Ramen Rescue: Pantry Cooking for the College Cook

I was just writing about cooking from the pantry over at my other blog. Cooking from the pantry for the College Cook: a different and more difficult concept, to be sure. I included some pasta recipes, but pasta is a challenge for the College Cook, especially if said cook is lacking a stove. It takes a lot of ingenuity to make pasta in the rice cooker.

But noodles, whatever the ethnicity, are essential comfort foods and who needs comfort more than the College Cook? Probably in any dorm or student housing there are numerous packets of ramen noodles. Is there any way to make ramen noodles actual food and not just a liquid version of potato chips?

A while ago, I consulted a cookbook called 100 Things to Do with Ramen.

OK. 101 Things. This book was the source of something like ramen stroganoff, consisting of cream of mushroom soup, hamburger, and sour cream. And ramen. I returned the book whence it came (the library).

We can do better. Take your ramen. Use only 1/2 the flavor packet. Cook in microwave. When it's hot, add a beaten egg. Stir around. Not bad.

Do you have some frozen spinach? Add it. Or frozen peas? Add them. A dash of rooster sauce completes the meal.