Love, such a complex word that can evoke so many emotions. We love our family, friends, pizza, chocolate, having money and so many other things. The month of February, though, has a very special day that we get to celebrate the people we love in a special way, Valentine’s Day! Be it your boyfriend, girlfriend or whatever term you prefer, Valentine’s Day is a wonderful time to enjoy a romantic dinner with your significant other. If you are single, it’s a day to sit with chocolate and a romcom and despair in your state of singleness, or not despair but celebrate, up to you! And nothing says special quite like a treat made by your own hands. A quick glance at the Meier and Lamson kitchens might drive you to despondency over ever making anything; however, not all hope is lost. Although the cooking facilities available to students are far from ideal, there are many delicious things you can cook up; you just need a little imagination!
Starting off strong, we have chocolate-covered strawberries, which you can make in the microwave. Simply combine semisweet chocolate chips and either butter or coconut oil, and microwave at intervals until melted, dip your strawberries and voila, you have made the iconic treat. A similar option is Valentine’s fudge. Simply combine melted white chocolate, condensed milk and vanilla, and use sprinkles and red food dye to decorate and refrigerate overnight, and you get lovely white fudge that looks fancy. Another easy treat would be mug cakes. Although they would require more ingredients than the previous two, they are perfect for a small treat! Or a microwave lava cake for two, best served with some scoops of vanilla ice cream on the side.
As for the savory side of treats, some finger sandwiches are a perfect option that require minimal kitchen equipment, or even olive oil with spices to dip a baguette while preparing the main course. Salads are also something one can easily cook up in the kitchen, especially since they usually require only some cutting. Caprese skewers are another easy-to-assemble savory snack. Of course, you can always do a charcuterie board of either cheeses and crackers, vegetables and dips, hummus and pita bread, breads and jams, basically whatever you can imagine and place on a board in a nice arrangement! All you would need would be a board and some creativity.
But what about something more substantial? Most of the dorm kitchenettes have an oven and a stove, which opens up many possibilities. However, the kitchenware needed might be found lacking, so looking into one-pot dishes that do not require many utensils would be worthwhile. One option would be to make a fancier version of ramen, such as adding edamame, kimchi, or seaweed to the bowl, or making your own sauce with the packets. Another idea would be one-pot pasta dishes, ranging from gnocchi to spaghetti. And as for the oven, there is no shame in purchasing a frozen pizza or lasagna to warm up in the oven, although it's advisable that you check the oven beforehand and immediately remove the food item if the oven begins to emit a mildly unpleasant smell. (Sometimes whoever used it last left a mess that could ruin your food, so beware.)
Be it a sweet treat or a full-course meal, with some ingenuity and common sense, you and your valentine, or galentine, can have quite the feast that tastes good and can be accomplished within the confines of the dorms’ kitchens. Just be sure to exercise safety, and if you are concerned with your kitchenette appliances, it is better to be safe than sorry. Let’s not cause a fire alarm with your cooking prowess; that is not what is meant when people say they are on fire for love! It is best to simply enjoy the process of making something for a special someone, even if that someone is yourself.
The Student Movement is the official student newspaper of Andrews University. Opinions expressed in the Student Movement are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the editors, Andrews University or the Seventh-day Adventist church.