Pantry.

Some overviews:

• Chicken with Rice:  Merely cream of mushroom soup, onion soup mix, white rice, water and chicken pieces….

• Eggplant, Tomato and Mozzarella Stacks: Just exactly as the title  suggests, with great looks!

• Tzatziki: (Greek night must):  Cucumber, onion, garlic, feta cheese, sour cream and pita bread

• Spaghetti Carbonara:  Spaghetti, bacon, garlic, eggs, milk and Parmesan cheese

• Black Beans and Rice with Recaito: Water, rice, olive oil, recaito (see ingredients list), can of black beans and can of diced tomato

• Zucchini Olive Salad:  Zucchinis, garlic, fresh basil, lemon juice, olive oil, Parmesan cheese, black olives and sunflower seeds

• Chicken Salad Pita Sandwiches:  Chicken pieces, celery, cucumber grapes, mayo, pita and lettuce(s)

• Grape Jelly Meatballs:  Onion, ground beef, breadcrumbs, eggs, grape jelly and chili sauce

• Potato Chip Cookies:  Butter, sugar, crushed, potato chilies,  pecans, vanilla, flour and  confectioners’ sugar .

• Peanut Butter Cup Bars:  Butter, peanut butter, graham crackers, confectioners’ sugar and chocolate chips
  Brownie Bites:  chocolate chips, butter, sweetened condensed milk, vanilla, flour and chopper walnuts

• Blueberry Turnovers:  cream cheese, egg, sugar, sheet of puff pastry and blueberries

After all, being a capable and gracious host person is another hoped-for outcome from higher education.  It could start with this book.

Marty is owner of:  FOOD SITE OF THE DAY.