I can't really call myself a chef since I've only started cooking seriously last year. But what I've learned so far is that college provides a great opportunity to start perfecting your culinary skills: you can cook in your spare time and you will always have people to taste your food. My friends say I'm always in the kitchen making something. But I know more than enough people who haven't laid a finger on a frying pan, let alone a spatula.
For too long I have seen my friends survive merely on instant noodles cups and mac 'n' cheese. I know that some of you reading this column don't even know how to make scrambled eggs - but don't worry, I'm here to help. The lack of food knowledge on this campus has inspired me to do two things in this column:
1) Provide fellow students with cheap, easy to make recipes.
2) Search the District for the best places to eat that won't break the bank. With this column, I hope to convince all of you here to walk up bravely to your dorm stove and cook something, anything - and pre-packaged food doesn't count. It's much cheaper than TDR and most likely you'll have fun doing it.
Now, on to the sweet potatoes. I suggest you get a potato peeler if this is your first time cooking potatoes. Sweet potatoes are hard to chop up so use the sharpest knife you can find. If you can get your friends to help you peel and chop the potatoes, it will make the cooking process go a lot smoother and faster. Honey mustard, ranch and blue cheese dressing make excellent dip for the fries.
Time: 30-40 minutes Serving: 4-6 people
Ingredients:
* 3 large sweet potatoes, chopped into wedges * 1 tablespoon olive oil * 2 tablespoons white sugar * 2 tablespoons brown sugar * 1 teaspoon salt * 1 teaspoon cinnamon
Cookware Needed:
* Oven * Large mixing bowl * Aluminum foil or non-stick spray * Very sharp knife * Potato peeler (optional, but highly recommended) * Cutting board * Baking sheet
Instructions:
1) Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
2) Put the potato wedges in the mixing bowl. Add in the olive oil, cinnamon, salt, white and brown sugar. Toss the ingredients until all the wedges are covered in the oil mixture.
3) Cover the baking sheet with aluminum foil or non-stick spray. Place as many fries on the sheet as possible, but leave enough space for the fries to get crispy. Place the remaining fries on another baking sheet to speed up the process.
4) Place the baking sheet in the oven and let the fries cook for 10 minutes, then flip them over. Place back in the oven for another 10 minutes. The fries should be soft on the inside and crispy on the outside. Let the fries cool for five minutes before eating.
As a student myself, I am always eager to learn different ways of cooking, especially from you international students. If you have any fun and easy recipes or if you know a great - and cheap - place to eat that you are willing to share, e-mail me at asi3989@gmail.com.
