Italian Meal in a Dorm Room

with Chef Peter Swift

After successfully making both chai and apple sauce in my dorm room, I decided to try to make a meal.  Lindsey loves spaghetti and meatballs, so I decided to try making an italian meal.  If you take your italian food seriously and anything less than fresh tomatoes simmering with a custom blend of herbs and spices is offensive, then I suggest you read no further.  This was simple, quick, and I didn't have to resort to using a microwave.  Here are some pictures of the process:

This was a different setup than usual.  I decided to use the top of my fridge instead of the bathroom counter.  I think my favorite part about this setup is the proximity of all this water to a lot of electrical equipment...

Rather than spending tons of money on fresh veggies, spices and hours boiling it all down in my hotpot, I just bought some delicious Prego.

I considered just pouring the sauce into the hotpot...but I prefer not having my pristine white plastic forever stained, so I just put the jar in the hot water for a while. 

Man, even the meatballs are store bought!  Well - once again, this is because it is easier.  As a dorm resident, I don't exactly have a fully stocked kitchen at my disposal...

This is way easier than a microwave, right?  Just put the *FULLY COOKED* but frozen meatballs in a ziploc, drop it in some boiling water with the sauce, and just wait.

I was originally concerned with the ziploc leaking, but it did just fine in boiling water.  The meatballs were hot in just a little while.  The sauce, however, required occasional shaking to get consistent internal heating.

After a while, I realized I didn't have too much time left before Lindsey came over, so I poured the hot water in my pitcher (background) and boiled some more water, filled the pitcher, and then boiled some more water and added the pasta.  It stuck out a little bit, but I was able to cram it all in w/in a few moments.

I added frozen garlic breadsticks on top of the whole thing to absorb the heat.

Once the pasta was crammed in and boiling, I had to take the frozen breadsticks and place them in a bag on top of the hotpot, to absorb the heat.

Here the spaghetti is cooking away.  I also salted the water quite a bit...

"This would be a good meal even if it was home cooked." - Lindsey

Note the John Deere fleece blanket...

I guess I never really understood the whole "twirling" concept.  Or manners. 

Overall, the meal was a success.  Afterwards we enjoyed some Edy's Special Edition "Girl Scout Cookie" ice cream.  Who needs microwaves or ovens when you have a hotpot?

Other foods cooked in a hotpot:

[Applesauce] [Chai] [Rice Pilaf (coming soon!] [Italian Meal]