It’s Valentine’s Day — that time of year when you may be trying to figure out something romantic to do with your special someone. Now, you could go for something like a box of chocolates and a card, or you can be bold and cook something that really makes their day special.

Since many students live in dorms with only a microwave to cook with, here are a few recipes that you can make without the luxury of a full kitchen.

Appetizer: avocado and grapefruit salad

To kick off your meal, I recommend a family favorite: spinach, pomegranate, grapefruit and avocado salad with a spicy cider dressing. To make this, you need one bag of spinach, a pink grapefruit, one ripe avocado and some pomegranate seeds.

First, rinse the spinach and then add it to a large bowl. Next, slice the grapefruit and avocado and mix that and the pomegranate seeds into your bowl. Finally, you can top the salad with your own cider dressing or substitute it with a nice balsamic vinaigrette.

After tossing the salad, your appetizer is ready to eat and is the perfect way to start a romantic dinner for two.

Entree #1

Next up is a different take on a dorm room classic: homemade macaroni and cheese in a mug. This recipe by Made by Monique, shows how to make a perfect serving size of mac and cheese — without any packets of cheese powder — in a nice mug.

It’s simple and only requires a microwave, some dry macaroni, water and just about any cheese you can imagine. It doesn’t require a ton of work and it’s sure to impress that special someone.

For those of you lucky enough to have a kitchen, here are a couple of ideas for meals that require a bit more than just hitting a microwave button.

Entree #2

Here is another family recipe: pizza dough for a memorable pie.

The dough requires one packet of active dry yeast, three-fourths cup of hot water, two cups of all-purpose flour, one teaspoon of salt, half teaspoon sugar, at least one tablespoon of good-quality olive oil and semolina flour for baking the pizza.

After you have all of the ingredients, boil or microwave water until very hot, at least 110 degrees Fahrenheit. Pour the yeast into hot water and let it sit, only stirring it once or twice for seven minutes. Next, place the flour, salt and sugar in a mixing bowl.

If mixed by hand, mix for 15 minutes or until ingredients blend without air bubbles.

After mixing, shape the dough into a ball and place it in an oiled bowl, covering it with a slightly damp towel. Place the bowl away from cool areas and let it sit for a few hours.

Once the dough is finished, roll it into a pizza shape, add your favorite pizza sauce and toppings and preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Place the pizza on a baking sheet and into the oven for 15 minutes. If you’re using a pizza stone, it may take seven to eight minutes longer to cook completely. But every oven is different, so just make sure to check the oven and remove when it’s done.

It’s a lot of work but it’s sure to show that special someone just how important they are to you.

Dessert

Finally, after such a great meal, you may want to finish up with a nice romantic dessert. I suggest a chocolate lava cake, perfect for a romantic Valentine’s Day dinner. This delicious recipe by Food & Wine is sure to end the night with a bang.

With these four recipes, you will be sure impress your date. If you’re 21 or older, maybe add a nice bottle of red wine to enjoy along with the food, and you are all set.

Published on February 14, 2019 at 12:13 pm