Every collegiette misses her mom’s home-cooked meals, but what about those of us who miss cooking for ourselves? Personally, I was elated when I found out that Hodgdon has a kitchen on every floor, but when I arrived on campus I was disappointed that they didn’t quite meet my culinary needs. Dorm kitchens are great for making pasta dishes and omelettes, but the teeny ovens make it difficult to craft confectionary delicacies. The constraints of a one-rack oven make it difficult to bake more than one sheet of cookies or one layer of a cake at a time. Because climbing stairs between two ovens became increasingly difficult, I decided to switch my culinary focus to brownies and bars! Here are my top 5 favorite recipes that are well-suited for dorm cooking:
1. Bon Appétit Cocoa Brownies: Think you can do it better with a box? Trust me, you can’t. Under-bake these by 3-4 minutes to get the fugdiest, most decadent brownies you’ve ever had. These easy treats are guaranteed to make you a hall favorite.
2. Loaded M&M Oreo Cookie Bars: These are my personal favorite. They are super sweet and filled with classic sweet tooth vices. I recommend doubling the amount of M&Ms suggested in the recipe to make this amazing concoction the perfect late night snack.
3. S’mores Bars: Your RA will definitely appreciate this flame-free take on a tasty classic. These s’mores bars are super easy to prep and perfect for sharing! Plus, for those of us who don’t bake because we’re too lazy to grocery shop, all the ingredients can be found in Dewick, Hodgdon, or the bookstore!
4. Snickerdoodle Blondie Bars: It’s your favorite cinnamon comfort cookie… in a BAR!! These are amazingly satisfying. This is another recipe in which under-baking (or as the experts call it, “par-baking”) by 5 minutes or so makes all the difference.
5. Frosted Sugar Cookie Bars: Want to be the best friend ever? These colorful bars were destined to be a surprise birthday treat! Even if it’s not a birthday, whip these up if you need to sweeten your day!